Today At The Fort Worth Stockyards Finding Quanah Parker & Miss Molly's Bawdy House With Indoor Plumbing

Fort Worth Herd On The Move

Today is Wednesday. The middle of the week. It is not tourist season. And yet, today, there were a large number of tourists in the Fort Worth Stockyards, lining up to watch the 11:30 am running of the Fort Worth Herd down Exchange Avenue.

A lot of Germans have a fascination with the American West. If you go to the Grand Canyon, or any of Utah's National Parks, you run in to a lot of Germans. It can be vaguely annoying. I've had an incident, or two, with a German, or two, in an American National Park.

Today I ran into a lot of Germans visiting the Fort Worth Stockyards. I had no annoying incidents with any Germans today. One thing I did notice was anytime I heard a group speaking German the group was always all slim and trim. And another thing I noticed was when I heard a group speaking American the group always had a majority of the people being Balloon People. It's distressing.

Fort Worth's Sister Cities

Since my arrival in Texas, late in the last century, I've made note of a lot of improvements to Fort Worth's top tourist attraction. There are still things I would fix if I had magic wand powers.

Today I came across several new additions.

Like in front of the Visitor's Center there is now a sign listing all the towns with which Fort Worth shares Sister Citydom.

Including Trier, Germany.

The new thing I came upon today that I liked the best was in front of the Hyatt Place hotel. A statue of Quanah Parker, along with a historical marker type sign, telling the Quanah Parker story.

On the ground, next to the statue of Quanah Parker was another thing that impressed me. A plaque.

Jim Lane? Quanah Parker?

Quanah Parker being the son of two cultures is the theme of this memorial.

I like the part of the plaque that says "BRAD PATTERSON, DOUG HARMAN, CHRIS PARKAS, EDDIE SANDOVAL, AND BEN TAHMAHKERA, THREE ANGLOS, ONE APACHE, ONE COMANCHE - TOGETHER FOR THE NUMUNU, ("The People").

Did Jake, Janet and Jim Lane donate this memorial? If so, this has Jim Lane right on the verge of being my favorite Fort Worth politician.

Miss Molly's Bawdy House

Miss Molly's seemed to be a new addition to the Fort Worth Stockyards. Maybe she has always been there, with me not noticing. Miss Molly's is on Exchange Avenue in the west end of the Stockyards. Miss Molly's sign invites you upstairs to view an authentic boarding house and former Bawdy House. Viewing a former Bawdy House is something I don't think I have ever done before.

Years ago, back when I first started my Eyes on Texas website, I wandered the Fort Worth Stockyards, looking for webpage material. At that point in time I saw something that struck me as being funny. That being several of the Fort Worth Stockyards establishments proudly advertising that they had indoor plumbing.

The "Indoor Plumbing" information was verbalized in various ways. Like above, in the only example still remaining, 10 years later, the Cadillac Saloon is still featuring "Indoor Restrooms" both on the side of their building and via a sign painted on a window.

If I remember right I've mentioned Booger Red's Saloon a time or two. Possibly in relation to Elsie Hotpepper liking to go there to sit on a saddle sipping Buffalo Butt Beer. The Booger Red's Saloon sign is blocking the view of the iconic Fort Worth Stockyards sign.

The Texas Rangers may win the World Series anytime soon. For all I know that may happen tonight.

Several of the Fort Worth Stockyard's enterprises had Texas Rangers World Series themes going on in various ways. Above, Riscky's Barbecue sign welcomes fans to the Stockyards, telling fans that apparently the Rangers are in it to win it because great times are waiting with World Series 2011.

I left Riscky's and headed to the actual Fort Worth Stockyards. A location few go to.

The Real Fort Worth Stockyards

You are looking south across the cattle pens of the Fort Worth Stockyards, with the stunning skyline of beautiful downtown Fort Worth a few miles distant. In the main touristy part of the Stockyards you will find no signage directing you to the actual Stockyards.

A boardwalk runs across the top of the Stockyards, taking you from the back of the Cowtown Coliseum to the back of Billy Bob's Texas.

It is a bit of a maze to get to the turnstile that takes you to the Stockyard's boardwalk. Knowing how to get into the tourist part of the Stockyards via the Stockyard's boardwalk was of great benefit to me back in 2008. Hillary Clinton was in town, campaigning in the Presidential Primary. Thousands of people were lined up to get through security to get into the stands to see Hillary.

Alternative ways to Exchange Avenue were blocked by security. My final attempt was accessing the Stockyard's boardwalk behind Billy Bob's. My first surprise was to find that entry gate open. So, we crossed the boardwalk and exited through the turnstile. I expected to run into a security block. Instead I found myself inside the secured zone. A few steps later I was right at the point where people were being admitted into the stands, having to go through an airport like security check. A minute or two later I found myself sitting in the bleachers, waiting for Hillary.

That was a good day. So was today.

I Was Forbidden To Swim Today At Fort Worth's Cowtown Wakeboard Park

Metal Contraption At Cowtown Wakeboard Park

I got my first look at the completed Cowtown Wakeboard Park today on my way back to my abode from the Stockyards.

I believe this is the first thing that has anything to do with the Trinity River Vision Boondoggle to have been completed and fully functioning.

To get to the Cowtown Wakeboard Park you exit Northside Drive to a road that leads to a parking lot that overlooks the pond.

No one was wakeboarding today. I don't know why. I had myself a perfectly pleasant swim this morning.

There was one guy high above the water, doing something on that metal arm you see in the picture. There is a network of wires that surround the pond, making up the mechanism that propels the wakeboarders through the water. I assume.

The Cowtown Wakeboard Park has an unfinished look to it. No landscaping. Many of the structures have a temporary/cheap look to them. There is one building. I assume it must be a restroom or maybe a changing room. Or maybe where you buy your wakeboarding ticket.

No Swimming If You Fall Off Your Wakeboard

My reaction to seeing this was if this is indicative of what the quality level is going to be with the other stuff the Trinity River Vision is seeing, well, it will not be a good thing to look at.

There is a "NO SWIMMING NO LIFEGUARD ON DUTY" sign visible from the Cowtown Wakeboard Park's parking lot.

What are you supposed to do if you fall off your wakeboard if you are not allowed to swim? Very perplexing.

The New Isis Theater In The Fort Worth Stockyards Is Still Not New After All These Years

Fort Worth Stockyard's Totally Tacky Isis Eyesore

I remember my first daylight visit to the Fort Worth Stockyards, back late in the last century, being appalled to see a rundown eyesore in a tourist attraction that is a National Historic District.

That rundown eyesore was (and is) the New Isis Theater.

I did not understand, back then, and now, why the City of Fort Worth would allow this boarded up building to detract from what I think is the best thing Fort Worth has going for it.

Early in this century on my Eyes on Texas website I made a webpage I thought amusing, at the time, titled "Totally Tacky Texas."

On that Totally Tacky Texas webpage I included the New Isis Theater among things I found tacky in Texas.

Then on June 7, 2007 a guy named Robert emailed me with the following...

Dear Durango Texas,

As an FYI - The New Isis Theater is currently in the architectural phase of renovation. This will probably take 3-4 months and the renovation approximately 14-16 months. Hopefully we can achieve a look which will remove us from your expertly crafted list of Stockyard buildings in need of repair. You could be very helpful in this process by informing your web viewers that the original seats from the inside of the theater are available for those who would like to purchase a piece of history. These will need to be replaced because of they are only 16 1/2 inches wide compared to modern theater seats at 21". (a testament to the decline of our culinary tastes over the last 70+ years.)

Regards,
Robert
The New Isis Theater

Robert and I exchanged several emails. It was clear to me that Robert really was hoping to revive the New Isis Theater. But there were a lot of hurdles to jump over.

Apparently those hurdles proved to be too much, because the New Isis Theater, on October 26, 2011, looks as forlorn and forsaken as the first time I saw it way back in the last century.

The Last Wednesday Of October Has Not Yet Dawned At My Current Location In Texas

As you can sort of tell looking through the bars of my patio prison cell I am up well before the arrival of the sun on this last Wednesday of the 10th month of 2011.

The outer world in my location is currently heated to a relatively balmy 66, heading to a predicted high today of 81.

Elsie Hotpepper has been sending me emails written in some sort of cryptic code that I am not able do decipher. It may be Navajo code talk for all I know. But, I am almost 100% certain Elsie Hotpepper is not Native American.

I can't remember the last time I've been to the Fort Worth Stockyards. Was it the time I went there with the Queen of Wink and Princess Annie after the CARO protest at the courthouse in downtown Fort Worth? Or was it when I went saloon hopping with the aforementioned Elsie Hotpepper, spending too many hours on the saddles in Booger Red's Saloon sipping Buffalo Butt Beer?

I really tire of my bad memory. But, I will try and remember to go to the Stockyards today. But, before that I am going swimming to cool off. As in right now before the sun lights up the place.

New Tandy Hills Wildflowers Enjoying Pleasant Temperatures Waiting For More Rain

Freshly Sprouted Tandy Hills Wildflowers

Today on the Tandy Hills I came upon a patch of freshly sprouted light purple wildflowers that had sprouted since I was at the same location this past Saturday.

It seems as if the long drought is causing some wildflowers to get excited when a little rain falls, causing them to go into sprouting mode.

I somehow thought the time of the year had come to an end where I'd be running my air-conditioner. I thought wrong.

It is currently 84 degrees in the outer world in my location.

Swimming was very pleasant this morning. It should also be very pleasant tomorrow morning. And then a lot less pleasant on Thursday morning with a big drop in temperature, with predicted heavy rain. I heard mention made on the radio of big incoming storms on Thursday, but no mention was made of these storms being thunderstorms. I suppose on this parched part of the planet that goes without saying.

I am almost 100% certain I will not be on the Tandy Hills tomorrow in the noon time frame. I am currently scheduled to be at the Fort Worth Stockyards tomorrow.

A Fogless Tuesday Morning With The Texas Rangers On The Verge Of Winning The World Series

There is no fog clouding the view from my primary viewing portal on the outer world on this final Tuesday of the 10th month of 2011.

No fog and the outer world is currently being heated to a relatively balmy 61 at my location on this parched part of the planet.

I have never aboded in a location only a few miles from where a World Series is being played. Apparently last night the Texas Ranger won again, taking a 3 to 2 lead in the series against the St. Louis Cardinals.

I'm guessing the World Series returns to St. Louis now for the final game or games. If the Texas Rangers win the series, and I am almost certain they will, where will the requisite celebration parade take place? Arlington really does not have much of a downtown. The big town in the county the Rangers play in is Fort Worth. Will the parade take place in Fort Worth?

Or will the celebration parade take place in the Big City of the D/FW Metroplex? That would be Dallas.

Maybe the Texas Rangers could just parade around the parking lots that surround the Ballpark in Arlington and Cowboys Stadium.

I think I will go swimming now and further ponder this perplexing conundrum. Or not.

Walking With The Ghosts Of Village Creek Thinking About Pregnant Goats, Asperger's Syndrome, Caribbean Cruising & Disneyland

The dense fog that blanketed my zone of this parched part of the planet lifted by the noon time frame when I headed to Pantego.

The route to Pantego passes by the Village Creek Natural Historical Area. Even though I'd just been to the Village Creek Natural Historical Area yesterday, I decided to stop for a walk.

The newly refilled with water, Village Creek Blue Bayou, was looking particularly blue today.

This morning I found myself being perplexed by Betty Jo Bouvier and her assertion that decades ago I had allegedly been mean to a pregnant goat. I have absolutely no recollection of ever being in the presence of a pregnant goat. I would think I would remember such a thing.

Betty Jo Bouvier has a history of remembering things I don't remember. Such as Betty Jo's claim that she, me and one of the future stars of LOST, went skinnydipping at Bay View State Park when we were teenagers. I may have forgotten about being mean to a pregnant goat, but I'm almost totally certain I would remember skinnydipping with Betty Jo Bouvier and Honey Lulu.

Speaking of strange behavior. Yesterday a concerned bystander was discussing Gar the Texan Nerd's strange behavior with me. Gar the Texan Nerd is currently on his 8th or 9th Caribbean cruise of the year. Gar the Texan Nerd now bills himself as a "Professional Cruiser." I don't know how well this pays.

I explained to the concerned bystander that Gar the Texan had recently been diagnosed with Asperger's Syndrome. When I was told about this diagnoses it was an aha moment for me, as in 'aha,' that explains the strange behavior of Gar the Texan Nerd.

Anyway, having a fun experience, like going on a cruise, and then mindlessly repeating the experience over and over again is a classic Asperger's type thing.

This morning this got me thinking if Gar the Texan Nerd going on a cruise 9 times in one year is an Asperger's Syndrome symptom, then do I have Asperger's too, what with my almost daily swimming and walking or hiking?

It gives me pause to wonder.

There was a time when I was younger, in my 20s, maybe early 30s, when I'd drive down to Southern California once a year, either in the spring or fall. Always going to Disneyland as part of the trip to Southern California. I think if, back then, I found myself driving to Southern California and Disneyland 8 or 9 times a year I would have been concerned I was going nuts. I don't think Asperger's Syndrome had been invented yet, by that point in time.

Nurse Martha Had Me At The Proper Use Of You're

Nurse Martha had this "You had me at the proper use of You're" graphic on Facebook this morning. I thought it was amusing.

Months ago, also on Facebook, Miss Connie liked, "THEY'RE going THERE with THEIR friends. It's called grammar, use it."

I know of one grammar challenged person who's chronic improper use of "your" identifies her like a fingerprint when she tries to do some of her evildoing anonymously.

To accidentally type "your" when you mean "you're" is an accident most everyone has had a time or two. To do this chronically is another thing. It's indicative of either a bad education, not being very bright, not caring, being lazy or a combo of any number of reasons.

Speaking of a time or "two" "to" do this "too", that's another one that some seem to have trouble with. Two, to and two.

Another pet peeve of mine in this area is misspelling. I know of one particularly blogger who, in addition to chronically making the above mentioned grammar errors, constantly misspells. The Blogger program has a built  in spell checker. How does someone not notice a word getting redflagged as misspelled, which just happened with redflagged, which apparently I have misspelled. The spell checker wants to me change redflagged to either red flagged or red-flagged.

The chronic misspeller to whom I've referenced doesn't even fix misspelled words that are not even words. Like this particular challenged person will type "ment" when she means "meant" and not notice that "ment" has been red-flagged. Or care.

The way karma works I have likely made some embarrassing grammar or spelling area in this particular blogging. I'm sure someone will  point it out to me if I have.

A Dense Monday Morning Fog Greets North Texas After The Texas Rangers Tie The World Series

You can sort of see via the pre-dawn view from my secondary viewing portal on the outer world that this next to last Monday of the 10th month of 2011 is a foggy morning in Texas.

A dense fog always seems so odd to me at this location. I've always associated fog with being near large bodies of saltwater. The only saltwater near this parched part of the planet is fracking saltwater polluted by the Barnett Shale gas drillers.

Changing the subject from fog to baseball.

Well, North Texas slept a bit sounder last night, peacefully going to sleep knowing the Texas Rangers beat St. Louis in Game 4 of the World Series.

I had intended to go to the State Fair of Texas this year. In the abstract, before the fair started, this seemed like something I wanted to do. But, somehow from the day the fair opened, in September, til closing on Sunday, I did not make it to Dallas.

My right arm is back aching bad again. Because of that pain and the pain of trying to find my way to my swimming pool through a dense fog, I think I'll skip swimming this morning.

Un-Naturally Looking For Sycamore Trees, Facebook & Shovels Today At Village Creek Natural Historical Area

Some Un-Natural Signage On Some Un-Natural Concrete

At some point in time in the previous 12 hours rain soaked the parched parks in this part of the planet. This soaking made the Village Creek Natural Historical Area my area of choice, today, for my daily aerobic stimulation.

There has been a time or two I've thought to myself that it is a bit odd to call this location a "Natural Area."

The Tandy Hills Natural Area might have a thing or two that isn't all that natural, but not to the level of un-natural that exists in the Village Creek Natural Area.

Today, at the point where the paved trail starts at the west end of the Natural Area I noticed a new sign had been laminated on to the concrete. That makes for two un-natural elements, one being the paved concrete trail, the other being the laminated sign, added east of the already installed un-natural brass plaque, dedicated to those who helped bring about the Village Creek Natural Historical Area.

Apparently Arlington's Park Fans Are
Naturally Fun!

The laminated sign informs us that "Our Fans Are Naturally Fun." And asks to be liked on Facebook. Apparently you can get a free app for your phone by aiming your phone at the free app symbol. My phone is not smart so this option was not available to me.

There were a lot of people enjoying the Natural Area today. I even saw a rare sighting of a family picnicking deep inside the Natural Historical Area. We are in that rare sweet spot, temperature-wise, where North Texans will venture outdoors for some park fun.

About a mile from the parking lot I came upon the strange scene you see below. A camouflage jacket, a shovel and a bucket.

What Sort Of Nut Hauls A Bucket & Shovel Into
A Natural Area?

Why would someone haul a shovel and bucket so deep into this Natural Historical Area I wondered to myself? There was nothing in the bucket.

I continued walking. About a half mile later I came upon a guy in camouflage pants that matched the jacket. He also had a matching camouflage hat in the Aussie Outback style, that always looks a bit goofy to me.

I asked the camouflage guy if that was his jacket, bucket and shovel that I came across back a half mile. He indicated it was. I asked what he was digging for. He told me he was hoping to dig up some Sycamore tree roots. I asked why. He said Sycamore trees look cool and he wanted one in his yard. I wished the camouflage guy good luck and then hurried away from him.

Did this guy not realize he was in a park? A Natural Area type park? You don't go digging in a park, let alone a Natural Area that is very Historical.

I have no idea what a Sycamore tree looks like.