A Slightly Blue Sky 4th Of July Texas Morning With No Firecrackers

The blue sky is not an illusion. The dawn of the 4th of July view from my patio is not gray this morning. Some blue sky has returned over North Texas.

I think this slightly blue sky may be only a temporary respite from rain. The forecast for the 4th of July is a 50% chance of rain. Which usually means it is going to rain a lot.

Rain is in the forecast for each of the next 6 days.

Too much wetness is getting really old. But, I guess it has been a good thing to see brown grass turn back green again.

I think I've said it before, likely on 4th of July last year, but the 4th of July in Texas is so weird. When I moved to Texas, it being the Wild West Cowboy state that it is, I figured the 4th of July would be explosive, with people having way too much fun with fireworks. Much more so than my old location in the refined progressive sophisticated State of Washington.

Where I lived in Mount Vernon (is that not a nice patriotic 4th of July name?) Washington, in a neighborhood called Thunderbird, which was quite hilly, built in a forest of tall cedar and fir trees, the 4th of July was like a war zone.

Neighbors would set up competing fireworks launch zones. Set off a barrage. And then another neighbor would try and top it. There was absolutely nothing forbidding this behavior. In Washington it is very easy to obtain all the explosives you want. All the Indian Reservations have very big Boom Towns.

In Texas I do not believe there are any Boom Towns selling fireworks.

It is the morning of the 4th of July in Texas and I have not heard a single firecracker. The 4th of July will come and go and I likely will not have heard a single firecracker.

I can't help but wonder if in the past some really bad stuff happened here on the 4th of July which led to the repressive firecracker crackdown. It's not like Texans have some sort of innate aversion to things that go boom. Just witness the laidback attitude towards natural gas randomly going boom.

The lack of firecrackers going boom in Texas is very perplexing.

Close Encounters Of The Turtle Kind Walking Fosdic Lake

I went to Oakland Lake Park around 3 this afternoon to walk around Fosdic Lake. Tootsie Tonasket had called me earlier, leaving a message.

So, I called Tootsie back, as I started to walk. About 20 minutes later I was paying more attention to what Tootsie was telling me than to where I was walking, when I almost stepped on the turtle you see in the picture.

I put the Tootsie on speaker phone, put the phone on the ground and took a picture. The Fosdic Turtle was shy and quickly pulled his head in to safety. As soon as our photo session was over the Fosdic Turtle stuck its neck out and started walking, quickly. Where he was going, I do not know. He was not heading towards the lake.

Earlier today the subject of the Windmill Restaurant in Wenatchee came up. Tootsie Tonasket frequents Wenatchee, so I asked Tootsie what she knew about the Windmill Restaurant. Tootsie told me it's a big windmill, that's all she knows. And that she took pictures of it and sent one to me. That seems vaguely familiar. I have memory problems.

About an hour in to talking to Tootsie Tonasket the weather situation turned dire. Drops of wet started to fall. I got off the phone. I was afraid I was going to need to make a mad dash for cover. I was correct. About 30 seconds later the biggest raindrops I have ever seen began to hit me.

I thought to myself these must have been those infamous baseball size hail balls a few hundred feet higher, only recently melted. And still huge. Each splat of a raindrop left a 4 inch spot of wet.

I started running. By the time I got to vehicular cover I was as soaked as if I'd jumped in Fosdic Lake. Another odd aspect to the humongous raindrops was that they seemed almost HOT.

Very disturbing.

By the time I was in the driver's seat the rain had become torrential. And it became very windy, driving the rain in sheets. This lasted about 5 minutes and then it was as if it had never happened.

Now I am back in my abode, it is darkening again. I am about to make my way out of here to go to Miss Puerto Rico's. I suspect I will be experiencing some Saturday night drama, some of it weather related.

Fort Worth Celebrates Miss Fort Worth Being Crowned Miss Texas

That is Miss Fort Worth, Ashley Melnick, about to be crowned Miss Texas #75.

Fort Worth took the coveted Miss Texas crown, Friday night, at a gala affair in Texas Hall at the University of Texas at Arlington.

In addition to Miss Fort Worth the other top finalists were runner-up, Miss Irving, Miss Arlington, Miss Frisco and Miss White Settlement.

Dozens of Texans who had previously worn the Miss Texas crown were in attendance, wearing their historical pageant gowns. One former Miss Texas said she and the others who had been Miss Texas were not telling how many girdles and how much duct tape it took to get them into their gowns.

As part of the entertainment part of the pageant former Miss Texases performed bits from their talent performances.

Beauty pageants were already on my mind, prior to last night's Fort Worth win, due to watching Kathy Griffin judge a kiddie beauty pageant on her Life on the D-List show. I have long thought beauty pageants are a bit perverse.

I do not know if Fort Worth is planning a city wide celebration to, well, celebrate Miss Fort Worth being Miss Texas. I would think there would be. We had a city wide celebration when some obscure Washington, D.C. lobbying group named Fort Worth as one of the Most Livable Communities in America. Other towns that knew it was a bogus, self-serving award, politely said "thank you" and then ignored it.

But, not Fort Worth. We had a celebration.

I know that my former state participates in the Miss America contest. I assume that is what Miss Fort Worth Texas is moving on to. But, I do not remember ever reading news of someone, from some city in Washington, becoming Miss Washington. Surely in all the years I lived in the Skagit Valley, one of the girls from one of the valley towns must have become Miss Washington.

But I have no memory of this. Was it not considered news if Miss Mount Vernon, Burlington, Sedro Woolley, Anacortes, La Conner, Concrete, Lyman, Hamilton, Newhalem or Rockport became Miss Washington?

I'm sure Mount Vernon would have had a city wide celebration had a Miss Mount Vernon become Miss Washington. Then again, thinking more about it, Mount Vernon was named the Best Small Town in America, or something like that, by something legit. I remember CNN showing up. But, there was no city wide celebration. Mount Vernon is a great town, but I remember thinking, wow, if Mount Vernon is the Best Small Town in America, what are the worst small towns like?

Okay, I looked it up, in Wikipedia, in 1998 Mount Vernon was rated the #1 "Best Small City in America" by the New Rating Guide to Life in America's Small Cities.

Well, I am out of here, going on a walk. I'm trying to get in top shape for when I tryout for the Mr. Fort Worth contest. My goal is to become Mr. Texas and then beat Mr. Washington in the Mr. America contest.

The Day Before The 4th Of July Is Another Damp One In Texas With Me Thinking About Indian Reservations & Hitler

You are looking at the slightly past dawn, optical illusion, day before the 4th of July, view from my patio.

In reality, the sky is not blue. It is gray. Very gray. We had another heavy rainstorm after the rainstorm I blogged about yesterday, which was an even BIGGER DOWNPOUR.

It was a bit of a challenge to make my way to the pool this morning, what with mud and water creating obstacles.

It is now half past 9. The Arlington 4th of July Parade, I believe it to be the biggest in Texas, has been underway for a half hour.

Without me watching it.

The last time I watched the Arlington 4th of July Parade the temperature was close to 100, making it a bit miserable. If I was in Arlington, right now, watching the parade, the temperature would not make me miserable.

Because it is only 75. July 3 and I have my windows open. Again.

I have absolutely no idea what I'm doing this Saturday day before the 4th of July. I know I won't be driving out to one of the Indian Reservations to buy me some fireworks. I think there are only 2 Indian Reservations in Texas. And neither is near Dallas/Fort Worth.

Texas exterminated a lot of its Indian population, with those not killed moved to concentration camps, I mean, reservations, in Oklahoma.

I was watching a History Channel program last night about a book Adolf Hitler wrote after Mein Kampf. In the post Mein Kampf book Hitler went on about how he admired how America dealt with its Indian population and America's need to expand its territory into Indian Lands with what Hitler characterized as America's state sanctioned Indian extermination policy. Hitler did not have much of a faculty for accurately understanding history, or interpreting the lesson to be learned.

But, it is a bit troubling to wonder if the fate of the Poles, Slavs, Jews and others would have been different had America not provided that German madman with a twisted, perverse inspiration.

Stop Jiggling Your Toilet To Save Water So The Natural Gas Drillers Have More To Waste

For what seems months now I've driven by a bizarrely ironic billboard, while driving west on Bridge Street, right by the CBS TV Station, visible to westbound drivers on Interstate 30.

The billboard admonishes drivers to "Stop Jjggling. Start fixing." With the message apparently coming from "-Your toilet."

On the Toilet Tank you are directed to a website, SaveNorthTexasWater.com.

This billboard is very near the Trinity River. It is also very near a spot on the Trinity River where last winter I observed a lot of water being wasted, never to enter the eco-system again, not in a healthy way.

Just today I already mentioned an article in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram about well water being contaminated by nearby Barnett Shale Natural Gas Drilling.

That is one water issue.

Another water issue, regarding the Barnett Shale, is the fact that millions of gallons of water are being taken from North Texas water sources, like the Trinity River, mixed with chemicals, forced down wells, with the contaminated water then stored, supposedly safely, somewhere.

With this type water "use" and "misuse" going on all over North Texas, someone, somewhere, decides that the water waste problem could be alleviated by putting up billboards telling people to fix their toilets? Complete with a website to give you tips as to how you can do your part. Like not excessively water your lawn.

This is Orwellian. It's Third Reichian type propaganda. It's focusing on the little teeny harmless mouse in the room while pretending not to see the rogue elephant that is stomping damage all over North Texas. And other parts of America.

Now, it used to be whenever I'd blog something critical about the Barnett Shale operations I'd see Oklahoma City light up on my blog stats and I'd get moronic comments from Chesapeake shills. Chesapeake seems to have given up that rather fruitless effort.

I have said it once, I'll say it again. I am not against extracting natural gas out of the Barnett Shale. Just like I'm not against drilling for oil in the Gulf of Mexico. But, only if it is done with absolutely safe methods.

It is clear, at least to me, that the Barnett Shale natural gas drilling is damaging the water supply of North Texas. The gas drilling is also damaging the air quality.

Both issues need to be addressed and all drilling operations need to be stopped until the issues are addressed. Same with drilling in the Gulf.

In my humble opinion.

And someone, please, take down that idiotic "Toilet" billboard. It's embarrassing.

Texas Downpour Aborted Walk Turns Wet At Town Talk & Then Wetter

I'd intended to go to Oakland Lake Park again, today, to walk around Fosdic Lake, on the way taking a picture of a bizarre billboard that I see on Bridge Street, over and over again.

I'll get to the bizarre billboard later.

When I stopped to take the billboard picture, what had been a few small drops of rain turned into a Texas-size Downpour.

So, I had no choice but abort the plan to walk around Fosdic Lake. Instead I drove through the treacherous downpour to Town Talk.

Last week, when I mentioned Town Talk, former Fort Worth native, now exiled in the Seattle zone, MLK, a fan of Town Talk, asked for some Town Talk pictures.

So, I took a picture of the front of Town Talk looking through my windshield at the downpour. I ran real fast to get into the store. I still got drenched. This made the walk-in cooler cooler than usual.

I got some good Town Talk stuff. Like the giant loaves of Artisan Bread showed up again.

When I left Town Talk it was downpouring harder than when I entered.

I drive slow in a Texas Downpour. You never know when you are going to hit a deep pocket of water.

By the time I got to my abode location it was raining even harder. I felt no alternative was available to me, but to wait it out. Yes, I did have an umbrella with me. But I find those really of little use in a Heavy Downpour.

You are looking at the view through my windshield of the downpour. It was being really loud. That brown thing you see, sort of in the middle of the picture, is my picnic table. As you can see, it is pretty much a lush jungle here. So many people have the erroneous idea that all of Texas is a parched brown desert.

I think I waited maybe 15 minutes for some respite from the downpour. Finally it let up enough to make a mad dash for it. I gathered up my stuff and ran. Fast.

When the sidewalk that leads to my pool came into view I was appalled to see it flooding, making a big muddy mess.

This latest downpour has now let up. As in stopped.

Summer, here in Texas, so far, is being like spring, in Texas, used to be. I'm sort of ready for the climate to change back to the way it used to be.

Fort Worth Star-Telegram Reporting Perplexing Parking Lot Paving & Barnett Shale Driller Water Destruction

Has there been some sort of change take place within the inner workings of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram?

Have the powers that be, who run that paper, decided that it was time to start acting like a real newspaper, instead of a propaganda shill for the Good Ol' Boy & Girl Network which tries to run Fort Worth, with, it seems, diminishing success?

Of late the Star-Telegram has had articles critical of the Fort Worth City Council's kowtowing to RadioShack.

There has been some honest coverage of the problems being created, air pollution-wise, by the drilling in the Barnett Shale. And the corruption of the state agencies who's supposed job it is to over see drilling practices in Texas.

And now today, there are 2 articles on two subjects I would not have expected to see in the Star-Telegram a year or two ago.

One article is about the absurdity of spending thousands of dollars to pave the parking lot of one of the Fort Worth city pools that are now closed due to budget woes.

In the limited range that my eyes see, I've made note of similar things that seem odd. Like the sprucing up of my neighborhood library parking lot. At the same time library hours are cut.

And just last week a big Fort Worth city road work crew resurfaced the road I take to get to the Tandy Hills and Oakland Lake Park, re-surfacing and re-striping Bridge Street from Oakland Avenue to the east. Like I said, I drive this road often. I'd not made note of it being in need of help. Why re-surface Bridge Street? Why now?

And then the big surprise in the Star-Telegram today. An article about well water gone bad soon after a Barnett Shale drilling operation pokes a hole in the nearby ground.

This type water contamination has been being reported for a long time now, in other venues. And now the Star-Telegram seems to be getting the fact that this is a really bad thing.

That photo at the top is from the Star-Telegram article, showing the orange stain left behind by the formerly clear water. Linda Scoma, who lives near Crowley, in rural Johnson County, had made note of the fact that her well water had taken on an odd odor. She worried something had gone wrong. And then Linda washed her hair to find it turned orange. From that point on there was no denying she had a serious problem

Gas Drilling Propagandists continue to deny their hole poking is polluting underground water. No matter how many times it has happened and how many times the well water has been tested to find that it contains the same chemicals that the gas drillers are squirting into the obviously leaky drill well pipe casings. That are then making their way into people's water supplies.

And rendering the water unsafe to use.

It's all appalling and perplexing and it pleases me the Star-Telegram is finally getting around to reporting on this nasty stuff that is happening to people here in North Texas.

Sleepwalking Through Another Semi-Chilly July Day In Texas

I was up before the sun was, again, this second day of July. You are looking at the view from my patio a short time later. With the sun starting to brighten up the place.

It is only 78 out there right now, so I've got the windows open with a pleasant breeze blowing in. I do not recollect being able to do this in July, in Texas, before.

I believe I had a sleepwalking incident last night where I switched my A/C to heat mode. In the morning I back off the A/C and turn off the fan. But, this morning when I turned the A/C knob, I could not turn the fan off.

And then I thought I smelled something like a candle burning. Followed by perceiving heat. I went back to thermostat and saw that the COOL lever had been moved to HEAT. So, when I cranked the A/C dial to 90, rather than turning off the A/C, it turned on the heater to heat this place to 90.

Worst sleepwalking incident since I found myself down at the pool, at 3am, with no swimming suit to be found.

Speaking of swimming and missing swimming suits, I found another swimming suit that I was able to wear for my morning swim. A very long swim.

The Dallas/Fort Worth forecast, today, is for a chance of rain and thunderstorms. Again. Followed by the same tomorrow. And the same for the 4th of July. And the same the 4 days following the 4th of July.

So far, basically, here in Texas, I'm getting to experience a Pacific Northwest summer without having to go to the hassle of flying up there. I suspect this will soon change. I hope.

Fort Worth's First Of July Fosdic Lake Ghost & Birds With Possible Hurricane Oil Spill Nightmare Scenarios

A volume of rain has fallen on these parts since Monday, which was the last day I was able to go hill hiking on the Tandy Hills.

Good thing with this HOT time of the year, the hills dry out way faster than when they get drenched in winter.

I'd gone to Oakland Lake Park to walk around Fosdic Lake on Sunday, forgot my camera, so I took no pictures of the water deprived little lake and its newly formed beaches.

Well, the downpours of late have covered the Fosdic Beaches and water is flowing over Fosdic Falls. It's not a deluge of water, flowing after heavy rain, like you might see cascading over Washington's Snoqualmie Falls, but it's still water falling over a precipice, so, technically a waterfall, though manmade.

As I walked across Fosdic Dam, heading west towards the crossing over Fosdic Falls, I saw a big tree snapped apart. Struck by lightning? Blown by wind? I don't know. Flying in front of the murdered tree was a white ghost, named, by me, the Fosdic Ghost.

Soon after crossing Fosdic Dam I saw what I assumed was a grandma with her granddaughter in a stroller. The grandma was throwing bread into the lake. I assumed to feed birds, of which I saw none eating any bread.

I'd earlier, while walking, made note of the fact that I'd seen few birds. But, the grandma kept throwing bread in the water.

I sat on the picnic shelter overlook and watched. For 5 minutes, maybe more, grandma kept throwing bread in the water.

I started to think she was feeding Fosdic Lake's mutant fish.

And then a duck came into view. And then another. Soon a big flock of birds of different feathers surround edgrandma and the granddaughter, who was now joining in with the bird feeding.

Some of the birds were geese. Geese can be aggressive. I was a little concerned that the little girl might have a too close encounter with a goose beak. I have had one of those, and it hurts.

But, that did not happen, not while I watched. Instead the bird feeding frenzy grew more frenzied.

The sky has brightened, slightly, this afternoon, small patches of blue are peaking through in a few spots. It has been several hours since anything wet has hit my windows.

I have not heard if we are expected to get any moisture from the remains of Hurricane Alex. I remember Hurricane Ike, I think that was his name, gave us quite a drenching here. I think that was in September of 2009. I could be off a year. I know the South Padre Island beaches took quite a hit and are closed for their busiest time of the year, that being the 4th of July.

I think we are in for an interesting summer. I saw a supposed expert on Fox News (always suspect) who said if a hurricane crossed the path of the Gulf of Mexico BP oil spill that because a hurricane reaches into the sea up to 300 feet to suck water up into its wall of storming, the Fox expert said this meant oil would be sucked into the hurricane and when it made landfall big gobs of oil would be falling all over the place.

I'll believe that when I see it. And I hope I don't.

Turner Falls Park in Oklahoma On The 4th Of July

That is me and Big Ed sitting outside Outlaw Cave at Turner Falls Park in Oklahoma.

I'm thinking Turner Falls Park might be a fun 4th of July destination. Going to Turner Falls is always a nice escape from Texas.

First off, it's in Oklahoma, which is not Texas.

Second off, Turner Falls is in a sort of mountain-like zone called the Arbuckle Mountains. My zone of Texas is mountain free.

Third off, there is the waterfall. I do not know where the closest Texas waterfall to my current Texas location might be. Pedernales Falls down by Austin? I have no idea.

If I go to Turner Falls on the 4th of July I'll be able to do some pleasant swimming in the pleasantly temperatured water of crystal clear Honey Creek.

And do some hiking on semi-mountain trails. Run up the stairs of the castle. I recollect straining my shins real bad doing that on a previous Turners Falls winter excursion.

Exploring Outlaw Cave is not all that much of a spelunking adventure. It is no Carlsbad Caverns. Or Lava Beds National Monument. But it does require some flexibility and a willingness to crawl.

The world's 5th biggest casino, WinStar World Casino Resort is on the way to Turner Falls Park. I'm thinking, either pack a picnic or stop at WinStar for their buffet. The picnic option seems to sound more like a 4th of July thing to do than a casino buffet.

I don't know how anyone could have any trouble finding Turner Falls Park. But if you are one of those who require a map to find anything, I've made one that will show you where to find Turner Falls.