Pine Coning, Horse Riding, Mountain Biking & Hiking By Lake Grapevine From Bob Jones Park in Southlake

Above you are looking at a lone pine tree, loaded with big pine cones, sitting on a bluff above Lake Grapevine, in Southlake, with the tree shadowing Army Corps of Engineer's trails that you access from Bob Jones Park.

The Army Corps of Engineer's trails that you access from Bob Jones Park are the site of my second worst (and funnest) case of getting lost in Texas, with the best (and not fun) case of getting lost happening on Christmas day of 2002 at Dinosaur Valley State Park.

Yesterday it was in the 80s when I went hiking the Tandy Hills, thus requiring no additional warmth producing clothing beyond the minimum needed. Less than 24 hours later I needed two layers of long sleeved shirts, a windbreaker with a hoodie and a wool cap. And long pants.

Pine trees grow in Texas, naturally, mainly in the Piney Woods Region of East Texas. This solo pine tree seems a bit out of place, all alone with no relatives. I don't recollect ever seeing a pine tree so overloaded with pine cones.

If I had something along with me to carry them I would have picked some pine cones. They smell good. Sort of like getting the aromatic benefit of a Christmas tree without all those nasty needles drying out and falling to the floor.

Above you are looking at an inlet on the vast inland sea known as Lake Grapevine. I don't remember if I have been on these trails in winter before. I do remember I have never been on these trails when it is cold. My first experience on these trails occurred approximately a decade ago, in summer. It was a combo mountain bike/horse ride exploration.

I suppose you are thinking that is me, back in the saddle, using 4 horseshoed hooves to explore the Lake Grapevine trails.

You would be wrong.

The kid on the horse stopped to tell me of late he'd been seeing a lot of people on the trails. He wondered where I was from and how I knew about this place. This was an interesting question for him to ask, due to the fact that I'd come upon 4 separate groups of humans hiking today. And was wondering the same thing. I don't recollect ever seeing any humans, besides the ones I was with, in this location, previously.

Tomorrow is going to be cold, too. No pool for me. That is for sure.

The Cold Morning Moon Shadow Of The Thin Man

That is the Moon Shadow of the Thin Man early this second day of winter and next to last Wednesday of 2010.

It is colder than I expected this morning. 42 degrees. I was hoping it'd be in the 50s. This 42 degrees makes my plan to go swimming this morning not quite so certain.

I think I am going up to Southlake today. But, that plan could easily change.

The sun is beginning to provide light in addition to the full moon light. So, I guess I am going to try and go swimming now.

Record Breaking High Temperatures In North Texas On The First Day Of Winter

Yesterday I was on  the Tandy Hills in shorts and a short sleeved t-shirt.

Today, on the first day of winter, I was back on the Tandy Hills, without a t-shirt.

The first day of winter in North Texas will likely be setting a temperature record. Currently, at right before 3pm it is 84 degrees.

I have my windows open. I may need to close the windows and turn on the A/C.

I know I have never had my windows open before in winter in Texas. Or run the A/C.

It is nice to finally get to experience some of that Global Warming you hear so much about.

I went off trail again today on the hills. Exploring the west side of the trail that leads in from View Street. I thoroughly explored a large area and found no wrecked van or dead witchey tree.

My attempt to go swimming this morning did not go well. Previously I believed whenever the 24 hour average was over 50, the water was warm enough. Yesterday it got to the low 80s, with the low in the 50s. But that pool was way too cool this morning.

I will try the pool again tomorrow morning. It will definitely be warmer than it was this morning. But, will it have warmed enough that I can have myself a fun swim? We'll see.

The Moon Has Recovered From Being Eclipsed On The First Day Of Winter

By the time I saw it this morning the bright glowing object in the sky had totally recovered from earlier this morning when it was totally eclipsed by the sun.

I forgot about the early morning total eclipse of the moon, so I missed it.

At some point in time today Earth's axis will be at its maximum tilt in relation to the sun. Thus heralding the start of winter.

Winter is getting off to a warm start in my zone of Texas. Just 4 degrees shy of 60 this morning.

So, I am going to make a swimming attempt this morning.

81 Degrees Monday Afternoon In Fort Worth On The Day Before Winter

81 degrees, coming up on 5 in the afternoon, this next to last Monday of December. I definitely do not remember having my windows open this late in December, previously, in Texas.

I believe tomorrow is the Winter Solstice. I do not know when the exact moment is tomorrow when the Earth's axial tilt is at its furthest distance from the sun.

I am fairly certain I will be going swimming in the morning. I'd go right now, but I have to leave to attend to a serious matter.

As in, I am out of milk.

Fort Worth's Trinity River Vision & The Dallas Trinity River Corridor Project

You are looking at a live camera view of the Margaret Hunt Hill Bridge, under construction, about an hour ago, in Dallas.

The Margaret Hunt Hill Bridge is one of 3 signature bridges being built in Dallas, designed by Santiago Calatrava. The 3 bridges are part of what is now known as the Trinity River Corridor Project.

Earlier today I blogged about a letter in today's Fort Worth Star-Telegram, in which the letter writer opined about Fort Worth's need for a visionary of the same ilk that brought Fort Worth the murky vision of the Trinity River Vision.

Among other points, I said, regarding the Trinity River Vision, "All that vision saw was copying what was being done in Dallas with its Trinity River Corridor Project. And then downscaling the Dallas Vision."

Anonymous commented to that particular blogging, and in that comment, said "As for Trinity River Vision, its initiatives and ideas far predate the Dallas effort and is in no way copying them. The FW project is superior in scope and vision, IMO."

Well.

I arrived in Texas in 1998. It was not long after my arrival that I learned of a project in Dallas that was to renovate the Trinity River as it flowed through Dallas. The Dallas mayor at the time, Ron Kirk, championed the project, with Dallas voters, in 1998, approving a bond proposal. At that time I believe the word "vision" was in the title for the Dallas project.

I believe it was sometime after the turn of the century I first read of Fort Worth's plan to do its own renovating of the Trinity River. I believe this was originally called the Trinity Uptown Project.

Unlike Dallas, the citizens of Fort Worth have not had the opportunity to vote on their controversial vision.

I believe I am correct when I say Fort Worth copied Dallas. That is definitely how it struck me at the time Fort Worth's vision was born. Including announcing that 3 signature bridges were part of the Fort Worth vision. Just like the Dallas vision.

Except, Fort Worth lost its signature bridges, while Dallas did not.

So, I believe the Anonymous commenter is erroneous when he claims the Trinity River Vision far predates the Dallas Trinity River Vision.

Wikipedia has articles about both the Dallas and Fort Worth projects. The Dallas article is quite detailed, while the Fort Worth article is a bit sketchy. And contains errors. Like saying the Town Lake was going to cover 33 acres. That lake long ago shrunk down to small pond size.

Both the Dallas Trinity River Corridor Project and the Fort Worth Trinity River Vision have good websites, which give you a good idea what these projects entail, and you can clearly see that, despite the Anonymous commenter's comment that the "FW project is superior in scope and vision," that that clearly is not the case.

Of course this is somewhat of a subjective matter. Maybe the Anonymous commenter attaches great import to the Trinity River Vision's vision of building the world's premiere wake boarding facility as part of its vision, while I think that the wake boarding part of FW's vision is just embarrassing.

Maybe the Anonymous commenter attaches great import to Happy Hour Inner Tube floats on the Trinity River, while I think that that is just embarrassing.

Maybe the Anonymous commenter attaches great import to building an un-needed flood diversion channel, while I think adding that just to get pork barrel funding is just embarrassing.

Who does J.D. Granger's job for the Dallas Trinity River Corridor Project? Did a Dallas Congresswoman get her out of work son the job? Or is nepotism frowned upon in Dallas?

Monday Hiking The Tandy Hills & Finding A Dead Pickup

It was in the 70s when I took off for the Tandy Hills today, putting me back in shorts and a t-shirt.

By 70s I am referring to the temperature, not the decade known as the 70s.

I did some off trail hiking today. That turned a bit more adventurous than I needed, due to a steep slope made slippery because of a thick carpet of fallen leaves.

Far from any road I came upon the dead pickup you see in the picture. How did this pickup get in this location?

There is a Tandy Hills Legend, propagated by Don Young, about a Volkswagen Van hitting a tree. The location of that van is supposedly on the west side of the trail that leads into the Tandy Hills from View Street.

Today's dead pickup lies far to the east, east of the Tandy Highway, north of the Fort Worth Space Needle.

There are a lot of mysteries laying on the Tandy Hills. Today, near the dead pickup, I saw a big piece of culvert type pipe, sitting on the ground. Why was it there? Who left it there?

Fort Worth's Desperate Search For A Visionary To Take The Town To Top-Tier Status

Sometimes my jaded view of the world makes it hard for me to detect if someone is being serious.

Or not.

One of those confusing moments came to me this morning as I was reading the letters to the editor in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.

I'll copy the letter below and below that I'll comment on the letter.....

Seeking visionaries

Where are our visionaries? Those with big, bold ideas and the drive to see them through? Perhaps not on the City Council, which recently put the brakes on the modern streetcar initiative.

Where are the folks who approved the convention center hotel, supported the Trinity River Vision, Lancaster corridor improvements and new downtown park?

Our city is on a roll. We have momentum that other cities would kill for. But we still lack aesthetics and services that seem so natural to more cosmopolitan cities. Modern streetcars (i.e. efficient, light-rail mobility) are a perfect next step in our evolution to top-tier status.

Dallas has become a national leader in public light-rail transportation, and Denton, too, will soon launch its A train service. That leaves Fort Worth lagging in its vision for solving growing transportation issues, air-quality issues and the continuing vibrancy of our downtown.

We had the government seed money, the feasibility study and popular support. Now it's gone. On leadership one once said, "Search the parks in all your cities, you'll find no statues of committees." When will a visionary leader step up to deliver streetcars to our downtown?

-- Allen Wallach, Fort Worth

Fort Worth is on a roll? With momentum other cities would kill for? What momentum? What roll? The momentum to be on a roll to have the most boondoggles in a row?

Visionaries who approved the convention center hotel, the Trinity River Vision, Lancaster corridor improvements and a new downtown park?

What is this new downtown park the letter writer speaks of? Renovating the Heritage Park boarded up eyesore?

Lancaster corridor improvements? The weeds have been pulled, some lights installed, the Spring Palace is no longer surrounded by cyclone fence. But where are the restaurants and other developments that were supposedly going to occur on this restored corridor?

Fort Worth lacks aesthetics and services that more cosmopolitan cities have, like modern streetcars. And having streetcars are a perfect next step to evolving to top-tier status.

Huh?

Okay, if streetcars are the next step to top-tier status, what in the world was the previous step? It can't be the Trinity River Vision. All that vision saw was copying what was being done in Dallas with its Trinity River Corridor Project. And then downscaling the Dallas Vision.

Was the previous step to top-tier status allowing one of the few unique things in downtown Fort Worth to become a boarded up eyesore, again referring to Heritage Park's  current status. Really, would any town with any pretensions to top-tier status allow a well-designed park to fall into such a state, what with that park being across the street from a county courthouse and adjacent to a jail?

I do agree with the letter writer that Fort Worth is in dire need of a visionary. A visionary with clear vision. Not the type visionary who copies what he or she sees elsewhere.

The Sky Is Clear In Texas For Tonight's Total Eclipse Of The Moon

This morning I was up late, again, after being out late, again, last night. All this holiday cheer needs to come to an end soon because it is starting to wear me down.

As you can see from the view from the bars of my patio prison cell the next to the last Monday of 2010 is another clear blue sky day in Texas.

Clear blue sky should make for easy viewing of tonight's total eclipse of the moon. I have not seen a total eclipse of the moon in Texas.

The only total eclipse of the moon that I recollect seeing was in August of 2004 in Tacoma. I remember having fish and chips at a restaurant in Tacoma's Old Town, then exiting the restaurant after sunset to see a big glowing moon slowly disappearing. And then reappearing.

I do not know what time the moon is scheduled to disappear tonight. I'll try and remember to look for the moon tonight.

Walking In Village Creek Natural Historic Area & Hearing About Theo John and Ruby Jean

You are looking at Village Creek in Village Creek Natural Historic Area around noon today. It was being a perfect walking temperature.

I called Tootsie Tonasket on my way to Village Creek because she'd left an urgent message asking for some counseling due to a terrifying Wal-Mart experience. I know how terrifying those Wal-Mart experiences can be.

But, I was unable to counsel Tootsie due to Tootsie not answering her phone. No one has heard from Tootsie today. This has Tootsie's legion of Facebook Friends very worried.

Me? Not so much.

When I got to Village Creek Natural Historic Area I called my sister. The one who lives in the Phoenix suburb of Chandler. I'd not gotten an account of Ronald McDonald singing happy birthday to my dad last Sunday, til today.

I also learned that I sort of have a new nephew and niece. My youngest sister, the one who lives in Tacoma and likes to argue and mind other people's business because she somehow feels entitled to do so due to being a lawyer, adopted a little boy named David awhile back. David is a little over 2, I think. He is a redhead.

My sister also has 2 poodles, Blue & Max. Blue & Max used to have a blog. If I remember right I made it for them. Over the years, I've lost track.

When I was up in Tacoma, in July and August of 2008, I was surprised to learn all sorts of things. One of them is my little sister has some sort of disorder where she can not stand repetitive noises. Even noises as benign as the beeps a camera makes. Or the soothing sound of a waterfall. And God help you if you talk louder than the allowed decibel level.

So, I was a little surprised when my sister started taking in foster kids. Kids can be noisy. At one point she had 3 of the little darlings at one time.

Now, my sister, she being the youngest of my siblings, had no experience with what it is like when a newborn arrives. As in it can be very noisy. Off and on all night long. When my little sister was a baby, she was not all that noisy, but the next youngest sister, she being the one who now lives in Arizona, now that was one noisy baby. I can still remember how sleep deprived it made me. I think my grades took a hit. I would have been a 2nd grader. That was one tough year in school. In many ways I never recovered.

Many months ago I was a bit surprised when my mom told my sister was going to be having twins. Now I was told about the baby making plan when I was in Tacoma in 2008. I was even shown photos of the Dutch male participant in the plan. But that plan was thwarted with the arrival of the foster kids.

Or so I thought.

Well, the twins arrived on Thursday, I think that's what my sister told me. She is going up to Tacoma to help in a couple weeks. The twins names are Theodore John Jones and Ruby Jean Jones. I know the Dutch donor, who's picture I was shown, is not the father. With these particular names I am wondering if the donor dad is possibly African-American.

That'd be a first in our family, I think.

I have not talked to my mom since this blessed event. Mom and dad have no current plans to visit their latest, uh, well, grandchildren, I guess is what they are. Nor do I.

My Arizona sister has seen pictures of my new, uh, well, nephew and niece and she's says they are darn cute. I have seen babies barely out of the oven before and they never look cute to me. The twins must be an exception to that.