It Is A HOT Saturday Morning In Fort Worth Heading To 102 & A Romantic Trip To Jefferson Texas

You are standing outside on my patio in the picture, looking at the sun starting to light up the place, Saturday, July 17, on a day predicted to be the HOTTEST so far this year in my zone of Texas.

As in we are predicted to hit 102 today.

I suspect this prediction will turn out to be accurate as it is already 81 at half past 6.

I think maybe it is already time to shut the windows because I seem to be sort of heating up in here and I don't think it is due to the hot coffee I'm drinking.

Yesterday I took a pleasant virtual trip to the East Texas Piney Woods zone, to Jefferson. Jefferson is just to the west of the only natural lake in Texas, that being Caddo Lake. Jefferson is also known as the Bed & Breakfast Capital of Texas.

In Jefferson, among the dozens of B & B's, you'll find McKay House. McKay House was rated by someone or thing who rates such things as being one of the 10 most romantic inns in America. Few things make me happier than anything romantic. Lady Bird Johnson stayed at McKay House once. I do not know if Lyndon was with her. Fabio also stayed at the McKay House once, which should seal the deal on how romantic the McKay House is.

I think today I may take a pleasant virtual trip to Huntsville and check out Ol' Sparky and Sam Houston.

102 Degrees HOT This Weekend In Fort Worth So I'm Thinking About Escaping To Seattle

After yesterday's vigorous Tandy Hills Sauna/Steambath I am taking a day off from that type salubrious activity. To get my daily endorphin fix I amped up my pooling this morning, staying immersed in wet for over an hour. I may have overdone it a bit, as I am a bit sore.

I may be remembering wrong, but I don't think my specific location in Texas has registered 100 degrees yet this year. If I remember right the official temperature taking location, at D/FW International Airport, did go over the 100 mark. I think that may have been before the arrival of summer.

The HEAT has already dropped the humidity down, a little. But the Heat Index still has the current temperature of 91.9 feeling like 98.

On July 20 it will be 2 years to the day since I last escaped the HEAT of Texas for the frigid climate (in more ways than one) of Western Washington.

This morning Betty Jo Bouvier told me that I need to fly up on July 19 so that I can be a surprise arrival at a dinner at the Chinook Restaurant in Seattle. July 19 is only 3 days from now. That does not give me a whole lot of time to find out where the Chinook Restaurant is, or figure out how I'm going to get there.

But, when Betty Jo Bouvier beacons, one fails to heed her call at ones risk, she being the Wild Woman of Woolley, afterall.

The James Gang & Grandpa Higginbottom In Oklahoma

I got an email some time ago from Elaina Haws. I had intended to blog about what Elaina was asking me.

But I forgot about it until now.

Do you recognize any of the men in the picture?

Elaina believes her great-great-grandfather, James Buchanan Gardner is one of the men in the picture. The photo was among Elaina's great-great-grandfather's possessions.

Grandpa Gardner was associated with the Jesse James Gang. Elaina did not say if Grandpa Gardner participated in in James Gang activities. But, she did say that Grandma Gardner moved to Oklahoma where he changed his last name to Higginbottom.

Elaina says she is just trying to find out about her family history and would thank you very much if you can help identify the men in the picture.

Stop Texas Bashing Now

Last night I was deleting email from my inbox. Something I do not do too often. Doing so I came upon a lot of feedback emails to my Eyes on Texas website that I likely intended to reply to, or put on my website.

And then forgot about it. I get a lot of email, which is no excuse for forgetting. What is annoying is some of what I forgot about is good stuff.

Like an email from a 7th generation Texan named Curtis. Curtis had come across a webpage I made long ago which had some amusing examples of Texas Bashing and Counter Texas Bashing. On that webpage I solicited for additional Texas Bashing or Counter Texas Bashing comments.

Curtis made a very good Counter Texas Bashing comment that I never got around to adding to the Texas Bashing page. Maybe I lost interest in Bashing Texas. Who knows?

Anyway, below is what Curtis had to say....

As a seventh generation Texan, I read through this page of Texas bashing/counter bashing with a mixture of amusement, sadness, pride, and shame.

I have been fortunate in being able to spend a great deal of time traveling to other parts of the world and meeting an enormous variety of people. Most of my preconceived stereotypes have been destroyed. (Parisians are, in fact, some of the friendliest, most hospitable people in Europe.)

Overseas, especially in Europe, you hear a lot of US bashing and stereotyping. I was amazed at how similar the Texas bashing comments were to the US bashing heard in Europe. My reaction is the same for both; amusement, sadness, pride, and shame. My response is also the same: if you hate us so much, and if we are such an arrogant, bunch of ignorant, red-neck idiots, why do you keep moving here in such great numbers? When the rest of the world bashes the US, they are bashing themselves, for we are a nation made up of people from the rest of the world. When the rest of the US bashes Texas, they are bashing themselves, for Texas is a state full of people from other states and countries. A native Texan (over the age of 20) is a damn rare thing. Round up any 10 adults and 5 will be Mexican, 2 will be from the Midwest, 1 will be some sort of Yankee, 1 will be some sort of westerner, and 1 will be a native Texan.

Most true Texans understand that all of the "bigger and better in Texas" crap is exactly what it is - marketing. We know that having six flags fly over Texas only matters to businesses that are trying to capitalize on Texas pride (only three flags matter: Confederate {states rights - not slavery}, U.S., and Lone Star). We also know that most of our reputation for being loud and obnoxious comes from two sources - Hollywood and T. Boone Pickens (sorry Mr. Pickens but you know its true). If the rest of the nation actually believes everything they saw in the movie Giant, then I have a beautiful ranch and oil field in Marfa that I'd like to sell them.

The Stars Shine Bright This Friday Deep In The Heart Of Texas

The really early view from my patio this Friday morning of July 16 shows a starry starry night.

But not in this picture. In the full size version stars could be seen. Including one very big one that I assume was not a star, but was a planet. Most likely Venus. I think Venus is known as the Morning Star.

I don't often see stars twinkling brightly in this somewhat polluted, both by light and toxins, zone of Texas I currently inhabit.

The fact that the stars are twinkling brightly this morning would seem to be a good indicator that our air here is temporarily cleaner than the norm.

The best night sky I have ever been under was on Lake Powell. I'd never seen the Milky Way look so milky or the moon glow so brightly white. When the moon set behind the canyon walls a spectacular purple glow lit up the canyon edge. And then the glow was gone followed by a much darker sky absent the moonlight, with the stars twinkling way brighter.

I have been told, a time or two, that the Fort Davis zone, where the McDonald's Observatory is located nearby, and which is one of the highest, if not the highest, elevation above sea level-wise, towns in Texas, that the air is very clear, with the stars very bright.

I really think I should see the Fort Davis zone with my own eyes and see those bright stars.

But, not today.

Hiking The Tandy Hills Sauna Steambath While A River Runs Green

95 with the Heat Index making it feel like 102, right now, around 3 in the afternoon.

It was a little cooler than that around noon when I checked in on the Tandy Hills. I parked on top of Mount Tandy. A pile of golf balls has been added to the Tandy Hills Rock Shrine.

They don't show up in the picture, but purple wildflowers, on long stems, are still blooming by this section of Tandy Hills Trail.

With very little wind blowing, to counter that Heat Index with some wind chilling, I really had myself a good sauna/steambath hike today.

After that was over, since I was in the neighborhood, dropping in on Town Talk and its walk-in cooler seemed like a really good idea.

And it was.

On the way back here, crossing the Trinity River on the Randol Mill Road bridge, I was surprised at how quickly the river has gone really low. And it's not looking like a muddy brown mess. Instead green seemed to be the color.

I don't think Fort Worth's goofy mayor Mike Moncrief has been dying the river again. Is it green due to the heat and too much algae?

I am running at a low ebb right now, mostly likely due to being up since 4, that and that hour in the Tandy Hills Sauna/Steambath is really way too relaxing.

I must leave my air-conditioned comfort now to make a delivery. I don't know when I'll be back.

Up Way Before July 15's Cracking Of Dawn In Texas

It was dark enough this morning to see stars twinkling when I stepped outside to take a picture of the view from my patio, way before the arrival of the July 15 sun.

I woke up around 4 and knew there was no more sleeping to be had.

Yesterday as I sat on a picnic table at Oakland Lake Park, looking out at peaceful Fosdic Lake, enjoying the chirping birds and the cicada symphony, I sketched out a lot of webpage stuff.

Being outdoors, enjoying Mother Nature, is very conducive to the creative process. Or so I have found. I think this may be part of the reason for my daily addiction to aerobicizing myself at places like the Tandy Hills. Which I will do today.

It is only 79, right now, at half past 5 in the morning. My windows are open. I suspect they will not be open for long. It is going to another HOT day, today, in the Fort.

Sitting On A Fort Worth Picnic Table Pondering Mel Gibson & Other Things

With it being nearly 100 and with me already having had sufficient aerobic stimulation, early this morning, via swimming, plus I found myself doing a lot of walking in Hurst today, I decided to forego my daily constitutional of a vigorous walk.

Have I ever mentioned my walking inspiration is President Harry S Truman. He was a big advocate of a daily walk. When he was President, and after, Harry amused himself by giving press conferences while walking, forcing the news guys to try and keep up with him.

Today I needed to do me some pondering. So, I decided to go to Oakland Lake Park and sit on my favorite picnic table and do some pondering, writing my pondering on a notepad. What I'm
pondering is upgrading my Eyes on Texas website. I spend little time on it, yet it renders returns far in excess of the blogs I spend more time on. Hence the need to ponder.

When I got to my pondering spot I was a bit vexed to see a gang of hoodlums, well, teenagers, who looked to be up to no good. They were within earshot of my favorite picnic table. And I could smell whatever it was they were smoking, which was sort of ruining the fresh air thing I was going for.

That is my favorite picnic table on the right. A drainage ditch runs under it. Maybe the proper terminology is little creek, not ditch.

After about 10 minutes of enduring the hoodlums I decided to drop my no walk decision and walk to the other side of Fosdic Lake. There I found a peaceful picnic table in the shade. And a lot of birds of various feathers flocking together seeking relief from the heat in the shade.

Despite the HEAT there were quite a few people out enjoying it. The wind made the HEAT totally easy to take, particularly when under shade. As I sat and pondered I saw one couple arrive in a bright red car. As the female half exited the car I could tell she was in tiff mode. Not shouting, but she was giving him the talk to the hand signal. I watched them go their separate ways, then him come back looking for her, not realizing she was sitting on a bench on Fosdic Dam.

As I watched all these people having fun, in various ways, at Oakland Lake Park, like the guy fishing with his dog, and the BBQers, it occurred to me that every single one of the people I saw was way happier than Mel Gibson.

Mel Gibson could be anywhere he wanted to be in the world. He has the resources to do anything he wants. Instead he is profoundly unhappy and possible insane. Have you listened to the Mel Gibson tapes? They are ear popping.

I have been exposed to a ranting psychotic a couple times. Sadly the same person was doing the ranting both times. And I exposed myself to that again? That does not speak well to my judgment. Anyway, that ranting that I was subjected to only lasted about a half a minute. Mel Gibson goes on and on and on. Why is he not in jail?

Gar The Texan's Labor Day Bachelor Pad Party

You are looking at an artist's rendering of Gar the Texan's pad in Flower Mound, Texas.

Between now and Labor Day rumor has it that Gar's pad will be turned into Gar the Texan's Bachelor Pad.

Gar has invited a herd of Winkites and Kermitics to stay at his Bachelor Pad over Labor Day Weekend.

I am just a bit sketchy as to why so many West Texans are coming all the way to Gar's Bachelor Pad in Flower Mound, from Wink and Kermit, on Labor Day Weekend.

I am guessing it has something to do with Gar the Texan's reputation for being a wild party boy when he is in bachelor mode, with Labor Day being the first holiday after Gar's return to bachelorhood.

I've invited myself to Gar's Labor Day Bachelor Pad Party.

The largest number of Winkites I have been around at once is two. I am a little worried about how well I'll manage to negotiate a couple dozen Winkites. I don't know if I've ever had social intercourse with a Kermitic. Well, I think, maybe, Gar the Texan might count. He moved from Kermit to Wink, if I remember right. I guess that would make him a partial Kermitic, with a heavy dose of Wink.

Near as I can tell the Queen of Wink is the one who organized Gar the Texan's Labor Day Bachelor Pad Party. The Queen of Wink is good at organizing things.

I'm assuming there will be adult libations and a poolside BBQ. Do we need to bring swimming suits? Or is skinny dipping the swimming mode at a Gar the Texan Bachelor Pad Pool Party?

I suppose those type details will be made plain when the Queen of Wink mails out the invites to Gar the Texan's Bachelor Pad Labor Day Weekend Pool Party.

A Wednesday HEAT Advisory For North Texas From The National Weather Service

The drinking morning coffee morning view looks cool this Ides of July Wednesday. And cool it slightly is, with the temperature in the chilly 70s.

But that won't last, the chilly I mean. The National Weather Service has issued a Heat Advisory for today, with the temperature in the high 90s made even hotter with the humidity making the temperature feel like it's in the 100s.

I won't be doing any noontime hiking today, even though I do so enjoy a good aerobic sauna. I'll be up in Hurst around noon.

I'm thinking I'll wait til the HOTTEST part of the day, somewhere in the 3 to 4 in the afternoon zone, to go spend an hour in the Texas natural sauna.

In the meantime, the sun has totally lit up the place. So, it is time for my morning swim.