An Eye Witness To J.D. Granger Landscaping His Yard

Twice today a blogging from way back on October 27 has come back to haunt me.

The first haunting was Bud Kennedy confirming, via Twitter, that he did, indeed, skid into the Trinity River, way back in 1971.

That October 27 blogging was generated due to incoming info from my favorite tipster named Beale.

Most of Beale's tipstering in that particular instance of tipstering had to do with alleged similarities between Trinity River Vision/Tarrant Regional Water District buildings and landscaping and J.D. Granger's remodeling and landscaping at his house.

In response to what Beale had to say I said, among other things...

Today Beale is telling me that the similarities between the J.D. house and the TRWD Annex near Northside Drive are even more striking than the resemblance to Tim Love's Woodshed. What can we conclude from this? I really don't know.

Well, clearly what was being insinuated was that some nefarious shenanigans had occurred. The evidence seemed rather slim, to me.

And then today I heard, via a comment to the October 27 blogging, from J.D. Granger's neighbor, who watched as J.D. landscaped and remodeled.

Below is the comment from J.D.'s neighbor....

Brad Reid has left a new comment on your post "Who Thinks The Texas State Attorney General Should...": 

Just to set a few things straight, I just sold my home next door to J.D.'s home last May (I built it in 2004/5) and J.D. and his wife bought the old home there several years later at an auction. The Grangers then remodeled the home using a remodeler whom had done a lot of work for various folks at the D.A.'s office, as I recall, where J.D. once worked. Anyway, the extensive work done at Granger's home was done years before this Trinity River facility was built . . . and by a different contractor. 

Second, I personally watched J.D. landscape his yard, and actually made the recommendation as to the sort of landscaping ornamental grass to employ (Miscanthus Sinensis) in his landscape, other plants too, and I know he bought it from a retail establishment, and planted it himself. I saw him. If someone is suggesting that he received the plants and the landscaping for free, they'd be very wrong. 

Finally, I never saw ANY evidence that J.D. used any labor directed from the river project, any materials, plants, etc. On the contrary, what I saw was a dude who spent countless hours terracing his own backyward . . . often with a friend. You can dislike J.D., that's okay, but he was one heck of a good neighbor, so was Martha, with great kids.

My take! Brad Reid

Methinks Brad makes a compelling case.

And then after reading Brad's comment someone calling him or herself Who? commented...

Who? has left a new comment on your post "Confirmed By Bud Kennedy: A Woman Rescued Him Afte...":

The same Brad Reid from the Trinity River Advisory committee? The same one that owns a local contracting business??

I have no idea what Who? is implying.

Mourning The Colorful Dying Trees On The Tandy Hills While Thinking About What A Lucky Guy I Am

I don't know if we've had the first freeze of the year in this parched part of the planet. I know it has gotten close to freezing. I also know that the deciduous trees on the Tandy Hills are currently putting on a colorful display of colorful leaves.

That burnt orange tree you see in the picture is not burnt orange due to cold temperatures. It is burnt orange due to being murdered by the current drought.

There are a lot of dead trees on the Tandy Hills.

Speaking of which, I was back on the now totally dry Tandy Hills today for the most pleasant hill hiking I've done in a long time. Perfect conditions.

Today, the Tandy Hills Natural Sanatorium had me pondering what a lucky guy I am.

Yesterday, in Wal-Mart, I entered the store at the same time as a young woman in wheel chair. The young woman in the wheelchair had some sort of affliction which had her legs being very very short. She was being pushed by a person who was obviously her friend. The young lady in the wheelchair was laughing, smiling, talking, like she was having the most fun in the world. I watched as the young lady in the wheelchair affected others seeing her. It was like she was putting a smile on everyone's face.

Accompanied by a Salvation Army guy right outside the entry, tooting loudly on a saxaphone.

I'm sort of embarrassed that I've been whining about my aches and pains lately.

Instead of counting my blessings.

Like being able to hike the hills of a Texas prairie. Like being able to go swimming this morning. Like being able to type like a maniac right now.

Drastically changing the subject to my nephews, niece and grand nephew.

My favorite poodles in the world, Blue & Max, have a blog, appropriately called The Blue & Max Blog. Blue & Max chronicle the adventures of David, Theo & Ruby. And then there is my grand nephew Spencer Jack's blog. Currently there are a lot of cute pictures on Spencer Jack's blog of Spencer in his Halloween costume.

Til recently you had to be invited to be able to see Spencer Jack's blog. But now everyone can visit the blog of one of the cutest kids on the planet.

I think today I may be breaking my record for most blog posts on a single day. And this is not the only blog I've been busy on today. In addition to being busy on my Eyes on Texas website.

Confirmed By Bud Kennedy: A Woman Rescued Him After He Skidded A Car Into The Trinity River

Bud Kennedy (@budkennedy)
 has sent you a direct message on Twitter

Way back on October 27 I blogged in a blogging titled "Who Thinks The Texas State Attorney General Should Look Into TRWD/TRVA Business Practices, Woodsheds & J.D. Granger?"

This blogging was prompted due to info emailed to me from my favorite tipster named Beale.

One piece of that Beale info was in regards to my favorite Fort Worth Star-Telegram writer, Bud Kennedy. Beale claimed that while Bud Kennedy may not have participated in J.D. Granger's Trinity River Vision Rockin' the River Happy Hour Inner Tube Floats, Bud Kennedy had spent time in the Trinity River.

Regarding Bud Kennedy being in the Trinity River I wrote...

I was unable to confirm this via Google searching, but Beale says that the Fort Worth Star-Telegram's Bud Kennedy has actually been in the Trinity River. Not on one of J.D. Granger's Rockin' the River Inner Tube Happy Hour Floats, but by other means.

Beale says a few years ago Bud Kennedy was driving on an icy road, lost control and ended up in the Trinity River. His girlfriend, at the time, a woman who must have had superhuman strength, somehow managed to pull super hefty Bud Kennedy from his car and get him safely to dry land.

Well.

As you can read in the Twitter message above, this morning Bud Kennedy direct messaged me on Twitter.

The direct message said....

That story on the blog is true--I skidded a Dart off the river on Dec. 21, 1971. Allison Kerr saved me, Heights teachers told kids for years.

So, there you go you Doubting Thomases who questioned the veracity of Beale's tipstering.

The State Tree Of Texas Is A Heritage Pecan In Fort Worth's Quanah Parker Park

Heritage Pecan Tree in
Quanah Parker Park

I am no Audubon when it comes to knowing the identity of trees. I can tell a Douglas Fir from a Cedar from a Pine tree. But, if a tree is huge and deciduous my tendency is to assume it is a big Oak tree.

For years I've made note of some humongous trees in Quanah Parker Park. Because these trees are HUGE and have leaves that fall off in the Fall, I assumed they where big Oak trees.

I assumed wrong.

Within the past month, or so, many informational type signs have been added alongside the paved trail in Quanah Parker Park.

I read a Quanah Parker Park informational sign yesterday that I'd not read before.

Via that informational sign I learned that the big tree I thought was a HUGE Oak tree was actually a HUGE Pecan tree.

In part the informational sign said...

Shade & Food For Man & Animals

The Pecan tree was declared the state tree of Texas in 1919. This Pecan tree (the one in the picture) was designated a Heritage Tree in April 2009 by the City of Fort Worth Forestry Section. Favored by people for its flavorful nuts, cool summer shade and long life span, it is also good for animals. Many animals eat the nuts, including deer, turkey and Fox Squirrels.

Yesterday when I learned this tree was sprouting pecans I thought back to when I used to roller blade in Quanah Parker Park, with there being times of the year when I'd avoid blading on the trail that goes by that particular big tree, due to all the hard objects littering the pavement, creating a road hazard for blade wheels.

It never crossed my mind that I was avoiding edible nuts.

This Morning We Learn The Real Reason Swimming Is Banned In Fort Worth's Fosdic Lake In Oakland Lake Park

This morning I got an interesting email from a former resident of East Fort Worth regarding swimming in the lake now known as Fosdic Lake in Oakland Lake Park.

I did not remember that I'd made a webpage about Oakland Lake Park on my Eyes on Texas website, until this morning's feedback email on the subject reminded me.

When I made the webpage about Oakland Lake Park I was still calling the lake Oakland Lake, likely because signs naming that body of water, Fosdic Lake had not yet appeared.

In this morning's email we learn what may be the real reason swimming is banned in Fosdic Lake. That and we also learn how the cool oak trees that line Oakland Boulevard and Martel Avenue came to be....

You were wondering on your blog / photo page of Oakland Park about the toxic lake.  

I grew up in East Fort Worth and we never believed the lake was toxic. 

But what I do remember happening is this:

Back in the late 1970s,  teenagers from south of Lancaster Avenue were venturing up to Oakland Hills park to use it as a swimming pool, because there were no other nearby ponds deep and clean enough to swim in and there were no public pools (and of course no private ones either) in the area south of Lancaster in those days. The park quickly (in a matter of weeks) became an attractive location for petty criminals from outside the local neighborhood, with the sudden onset of muggings and violent crime in a park where there had been no crime at all prior to the lake becoming an impromptu swimming hole.

If I remember right, a man was killed by muggers while visiting the park with his wife / girlfriend at about the same time. For some reason, I think he was a policeman.

So the local community convinced the city to put up the toxic water signs and swimming in the pond almost immediately stopped, and the non-local resident users of the park went elsewhere. 

That's at least how I recall it.

Wes Taylor
Former East Fort Worth Resident

PS.......my great great grandpa planted all of those huge oaks along Oakland Blvd and adjacent streets.

Veterans Day Thinking About Veterans, The Buffet At The Kickapoo Indian's Double Eagle Casino & Nachos At Black Rock Mexico

Looking through the bars of my patio prison cell at an outer world chilled to 41 degrees I'm feeling like time is quickly slipping away because a third of the next to last month of 2011 has already passed into history.

Speaking of history, today is Veterans Day.

I probably should go walking at Veterans Park in Arlington today, but I likely won't.

Changing the subject from Veterans to something else.

Last weekend I virtually went south to the Texas/Mexico border to the town of Eagle Pass where I virtually had a really good $4.99 buffet at the Kickapoo Indian's Lucky Eagle Casino. The town of Eagle Pass is situated on a river called the Rio Grande. On the Mexican side of the river is a larger than Eagle Pass town called Piedras Negras.

I believe in English Piedras Negras translates as Black Rock.

Black Rock, Mexico is where the gourmet dish that goes by the name "Nacho" was invented. If I remember right, I blogged about this recently.

Changing the subject from Nachos to swimming.

Yesterday morning it was 41 degrees when I went swimming. The high for that 24 hour time period had been barely 60. I had a very pleasant time in the pool yesterday, followed by a very pleasant hot shower. This morning it is also 41 degrees, but the high in this particular 24 hour time period was higher than yesterday's 24 hour time period. Which means, I think, that the pool will be warmer than yesterday.

I will test this theory in a couple minutes.

I Have Been Invited To An Old Fashion Christmas In Belton Texas

Bell County Courthouse In Belton, Texas

Texas has 254 counties, more than any other state in the union. Many of those 254 counties have very elaborate, ornate courthouses.

The county seat of Bell County is Belton. That is the Bell County Courthouse in the picture.

Belton is slightly south of Temple, north of Salado, on Interstate 35, part of the Killen - Temple - Fort Hood metropolitan area. Basically the town is deep in the Heart of Texas.

And why am I talking about Belton?

Well, a few days ago I think I mentioned that due to my Eyes on Texas website I find myself getting invited to events and festivals that I don't find myself attending.

This morning Sandy Bigham, of Belton, invited me to an "Old Fashion Christmas in Belton," saying....

Join us for a fun day in downtown Belton on the second Saturday of December at 10:00 to 7:00pm. Santa, Clowns, Gospel groups, vintage cars, Hay rides, Kiddie Korral, carolers, Teddy Bear Parade at 5pm. Lots of food and vendor. A fun day for all.

Clowns and Gospel groups are a HUGE attraction to me, but I probably won't make it to the Old Fashion Christmas in Belton.

I did put the Old Fashion Christmas in Belton on my Eyes on Texas Christmas in Texas webpage, though.

I do have one lingering question about the Old Fashion Christmas in Belton. I thought the phrase was always "Old Fashioned" not "Old Fashion." But, I looked at the Belton Chamber of Commerce website and that is what they are calling it, "Old Fashion" not "Old Fashioned."

Fort Worth's Quanah Parker Park's Tire Population Continues To Grow

Another Pile Of Tires In Quanah Parker Park

I returned to Quanah Parker Park today, again, even though I was just there yesterday.

The pile of tires I came across yesterday strewn next to the Quanah Parker Park paved trail were still strewn there today.

But, today I looked up from the pile of tires next to the trail to see an even bigger pile hiding under the shade of a group of trees.

What is causing this explosion of tires? They seem to be breeding like rabbits.

Two Weeks Til Thanksgiving With Rick Perry Being A Turkey In Last Night's Republican Debate

Looking out my primary viewing portal on the outer world at the bright beginning of Day 10 of the next to last month of 2011.

It is only two weeks until Thanksgiving. We are on the fast track to Christmas and a New Year.

Speaking of turkeys, I got a strange thing from TXU in the mail yesterday. You non-Texans reading this, TXU is a Texas electricity provider. Yesterday's TXU mailing thanked me for being such a good customer by giving me an up to 16 pound turkey or up to 9 pound spiral cut ham.

To acquire the turkey or ham requires going to Krogers. I don't like going to Krogers.

Still speaking of turkeys, Rick Perry had another really bad debate night last night. Perry's gaffe that had the pundits in full punditry mode came when Perry said he'd eliminate 3 departments of the government. He then proceeded to try to name the three he'd get rid of.

The Commerce Department, the Education Department and, uh, uh, uh, uh. Not able to remember the third one. Perry ended his gaffe by saying "OOPS."

Later in the debate Perry remembered the third department he wanted to get rid of was the Energy Department.

I'm finding the Republican Debates to be rather entertaining. I don't recollect making it through to the end of so many debates the last Presidential Election cycle as I have already during the current one.

It's getting late. It is currently 41 degrees. Time to go swimming before it gets any hotter.

White Pickup Trucks, Cars & Tires Today On The Quanah Parker Park Trail

White Pickup Truck Rapidly Heading Towards Me
On The Quanah Parker Park Trail

Today, on my way to Town Talk, I parked at Quanah Parker Park so that I could walk on the Quanah Parker Park Trail to check out a new section of Quanah Parker Park Trail that has had me a bit perplexed as I have observed its construction as I passed by on Randol Mill Road.

I had myself an encounter with a white pickup truck on the Quanah Parker Park Trail today.

If I remember right I have previously mentioned my encounters with white pickup trucks on trail in Fort Worth parks.

Today's white pickup truck encounter did not seem as sinister as some of my previous white pickup truck encounters.

There has been some upgrading going on in Quanah Parker Park in the past couple months. The fixing of the flood damaged entry road. New signage. Many added park benches.

New Trail To The Right, Old Trail To The Left

And then a month or so ago, at the point where the paved trail makes a long oxbow, following a bend in the Trinity River, bulldozers graded a path that ran parallel to Randol Mill Road.

I figured this was preparation for the laying of yet one more Barnett Shale Natural Gas Pipeline.

Instead this turned out to be a new section of paved trail, sort of making a detour around the oxbow.

Why would the City of Fort Worth spend money building this new paved trail, an addition to a trail that is not very heavily used, when there are so many places in Fort Worth that really could use a sidewalk?

The long long long term plan for the Dallas/Fort Worth towns, through with the Trinity River passes, is to connect Dallas with Fort Worth, and the towns in between, via paved biking, pedestrian trails. Fort Worth, Dallas and Arlington have all done a very good job building paved trails along the Trinity River.

But, there are a lot of gaps in the paved trail in Fort Worth. For instance the Quanah Parker Trail does not connect with the Gateway Park Trail and thus connect to the Trinity Trails. The Quanah Parker Trail is the furthest east that the Fort Worth paved trails travel.

There is maybe a 10 or 12 mile gap before you get to the Trinity River Trail that runs through River Legacy Park, in Arlington, almost all the way to Highway 360. And then another gap of maybe 15 miles before you get to the Dallas paved trails.

Methinks it really should be some sort of priority to fill in these gaps. Me also thinks if a paved bike/pedestrian trail extended from Fort Worth to Dallas that it would be very popular. Maybe not Burke Gilman in Seattle level of popular, with bike shops and places to eat along the way, but still popular. And who knows, maybe a snack bar and coffee shop might spring up along the route.

Crazy Man Driving Down The Quanah Parker Trail

In addition to the white pickup truck heading towards me today there were a couple other strange things that happened.

When I stopped to take the picture of the new trail that you see above, behind me was yet another white pickup truck. And behind that white pickup truck there was a car parked. As I snapped a picture the car started its engine and began driving down the oxbow section of the paved trail.

I found this to be very bizarre.

And then after I snapped a picture of the car careening down the oxbow section of the Quanah Parker Park Trail I turned around to see something I've been seeing in another park that I frequent.

Quanah Parker Park Tires

The Tandy Hills Natural Area.

Where in the past couple months 3 mysterious tires have appeared in an isolated area of the park, with two of them being BIG heavy tires.

And now today I find all these tires laying on the ground next to the Quanah Parker Park Trail?

Who put them there? And why?

Are they lined up waiting to be moved to the Tandy Hills?

I tell you, there needs to be some investigating into the goings on that go on in some of Fort Worth's parks.

It is all very perplexing.