The 3rd Tuesday Of April Thinking Fort Worth Must Focus On Basics Like Sidewalks

I won't be going swimming on this morning of the 17th day of April.

The reason I am not going swimming this morning has nothing to do with the fact that it is a chilly 50 degrees in the outer world at my location.

The reason I am not going swimming is because the pool is not usable because late Monday afternoon the water got its first shock treatment of 2012.

Due to using the pool not being cool and the fact that I've been overdoing the exercise thing I'm taking a day off of straining my aging self.

Changing the subject from my decrepitude to Fort Worth's decrepitude.

This morning on the front page of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram I read a paragraph of the sort I have not often read in this newspaper, what with its tendency towards propaganda and self-aggrandizing blowhardedness.

The paragraph I am talking about was in an editorial about Fort Worth's budget deficit titled "Budget shortfall means Fort Worth must focus on basics"....

We still have areas in Fort Worth where even the essentials are lacking. A good quality of life in these neighborhoods would mean curbs, sidewalks and access to a grocery store that doesn't take two bus transfers and three hours to reach.

I thought I was the only person in this town, which frequently makes other towns Green with Envy, due to the wonders that one beholds here, who has noticed the many streets without sidewalks and the narrowness of many of the sidewalks that do exist.

I can't help but wonder why Fort Worth does not send out some sort of task force to some other towns in this world which have managed to figure out how to have sidewalks along side their streets to learn how this wonder of the modern world might be imported to Fort Worth.

Methinks that it'd take just a fraction of the almost billion dollars currently slated to be wasted on the Trinity River Vision Boondoggle, to install sidewalks beside Fort Worth's many sidewalk-less streets.

Pursuing Indian Ghosts 171 Years After The Battle Of Village Creek In Arlington

In the picture you are looking at one of the historical markers that you come across when you visit the Village Creek Natural Historical Area in Arlington.

This particular marker is outside of the Natural Historical Area, sitting along side the paved trail that runs through the Bob Findlay Linear Park, eventually taking you to River Legacy Park.

This trail is also known as the Pioneer Trail.

The information on this historical marker gives answer to those who might question why I'm always referencing the Indian Ghosts who haunt this particular place.

I will use Dragon Speak to quickly transcribe what is written on this historical marker.....

Near this site, two scouting parties of Texas Volunteers rendezvoused in their pursuit of Indians during the Battle of Village Creek on May 24, 1841. This encounter was the last fought in Tarrant County and resulted in the permanent abandonment of settlements which the Caddo had inhabited here since the Spanish first explored this region in 1542.

General Tarrant, for whom the County was later named, led 69 Volunteers from settlements near the Red River in an early morning attack on the villages of the Caddo and other tribes which were located along Village Creek. Tarrant's Volunteers destroyed two large Caddo villages south of here and then pursued fleeing Indians north along the creek. From the second village, located in the vicinity of Village Creek Historical Park, two scouting parties of ten men each set out. Henry Stout, an experienced scout, led one party northward along the creek trail. John B. Denton, for whom Denton County was later named, led another party sweeping northwestward on another trail. The two scouting parties rendezvoused here and, over the objections of the more experienced Stout, pursued further north into the thickets that grew along the creek as it neared the Trinity River. There, they were indeed ambushed and Denton was killed. Denton was the only Volunteer to be killed. His death was as much the result of his contest with Stout over who had the most courage as it was their contest with the Indians. The dramatic account of Denton's death, as retold by Arista Joyner in her book, Arlington Texas, Birthplace of the Metroplex, appears below.

Stout halted where the trails came together and warned his men that the Indians were likely heading for the thickets just beyond this point to lay a trap for them. Just then, Denton rode up from the other trail and asked Stout why he had stopped. Stout told him what he had told his men, and added that his men "would go as far as any other." The two men were obviously piqued at each other. Denton quickly spurred his horse onward (pictured) and Stout followed until they came across another larger trail, one end of which led over a hill to the west and the other part headed east (current day Randol Mill Road). The trail crossed the creek where some villages were. The men proceeded northward and crossed the creek at the lower end of a horseshoe bend (just west of current day Lamar Blvd.) and saw beyond them a cornfield and on through the trees, another village was discernible. They crossed the field and entered the creek. Denton halted momentarily. Stout rode up in front of him and said, "If you are afraid to go in there, I'm not", and he spurred his horse ahead. Denton, already emotionally fired, shouted angrily, "I'll follow you to Hell. Go on."

Soon after entering the creek, they were ambushed and Denton was killed. (Also see trail markers at ambush site, 1 mile north, and in Village Creek Historical Park, 1.5 miles south, along this trail).

And now you know why there are so many Indian Ghosts haunting this location.

Biking Arlington's Lake Interlochen Neighborhood Wondering About Possible Cowtown Wakepark Shenanigans

In the picture you are looking at one of the Interlochen Canals in Arlington's Lake Interlochen Neighborhood.

Today I pedaled past the Indian Ghosts, who haunt the Village Creek Natural Historical Area, to pedal the streets of Interlochen.

Pedaling the streets of Interlochen avails one of some good hill action.

Just last week, if my memory is serving me correctly, I blogged about the Interlochen Canals and Fort Worth's Trinity River Vision Boondoggle.

The vision that gave Arlington the Interlochen Canals did not envision having one of the canals host the world's premiere wakeboarding lake.

Have any of Fort Worth's hard hitting newspapers done any investigative journalizing into how the Trinity River Vision Boondoggle's Cowtown Wakepark is doing?

I'm curious how the deal to build the Cowtown Wakepark came about. How much did it cost the Trinity River Vision Boondoggle project to add that little lake?

Many people were less than pleased with the shenanigans of J.D. Granger and the Trinity River Vision Boondoggle that gave Tim Love a sweetheart deal and a new restaurant.

But, I have read nary a word about the shenanigans that brought about the world's premiere urban wakeboard lake.

Another Cool Blue Monday In Texas

Looking out my primary viewing portal on the outer world it appears that this morning is the start of yet one more Blue Monday in Texas.

Today is Day 16 of April, already the 3rd Monday of the 4th month of 2012.

Yesterday's storming did not drop a lot of water at my location. Which should have my favorite hiking locations dried up quickly.

The drying process would be accelerated if the temperature went into HOT mode.

Currently the temperature is not in HOT mode at only 22 degrees above freezing. Today the temperature predictors are predicting it will only get to 73. It is like winter has returned.

I think I will go swimming now before it gets any colder.

A Sunday Walk With The Fosdic Lake Ducks

Serene Sunday Fosdic Lake

The rain stopped raining down in semi-downpour mode before noon.

So I decided that a walk around Fosdic Lake in Oakland Lake Park would be good for some of what ails me.

But, as I drove on to Oakland Lake Park's westside parking lot, big drops began to hit my windshield.

The big drops only dropped a few drops before stopping the dropping.

But, I grabbed a bumbershoot anyway, in case the rain began to drop again.

It didn't.

However, I did hear one loud clap of thunder.

A Quacking Fosduck Enjoying The Storm Respite

The time is now rapidly approaching 3 on this Sunday afternoon. Methinks the storming is over at my location on the planet, for now.

I had myself a real fine time this morning swimming in the rain.

When a downpour gets you soaked before you make it to the pool, there is none of the usual temperature acclimating to the slightly cool pool water needed.

The sun is looking like it may be breaking through the cloud cover. I'm thinking I might enjoy a second swim of the day, a rain-free swim, with possibly some poolside lounging.

I am trying to get sufficiently suntanned so I am not an albino spectacle when I go swimming with the dolphins that live off South Padre Island.

The 3rd Sunday Of April With Thunder & Rain & No Tornado Sirens So Far

Looking through the bars of my patio prison cell on this 3rd Sunday of the 4th month of 2012 it does not appear that much wet drippage has dropped on this part of the planet, so far, on this day that the weather predictors have predicted will be very wet.

My local bird population is in heavy duty tweeting mode this morning, apparently happily oblivious to the prediction that severe storms are possible this morning.

I am very happy that Mother Nature decided to stop being such a blowhard this morning. The non-stop racket of wind chimes was really wearing on my hyper-sensitive nerves.

When this Sunday ends, with it being April 15, already half of the month will have passed into history. It is a month since I flew to Phoenix. I really tire of the ever faster passage of time. I seem to be aging at an accelerated pace.

I just heard my first thunder boom of the day. The sky is beginning to look a bit menacing.

Methinks I need to get in my morning swim in before lightning bolts start striking my neighborhood.

Yikes! Suddenly a downpour of heavy duty drippage has arrived. I may re-think that swimming plan.

Main St. Fort Worth Arts Festival April 19 - 22 On Historic Red Bricks

I was surprised yesterday to learn, via an email from the Downtown Fort Worth, Inc. people that it is already that time of year that the Main St. Fort Worth Arts Festival takes place.

Thursday, April 19, through Sunday, April 22, to be exact.

The first time I experienced the Main St. Fort Worth Arts Festival it did not take place in Downtown Fort Worth.

A tornado spun its way through Downtown Fort Worth on March 28, 2000, wreaking havoc with Main Street and other streets in Downtown Fort Worth, so that year the Arts Festival was moved to the location where Fort Worth tries to contain its culture, the Cultural District.

I was less than 2 years into my Texas Exile when I experienced the Main St. Arts Festival. This was to be the first time in Texas, and in Fort Worth, that I experienced something that was better done than I'd experienced elsewhere.

In other words the Main St. Fort Worth Arts Festival is bigger and better than any similar festival I ever attended in Washington.

The Main St. Fort Worth Arts Festival was also the first place I experienced the bizarre Texas custom of making you buy coupons in order to buy something like a hot dog and a Coke. You wait in one line to trade your dollars for coupons and then you wait in another line to pay for your hot dog and Coke with coupons.

A Texan later told me, after I experienced the coupon payment method at the State Fair of Texas, that the reason for the coupon method was that it was too hard to find short term help that was able to make change, but that they were able to count coupons.

I also later learned that there were parts of Texas where people could be found who could make change and thus the coupon purchase method was not used, like Canton First Mondays. It being another Texas thing that is better and bigger than I've ever experienced anywhere else.

There is a blurb on the promotional poster, above, that about sums up the Main St. Fort Worth Arts Festival...

"Let your imagination spin wild at one of the top-rated arts festivals in America. Enjoy revolutionary art, sensational music and delectable food on the historic red bricks of Downtown. The Main St. Fort Worth Arts Festival - a kaleidoscope of sight, sound and soul."

Historic red bricks? What is it with Fort Worth and its red bricks. I remember years ago asking a Fort Worth native I called Beth the Reporter why Camp Bowie Boulevard is a cobblestoned mess. She told me that the brick roadway was unique and Fort Worth kept it because it is so special.

I informed Beth the Reporter that there was nothing special or unique about that cobblestoned road. I recollect asking her if she'd been to the Texas town of Ennis, which has a cobblestoned street. I have seen several towns in Texas with cobblestoned streets and squares.

What is historic about the red bricks of downtown Fort Worth? Does anyone know?

Foot Traffic Only On The Tandy Hills With Native American Butterflies

Foot Traffic Only With The Stunning Skyline Of
Beautiful Downtown Fort Worth
In The Distance

I planned to enter the Tandy Hills today from the View Street location. But when I arrived there there were way too many vehicles and people. So, I drove to the top of Mount Tandy where there were no vehicles or people.

On the Tandy Hills there is a cable fence that marks the eastern edge of the Natural Area.

The FOOT TRAFFIC ONLY sign you see attached to the cable fence is a short distance to the south of the Tandy Hills Shrine, halfway down Mount Tandy.

I don't know why there a need for a FOOT TRAFFIC ONLY sign at this location due to the fact that being on foot is about the only means of conveyance that one might use to traverse the landscape past this sign.

Is This A Native American Butterfly?

Changing the subjects from silly signs to butterflies.

A couple days ago I was amazed at the number of butterflies hovering all around me as I biked with the Indian Ghosts at the Village Creek Natural Historical Area.

The past couple days I've been seeing even more butterflies hovering all around me on the Tandy Hills.

It is like the butterflies are being playful. They remind me of Avatar.

Speaking of Indian Ghosts, the butterfly in the picture, who kindly stayed still long enough for me to photograph him or her, has a color scheme that looks, to me, to be very Native American.

The wind continues to blow. I continue to hear annoying wind chimes. The sky continues to look stormy.

The 2nd Saturday Of April Dawns Windy & Warm

The 2nd Saturday of April, day 14, is currently being very windy and heated to 40 degrees above freezing.

As you can sort of see, via the view from one of my viewing portals on the outer world, the sky above the pool looks to be a bit stormy.

But the weather predictors are not, currently, predicting stormy weather for today at my location in North Texas.

However, a few miles to the north, in Oklahoma, hatches are being battened down in anticipation of big hail and tornadoes.

The weather predictors are predicting storms for North Texas tomorrow, but not as severe as today's prediction for Oklahoma.

Something in the air is back irritating my vision orbs. I tire of excessive blinking.

I think I will try to make my way to the pool, in between wind gusts, and go swimming now.

Hiking The Tandy Hills Before Sunday's Big Storm & Tonight's Paradise Center Camp Bowie Bingo

Yellow Blooms Sticking Up On The Tandy Hills

If the weather predictors are correct I only have a couple days to get in some good hill hiking before a BIG STORM drops a lot of wet on the Tandy Hills and North Texas on Sunday.

So, I had myself some endorphin inducing aerobic stimulation on the Hills of Tandy today in the noon time frame.

I do not recollect the Tandy Hills ever looking so lushly green as they are currently looking.

I neglected to mention that I hiked the Tandy Hills late yesterday afternoon.

Of late I've come across some strange things on the Tandy Hills.

Yesterday when I arrived at the top of Mount Tandy I startled a couple sitting on a slab of cement, with their two pit bulls. They'd hiked from the View Street entry to the hills. Their first time hiking the Tandy Hills.

Rather adventurous, I thought, to make it from View Street to the base of the Fort Worth Space Needle. The man of the couple said he was a little concerned about finding their way back due to the seemingly confusing maze of trails. I described an easy way to find their way back, via crossing the escarpment of Tandy Falls.

A few minutes after giving those directions I crossed that escarpment and headed up the hill to the trail that leads in from View Street. I was near the top when I was startled by the loud noise of an animal coming up fast behind me.

It was Stenotrophomonas.

Stenotrophomonas has not made any blog comments for awhile, not since the Tandy Highway Sanitary Sewer Flood, if my memory serves me correctly. I'd wondered what had become of Stenotrophomonas. I think Stenotrophomonas has become some sort of fitness nut since I last saw him, judging by the speed with which he runs up steep hills.

When I arrived on top of Mount Tandy today there was an AT & T van, parked outside the fenced area around the Fort Worth Space Needle. And a Volvo parked up against the cable that blocks easy entry to the Tandy Wagon Trail.

As I was heading back up Mount Tandy, after completing my hiking regimen, I came upon a guy who said he was lost. He said when he started his hike he parked by what he said was a power company van. I suggested AT & T and that he likely parked at the top of the hill I was heading up.

I did not remember the car parked there was a Volvo, so I could not ask if he was driving a Volvo. The guy was insistent that he did not park at the top of Mount Tandy. And that he'd not parked on View Street.

There ain't a lot of other options. It is several hours later, I hope that guy is not still wandering around trying to find where he parked his car.

Changing the subject from lost souls to bingo.

Tonight is Paradise Center Camp Bowie Bingo. It is Free Food Friday, where you get 2 hot dogs, chips and a drink. And I'll get another chance to win another bike.