On The Dried Out Tandy Hills Looking At The Upgraded Tarrant County Courthouse & Bass Family Damage To Downtown Fort Worth

Close Up Look At Beautiful Downtown Fort Worth

I decided to go with my sunny optimistic nature and go to the Tandy Hills today assuming that sufficient time had passed since Sunday's deluge to dry the trails sufficiently to allow mud-free hiking.

My sunny optimistic nature was not disappointed.

But, I would have been happy to have Mother Nature dial back on the humidity a bit.

In the picture I zoomed in, as best I could, on the Tarrant County Courthouse. That is the pointy structure to the right of that short skyscraper that looks like it is not completed yet.

Downtown Fort Worth does not have any, for want of a better way to say it, interestingly designed skyscrapers. I assume there has never been enough money in the downtown Fort Worth skyscraper budget to build a memorable one.

The twin towers to the south of the courthouse, the eastern one of which you see in the picture, are particularly odd. It's like some C-Student architect thought it clever to have cut-outs and indents that give the appearance that the building gave up being completed. And no one thought to tell the C-Student architect that that particular design looks tacky. And so it was built.

I am not sure, but I think these particular twin skyscrapers are buildings that the Bass Family helped bring about. The Bass Family really is responsible for a lot of what ain't right about downtown Fort Worth.

Or so it seems to me.

I know there are those in Fort Worth who are beholden to the wonders that the Bass Family allegedly has brought downtown Fort Worth, but methinks Fort Worth would be a lot better off if the town put on its big boy pants and did not rely on one family's demonstrably bad taste to dictate how the town looks.

Anyway, after a multi-million dollar remodel the Tarrant County Courthouse's clock tower lost the scaffolding that has covered it for a long time. I believe there is still work to be done.

How is the plan to take down the Tarrant County Courthouse Annex coming, you know, that building with the fake covering that looks like yet one more bad downtown Fort Worth building designed by a C-Student architect?

At least that particular eyesore is not called the Bass Tarrant County Courthouse Annex, unlike way too many other eyesores in the downtown Fort Worth zone, that have the Bass name, in various iterations, attached to them.

The 2nd Wednesday Of April Dawns In Texas After A Night With The Searchers

Looking through the bars of my patio prison cell on this second Wednesday of April it would appear that this particular day in Texas is starting off with a clear blue sky, despite the weather predictor's prediction of rain and thunder for today.

Currently, at my location, it is 31 degrees above freezing, heading to the weather predictor's predicted high of 80.

Changing the subject from my favorite one to something else.

Last night I watched the John Ford/John Wayne movie, The Searchers.

I've been wanting to watch this movie ever since I read that it was loosely based on the Cynthia Ann Parker story.

Very very very loosely based would have been far more accurate. The movie started off with a caption letting it be known that what you were watching was in Texas. But, near as I could tell, the majority of the movie was filmed in the Monument Valley of Arizona and Utah.

I don't know why John Ford could not have used some of the classic Western scenery that exists where the West begins.

I am sure if someone tried real hard some classic Western scenery could be found in Texas.

I think the sun has brightened up the outer world sufficiently that I can go swimming now and enjoy the classic Texas scenery that surrounds the swimming pool.

Pedaling Past Huffines Veridian In Arlington's River Legacy Park With A Lot Of Other People

Bike Resting At The River Legacy Park 7 Mile Marker

I had intended to ride my bike with the Indian Ghosts at Village Creek Natural Historical Area today. But, that park was closed due to flooding.

So, I headed to River Legacy Park, instead.

I pedaled all the way to the end of the paved trail, to the 7 mile marker, at the far northeast side of River Legacy Park.

When I decided to give up bike riding, well over a year ago, I really thought I would never see this location again.

It has now been several years since the River Legacy Park paved trail has terminated at this northeast location. When this trail was opened I remember reading that the trail would soon be extended to the east, to eventually connect with the Dallas paved trails along the Trinity River.

But, that particular river vision has not happened.

I was very surprised at the number of people I saw biking, blading, walking and pushing baby strollers at River Legacy Park today. Such a change from when I first visited this park soon upon my arrival in Texas.

There seems to be an uptick in visitors in all the parks I visit.

Methinks Texans are getting more active and this is why Texas is not ranking as high as it once did in various obesity level rankings. This is not a sad state of affairs in a state which claims everything is bigger in Texas. This is one area where I think Texas does not want to be bigger.

I am looking forward to biking at River Legacy Park on a Saturday or Sunday when the weather is good. It should be very busy, seeings how it was so busy today, on a Tuesday.

The Huffines development, that abuts the north side of River Legacy Park on the east side of Collins Street, that was sort of mothballed after the 2008 economic meltdown, continues to have work done.

New Trail To Huffines Veridian Development

I saw a large sign being constructed near where the River Legacy trail goes under Collins Street. The sign looked like V's. If my memory is serving me correctly, the Huffines development is called Veridian, hence the V's.

Paved trails are being constructed from the River Legacy Park paved trail to the Huffines development. That was a bit of a surprising development. Seems like such a trail would be developed after the development got developed.

Pedaling around 12 miles on the River Legacy Park paved trails sort of indicated to me that I have been missing this type of exercise. I don't think I was pedaling at as fast a pace as I used to.

The 2nd Monday Of April Dawns Blue & Fog-Free In Texas

Looking out my primary viewing portal on the outer world, on this 10th morning of April, there appears to be a blue glow phenomenon occurring.

I did not hear any of the predicted thunderstorming last night and it does not appear that any of the predicted rain fell on my location.

And this morning the predicted fog has not fogged up the view, unlike yesterday's foggiest day I've ever seen in Texas.

When this second Tuesday of April ends a third of April will already passed in to history.

Today I am hoping, if Sunday's rain have not left the park closed, to go biking with the Indian Ghosts who haunt the Village Creek Natural Historical Area in Arlington.

Before I do that I think I will go swimming before it gets any hotter than the current 30 degrees above freezing.

Walking Around Calm Fosdic Lake Getting Bit By Fire Ants

The Fosdic Lake Mirror

Going to Oakland Lake Park to walk around Fosdic Lake was my walking choice today.

Walking in addition to, this morning, putting in a lot of walking miles, or so it seemed, at Academy Sports, Wal-Mart Supercenter and Super Target.

Driving in a dense fog in North Texas was very strange today. It seemed like I should have been hearing foghorns and big waves crashing.

Walking around Oakland Lake Park today I saw a lot of evidence of brightly colored eggs being destroyed.

As you can see in the picture, Fosdic Lake was very calm today, even though water was falling over Fosdic Falls. The lake was acting like a perfect mirror, reflecting the line of trees that line the western shore.

There were a lot of people enjoying the calm after the storm, and before the next one, today around Fosdic Lake.

The grass in Oakland Lake Park is in dire need of mowing, or harvesting into hay bales.

Today I sat down for a bit, my feet buried in the tall grass. After a couple minutes of sitting I realized I had fire ants visiting my shoes. I go out of this relatively unscathed, with just a few fire ant bites, unlike the last fire ant attack incident, when I was on the ground to take a picture and stood up to find I had a lot of fire ants on me.

I had myself a fine swim early this morning. Right now I'm thinking that cool pool water might make fire ant bites feel better.

The 2nd Monday Morning Of April Is Very Foggy In Texas

The Monday morning view from all my viewing portals on the outer world is the foggiest I ever remember seeing from this location.

It is a thick fog that feels like drizzle when you step outside.

Apparently the weather predictors have now decided to predict rain and more thunder from now through Wednesday.

I do not know where I will be getting any bi-pedal endorphin inducing aerobic stimulation today.

Of late I have managed to make the swimming a bit more strenuous and perhaps a bit more aerobic. But I don't know if that aerobic-ness has reached an endorphin inducing level.

I went to Miss Puerto Rico's yesterday late in the afternoon for the first time in a long time. I did not stay long. We need not discuss why.

I got back to my abode looking forward to watching The Amazing Race to find that once again some sports thing running on too long had delayed the start of the race. I have no idea what sports thing did the damage last night. I'm fairly certain it was not football. That would seem to leave baseball, basketball or golf as the likely culprit.

I think I will walk out into the super dense fog and go swimming now before it gets any foggier or lightning starts striking.

Dry Tandy Hills Hiking Before Rain Ruined Easter Picnics & Arlington Disaster Area Credential Concerns

Wildflowers Atop Mount Tandy

When I arrived at the top of Mount Tandy today a few big plops of raindrops hit my windshield. When I exited my vehicle I could hear thunder rumbling to the north of me.

I momentarily considered aborting the hill hiking, but then decided to risk getting wet and struck by a lightning bolt.

The rain did not go into downpour mode until I had re-ascended Mount Tandy and was back in my dry vehicle.

In the picture you are looking at part of the prairie on top of Mount Tandy. This is the largest open field of wildflowers in the Tandy Hills zone. Much larger than the open fields of wildflowers drivers-by see from View Street.

I don't believe many people know how to venture to the top of Mount Tandy to see the big open field of wildflowers.

Simply drive Oakland Boulevard til you come to Barnett Street, head west on Barnett, past Martel Avenue, past the entry to the NBC broadcast center, then take a left on the barely paved road you'll see as the road bends. Drive towards the Fort Worth Space Needle and you'll find yourself surrounded by a big open prairie covered with wildflowers.

Trail In To The Tandy Jungle

The Tandy Jungle was being particularly rain forest-like today. Next time I think I need to bring a machete with me to hack my way through

I got in my hour of salubrious endorphin inducing aerobic hill hiking and then headed to Wal-Mart to get a Razzleberry Pie. And some other stuff.

The route to Wal-Mart took me by Oakland Lake Park where I saw a lot of people had set up elaborate Easter picnic parties, hauling in chairs, tables and big BBQs. I think a lot of people had their Easter picnics rudely interrupted by the severe Thunderstorm that has been banging and dripping for a couple hours now.

The route to Wal-Mart also took me by one of those freeway message signs that seem all too often to have goofy messages, like "Click-it or Ticket" or "Texas Motor Speedway Congestion."

Today the message was something like "Arlington Disaster Area Credentials Required For Entry."

I don't know where the Arlington Disaster Area is. I guess the intention of the sign was to let people heading to the Arlington Disaster Area know they would not get into the disaster area without the proper credentials.

What about all those hapless people without credentials heading to the Arlington Disaster Area via roads, other than the freeway, roads that don't have these important message boards?

It must come as a shock to those hapless people to get to the Arlington Disaster Area to find that they are denied entry due to not being properly credentialed.

The storming seems to finally be letting up. I think I might grab my credentials and go see if I can find the Arlington Disaster Area.

I Slept In Missing My Easter Sunrise Service

The sun has risen before me two mornings in a row. This is unprecedented.

As you can see via looking at one of my favorite views of the outer world, the ground appears to be dry. I do not believe any of the predicted rain dropped to the ground at my location.

Looking skyward the sky appears to be cloudy and thus not sunny on this 2nd Sunday of April.

Speaking of the sun rising, today is the day known as Easter, celebrating the day when the alleged Son of God rose from the dead and journeyed to North America to spread the Word of God to the Indians, and eventually Joesph Smith, so he could begun the Mormon religion.

I've never understood how the Mormons are able to believe Jesus ministered to the Indians when there is not even the slightest evidence that any of the Native American tribes became Christians until the Spanish arrived and begin brutalizing the natives to save their heathen souls.

America is such a religiously tolerant country. I believe the majority of Americans consider themselves Christian. Even so, we may elect a president who is Mormon and who believes Jesus preached to the North American Indians after rising from the dead in Jerusalem.

I don't believe we've yet had a Jewish president. Or a Scientology president. But we may get ourselves a Mormon president. Like I said, America is such a religiously tolerant country.

Happy Easter!

I Heard From Anonymous & Anthony Today About Fort Worth Being The Envy Of The Planet

In the photo you are looking at the exit from Interstate 35W to Northside Drive, that being the south freeway exit to the Fort Worth Stockyards, arguably, Fort Worth's only semi-well known tourist attraction.

Other than a sporting goods store that is the #1 tourist attraction in Texas.

On March 27 I mentioned this littered, eyesore of an un-landscaped freeway exit in a blogging titled While I Was Out Of Town Fort Worth Again Became The Envy Of Other, Older, Larger Cities.

That particular blogging generated a couple rather good comments today, one from Anonymous and one from Anthony....

Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "While I Was Out Of Town Fort Worth Again Became The Envy Of Other, Older, Larger Cities": 

Wonderful insight. You are right in many ways. But also, you have to give FW credit, they are trying very hard to give themselves a facelift. The current attitude is only natural if not sophomoric (society as a whole is a bit too familiar to high school). And while certain parts of the city improve (w. 7th), other aspects (the exits) might fall off for a while. SOMEone has to stand on the soapbox and TELL the others how much BETTER they are in order for them to BELIEVE it and make the CHANGE. It will be interesting to see if FW makes the break, or if the recent boom will turn in on itself. 

Anthony has left a new comment on your post "While I Was Out Of Town Fort Worth Again Became The Envy Of Other, Older, Larger Cities": 

Well, sure, Dallas is the older, larger city. I can see why Fort Worth (and Arlington and Denton) are lumped into the Dallas region. But I don't think that invisibility to non-Texans inherently neuters Fort Worth's cultural value. The moral of the story is that there's a gross disconnect between Fort Worth's institutions and its grassroots artistic efforts. I'd like to get people thinking -- and talking -- about why. Just food for thought. 

Methinks Fort Worth and way too many Fort Worthians are way too isolated from the rest of America and the world.

Many Fort Worthians act like it is a major excursion into a foreign land to cross 360 to the Dallas side of the D/FW Metroplex.

Me also thinks if more Fort Worthians visited other cities in America, that they'd return to Fort Worth wondering why so much in Fort Worth is so craptacular compared to where they'd just been.

They'd return wondering why Fort Worth has so few sidewalks and why so many of the sidewalks that do exist are so narrow.

Return wondering why Fort Worth looks so messy, with so much litter on the ground.

Return wondering why Fort Worth's streets and freeway exits have so little landscaping and look so tacky compared to what they've seen in other towns.

Return wondering why Fort Worth does not have a real newspaper like other towns in America.

Return wondering why Fort Worth calls part of its town the Cultural District, when other towns don't feel the need to do this.

Return wondering why Fort Worth has public works projects that the public has not voted on.

Methinks if all the citizens of Fort Worth got a glimpse of how other towns operate, they'd return to Fort Worth with a whole new Fort Worth Vision for the future that would blindside the Trinity River Vision Boondoggle and the good ol' boy Fort Worth Way that caused that particular TRVB blight on the democratic way America is supposed to operate.

Of course, I am a realist, I know nothing is going to change for the better in Fort Worth. I know that the Fort Worth Way is that way for a reason.

I just have not been able to figure out the reason and am ready to give up after over a decade of being perplexed about so much being so craptacular and so few seeming to realize the level of craptacularness with which they are living.

It is sort of entertaining, though, I must admit, to be an irritated observer of so much that is so perplexing.

The Shoppers At The Northeast Mall Need To Eat More Of Aunt Annie's Pretzels To Get To A Proper Inflation Level

Northeast Mall's Under-Inflated Shoppers

I am not a fan of walking around in a mall. It has been several years since I've last done so in Texas, and that would have been at the Ridgmar Mall in West Fort Worth.

Today, for reasons we need not discuss, I found myself in the Northeast Mall in Hurst.

Walking all over the Northeast Mall in Hurst I soon found myself thinking that there were way more under-inflated people than I am used to seeing in Texas.

Not quite the number of under-inflated people I see when I visit states to the west of Texas, but way more under-inflated people than I see when I visit my neighborhood Wal-Mart, where way too many people look as if they've been over-inflated to the point where they are in danger of exploding.

If the throngs crowding into the Northeast Mall today are indicative of America when the economy is not doing well, I don't know if I want to be anywhere near a mall when the American economy goes back in to BOOM mode.

And have Aunt Annie's pretzels greatly improved since I last had one, years ago, at the Grapevine Mills mall? The line at Aunt Annie's was 20 to 30 people long. Waiting for a pretzel.