Standing Under Fosdic Lake Mistletoe Wondering About Godfather Don's Missing Feedback Regarding The Tandy Treegate Scandal

Fosdic Lake Mistletoe

I have not been feeling my usual energetic self for several days now.

I do not like not feeling like my usual energetic self.

I just got back from taking my un-energetic self to Oakland Lake Park to walk around Fosdic Lake. I thought this type activity might revive me.

It didn't.

Now that the leaves have left the trees in Oakland Lake Park it is easy to see clumps of mistletoe.

That is what you see in the picture, a closeup look at mistletoe growing on a tree that has toppled over.

Previous to finding mistletoe on the ground I stood under mistletoe growing on a tree, waiting to get kissed. After about 5 minutes with no kiss, I continued on my walk.

Previous to leaving my abode I got email from Don Young regarding what is being called, by some, the Tandy Treegate Scandal, subject line, "my feedback missing."

Body of email: "Did you get my feedback on the Christmas tree issue?"

I have not seen any incoming feedback comments regarding this issue from Godfather Don. All blog comments come to me in email form, both the spam and the real comments.

I have learned lately that comments, made via an i-Phone, I do not get. According to Elsie Hotpepper. Though, with Elsie Hotpepper, I suspect it may be user error.

The Last Tuesday Of 2011 Dawns Bright Blue In Texas

The view through my primary viewing portal on the outer world is a bit blurry this last Tuesday morning of 2011 due to a thin coat of condensation brought about by the almost freezing temperature.

A completely blue sky is all I can see above me on this 27th day of the last month of what will soon be last year.

I am in extremely dire need of some aerobic, endorphin inducing stimulation. I do not know where I am going to get this much needed stimulation.

Maybe I'll try and do some logging on the Tandy Hills today. I hear that has become a popular sport.

The Grapevine Santa Mass Murder story is in every one of the online news sources I check every morning. When that sad story first was news to me it was on FOX News online. That version had the murders occurring in Dallas. Yet one more instance of how much of the rest of the world views this metro zone as being Dallas, rather than dozens of town all conglomerated together in one big urban mess.

I wish I could say I am going swimming now. But I can't.

Walking Over The Pantego Flood Channel Thinking About The Trinity River Vision Boondoggle Replacing J.D. Granger With Jerry Jones

The City Of Pantego Flood Diversion Channel

No, that is not Fort Worth's Trinity River Vision Boondoggle's Unneeded Flood Diversion Channel you're looking at in the picture.

I believe we are years away from seeing  the Trinity River Vision Boondoggle's Unneeded Flood Diversion Channel.

I may be wrong, because I often am, but I think at least one of the non-signature bridges, that will span the Trinity River Vision Boondoggle's Unneeded Flood Diversion Channel, is currently early in its construction phase.

I don't quite understand why, if it so needed to protect Fort Worth from a killer flood, the construction of the Trinity River Vision Boondoggle is so incredibly slow.

I know how some of the locals love it when I compare something in Fort Worth to something in Seattle. But, I just need to mention that in Seattle there is an over $4 billion project underway to replace a floating bridge, among other things. This project is slated to be completed by 2014. This isn't a non-signature bridge that is being built. It will be the longest floating bridge in the world.

I suppose public works projects get done faster in a place like Washington because the funding does not rely on a local congresswoman's earmarking. Motivated to be helpful because the project gives her son a job for which he has no qualifications.

The Trinity River Vision Boondoggle should fire J.D. Granger and hire someone else with no experience. I think Jerry Jones would be an excellent replacement for J.D.

Jerry Jones got the new Dallas Cowboys stadium built in just a few years. That stadium cost quite a bit more than the Trinity River Vision Boondoggle's current projected cost of still being under a billion dollars.

Jerry Jones is really good at abusing eminent domain to take citizen's property from them. That skill could come in handy.

Changing the subject from Jerry Jones and the Trinity River Vision Boondoggle to the flood diversion channel picture at the top.

That particular flood channel runs through the City of Pantego. That particular picture was taken from a bridge across the channel in Pantego's Bicentennial Park.

Pantego's Bicentennial Park is a very well done little park. As you wander along the paved trails you pass many clever statues. I'm calling them statues, but I think there is likely a better name for the various artworks that are installed all over the park.

The Final Monday Of 2011 Dawns Blue & Bloated

As you can see via the view through the bars of my patio prison cell, the day after Christmas is starting off as a very dark blue Monday.

The last Monday in the year 2011.

In another 6 days a new year will start.

2012.

The year the world ends if you are one of those morons who attach meaning to the end of the Mayan calendar.

I ate way too much yesterday. I have decided I will no longer overeat. It is wasteful and leaves me feeling way too uncomfortable for way too many hours.

I do not know how fat people do it.

Day after day of eating way too much is what one must do, I think, to reach the size of some of the behemoths I have known personally, or see, regularly, in Wal-Mart.

It is currently 8 degrees above freezing in the outer world at my location. My swimming pool is back in usable mode. I wish I was back, myself, in swimming pool usable mode, but I seem to have developed an inhibiting dislike of getting cold.

Godfather Don Young Leads Three Generations Harvesting Christmas Trees From Fort Worth's Tandy Hills Nature Preserve

Several hours ago I got an email from an unknown, to me, emailer, asking me what I thought about the Godfather of the Tandy Hills, Don Young, cutting Christmas trees on the Tandy Hills.

Since I knew of no Christmas trees on the Tandy Hills I thought the emailer was just an anonymous trouble maker trying to make trouble.

So, you can imagine my surprise when I logged in to Facebook, to chastise Tootsie Tonasket for poking me, to see Facebook postings from the Tandy Hills Natural Area Facebook page documenting, in more than one photo, the Don Young Gang removing a Christmas tree from the Tandy Hills, with the caption under one of the photos saying, "Three generations bringing home the Christmas tree to Young home."

Apparently the Tandy Hills Christmas trees are Junipers. Not exactly a highly prized specie of tree as far as Christmas trees go.

A minor brouhaha of comments has erupted following the Facebook revelation that the Tandy Hills is now a Christmas tree hunting ground.

Most of those commenting seem to be of the opinion that Don Young & his Gang are not Christmas tree poachers, but were instead doing some timely thinning of an invasive specie that is not native to the Texas prairie.

What I am wondering is how does one determine what is, or is not, native to the Texas prairie?

I've long had my eye on yucca roots and prickly pear cactus growing on the Tandy Hills. But I've been told they are native to the Texas prairie. And thus are not to be harvested.

I also would not mind harvesting some poles from the Tandy Hills bamboo thicket. I really don't believe bamboo is native to the Texas prairie.

Merry Christmas To A Fort Worth Native Exiled To Washington Who Hates It There

Sick From Organic Food

Tacoma non-native, MBK, put this on Facebook yesterday.

I found it amusing.

Particularly the "This is SO Seattle. I hate it here" part.

MBK is a Fort Worth native, exiled to Washington, living in Tacoma.

I am a Skagit Valley native, exiled to Texas, living in Fort Worth.

Yesterday when I was at Town Talk I had intended to take a picture for MBK, because she misses Town Talk. There is nothing in Tacoma like Town Talk.

I think MBK dislikes living in Washington way more than I dislike living in Texas.

I would never say I hate it here.

I'm sure MBK does not hate everything about living in Washington.

I suspect, due to all the cooking she does, that MBK likes the variety of fresh fruit, vegetables and seafood she finds in Washington.

For example, it is way easier than it is in Texas to find blackberries in Washington. And they are free for the picking.

Anyway, Merry Christmas to MBK and I hope being a Christmas caregiver is not exhausting her too much.

And, speaking of smoking Hookah. Just last night Tootsie Tonasket was talking about opening a Hookah Lounge in her town in Eastern Washington. Tootsie Tonasket will having nothing to do with that weed stuff, however, except for medical purposes to treat her painful sciatica.

It Is A Merry Christmas Morning Of A Wonderful Anonymous Life In Texas

Merry Christmas morning to the outer world.

I do not know if any of the predicted possible snow fell on my location on Christmas Eve. There does appear to be dampness on the ground. But it is not frozen dampness, due to the fact that it is currently 40 degrees.

I was shocked this morning to learn that neither the Dallas Cowboys or Seattle Seahawks got their Christmas wish to win a game yesterday to get into the NFL playoffs. What a tragedy. I thought they'd be playing each other in the Super Bowl.

Changing the subject from football to it being a wonderful life.

This morning I got a comment from someone calling him or herself Anonymous in which Anonymous informed me I've had a George Baileyesque impact on his or her life. Anonymous does not indicate if this has been a good or bad impact. Below is the Anonymous comment....

Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Princess Annie Shoveling Snow On Christmas Eve After A Blizzard Blankets Wink": 

Durango--

For the past few years, I've had a new tradition. One that I actually enjoy. I'll explain.

Each Xmas Eve I watch the 1946 film "It's a Wonderful Life." What a great flick. I always enjoy hearing George Bailey's line: "If it hadn't been for me, everyone would be a little better off..." (this is of course before his guardian angel interrupts him and reminds Mr. Bailey of his importance in this world ((something he overlooks))).

Durango...you have had a huge impact in my life and I think Christmas time is a good time to sit and reflect on that. So thanks. As I don't need a guardian angel to remind me of this, just this movie once a year! And the fun memories.

Merry Christmas. Hope Santa was kind to you this year! 

_______________________________________

Who is Anonymous? I can't help but wonder.

Several suspects come to mind, depending on if I'm thinking the impact was good. Or bad.

I guess I"m gonna go with it must be J.D. Granger who is Anonymous. Yeah, I'm sure that's it.

Princess Annie Shoveling Snow On Christmas Eve After A Blizzard Blankets Wink

Princess Annie
 Trying To Clear A Path In Snowbound Wink

A blizzard of snow has descended upon West Texas and the Realm of Wink.

Throughout the day, the Queen of Wink has been documenting the ongoing snowstorm that has blanketed her realm in a thick coat of frozen white stuff.

Things have gotten so snowbound that the Queen of Wink had no one else beside Princess Annie to assign snow shoveling duty to.

North Central Texas is seeing nothing like the Wink Blizzard blowing in on us, so far, this Christmas Eve.

A cold rain dripped here in the noon time frame, which discouraged me from going on my daily, doctor prescribed, walk. I was in no mood to walk under a bumbershoot in an icy rain.

So, instead I went to the Beach Street Super Wal-Mart to play Dodge Humans With A Grocery Cart.

The Beach Street Super Wal-Mart does not attract as many super-sized humans to dodge as my neighborhood Eastchase Super Wal-Mart, where I regularly experience aisles blocked by plus-sized humans riding the electric carts that Wal-Mart provides for those unable to walk. Or unwilling.

Well. It is time for my annual Christmas Eve party to begin. I'll talk to you in the morning, late, because I'll likely be sleeping in past the arrival of the Christmas morning sun.

The Morning Of Christmas Eve With No Snow & Christmas Present Desperadoes In Fort Worth

Looking out my primary viewing portal on the outer world on this morning of Christmas Eve I see nothing white in frozen flake form falling to the ground.

If anything white in frozen flake form did fall to the ground, at this point in time, it would quickly melt, due to the fact that currently, at my location, the outer world is being heated to a relatively balmy 39 degrees.

My swimming venue is back at full pool, with new lights making the water glow bright at night.

I don't think I will go swimming this morning.

One of the more disturbing news items I read online this morning happened here in Fort Worth.

Desperadoes broke into a Fort Worth home, where an 11 year old boy was home alone with his dog, a Chihuahua. The thieving desperadoes shoved the boy and his dog into a closet and then proceeded to empty the house of its Christmas presents and other valuables.

The thieves left behind one of the Christmas presents, Dallas Cowboys slippers, which prompted the perceptive 11 year old boy to say, "I guess they don't like the Cowboys."

A Chilly Walk With The Village Creek Indian Ghosts While Talking To My Mom About Burned Russian Tea Cakes & Gas Along With Incoming Possible Snow

Dreary Village Creek On Christmas Eve Eve

I had myself a very chilly walk with the Indian Ghosts that inhabit the Village Creek Natural Historical Area today.

As you can see, via the view of Village Creek, gray is the dominant color for today in this formerly totally parched part of the planet.

The grayish white snow clouds that are hovering above Village Creek is scheduled to begin delivering precipitation tomorrow, on Christmas Eve.

Some parts of North Texas will likely see snow, while other parts of North Texas, like where I am, will, maybe, see snow mixed with rain.

My primary weather information provider provided me a Special Weather Statement a few minutes ago...

...ACCUMULATING SNOW POSSIBLE ON CHRISTMAS EVE...

The Weather Outside May Get Frighful
But Inside It is Just Delightful

AN UPPER LEVEL LOW PRESSURE SYSTEM WILL MOVE ACROSS TEXAS THIS WEEKEND AND WILL BRING WIDESPREAD PRECIPITATION. FOR MUCH OF THE AREA...THIS PRECIPITATION WILL FALL AS RAIN. AREAS TO THE WEST AND NORTH OF A LINE FROM GAINESVILLE..TO WEATHERFORD...TO LAMPASAS...WILL SEE THE POTENTIAL FOR SNOWFALL ON SATURDAY.

TOTAL SNOWFALL ACCUMULATIONS ARE EXPECTED TO BE LESS THAN AN INCH...WITH MOST ACCUMULATIONS OCCURRING ON GRASSY OR ELEVATED SURFACES. TRAVEL IMPACTS WILL LIKELY BE LIMITED TO INTERSTATE 20...MAINLY WEST OF U.S. 287. BRIDGES AND OVERPASSES WILL BE THE FIRST TO BECOME SLICK.

ELSEWHERE...RAIN COULD BECOME MIXED WITH SNOW DURING THE EVENING HOURS ON SATURDAY. HOWEVER...SURFACE TEMPERATURES ARE EXPECTED TO REMAIN ABOVE FREEZING...SO ACCUMULATIONS ARE NOT ANTICIPATED.

I don't know why the Weather Statement makers feel the need to shout their statement in CAPITAL letters.

Changing the subject from my favorite one to gas.

On the way to Village Creek I got gas. So, like I always do when I get gas, I called my mom to tell her I got gas and how much it cost. Apparently gas in Phoenix is still over $3 a gallon.

Weather-wise, Phoenix is also being cold, with snow in the high country that surrounds the Valley of the Sun making it so mom and dad are currently limited on where they can drive.

A couple days ago I mentioned getting a box of inedible Christmas cookies in the mail. I lamented not getting Christmas cookies from my mom anymore, due to mom not baking Christmas cookies anymore, due to her bad eyesight due to macular degeneration.

Well.

I was wrong. I don't know why I've not had any of my mom's Christmas cookies shipped to me, in what seems like years. But, mom told me a box of Christmas cookies was heading my way.

I mentioned the inedible Christmas cookies and the faux Russian Tea Cakes that tasted like rotten bananas, that I had to spit out. My mom told me she'd made some Russian Tea Cakes, but did not send me any because they were slightly burned. I told my mom that her slightly burned Christmas cookies would be more edible that the aforementioned box of inedible Christmas cookies.

I don't know why I had myself convinced my mom no longer baked Christmas cookies. The last time I was in Phoenix, at mom and dad's in Sun Lake, I was surprised my mom had made an apple crisp and, despite impaired eyesight, had dished up the apple crisp, with ice cream.

And, I had witnessed, with my own eyes, my mom and dad being a pair of canning machines the last time I was in Tacoma, watching them work for hours making raspberry jam.

In the jam making operation my dad is the eyes while my mom gives directions. I suppose the cookie baking is done in the same way.

So, I guess if you want to get technical about it, it was my dad who burned the Russian Tea Cakes. He likely caught a lot of grief over this.