A Texas Falling Down Sunday Night Storm & Monday Morning Blue Sky Norm

That is not the Monday morning, July 19 view from my patio you are looking at. It is the Sunday early evening view from Miss Puerto Rico's.

I was not aware of any forecast for anything wet, on Sunday. I was peacefully minding my serene business, sitting out on Miss PR's balcony, when suddenly a really clear rainbow popped in to view.

With me on one of the very rare occasions when I did not have my camera with me. It was starting to get real windy. I decided to run back to my abode to get my camera so I could get a picture of the rainbow.

I got back to my abode, got the camera, and exited my abode to find rain falling. Hard. By the time I got back to Miss Puerto Rico's I was soaking wet. Totally soaking wet. I removed what I could of what was wet, whilst still maintaining some modicum of propriety.

Then all HELL broke loose. Lightning striking, wind gusting, rain downpouring. The picture above really does not do justice to the viciousness of Sunday's surprise storm.

When I exited Miss PR's, to make my way back here, it was a wet, muddy, slippery journey.

Keyword, slippery.

As in I slipped and fell. My camera case got covered in mud, but the camera stayed safe. Which is why it is kept in a case. To protect it from my tendency to slip and fall inconveniently.

Today, that day being Monday, July 19, has dawned calm, as you can see in the picture of the view from my balcony, with a blue sky and a pleasant temperature of a relatively chilly 76.

I'm going swimming now. I hope I make it to the pool without slipping and falling.

Walking In The Village Creek Shade While Thinking About Going To Archer City, Nacogdoches & Over Nooksack Falls

When I felt the need to commune with nature today I opted for the shadiest nearby spot I know. That being Village Creek Natural Historic Area.

The temperature was in the high 90s. Even with the shade I got HOT and turned into a sweaty, wet mess, going through 4 bottles of water. All this HEAT is turning me into a very heavy drinker.

This morning I took a virtual trip out west, to Archer City, to check in on Larry McMurtry's Booked Up bookstore. Biggest used book store in the world in a little town that still looks like it did in The Last Picture Show.

When I was done looking at Archer City I headed back east, all the way, virtually, to Nacogdoches. I have had trouble spelling that town's name all day long.

Switching from Nacogdoches to up in Washington, I heard from my oldest sister yesterday. She told me about kayaking over in North Eastern Washington on the Pend Oreille River. And coming to a rapids section or two that made her nervous. I don't know if she knew there are a lot of waterfalls in that hilly/mountainous zone.

Anyway, hearing about kayaking some rapids triggered a recurring nightmare I've not had in awhile.

People in Texas don't have to worry about accidentally going over a waterfall. I think the state must have banned them like they did the Indians.

In Washington there are a lot of waterfalls. There is one called Nooksack Falls. On the Nooksack River. Most of the Nooksack's water comes from melting snow. Nooksack Falls is always running a lot of water. But when the snowmelt is strong, Nooksack Falls shakes the ground.

There are trails where you can hike down the face of the falls, well, along side of. This has also triggered my acrophobia. The Nooksack River narrows and begins moving very fast as it gets near the falls.

In my nightmare I am floating along on an inner tube. The river starts moving faster. I'd gotten in the river way above the falls. I'd planned to get out well before the falls. In my nightmare I realize I am nearing Nooksack Falls. I can hear the roar, the river picks up speed, I can not pull myself to safety on the big boulders lining both sides of the river. I then come to the point of no return, where I know I am going over the falls. I have hit the drop off point, I don't know how many times, in how many nightmares. I don't know what happens next, because I always wake up in a panic.

No one has ever survived going over Nooksack Falls. I'll see if I can find a picture. Found one, and a blurb from Wikipedia. "The water flows through a narrow valley and drops freely 88 feet into a deep rocky river canyon. The falls are viewable from the forested cover near the cliffs edge. The falls are a short 2/3 of a mile drive off the Mount Baker Highway."

Also in the Wikipedia article there are details of a power plant on Nooksack Falls. Operating to this day. My memory of Nooksack Falls goes back about as far as my memory goes and I remember no power plant, let alone the other buildings shown in a photo in the Wikipedia article.

I must look into this Nooksack Falls power plant mystery. It sounds like blogging fodder for my Washington blog.

In the meantime, it is a bit past 4, this Sunday afternoon, and I am so exhausted going to bed sounds tempting. Very very tired am I.

Sunday Morning In Texas Thinking About The 9 Flags Over Nacogdoches

As you might guess by looking at the view from my patio, as I sit there drinking coffee, this Sunday morning of July 18, the sun got up before I did.

I don't remember precisely what I was doing Saturday night, but it must have been very tiring.

It is currently 80.5 at half past 6. The forecast has been altered from the predicted high of 102 for today. The current forecast is for the high today to be the relatively chilly 98.

Yesterday, to temporarily escape the HEAT, I took a virtual trip to Huntsville, virtually stopping in Fairfield for the buffet at Sam's Original Restaurant & BBQ.

I discovered Sam's years ago on the way to Houston. It's my favorite buffet I've found in Texas. It starts off real good with a small hot loaf of whole wheat bread with real butter. And ends real good with coconut cake. In between there is real good Texas/Southern food, some of it BBQed, some of it fried.

This morning, before it gets too HOT, I think I'll take a virtual trip to the oldest town in Texas, Nacogdoches. A town that has been under even more flags than Texas. Or Poland. Added to the Six Flags that have flown over Texas, flying over Nacogdoches were also the flags of the Magee-Gutierrez Republic, the Long Republic and the Fredonia Republic.

Mystery republics I've not heard of before.

While I ponder the 9 Flags over Nacogdoches I think I'll go for my Sunday morning swim.

A Very HOT 100 Degree Blissful Saturday In Fort Worth Texas

Well. As predicted, we got over the Century Mark today. According to WeatherBug, 103 was the high.

I got back here about 6 and woke up my computer. I saw WeatherBug was flashing 102 in red. I hit the WeatherBug button to pop open the program so I could do a screen cap, but before I could do that WeatherBug had refreshed with the current chilly temperature of 100.

This morning, to escape the HEAT, I took a cool virtual trip down to Huntsville, to check out "Ol' Sparky". Sparky being the electric chair we used to use to electrocute bad people here in Texas. Sparky fried 361 evildoers between 1924 and 1964. That is a lot of sparking.

The HEAT is seeming particularly HOT today. The A/C is getting a workout.

Around 3 I felt the need to be out in it. Why? I really don't know, besides the fact it makes me feel good. But, I did not want to go all aerobic in hike mode. Instead I went to Oakland Lake Park where I could sit under a tree and look at peaceful Fosdic Lake.

But, upon arrival, my favorite picnic table was occupied. Someone was having a big BBQ, complete with one of those blow up jump houses. So, I drove to the other side of the lake. It is not a long drive. There is a picnic table in the shade on that side. And it too was being used. This was unprecedented. The second picnic table was also having a BBQ party, this one birthday themed, complete with HAPPY BIRTHDAY spelled out on a string strung between trees.

I had one more picnic table option. Not my favorite location. No view of Fosdic Lake. But it is in the shade. So I sat myself down, unloaded my water bottle supply from my backpack, got out my book and proceeded to read.

At about the hour mark I went into some strange sort of bliss mode. It was quite relaxing. I recommend it. Reading outdoors, under shade, when it is over 100 degrees. It does not even look HOT in the picture, does it? Just peaceful, cool and serene.

I'd go swimming again, but I really overdid it this morning. In a good way.

See you in the morning. I'm in Saturday night mode now. Whatever that means.

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.