Olive The Prairie Dog Is Home!

I was just finishing the previous blogging, where I mentioned, again, Olive the Formerly Missing Prairie Dog, when I got a call from Big Ed telling me he'd just seen on Facebook that Olive has been returned home.

On Facebook this is what Don Young had to say....

Guess who's back? OLIVE the prairie dog! Don't ever think that plastering the town with lost dog signs is an overkill. We did an overkill and it paid off. A nice gentleman who works nearby saw Olive outside last Sunday and was concerned animal control might get her. A few days later he saw our big signs and today we got the call that many wish for but few ever receive. Debora and I are very grateful for all your prayers, lighted candles and positive thoughts.

I'm being amazed at how fast the news of Olive the Prairie Dog's return is spreading. I'm getting emails, blog comments and phone calls telling me this happy, good news.

Getting My Daily Endorphin Fix Looking For Olive The Prairie Dog

On the way to the Tandy Hills today I came upon a big billboard offering a reward for the return of the Mascot of the Tandy Hills, Olive the Missing Prairie Dog.

I am guessing that Perro Perdido means Lost Dog in Spanish. But, this is just a wild guess. I am not bilingual.

The case of Olive the Missing Prairie Dog bothers me a lot. I don't really know why. I've only met Olive a couple times.

I remember how bad I felt when I was in college and learned our little poodle, named Peppy, went missing. I remember how bad I felt when my cat, Hortense, went missing for a few days.

My Prickly Pear Patch

I know how bad I felt when my bike was stolen. A bike going missing is nothing compared to Olive the Prairie Dog going missing. Having a bike stolen is just aggravating, it wasn't something that I felt mournful about.

After I took a picture of the Olive the Missing Prairie Dog billboard I continued on to the top of Mount Tandy to get me some aerobic stimulation and that peaceful feeling that comes from endorphins.

Being an endorphin addict is a difficult monkey to have on your back. If I don't get a regular fix I don't feel right. After I get a fix I'm good to go for a few hours. And then I need another fix.

I have tried to break myself of my endorphin addiction, but I am too much of a wimp to endure the withdrawal pains and always give in and go get another fix.

I wish there was some sort of support group I could join where I'd learn how to peacefully sit still for long periods in a sedentary state eating potato chips.

I just got some BIG news. I'm going to hit the publish button then go read about it and then blog it.

The Morning Of May Day 18 Being Alert About The Air Quality

Looking through the bars of my patio prison cell on the morning of May Day 18 it appears to be yet one more blue sky morning in North Texas.

A blue sky morning chilled to 68 degrees, heading to a predicted high of 87. Yesterday heated up into the 90s. I don't know why today is predicted to be colder.

Yet again we are being told to be on alert regarding the air quality.

I don't quite know how I am supposed to be vigilant about the air. I have my windows open so as to help me be alert regarding what is going on with the air this morning.

Currently the air seems to be fairly stationary, thus not enabling any wind chill effect.

I am hoping by midday a wind chill will be in effect to help mitigate the steambath effect that occurs whilst I go hill hiking on the Tandy Hills in the noon time frame.

In the meantime I am going swimming before it gets any hotter.

Biking With Bobcats Tonight In River Legacy Park While Looking For Olive The Missing Prairie Dog

River Legacy Bobcat

Tonight I decided to expand the search for Olive the Missing Prairie Dog to River Legacy Park in Arlington.

That and I've decided I don't get enough exercise.

That is not a dog in the picture. That is a River Legacy Park bobcat. It had been a couple years since I've had a bobcat encounter.

My first bobcat encounter was on the River Legacy mountain bike trail. Years ago. It was during a period of time when there were reports of cougar sightings along the Trinity River.

I was pedaling fast, deep in the woods of the mountain bike trail, when suddenly I saw a bobcat. I was sure it was waiting to pounce on me and have me for lunch. I skidded to a stop and had a stare down with the beast. Then I high tailed it out of there, going the wrong way on the one-way trail to hurry to warn the park ranger of the imminent bobcat danger.

When I found a ranger she acted like I was a silly kid getting all excited over nothing. Because, as it turns out, I was.

Politely Posing

I have had many bobcat encounters in the years since my first. I long ago learned if you act nonchalant, so does the bobcat.

When I saw the bobcat tonight, he was walking towards me on the paved trail. I stopped. He kept walking towards me. I got out my camera. Started taking pictures. He did not mind. He was intently studying something up in a tree.

After a couple minutes a pair of bikers came upon our serene scene and the bobcat ran into the bushes. The first biker saw what I was taking pictures of. He did not look too alarmed.

I think I am done with trying to get more exercise for the evening. I will try and be sedentary until morning when I go swimming.

A Shady Walk Today With The Indian Ghosts Of The Anadarko, Bidais, Caddo, Heechi, Kickapoo, Tawakoni, Tonkawa, Waco, Waxahachie and Wichita Tribes

Village Creek Indian Path

I was in no mood to overheat during my regular midday endorphin inducing aerobic stimulation today, what with the temperature approaching 90, not a lot of wind blowing and me already overheated due to having my phone against my ear for way too long this morning dealing with some ridiculousness that I later figured out was caused by something called Facebook.

It really is time for the next big thing to come along and replace Facebook, like Facebook replaced MySpace.

I digress.

So, with me in no mood to overheat, I opted to walk in the shade in the Village Creek Natural Historical Area with the Native American Ghosts of the Caddoan Confederacy, with that particular confederacy made up of tribes like the Anadarko, Bidais, Caddo, Heechi, Kickapoo, Tawakoni, Tonkawa, Waco, Waxahachie and Wichita.

I think only one state, that being my old home state of Washington, has more place names named after Native Americans than the current state I am located in, that being Texas. Washington is way smaller in size than Texas, so you would think Washington would have fewer Native American place names.

But, Washingtonians got along with Native Americans better than the Texans did. Which has towns in Washington, like Seattle, named after a well liked chief. While the biggest town in Texas is named after some white guy with the last name of Houston.

I decided to leave the paved trail today and take the old Indian Path that leads through the woods. This proved to be a bit of a mistake. All the excess precipitation has the old Indian Path a bit over grown. I was glad I had my trusty snake/spider web whacking stick with me.

I whacked no snakes, but I did do some spider web whacking.

The Mascot Of The Tandy Hills Olive The Prairie Dog Is Still Missing

I just read the above on Facebook.

Sickening.

If it is true that cretins are snatching small dogs to use as bait in pit bull fights, then methinks, even more so, what I've already opined.

That being that the Fort Worth Police need to be on the case of the missing Mascot of the Tandy Hills, Olive the Prairie Dog.

The Morning Of May Day 17 Thinking About Not Fracking In Vermont

Looking close-up, through my primary viewing portal on the outer world, on the morning of May Day 17, it appears to be yet one  more clear blue sky morning in North Texas.

Currently heated to 65, heading to a high of 88.

The National Weather Service continues to issue a daily "Air Quality Alert."

I don't know if it is the quality of the air which is causing my eyes to be irritated and leak, or what. The quality of the air is my prime suspect for this particular malady.

In gas fracking news, the governor of Vermont, Peter Shumlin, signed into law, yesterday, a ban on the hydraulic fracturing of subterranean shale. Vermont is the first state to ban the practice of fracking.

There are, currently, no gas drilling operations underway in Vermont and, currently, seismic testing has not found any underground trapped gas reserves.

I suspect having no underground trapped gas reserves made it slightly easier to ban hydraulic fracturing.

Meanwhile, yesterday in East Texas we had an increasingly less rare earthquake.

And now it is that time in the morning when I go swimming.

Continuing The Search For Olive The Missing Prairie Dog With The Tandy Hills Roadrunner

Everywhere I went today, after I left my abode, I saw LOST DOG posters tacked to various surfaces, alerting people to the BOLO (Be On The Lookout) for Olive the Missing Prairie Dog.

Via various media the news of the missing Mascot of the Tandy Hills continues to spread.

Due to the fact that Olive the Prairie Dog is a local celebrity dog I would think the Fort Worth Police would be in on the search, treating this case as a possible criminal dognapping.

If someone made a ransom demand, would that get the Fort Worth Police involved?

Last summer I was over at Miss Puerto Rico's, watching humanity pass below, from her balcony vantage point. Suddenly swarms of police cars were on the scene, dozens of police officers. We thought a super major crime must have taken place to warrant this level of police activity.

We saw the police chase and arrest a young man.

We went to ground level to learn that the person the police caught had stolen a pair of socks and a box of disposable baby diapers from the neighborhood Family Dollar store.

A pair of socks and a box of disposable baby diapers.

It was a Jean Valjean Les Miserables moment for me. You don't steal a pair of socks and diapers unless you are dire desperate. I thought the police response to be totally out of proportion to the crime.

And felt even more that way when a short time later my vehicle was broken into, with the steering column damaged and my bike stolen. Significantly more monetary damage than some stolen socks and a diaper. I called the Fort Worth Police. An hour later an officer showed up. He did not get out of his car. He did not make a report. He did talk to me at length about the JFK/Oswald Conspiracy and showed me some YouTube videos about that subject on his I-phone.

The Tandy Hills Roadrunner
Looking For Olive the Prairie Dog

So, are the Fort Worth Police on the case of the missing mascot of the Tandy Hills?

I saw a friend of Olive's today on the Tandy Hills who appeared to be looking for something. Maybe Olive?

It was the Tandy Hills Roadrunner.

He was out in the open, and in no hurry, at the Tandy View Street Park. He let me get close and take pictures, acting like he was posing. This went on for quite some time, to the point I was ready for the Roadrunner to do some running.

The Tandy Hills Roadrunner frequently visited Olive's yard, where Olive provided a water fountain. And might have given the Roadrunner something to eat. The Roadrunner sure did act as if he was desperately looking for something.

Where Oh Where Can Olive Be?

The 16th May Day Morning With Air Pollution Alerts, Alligators & Questions About Olive The Missing Prairie Dog

Looking through the bars of my patio prison cell on this  16th May Day morning it was dark enough to set off the camera's flash, but the sun was up enough to see that this 3rd Wednesday of May is, so far, a totally clear blue sky day in North Texas.

A clear blue sky currently chilled to 63 degrees, heading to a high of 87, with the weather warners warning that the pollution in the air warrants and "Air Quality Alert."

At this point in time the quality of the air is not so bad that I have shut my windows.

This morning I had an email from one of my favorite Southern Belles, asking me if Olive the Missing Prairie Dog was "without a leash or collar?"

I know Olive was not wearing her collar when she went missing. Without a collar, I suspect no leash.

I hope the Olive the Missing Prairie Dog search team put one of her missing posters on the fence at Fort Woof in Gateway Park, a location that attracts a lot of dog lovers.

Changing the subject to something less lovable.

Trinity River Alligator Corpse

Yesterday Elsie Hotpepper emailed me asking if I'd seen a disturbing gator picture on the WFAA's Facebook page. I had not.

Apparently the murder of an 11-foot 3-inch alligator is being investigated by the authorities who investigate such things.

The alligator was found by game wardens in the Trinity River at a location between Eagle Mountain Lake and Lake Worth.

The Fort Worth Nature Center & Refuge is between Eagle Mountain Lake and Fort Worth. There are signs in the Nature Center warning visitors to be cautious about alligators.

I know there have been many reports of alligators in Lake Worth. How do the gators get past Lake Worth Dam to get into the lake? On their trip upriver do the gators get out of the river when they come to the dam and walk around it? I've hiked in that location. It'd take a lot of effort, I would think, for a gator to get around that dam.

With this latest alligator incident I am really going to have to re-consider Elsie Hotpepper and me floating in the upcoming Rockin' the River With Alligators Happy Hour.

I Found A Terrier Today On The Tandy Hills But It Was Not Olive The Prairie Dog

This Is Not Olive The Prairie Dog

Today I was back on the Tandy Hills, looking for Olive the Prairie Dog, now missing for over 48 hours.

Until today Olive was the only terrier type dog I've seen on the Tandy Hills.

What are the astronomical chances that a terrier would run up to me today whilst I'm looking for a missing terrier?

I'd guess slim to none. But that is what happened.

But, it was not Olive.

I take it as a good omen type sign that I was visited by a terrier on the Tandy Hills today.

I also heard from my poodle nephews, Blue and Max, up in Tacoma, the caretakers of my nephews, David & Ryan and niece, Ruby, voicing their hope for the swift return of Olive...

Blue and Max have left a new comment on your post "Olive The Mascot Of The Tandy Hills Is Still Missing": 

We hope you find Olive real soon! 

I can imagine the brouhaha that would erupt in Tacoma if either Blue or Max went missing. Or if any of my sister in Kent's canine children, Bean, Tilly and Rosie the Rat Dog, went missing.

The Humans Who Were With Today's Tandy Terrier

The investment in time and medical expenses spent on those canine children is incredible. Just Rosie the Rat Dog alone has had hip surgery, braces to fix her snaggletooth and is on several prescription medications.

Bean, Tilly and Rosie the Rat Dog get to go on rather long roadtrips. Currently they are planning a 3 month excursion north via the Alaskan Highway, I think all the way to Nome.

I have not yet agreed to Bean, Tilly and Rosie the Rat Dog's request that I head north to housesit for them while they are in Alaska.