Up Early In Texas Thinking About Marcellus Shale Gas Drillers Disposing Of Fracking Fluids In Pennsylvania Rivers

It is the early morning of the 4th day of 2011 in North Texas. It is currently 10 degrees above freezing.

It was some fluke of the ISO setting on my camera that rendered the dark pre-dawn sky an un-sky-like shade of blue.

That shade of blue is sort of the unnatural shade of blue that Chesapeake Energy Hydraulic Fracturing Water Ponds are colored.

Speaking of which, the Chesapeake pond at the northeast corner of Cooks Lane and Brentwood Stair has been drawn low of late. I thought that water was the final resting place of fracking fluid that has already done its fracking, not fracking fluid waiting to do its fracking.

As long as we are on this fracking subject, I read a disturbing article in this morning's Seattle Post-Intelligencer about disturbing fracking fluid practices of the Marcellus Shale gas drillers in Pennsylvania.

Apparently the Pennsylvania gas drillers have been disposing of their fracking fluids via the simple disposal method of dumping the liquid in Pennsylvania rivers.

I have read nary a word of this in the newspapers local to me in Texas. Do the local newspapers not want to give the local frackers any ideas?

And how do we know the local frackers are not surreptitiously disposing of their contaminated water in Texas rivers like the Trinity?

If the gas drillers are getting away with polluting Pennsylvania rivers, with those rivers in what I would think must be a more environmentally enlightened part of America than Texas, well, one can't help but wonder what those gas drillers might be getting away with in Texas, what with the Texas regulating agencies all co-opted by gas industry infiltration.

And with the state of Texas at odds with the federal agencies, like the EPA, who's job it is to see that bad stuff is not done to the air and water of America.

Is any testing done of the Trinity River to see if any nasty fracking fluids are floating towards the Gulf of Mexico? If not, why not?

It is so bizarre to me that over the past 30 years, or so, billions of federal dollars have been spent cleaning up Superfund sites. Those being dangerously polluted parts of America. And then to allow some industry to inject dangerous chemicals into underground storage, underground, where aquifers live, well, it just seems sort of obvious that at least one of those areas of injection, will become a Superfund site of the future that likely will dwarf the Superfund sites of the past.

Fracking and the gas drillers and the nasty stuff they spew into the air I breathe has been on my mind the past couple days due to myself having what seems like an allergic reaction to something. I am not an allergic type person.

But. For instance.

Last night I had a bizarre bout of sneezing, followed by watery, itchy eyes. I was unable to read. This morning all is fine. I live very close to a Chesapeake Energy Barnett Shale gas pad. As in it is less than 1000 feet distant.

Today I am going to get myself some over the counter anti-histamines. I hope drugging myself helps.

2011 Tandy Hills Manly Men & Wild Women Hike

Yesterday I mentioned that it was a year ago yesterday that I went on my first Manly Men/Wild Women Hike on the Tandy Hills.

And that the Queen of Wink and Princess Annie came all the way from their West Texas realm to participate.

I was then informed by the Leader of the Manly Men, Don Young, that details of this year's Manly Men/Wild Women Hike would be forthcoming.

And so, those promised details came forth today.

This year's Forced March will occur on Saturday January 8, 2011.

At 10 AM.

The Hike will start from 3400 View Street. You know, the spot where the Prairie Fest takes place.

After the Hike, a group lunch, details to be announced, will take place.

I am a bit hazy regarding last year's group lunch. I seem to remember being some place in Arlington having lunch after the Manly Men/Wild Women Hike.

If you feel the need to RSVP your participation in one of Fort Worth's top annual events you may email Don Young.

Mr. Young is adding a bit of a teaser to this year's Manly Men/Wild Women announcement in that he is saying a side trip "might" be taken to the Witchey Tree of Tandy Hills. There have been some aspersions cast as to the legitimacy of Mr. Young's Witchey Tree Tale by some local skeptics.

I do not believe the well known Wild Woman of Woolley, Betty Jo Bouvier, will be able to make it to Fort Worth on January 8 to demonstrate her brand of Wild Womanliness.

I also do not believe Elsie Hotpepper will be able to hike the hills, even though she is pretty much the Wildest Woman I currently know.

I am fairly certain the Queen of Wink and Princess Annie will not be Wild Women this year. The Realm of Wink has been going through some regime change issues. There are some reports of a Queen Consort. And other reports that the Queen of Wink is in some sort of Eleanor of Aquitaine situation, kept under strict control, virtually under house arrest.

Anyway, the 2011 Tandy Hills Manly Man & Wild Women Hike is next Saturday.

Village Creek Natural Historic Area's Brown Bayou, Wildflowers & Canyon Animals

Freezing temperatures have turned brown the Village Creek Historic Natural Area's Bayou. Yet, even in its decayed state the bayou was a scenic spot today. A coldly scenic spot.

Deep inside the Grand Canyon of Village Creek I saw a helmeted female on a Village Creek Beach having a confrontation with some sort of wild animal that I was unable to identify.

I searched the Village Creek Natural Historic Area's designated Wildflower Area for some wildflowers, to no avail. I'll keep checking. In a few months I suspect wildflowers may appear.

The 3rd Day Of 2011 Dawns Cold In Texas With Thoughts Of Wild Women & TCU

The 3rd Day of 2011 dawns blue and one degree above freezing in my frigid zone of North Texas.

I saw no details, yet, in the Fort Worth newspaper of supposed record, the Star-Telegram, about our city-wide celebration celebrating Texas Christian University winning the Rose Bowl.

I believe TCU is the smallest school to ever win the Rose Bowl. And is also the only school with "Christian" as part of its name to win the Rose Bowl.

Or, likely, any other bowl.

I woke up this morning with an annoying twitch in my left eye. Why my left eye is twitching I have no idea. But I do know that I want it to stop.

Other than an unwanted twitching eye, I have no fresh maladies to report.

A day I wake up with no fresh aches or pains is the start of a good day.

I don't know, for sure, what I'm about to do on this first Monday of 2011. Except, maybe, finally get around to setting up the auto-deposit from Google to my new bank.

That and going walking somewhere other than the Tandy Hills. Speaking of which, I was informed last night, by someone who should know, that an announcement is soon to be forthcoming regarding the 2011 Manly Men and Wild Women Tandy Hills Hike.

I do not know if the Wild Woman of Woolley, Betty Jo Bouvier, will be in attendance. I suspect not.

The Shadow Of The Tandy Hills Fat Man On The 2nd Day Of The New Year

I hauled my bloated carcass to the Tandy Hills today, parked on top of Mount Tandy. I was optimistic that the hills had dried out and were no longer muddy.

As is way too often the case, my optimism had no basis in reality.

Too much mud was quickly adding too many inches to my height.

I don't know what the deal was with the sun and the shadow today, but it appears I have gained a lot of weight since I last saw the formerly thin shadow of the Tandy Hills Thin Man.

Once I realized I'd picked up some mud, I decided to continue on, since the damage was already done. I had a fairly brisk hike. During most of it I was talking to Tootsie Tonasket, who had gotten me on the phone on the way to the Hills. Tootsie invited me over for Key Lime Pie.

And after that, Aunt Alice invited me over for ham cooked in ginger ale. I don't know if that sounds good, or not.

I realized, whilst navigating the mud, that today is exactly one year since the Tandy Hills Manly Men & Wild Women Hike. An event where about 100 hikers were strung out for miles on the Tandy Hills.

The Queen of Wink and Princess Annie drove all the way from their realm in West Texas in order to hike the Manly Men/Wild Women Hike. However, the hiking soon proved too strenuous for the Queen, when she developed a serious case of the vapors.

To recover from the vapors I drove to Arlington, to Sweet Tomatoes, where we found food. If I remember right, I then drove back to the Tandy Hills with the Queen of Wink and Princess Annie driving off into the sunset. Almost never to be seen again.

A year goes by so fast. And yet so much happens and changes during the course of a year. I'm looking forward to 2012. It's only about 364 days away.

The Dawn Of January 2 Thinking About Fort Worth's City-Wide TCU Rose Bowl Victory Celebration

This morning we are looking at the dawn of January 2 of 2011 from Miss Puerto's freezing balcony.

It is only 23 degrees this morning. That's cold.

Very cold.

I learned this morning that Fort Worth's TCU football team won the Rose Bowl.

Ten years ago I don't think anyone could have thought of a way the above sentence could possibly make sense.

I read this morning, in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, we will be having a city-wide celebration to celebrate TCU's stunning Rose Bowl victory.

We have not had a city-wide celebration here in Fort Worth for years. Not since some obscure Washington, D.C. lobbying group picked Fort Worth as one of the Top Ten Most Livable Communities in America.

I do not know, yet, how the city-wide TCU Victory celebration will manifest itself. Will Fort Worth Mayor Mike Moncrief make another attempt to dye the Trinity River purple?

I have no idea what this Sunday, 2nd day of the New Year, has in store for me. All I can rule out is I am almost 100% certain I will not be going to church.

A New Year's Day Walk Around Fosdic Lake Thinking About Fort Worth's TCU Beating Wisconsin In The Rose Bowl.

You are looking at Fosdic Lake in Oakland Lake Park in Fort Worth, Texas a little after noon on the first day of the New Year of 2011.

Usually on the first day of a New Year you see a lot of people in the parks getting on with their New Year's Resolution to live a more healthy lifestyle.

It was not all that many degrees above freezing today, and a wind was blowing, both factors which, I think, made it cold enough for some to postpone the start of their New Year's Resolution.

That and there are football games on TV today.

I got a call on my way to Fosdic Lake and during the course of that call I was asked if I knew what time the Rose Bowl game started.

I had no idea. I am not a football fan. I don't get what can be so interesting about watching a football game that causes people to watch them, over and over and over again. Endless variations of the same theme is what those games look like to me.

But, much, much, much more watchable than the version of football the rest of the world plays, that version of football that Americans call soccer.

The person asking me if I was watching the Rose Bowl seemed to be shocked when I said no, I won't be watching. But, Fort Worth is playing in the Rose Bowl, I was told.

Huh? The Rose Bowl is a game that goes back way into ancient times, where the top team in the Pac-10 plays the top team in the Big-10. Teams like Washington, Oregon, California, Stanford, Arizona, UCLA, playing teams like Michigan.

I was told that TCU from Fort Worth is playing Wisconsin. In the Rose Bowl. Today.

I tell you, Fort Worth playing in the Rose Bowl is just one more sign that our world has gone totally mad.

I looked it up. #3 TCU plays #5 Wisconsin, in the Rose Bowl, at 4:30 ET 3:30 CT. Today.

Now that I know there is a Fort Worth connection to the Rose Bowl, just try and stop me from watching.

Happy New Year From Texas

I am up after the sun, looking out a frosty 29 degree window at this first day of the New Year of 2011, which appears to have dawned with a bright blue clear sky.

I was greeted this morning with a message sent from Long Beach from the Scrabble Queen of Washington, telling me they got their razor clam limits on the last day of the Old Year and were having oysters from Wilkie Bay, crab cocktails and razor clams for their New Year's Eve dinner.

The Long Beach part made me homesick for the sound of big waves crashing on to a Pacific beach. And that seafood make my want seafood. I do not know where the nearest razor clam is in my current location, landlocked deep in the Heart of Texas.

My New Year's Eve Party went well. I was back in my domicile before the start of the New Year. I'm not a big fan of the whole ringing in the New Year thing. It really is just another day, with the calendar just an arbitrary passage of time recording device.

Well, it is time for my first swim of the New Year. It'll be a cold one.

The New Year's Eve Shadow Of The Tandy Hills Thin Man

You are looking at the long skinny shadow of the ever more skinny shadow of the Tandy Hills Thin Man, today around noon.

I thought we were scheduled for clouds and rain today. Apparently I thought wrong.

The Tandy Hills were still being a bit tacky, mud-wise, so I cut the hiking a little short. I was not liking mud sticking to my shoes. That and my right foot pain was paining me. It is getting better though.

Earlier today I blogged about the BIG Box I got from my mom and dad this morning. It was full of oranges.

That blogging rose Nick Beef from the dead to make a comment.

Nick Beef is the headstone next to Lee Harvey Oswald in Rose Hill Memorial Burial Park in my neighborhood of east Fort Worth.

I do not believe Nick Beef is actually buried next to Lee Harvey. I believe Nick Beef bought the plot as some sort of publicity stunt.

And now, on the day before 2011, Nick Beef is still doing the publicity stunt thing, commenting on my blog. I'm sure this will get Nick unprecedented publicity.

After I was done getting stuck in the Tandy Hills mud I headed to Town Talk. Not knowing if it was open. It was.

Even though I'd just gotten a shipment of citrus from Arizona, from my mom and dad, I got myself a big bag of Cuties for only a buck. Among other things.

I think MLK or MBK or both, may be right. My unfortunate weight gain might be traceable to Town Talk. I know having Town Talk in my life has amped up my access to a lot of different cheeses. And chips. Something I don't usually buy.

But.

For example, today, for 50 cents, Town Talk had All Natural Cheddar Tortilla Chips made with Cheddar Cheese, Quinoa, Soy, Flax, Sunflower, Sesame Seeds, Oat Fiber and Brown Rice. Made by some chip maker called Food Should Taste Good.

And I am sure it will. And be good for me. And not make me fat.

I will likely take a bag or two to my New Year's Eve Party. Due to start soon. See you there.

A BIG Box From Arizona In The New Year's Eve Mail

When I went to check the mailbox this morning I was surprised to find a BIG box. From my mom and dad. A very heavy box on which they spent a small fortune to mail. Whatever was inside was heavy and shifted around when I moved the box.

Jars of raspberry jam was my first thought. I figured, due to the weight and how I could tell it was small items rolling around, that no clothing items were inside.

My one longtime reader may remember that on Christmas I opened a box from my mom and dad to find some shirts and shorts that were a tad too small for me. When my mom asked if they fit I basically said I needed to go on a diet.

Which I am now on. I am making rapid progress towards being able to comfortably wear the shirts and shorts I got from mom and dad this Christmas.

So, a few minutes ago I opened the fresh, incoming BIG box. And what did I find...

Oranges, lemons, grapefruit and a shirt. Size Large. It fits. But not so much so that it will be baggy when I fit into the shirt and shorts that are currently not baggy.

This is my first Arizona citrus since mom and dad delivered a lot of lemons, oranges and grapefruit, almost two years ago, when they were here the first week of 2009.

Previous to that, I hauled Arizona citrus back to Texas myself, in April of 2006, direct from Phoenix, where my mom overloaded my carry on backpack with oranges. This created a very entertaining debacle when I went through security, losing my cell phone in the mayhem.

I know some of you reading this are thinking to yourself that I am awful lucky to have such a nice mom and dad.

You would be correct in thinking that. I am way luckier than you could possibly know.