Water Flowing Tandy Hills Mystery With A Lingering Bamboo Teepee & Cascade Fresh Yogurt Potato Salad

I had myself the best hiking time in many a month today on the very breezy Tandy Hills.

Saturday when I blogged about the Mysteries of the Tandy Hills I forgot the biggest mystery, that being the Bamboo Teepee you see in the picture, still standing after many a moon.

Speaking of teepee, my spell checker is flagging teepee as being misspelled. However, the first time I had this happen I looked up teepee to learn there are 3 accepted spellings for this particular Native American dwelling.

Teepee, tepee and tipi. The version with 4 e's seems to be reflect how the word is pronounced, so that's the version I use.

Today, water was flowing through the pipe culvert that carries Tandy Creek under the Tandy Highway, except when it rains hard and overwhelms the pipe culverts's water carrying capacity.

Now, what is very strange and may be yet one more Tandy Hills Mystery is this. On Saturday, less than 24 hours after Friday's rain, no water was flowing through the Tandy Creek pipe culvert across the Tandy Highway. And now today, Monday, 3 days after last Friday's rain, water is flowing through the pipe culvert that was dry on Saturday.

Very perplexing.

Changing the subject from water leaks and teepees to yogurt.

On Saturday, at Town Talk, I got a humongous 4 pound container of fat free yogurt for only 99 cents. Usually, with fat free yogurt or sour cream, stuff you really don't want to be eating is added to take the place of butterfat. 

This yogurt comes from Seattle. From a company called Cascade Fresh. The only ingredients in Cascade Fresh Fat Free Yogurt are nonfat milk, pectin and active cultures, as in 8 active probiotic cultures, L. Acidophilus, B. Thermophilus, L. Rhamnosus, B. Bifidum, L. Casei, B. Longum, L. Bulgaricus and B. Ifantis.

I made potato salad this morning, using yogurt instead of mayonnaise. Add some garlic wine vinegar and dill pickle juice and you really don't miss the mayo. Unless you want those extra fat calories for your hip widening, gut growing project.

I'm off to the library now. I need a book.

Up Late Full Of Dread Despair & Direness On The Chilly Next To Last Monday Of September

As you can possibly intuit via looking out my primary viewing portal on the world I am up after the sun this next to last Monday of September.

I think I had myself a rough night of troubling nightmares because I woke up with an overarching sense of dread, despair and direness with no conscious reason for feeling this way.

I tried to watch the Emmy Awards show last night, but, even though I had it DVRed and fast forwardable, boredom quickly set in.

I don't think the Emmy Awards show was the source of my nightmares.

I can not remember the last time I did not find an awards show boring. I don't think I've made it longer than an hour watching an Academy Awards show this century. In the previous century I used to have Academy Awards show parties. Such a thing seems alien to me now.

Changing the subject from TV to my favorite subject, that being the temperature, it is currently a relatively chilly 68 degrees. The sun has been doing its heating duty for about 45 minutes. The sun has been programmed today to heat the outer world, in my vicinity, to 85 degrees.

85 degrees is a very pleasant temperature.

I think I will go swimming not before it gets any hotter.

Enjoying Swimming In My Pool With My New Chesapeake Energy Neighbor

Chesapeake Energy Overlooking My Pool
In More Ways Than One

If you look closely at the patch of blue sky above the 4 lounge chairs you can see my new Chesapeake Energy neighbor. Really a wonderful addition to my view from the pool whilst I am swimming.

So far, near as I can tell, the actually drilling in to the Barnett Shale by my Chesapeake Energy neighbor has yet to begin. I have heard no screeching drilling noises like I did the first time Chesapeake Energy moved into my neighborhood.

The new Chesapeake Energy operation is closer to me than the original. And it is wrapped by a protective wall, unlike my first Chesapeake Energy neighborhood invader.

Despite what some of my neighbors think, the protective wall does not block the annoying noise. I know this because the drilling operation near Veterans Park was surrounded by a protective wall, yet you could hear that noisy operation no matter where you were in Veterans Park.

One thing I do know for absolute 100% certainty. Unlike me, no one I know in Washington can go swimming in their pool and enjoy looking at a massive gas drilling industrial operation underway.

I am such a lucky guy.

It is now time to take my daily 24 hour anti-histamine to counteract that which is infused into the air I breathe in this polluted part of the planet.

Like I said, I am such a lucky guy. With a pool and a view.

Having A Nice Multi-Cultural Walk Around Fosdic Lake On A Sunny September Sunday

Kids Feeding The Fosdic Ducks

It was in the mid 80s when I left air-conditioned comfort this Sunday at noon to go to Oakland Lake Park to walk with the Fosdic Lake Ducks & Turtles.

As you can see, via the picture, I was not the only one having fun with the Fosdic Ducks today.

I have seldom heard the Fosdic Ducks quacking as happily as they were today, getting fed duck food by a group of giggling kids.

Despite its Friday infusion of water, Fosdic Lake continues to shrink. I would think with no incoming creek water it would be shrinking faster. Does an underground spring feed into Fosdic Lake, I can't help but wonder?

Taking a Fosdic Walk in Native Garb

There are never as many people in any given Fort Worth park as I think there would, or should, be, on a nicely temperatured sunny Sunday.

But, there were more than the norm walking around Fosdic Lake in various stages of dress.

I think my topless condition may have been offensive to the nice ladies I met today who were covered head to toe, except for their bright eyes shining from their head covering.

Fort Worth is such a melting pot. People of all cultures and states and countries meet up in Fort Worth to assimilate into being good Texans.

Up Early On The Next To Last Sunday Of September In Allergic Reaction Mode

It is the dawn of the next to last Sunday of September, looking through the bars of my patio prison cell at a serene turquoise pool.

The allergic aggravation that started aggravating me early Saturday evening has abated, slightly, thanks to the intervention of anti-histamines.

Due to Friday's rain we have had a humidity spike. I do not like it when there is a humidity spike.

Today the humidity may do some more spiking, if the predicted 40% chance of precipitation precipitates in some more rain. A chance of Thunderstorms is also in the forecast for today. And following days.

Monday's predicted precipitation is more precipitous than today's, with a 50% chance of rain.

I have no idea what I am doing this particular Sunday. Apparently rain and lightning may impact my possibilities. But, before that can happen, while it is still dry and free of electrical sky action, I think I will go swimming in that serene turquoise body of water that is a short walking distance away.

Saturday Night Is All Right For Fighting A Bad Allergy Attack

A Saturday Sun Sets In Texas

In the picture I am sitting at the front of the line at the stop light on John T. White Road, heading west, waiting to cross Loop 820.

I was returning from Wal-Mart.

Why did I go to Wal-Mart, you ask?

Well, sometime after 5 I started to have a really bad allergy attack. Burning, stinging, watery eyes, sneezing, all sorts of misery.

I have had allergy attacks before, rarely, but even though they are rare, when one happens, I know what it is and what I need to do. As in get an anti-histamine. I thought I had an anti-histamine supply stored for just this type emergency, but I was not able to locate it.

So, it was off to Wal-Mart I went, blurry eyed and miserable.

I am now medicated and feeling a lot better. Wonders of modern medicine.

Now, what caused this allergy outbreak I can not help but wonder? I suspect it has something to do with the rain yesterday, after such a long time with no rain, unleashing who knows what bad stuff into the air.

Excuse me, I must take a time out to deal with an incoming sneeze.

Okay, that's over. I thought the little pill had put a stop to this.

I suspect I am in for a long long night.

Is anyone else in the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex zone experiencing a sudden onslaught of allergy symptoms?

Stomping Over Mud & Litter Today On The Tandy Hills With Twisted Rusted Cable

A Keep Fort Worth Beautiful Litter Bag Littering
Currently Dry Tandy Falls

You don't mess with Mother Nature. She can be an arbitrary, overbearing Old Lady.

Some humans had the hubris to think they needed to clean the litter out of the Tandy Hill's Creek's creek beds.

That is Mother Nature's job.

Every once in awhile she brings upon the Earth a deluge which washes the Tandy Hill's Creek's creek beds clear of litter.

Mother Earth did not quite bring a creek cleaning level of deluge Friday evening, but she did bring enough of a deluge to keep people from picking litter out of Her Tandy Hill's Creek's creek beds.

Instead the Tandy Litter Stompers picked up litter before it entered the Tandy Hill's Creek's creek beds. This seems a much more pro-active way to deal with the Tandy Creek litter. Mother Nature, in Her infinite wisdom caused that to happen, with Friday's rain canceling the Tandy Hill's Creek's creek bed's Litter Stomping.

Washed Out Tandy Creek Crossing
With Moved Giant Tire

I was surprised to walk on as much mud as I did today, particularly on the Tandy Highway. The main Tandy Creek crossing, across Tandy Highway, was pretty much washed out, again, by yesterday's rain.

I don't know if was moved by Mother Nature or human intervention, but since I last visited it, the Giant Tandy Tire has moved to the other side of the creek and a distance to the south.

We must talk about the picture at the top. The picture with the big plastic yellow thing. The yellow thing is a garbage bag. I believe it is one of the garbage bags supplied by the City of Fort Worth for the Tandy Litter Stomp.

So, how did this Tandy Litter Stomp bag end up on the precipice of Tandy Falls? At one of the most remote locations on the Tandy Hills? The bag says "Keep Fort Worth Beautiful" and "Schedule a Clean-Up." Among other things.

Is this bag showing up in this location on the day of the aborted Tandy Hills Litter Stomp what is known as irony? Is this the work of the Tandy Hills Guerrilla Artist?

Tandy Hills Guerrilla Art Installation

This was not the only suspected Tandy Hills Guerrilla Artwork I came upon today.

Today I entered the hills from the top of Mount Tandy.

Taking the left turn on the new road built courtesy of the Fort Worth Water Department I found the new road blocked by the twisted cable you see in the picture, rising mysteriously out of the ground and twisting its way to pieces of abandoned metalwork.

Where did this twisted, rusty cable come from?

I am currently juggling three Tandy Hills mysteries.

Number 1 is where did the Giant Tandy Tire come from? Number 2 is how did the Fort Worth Litter Bag make it to the edge of Tandy Falls? Number 3 is how did the twisted cable get to be in this location? And why?

It is all very perplexing. I don't know if the Tandy Hill's Creek's creek beds will ever dry out again, allowing a successful Tandy Hills Litter Stomp. I suspect Mother Nature may cooperate at some future date. Maybe.

Rain Drenches North Texas, Elsie Hotpepper Is Found, The Tandy Hills Litter Stomp Is Still Stomping

I am up late this 3rd Saturday of September, due to being up late Friday night with the Elsie Hotpepper Search Party.

I am pleased to report the missing Elsie Hotpepper has been re-located.

All I will say about Elsie's latest disappearance is it was not rain-related.

Yes. We had rain last night in these parched parts of the planet. Up to half an inch in some locations.

While the majority of us North Texans were happy to feel some wet stuff falling from the sky, it has caused some complications. Such as the complication to this morning's Tandy Hills Litter Stomp.

Don Young's rain-related message about another change to the Tandy Hills Litter Stomp...

Howdy all,

It appears we have rain! And while that's good, that's not always ideal for clean-up hikes in yesterday-dry creek-beds. The event Saturday will be more of a low-key affair now. There is plenty of trash along View Street. 

UNLESS it's raining, we will be out tidying up. Come enjoy the hills. Grab some coffee and homemade sourdough and catch yourself a mess of empty beer cans.

So, 9 AM Saturday. 
Say hello to the Hills

Today, supposedly, we have a lesser chance of rain, than we did yesterday.

Before yesterday's semi-deluge we have had a whopping 16.89 inches of rain fall on the official rain measuring station for D/FW in 2011. The non-drought average, by this time of any given year, is 25.89.

Yesterday I saw the majestic Trinity River with what looked like a fair amount of water in it, gently flowing to the Gulf of Mexico.

Today I saw a headline in the Seattle P-I which said, "Snow Expected In Mountains This Weekend; Rain Here."

Which had me wondering, during a drought, when we have had, til yesterday, months with no rain, where does the water in the Trinity River come from? There are no snow covered mountains on this part of the planet. Washington rivers flow all summer long due to the melting snowpack in the Cascade Mountains. Where does the Trinity River water come from?

It's very perplexing. I think I will go swimming in the rain-charged pool and think about the Trinity River.......

A BOLO Has Been Issued For The Missing Elsie Hotpepper

Elsie Hotpepper Mugshot

I had no other option but to issue a BOLO (Be On Look Out) for Elsie Hotpepper.

Because Elsie Hotpepper has gone missing again.

Yesterday Elsie Hotpepper asked me if I'd go with her to the new In-N-Out Burger joint on West 7th, in Fort Worth, today. Elsie has never had a Double-Double burger from In-N-Out.

Elsie thinks the product of the locally infamous Kincaid's is a good burger. I told Elsie, in my opinion, that whole Kincaid's is a good burger thing is a local Emperor Has No Clothes type deal. In my humble opinion.

I was back here, from an earlier jaunt to the Village Creek Natural Historic Area and Pantego by an hour past noon. I got myself attired in Elsie Hotpepper approved attire and eagerly awaited the call that told me to exit my security perimeter to meet up with Elsie Hotpepper in the Peppermobile.

No call came.

Calls to Elsie Hotpepper's phone go to voice mail. Email goes unanswered.

Since Elsie Hotpepper is a self-employed freelancer there is no place of employment or boss I can call to check on the Hotpepper's welfare.

It is very perplexing and I am very worried.

The Village Creek Natural Historic Area's Water Level Is At An Historic Low

Dried Up Village Creek Bayou

I'd not been to the Village Creek Natural Historic Area for a few days. I went there today on my way to Pantego, before heading back here to go with Elsie Hotpepper for lunch at In-N-Out on West 7th in Fort Worth.

Which did not happen. More on Elsie Hotpepper in a separate blogging.

There is still green foliage around the now dried up Village Creek Bayou, but the brown/dead area is growing. We need rain soon. The surviving greenery is really starting to look very stressed.

I saw some stranded, trapped fish in the ponds that remain of the dried up Village Creek.

What did the enormous Indian Village on the banks of Village Creek do when the creek dried up? Move down to the Trinity River? I imagine back then there was very little litter or chemical pollution in the Trinity River.

A Dam New Walkway

Today at Village Creek I went off the paved trail, walking on the peninsula that is between the water that is supposed to be flowing through the Village Creek Bayou and Village Creek. Usually this terminates where water flows over an Interlochen dam, joining Village Creek, preventing walking any further.

As you can see in the picture, no water is flowing over the dam. I had not seen this before. The Interlochen Canals must be being very low on water.

I was able to use the dried spillway as a walkway and re-enter the Village Creek Natural Historic Area from its east entry. Something I'd never been able to do before. What a thrill.

If we don't get some rain in these parched parts of the planet we may need to form a posse and to cross the Red River and purloin some Oklahoma water. Desperate times call for desperate measures.