Monday Morning Sikes Lake Reptile & Gosling Encounters

On this third Monday of May it was back to Sikes Lake I ventured this morning for salubrious nature communing.

We have had four days in a row with the weather prediction predicting thunderstorms and rain, including today. But each day ends up being mostly dry and free of loud booms.

The baby geese, also known as goslings, population seems to be of record breaking size this year. I suppose it may be a post COVID baby boom.

I had a reptile encounter of the non-snake sort today.

A turtle was lounging among the pink evening primroses. Why do I find turtles to be cute, whilst I find snakes to be anything but cute?

Years ago I was swimming in Lake Grapevine, in the DFW zone, when a reptilian head suddenly popped up in front of me. I thought water moccasin and did not know I was able to swim as fast as I swam to get out of the water.

The reptilian head had followed me to shore, which is when I realized it was a turtle that was chasing me, not a snake.

This incident became the last time I have been in a Texas lake...

A Duck Walk With The Fosdick Lake Turtles Over Fosdick Falls

The duck population populating Fort Worth's Fosdick Lake in Oakland Lake Park seems to have soared since my last visit.

I assume ducks flying south for the winter use Fosdick Lake as a way station. Or is Fosdick Lake the duck's final destination?

There were plenty of duck feeders feeding the quackers today, including the trio you see here.

Yesterday's copious rain raised the water level in my pool, but not its temperature. The hot tub's water level, and temperature, seemed unaffected by yesterday's rain.

The water level of Fosdick Lake, like my swimming pool, was affected by yesterday's rain, raising the lake level to the point that water was roaring over Fort Worth's biggest waterfall, Fosdick Falls. You can witness Fosdick Falls falling in the video below.

But, before we get to the video, I was pleased to see the Fosdick turtles had come out of their cold hiding places and were back enjoying sunbathing on their favorite log in the balmy almost 70 degrees. I hope the turtles enjoy their sunny break while it lasts, before they get blasted by this afternoon's predicted gale force blow.

Last night, in the middle of the night, 3am to be precise, my phone made its incoming text message type noise. I woke up the phone expecting some dire message, but instead saw an Urgent Wind Warning from AccuWeather.

At 3am AccuWeather sent out a Wind Advisory for wind expected to blow hard 11 hours later. I can't be the only one who finds this annoying. And idiotic.

We are coming up now on one in the afternoon. A slight breeze is blowing. I may be un-installing the AccuWeather App from my phone....

Did I Bring West Nile Virus Home With Me After Visiting The Oakland Lake Park Fosdick Lake Turtles?

I got a telepathic call from my Fosdick Lake turtle friends this morning indicating they were in the mood for me to visit them.

So, since I always, or usually, do what my reptile friends ask of me, around noon I drove to Oakland Lake Park to walk around Fosdick Lake so as to visit the Fosdick turtles.

The turtle photo only includes about a third of the number of turtles who were enjoying basking in the sun today.

The Fosdick turtles were not being very skittish, with most of them remaining out of the water, sitting on their logs, staring at me.

Why are the Fosdick turtles so un-skittish whilst the Village Creek Turtles are so high strung, I think I have asked a time or two before?

Soon after the turtle visit, whilst driving back to my abode, I realized I'd been bitten. I do not remember when last I had myself an insect bite in Texas. There are signs in Oakland Lake Park warning about West Nile Virus and mosquito bites.

The bug bite made its presence known due to it causing an itchy, burning sensation. I have now treated this insect attack with Bactine and Calamine Lotion. The itchy, burning sensation has now greatly abated.

I must Google now to find out what the symptoms of West Nile Virus are.......

Walking With Arlington's Indian Ghosts Spooking The Village Creek Turtle Tribe

I figured yesterday's 101 degree downpours may have rendered the Tandy Hills and Gateway Park a bit muddy, so today for my regularly prescribed bout of vertical aerobic activity I opted to walk with the Indian Ghosts who haunt Arlington's Village Creek Natural Historical Area.

As you can see Village Creek is nowhere near flash flood mode, though I could tell via the fresh collection of litter behind the dam bridge that yesterday's rain had raised the creek level for awhile.

Prior to getting to the location you see above I tried to take video of the easily spooked Village Creek turtle tribe. I had to abort that attempt because the turtles jumped off their home log before I focused on them.

Later I made a second attempt to video the turtle tribe. This time they were not easily spooked. In fact, I had to resort to somewhat desperate measures to get them off the log, which you can see, and hear, via the video below....

Good Friday Finding Fosdick Lake Sea Monsters While Seeking Modern Facilities In Fort Worth's Oakland Lake Park Before Easter

The quintet of turtles you are looking at here are basking in the sun in Fosdic Lake in Fort Worth's Oakland Lake Park.

Well, I am assuming the turtles are doing some sun basking, but it also looks like this could be some sort of group mating session. I'm not sure what a turtle mating session would look like. I suppose I could solve that mystery with a little info-searching.

Fosdick Lake was a cheery shade of green today, a color which you can see  reflected on the shiny back of the turtle on the left.

The Fosdick turtles were greatly outnumbered by another species today in Oakland Lake Park, with that species being humans. I am assuming that since this is Easter weekend, schools are out, hence the large number of kids and parental units frolicking in the park on this Good Friday.

While I was taking the above turtle photo a mom passed by me with her little boy, with the little boy pointing to the turtles and asking his mom if those were sea monsters. The mother told her little boy they were turtles. I then told the little boy's mom that I was pretty sure they were sea monsters, not turtles. This seemed to greatly please the little boy, that he was seeing sea monsters.

I brought a bag of corn tortillas with me today to feed the fosducks. But, I think they were remembering not liking the whole wheat tortillas I threw at them a few days ago, because there was zero interest in my tortillas. In fact it was active dis-interest, in that rather than even look at that which I was throwing at them, the fosducks simply turned their backs on me and waddled off, quacking their disapproval as they waddled.

I shan't be bringing these ungrateful ducks any treats from this day forward.

In other Fort Worth park news.

Extra outhouses were being deposited today. I saw this both at Oakland Lake Park and Quanah Parker Park.

On Sunday, that being Easter, both parks, and other parks in Fort Worth, will be busy with a lot of picnicking and barbecuing. Hence the extra outhouses.

Now, I know you who do not live in Fort Worth and who know that Fort Worth is widely believed (by some deluded locals) to be the Most Livable City in America, must be wondering how it is that a city which is so incredibly livable can have city parks without modern restroom facilities?

Let alone potable water.

Well, that particular puzzlement has puzzled me ever since I started experiencing this part of the planet. I used to describe Fort Worth's primitive park facilities as getting to have a Third World type experience without the expense and hassle of leaving America.

But, the lack of modern facilities in their parks does not seem to bother the locals or the local public health officials. One would think it would be considered unsanitary to have picnic facilities in parks without running water.

Changing the subject from outhouses to aching knees.

I have been taking it easy the past few days, so my injured knee can recover from the nightmare incident where I kicked my bedroom wall in the middle of the night. I wanted to ride my bike at Gateway Park today, but opted for the more sedate walk with the Fosdick turtles. I've amped up the no-stress to the joints swimming in the morning to compensate for being more sedate the rest of the day.

I decided to go to Town Talk today and skip my regularly scheduled Saturday Town Talk visit. I suspect Town Talk will be a busy zoo tomorrow, what with that being the day before Easter. Usually I like Town Talk when it is a busy zoo, but not so much when I am in hobble on an injured knee mode which is not impervious to getting banged on by an aggressive Town Talk shopping cart pusher.

Today I got a lot of All Natural Tyson Chicken Legs, Extra Sharp White Cheddar Cheese, a case of Chobani Lemon Yogurt, Flatbread and White Onions.

Walking With My Little Sister & The Indian Ghosts & Turtles Who Haunt Arlington's Village Creek

Today my favorite little sister who lives most of the time in Arizona went walking with me and the Indian ghosts who haunt the Village Creek Natural Historical Area.

As you can see today the usually skittish Village Creek turtles were enjoying sunning themselves on their favorite log.

I think the gusty wind made the turtles less skittish than they usually are. I know the gusty wind had that effect on me.

Whilst talking to my sister I learned I was erroneous regarding a photo Spencer Jack's dad, my favorite nephew, Jason, emailed me last week. Turns out one of the few things I was right about in describing the picture was correctly identifying the person wearing a white helmet with no discernible chin as being Spencer Jack's very special Aunt Clancy.

I thought Spencer Jack was standing by his Aunt Clancy taking a picture of whoever it was who was taking the photo which was sent me. That is the picture I am talking about below.

Turns out mostly everyone in the picture is looking at Spencer Jack taking the picture, with Spencer Jack not at the far end of the table, That is a big mirror at the end of the table, reflecting back Spencer Jack.

So, there you go, I'm glad I cleared that all up.

The biggest news I learned today whilst walking with my sister was that one of my favorite nephews may be getting married. I would need to go to that wedding, if invited. Hopefully Aunt Clancy won't make a spectacle of herself like she did at the last nephew wedding I  went to, that being Spencer Jack's dad's.....

Fishing With Gertrude The Goose In Fort Worth's Fosdick Lake

Thunder did some booming at my location in the mid morning time frame, along with a short burst of heavy rain.

Prior to the booming I had a long swim in the no longer too cool pool.

In the noon time frame, with no thunder booming, I decided to use my mechanized mobile transport device to go to Oakland Lake Park to walk around Fosdick Lake and enjoy being battered by the strong wind gusts.

Soon after I began my walk around Fosdick Lake I came upon the bucolic scene you see above. A guy fishing with his pet goose, Gertrude.

Years ago, in a Washington raspberry field, I  was attacked by a mad goose. Ever since then I keep my distance from geese.

Until one suffers a goose attack one does not realize how strongly those goose beaks can bite.

Why has a rope been strung from the railing of the bridge which crosses the Fosdick Dam Spillway?

I could think of no reason why someone would go to the bother of doing this.

This morning someone named Anonymous asked me, via a blog comment, if I was senile. I don't remember the last time I was asked if I was senile. Not remembering the last time I was asked if I was senile may be yet one more sign of senility. The person named Anonymous was asking me if I was senile due to some controversy over a bluebonnet which I did not understand, likely due to me being senile.

Leaving the subject of my senility and returning to Fosdick Lake.

As you can see, the Fosdick Lake turtles were enjoying today's balmy humidity, while not letting the gusts of wind bother them.

Being senile I sometimes forget to eat lunch. But, this would not be one of those days, because the oven just beeped, indicating I need to eat....

Today I Felt Introvertish Watching The Village Creek Turtles Welcoming Spring Celebration While Texting Elsie Hotpepper

Apparently the Village Creek Natural Historical Area turtles got the memo that today Spring began, and so the turtles were out of the water having themselves a mighty fine time basking in the springtime sunshine.

I have rarely seen turtles in the Village Creek Blue Bayou. Usually dozens of them hang out on logs further upstream.

But today there were about a dozen turtles in the Blue Bayou, lolly gagging in the sun, totally impervious to me observing them, unlike the usual excessive nervousness with which the Village Creek turtles greet me, as opposed to the non-nervous, extrovertish Fosdick Lake turtles, who at times almost act as if they are waiting to get petted.

I had no idea extrovertish is not a word til I typed it and saw extrovertish get red flagged. Well, it should be a word. As should introvertish be a word.

Used in a sentence...

Elsie Hotpepper is very extrovertish, while I am extremely introvertish, which is why I have myself such a fine time when I go saloon hopping with Elsie Hotpepper and is also why I engage in that saloon hopping behavior so seldom.

Anyway, today marked the first time in a long time I've rolled my wheels through the Village Creek zone without wind being an issue. I do not like wind being an issue when I roll my non-mechanized wheels.

Speaking of Elsie Hotpepper (and who isn't?).

Elsie was the first person I observed up close being a texting maniac on her cell phone. I recollect being at a public meeting type event and being amazed as I watched Elsie clack her phone keyboard at high speed sending text messages to someone on the other side of the room.

And now, just seconds ago, I found myself suddenly realizing that I'd become a text messaging maniac as I sat here exchanging text messages with the aforementioned Elsie Hotpepper.

Progress comes slowly to me, but eventually I catch up. Even if I am a decade behind.....

A Walk With The Oakland Lake Park Turtles Around The Mysterious Fosdick Lake Fountain

It seems like it has been weeks since I've driven to Oakland Lake Park to walk around Fosdick Lake.

Even though I had myself a mighty fine endorphin inducing time, albeit a bit cooler than yesterday, swimming this morning, I decided my delicate constitution would benefit from some additional fresh air exposure.

As you can see, the mysterious Fosdick Fountain is still blowing up water.

It has been a month or two since this fountain started spraying. I have yet to learn how this came to be, a fountain blowing water in the middle of the lake where one day there was no fountain, then three days later it appears, with absolutely no sign of any lake side, fountain related, construction.

Just like yesterday, at the Village Creek Natural Historical Area, today there was a higher than the norm number of people enjoying the outer world's perfect conditions.

That perfect weather condition is currently scheduled to come to an end this coming weekend with freezing air once again arriving in North Texas.

As you can see below, today the Fosdick Lake turtles were enjoying the semi-warm temperature, lounging by the dozen on their proprietary log.

By the time I got my camera turned on a lot of the Fosdick turtles had dived into the lake, unusually skittish for Fosdick turtles, unlike the regularly skittish Village Creek turtles, who posed for me yesterday, without their regular skittishness.

Hiking The Grand Canyon Of Village Creek With Turtle Power & Indian Ghosts

That is the Grand Canyon of Village Creek in Arlington's Village Creek Natural Historical Area you are looking at on the left.

This morning, due to the now ended November Tropical Heatwave, I had myself a summer-like long swim in the not too cool pool.

By the time the mid point of the day arrived I was in the mood for breathing some outer world air.

That and I was in need of some groceries which could be attained at Walmart, which is near where the Village Creek Indians had their village before being evicted by incoming Texans.

I was surprised by the large number of people who also felt the need to breathe some of this currently pleasant air. All the usually bad air indexes are currently being about the best I've ever seen them. The Pollen Index is low. The Air Quality Index is good. The UV Index is moderate.

One of those who were walking with me and the Indian ghosts today was a cute little kid with a t-shirt which advertised "TURTLE POWER" on its front.

I asked his mom if they'd seen the Village Creek turtles who I'd already discovered were being unusually un-skittish today, hence my ability to get take the below photo without the turtles jumping into the water....

Today It Was Not Too HOT To Have Myself A Fine Mountain Biking Time In Gateway Park With A Giant Turtle

With the temperature predicted to hit a high of 105 with possibly a record breaking high of one degree more and with the humidity causing the air to feel 5 degrees HOTTER, I thought going on a bike ride sounded like a good idea.

Over an hour in the pool, starting at the crack of dawn, really does not give as good an endorphin boost as one might hope it would.

Even though the outer world is a little HOT, the Gateway Park mountain bike trails are mostly under the cover of big shading trees, thus making for a not too HOT time.

Til one stops to get oneself some hydration.

The last time I pedaled the Gateway Park mountain bike trails I noticed that at a point where the trail sign pointed right, bike tire tracks continued left.

And so today I ignored the sign pointing right and went left to discover new trail has been punched through the underbrush to get around an area of trail which had been damaged by the flooding remnants of Hurricane Hermine, rendering what remained of the old trail to be a bit treacherous, with not enough treachery to make hiking the damaged trail dangerous, but with enough treachery to render biking it an invite to take a flying leap off the side of a cliff  into a green river.

In the picture above those are my handlebars looking at the damaged trail which runs along side the top of a cliff with the Trinity River flowing slowly below. The new bypass trail is to the right of my handlebars.

Looking over the edge of the cliff I saw a HUGE turtle floating on the surface, with its head stuck out of the water. I was able to make one snap of the camera before the turtle dived.

Speaking of critters floating in the Trinity River,  I believe tomorrow, Thursday, August 8, marks the end of this year's Rockin' the River Happy Hour Inner Tube Music Extravaganzas.

The extremely HOT temperature and the extremely inviting crystal clear water of the Trinity River should make for a possibly record breaking crowd tomorrow, floating around a non-existent island, listening to music emanating from a non-existent pavilion.

With beer.

A Walk Around Fosdick Lake With A White Swan Being Kite Bombed With Turtles

The Fosdick Lone White Swan is still taking up residence at Fosdick Lake in Oakland Lake Park.

Today the Lone White Swan's entourage was only two ducks.

I think the Lone White Swan may be being always in the same shady location because he/she has learned that park visitors bring him/her goodies.

Like today I tossed some Swan food at the Lone White Swan in the form of whole wheat bread.

While the Lone White Swan was holding food court, nearby a she of the human type was being a kite launcher for her boyfriend.

You can see the Lone White Swan to the left of the trunk of the tree. The birds seemed not to mind the kite that was being launched and crashing, over and over again, in their neighborhood.

The kite was in the shape of a bomber aircraft. The kite would successfully launch and then do a dive bomb. To me it looked like the boyfriend was purposefully dive bombing the girlfriend. The longest the plane kite stayed aloft was about 30 seconds.

Today the Fosdick turtles were congregated on their main log. This log has done some floating to new locations on the lake due to strong winds of late. Somehow the Fosdick turtles seem to always find where their log has moved to.

This morning my computer based weather  monitoring device had the air quality being sufficiently bad that it was suggested sensitive sorts not expose themselves to it. That warning has since gone away. However, the air is noticeably smoggy, unlike the ultra clear sky I saw on Sunday from the top of Mount Tandy.

The bad air has not had any noticeable effect on my ultra sensitive breathing.

The Fosdick Lake Turtles Were In Carefree Party Mode Today

The Fosdick Lake turtles were the main attraction, this second Saturday of April, in Oakland Lake Park.

The turtles, and their duck lake partners, seemed very sedated and not their usual skittish selves today.

Did some element causing a narcotic effect wash into Fosdick Lake during Wednesday's rain?

Or were the turtles and ducks just being lethargic due to being happy about the return of warm temperatures after this week's bout of almost freezing?

In the picture at the top it appears that this particular duck/turtle pair are quite cozy with each other. I think inter species relationships like this are a bit rare? Aren't they?

Below is an example of turtles on a log not getting skittish whilst being visited by some humans. I saw these two kids playing with the turtles soon upon my arrival. When I completed my walk around Fosdick Lake these kids were still playing with the turtles, who were still log bound.

Below is another turtle pair who let me get way closer than the norm, happily posing for their close up.

I have often wondered why I never see any baby turtles, wondering if they hatch out of the egg full grown. Today the baby turtle mystery ended with my first ever sighting of a baby turtle. You can not tell, via the photo, how small this turtle is, as in about the size of a silver dollar. Where was mama turtle, I worried? No other turtles were any where near this possibly orphaned baby.

The perfect Saturday weather conditions, after a week of less than ideal weather conditions, brought a lot of people to Oakland Lake Park today. Including the BBQ Picnic Party seen below.

This BBQ Picnic Party has an inflated  bounce house, a big smoker BBQ, lots of folding chairs, a yellow Pinata hanging from the tree.

And a portable outhouse.

In a park in what is widely known as One of the Greatest Cities in the World, one needs to bring ones own portable outhouse to ones picnic.

Along with potable water. Because none is available.

Very perplexing....

Trying To Get A Grip On My Democratic Whining While Watching Turtle Evictions

As this last Monday morning of the 2nd month of 2013 faded into history, the temperature dropped from the balmy 50 something degrees that heated me when I went for a quick pool dip soon after the sun arrived.

The temperature predictors have predicted that the temperature in North Texas would drop today, eventually getting so cold, by tonight, that there is a slight chance that snow flakes may fall.

By the time I drove to Oakland Lake Park, to walk around Fosdick Lake, a strong wind was blowing, and the temperature had dropped into the low 40s.

And now, in the middle of the afternoon, despite the temperature predictors predicting the temperature would be plummeting, instead we have heated up to a relatively balmy 55.

Even though it was not all that hot, the Fosdick Lake turtles, today, were having themselves a real fine time basking in the sun, turning their backs to me and the wind.

As you can see via the above picture a big duck was talking to the turtles. I could not understand what was being quacked. But it sounded very serious.

Soon, whatever it was that the duck was telling the turtles, it had several of the turtles jumping into the water.

The duck then jumped up on the open space left by the evicted turtles. You can sort of tell by the reaction of the turtles, on the right of the duck, that they were not happy about this intrusion.

Changing the subject from Duck/Turtle Turf Wars to me being a whiner.

A few minutes ago I got a short amusing blog comment from someone named Anonymous...

Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "In Texas We Are In Great Danger From Terrorism, Severe Weather & Man-Made Disasters That Can Kill": 

get a grip you democrat whiner 

If Anonymous is referring to the party that opposes the Republicans, should not a capital "D" be used? I guess that lack of a Big D can be explained by Anonymous's apparent aversion to punctuation.

Why does Anonymous think I'm a Democrat, I can't help but wonder? I can understand thinking I'm a whiner. Whining is one of my favorite hobbies.

Walking With The Turtles On The Newly Discovered Pioneer Trail In The Village Creek Natural Area

I am not certain, but I think that may be a leafless pecan tree you are looking at in the photo. This big tree is one of many in the Village Creek Natural Historical Area in Arlington.

I suspect these big trees are quite old and may have been alive back when this particular area was home to a lot of Indians, before incoming Texans used a primitive form of eminent domain abuse to evict them.

As you can see in the picture, the tree has no leaves and the sky has no clouds.

The temperature was over 60 when I went for a walk today with the Indian Ghosts who haunt the Village Creek zone.

The temperature was not over 60 this morning when I went for a very quick pool dip followed quickly by a jump into the hot tub.

The perfect weather conditions of this 3rd Sunday of the 2nd month of 2013 had a lot of people out enjoying  nature in the natural area.

The perfect weather conditions also had the Village Creek turtles basking in the sun. Usually the Village Creek turtles are very skittish. But today they politely posed while I took their picture. Not a single turtle jumped into the water.

Today I had the fact that I really am not a very observant person made clear to me, once again, when I noticed something I'd not noticed before, even though I've walked by it dozens upon dozens of times.

The thing I'd never noticed before was the plaque that is stuck to the brick structure that you see in the above photo. On top of the brick structure there is historical information signage that tells the story of the Indians who used to call this location home.

The plaque on the side of the brick structure says "PIONEER TRAIL."

I had no idea, til today, that the Village Creek trail has a name.

It seems to me the name of this trail should be more Indian-centric, rather than named, sort of, after those who evicted the Indians.

Not Swimming With The Village Creek Turtles & Giant Insects

Giant Village Creek Insect

This morning, before the arrival of the sun on the 4th morning of February, some precipitation precipitated at my location, rendering the outer world a bit damp when I exited my abode to see if swimming was doable, what with the temperature being above 50 and nearing 70 on Sunday.

I lasted a couple minutes in the pool and then sought the heat of the hot tub.

I did not know how damp my regular outdoor exercise locations were, so, for my daily mid-day constitutional, I went to a place where dampness is not usually an issue, unless we are in flash flood mode, a mode which usually closes the Village Creek Natural Historical Area.

I'd walked with the Indian Ghosts who haunt VCNHA yesterday. I don't recollect ever doing this two days in a row before, which makes today some sort of groundbreaking occasion. A groundbreaking occasion with giant insects on the ground, which were somehow rendered mostly non-mobile, which allowed me to get up real close for the picture you see above.

Usually the Village Creek Turtles are the most skittish of any of the turtles I see in any of the places I frequent. Today, for the first time ever, I saw turtles in the Village Creek Blue Bayou. And they were not skittish. They allowed me to take their picture with little protest.

It was me who was feeling a bit skittish today. Last night's Super Bowl Party went on way too long. It was exhausting.

By the time the Super Bowl Party was over some of the people partying had consumed too much cranberry juice, to the point where I, responsible host that I be, could not allow them do drive home.

Having foreseen the possibility that my Super Bowl Party might end up with all the beds in my abode being occupied, yesterday I bought an air bed at Walmart to add a back up to the air bed I already had.

Well, it did not go well when I blew up the new air bed. It has/had a built in pump. That worked fine. But, when the air bed began to approach being full it made a very unseemly popping noise, then a swelling down the length of the middle of the bed, sort of making a divider, with a narrow sleeping zone on either side.

Changing the subject from my air bed issues back to Village Creek.

Now, with the next three photos, taken today at Village Creek, we'll be looking at a wider view than I usually show you.

Above you are looking at the overlook that looks over the Village Creek Blue Bayou. A couple years ago the overlook suffered bad damage from a bad flood. Arlington then totally replaced the overlook with a much more flood resistant structure. Arlington does a very good job of maintaining its parks in peak condition, unlike some towns.

Fort Worth comes to mind as a town a bit weak in the park maintenance department. Fort Worth's Gateway Park's boarded up, flood damaged, boardwalks, come to mind. These have been boarded up eyesores for years.

Above is another view of the Village Creek Blue Bayou zone. That structure you see in the foreground is a picnic table, in the mid ground is the aforementioned Blue Bayou Overlook, looking over the Blue Bayou.

Let's leave the Blue Bayou now and walk the paved trail across Village Creek.

I really don't see the need to have a railing at this location. Is a person going to somehow meander off the trail and fall in the creek without this impediment? The trail here leads to a dam/bridge across Village Creek, one of two in the Natural Historical Area.

This bit of trail is particularly fun whilst on a bike. One can pick up quite a bit of speed and then one must carefully negotiate the sharp turn lest one find oneself swimming with the turtles.

Snapping Village Creek Turtle Pictures While Basking In The January Sun

Today, it appeared the temporary return of pleasant temperatures had a lot of people communing with the Indian Ghosts who haunt the Village Creek Natural Historical Area.

And the Village Creek turtles came out of hiding to enjoy themselves some sun basking.

The Village Creek turtles are way more skittish than the Fosdick Lake or Veterans Park turtles.

By the time I snapped a picture, a lot of the turtles had jumped into the water.

The turtles do not have very many more hours left to enjoy feeling warm. Rain and a return to freezing is on the way to this location on the planet.

Thanksgiving Turtles In Village Creek

Before the scheduled removal of the turkey from my oven I decided to go take a walk with the Indian Ghosts who haunt the Village Creek Natural Historical Area in Arlington.

I was surprised to find myself walking with a lot of other walkers out walking before eating too much turkey.

On Tuesday I mentioned that the Village Creek turtles were so skittish I'd never been able to get a picture of them, unlike the eagerly posing Fosdick  Lake turtles.

Today the Village Creek turtles, for the most part, did not jump in the creek as soon as they saw me. Instead, several of the previously shy reptiles politely posed for multiple photos, including the one above.

Changing the subject from one body of water to another.

This morning my formerly too cool pool had warmed up enough that I was able to have myself some swim time. I don't know the same will be true tomorrow morning. Currently my computer based temperature monitoring device is telling me it is a relatively chilly 67 degrees in the outer world at my location.

I need to go mash some sweet potatoes now.

Today The Fosdick Turtles Were Performing For The Oakland Lake Park Crowd Of Visitors

Fosdick Turtles & Their Happy Dancing

Apparently summer decided to make a temporary return to North Texas for Thanksgiving Week, which had the turtles of Fosdick Lake in high fiving celebrating mood, today, after their recent bouts with frigid temperatures.

Why are the turtles of Fosdick Lake, in Oakland Lake Park, such willing photo posers? While the turtles who live with the Indian Ghosts in the Village Creek Natural Historical Area are totally camera shy, so much so that I've never successfully taken a picture of any of them.

It may be that the turtles of Fosdick Lake are used to having a lot of close encounters with humans.

Like today.

I don't remember ever seeing so many little kids walking around Fosdick Lake as I did today.

Below you see some of the kids and their parental units. The pair of tall blondes were maternal units to some of the kids. Prior to the scene in the below picture one of the tall blondes let out a very charming yell with a very thick Texas accent, yelling to her kids, "Y'all get back here now."

I find a good thick Texas accent to be very charming. Even when the accent goes into yelling mode it still sounds charming to my Yankee ears.

Elsie Hotpepper has a pretty good Texas accent. I've never heard Elsie Hotpepper in yell mode, not that I remember. Some Texas accents, like the one that lady had in the above photo, well they just sort of drip honey. Elsie Hotpepper is not exactly a honey dripper, her delivery is too rapid for that, but the Hotpepper accent is still quite pleasant to listen to.

For several mornings of late I've run the furnace to heat up this space. This afternoon my windows are open.

I went swimming this morning. I lasted a couple minutes before I got in the hot tub. But the hot tub was quickly too hot, so I got back in the cool pool and swam for several more minutes.

|With today's high supposed to be in the 80 degree range I suspect I will be able to swim as long as I want to tomorrow morning, without going into shiver mode.

I have all my fixin's, for the most part, for my Thanksgiving Buffet. Invitation only. $30 a person, includes beverage.

The Old Man & The Fosdick Sea Fishing With Turtles

The Old Man and the Fosdick Sea were back together again today. Along with a cute puppy.

I've seen the Old Man and the Fosdick Sea together many times, but I've not seen the Old Man hook a fish.

I don't know what the Old Man would do with a fish he caught in the Fosdick Sea, what with the warning signs informing potential Fosdick fish eaters that the fish is not safe to eat.

Would you not think that a city, like Fort Worth, which regularly makes the rest of the world green with envy, because of its absolute awesomeness, would be just a little embarrassed by the fact that there are bodies of water within its city limits which are so polluted they render fish a danger to eat?

Both the turtles and the ducks who live on Fosdick Lake were being really frisky today. I think they may have been being happy due to the fresh infusion of fresh water from the rain that fell over the weekend.

Today the turtle population on Fosdick Lake's biggest log was the largest number of the shelled reptiles I have ever witnessed congregating in one spot.

When I eventually got too close for comfort the mass turtle exit from the log looked like an Esther Williams synchronized swimming routine, with the turtle on the far right being the first to dive off the log, followed, one by one, til the turtle on the far left was the last to hit the water.

This mass turtle exit happened so quickly I was unable to photo document the event.

I was able to get a picture of some Fosducks acting ducky.

The two boys on the right had been feeding the Fosducks, with the ducks coming out of the water, then up the hill towards the boys, with the boys backing up from the approaching ducks.

Then the boys ran out of duck food. The quacking became very demanding. The boys quickly walked away as the Fosducks seemed to be conferring to decide what next to do, as in, continue to chase after the boys, hoping for more food, or head back to Fosdick Lake?

Eventually the near riot conditions abated, with the ducks slowly calmed down, ceasing with the loud quacking.

I tell you, walking around Fosdick Lake in Oakland Lake Park is starting to become way too stimulating for an easily excitable person like myself.