Everyone Knows 9 Out Of 10 Children Get Their Awesomeness From Their Uncle

A couple minutes ago I was making one of my rare visits to Facebook when I saw that Fort Worth's Connie D, not to be confused with Tacoma's Connie D, had posted a very disturbing distorted bit of propaganda. I took this propaganda and altered it to more accurately reflect reality....

Mailing A Letter To The IRS With The A/C Running And A Wildflower Blooming In North Texas

I was up early and in the no longer all that cool pool soon after the sun showed up this 3rd Monday of April, which also happens to be April 15.

April 15.

A Day of Infamy which arrives once a year which causes me to drive to the Post Office to mail a letter to a federal agency known as the IRS.

I returned from the Post Office and decided to take a short walk around my neighborhood.

About 10 minutes into walking I came upon the big, colorful, orchid-like wildflower you see above.

Yesterday I read somewhere someone opining that the North Texas wildflower display is going to be more wild than this year's Hill Country wildflower display.  I do not recollect upon what data this opining person was basing his thinking that the 2013 North Texas wildflower display was going to outdo Hill Country.

I have only seen the Hill Country wildflower display once. The year was 2002, with the hills covered with color to a level I've not seen in the North Texas Prairies & Lakes Region.

I am guessing the return to extremely warm temperatures in North Texas will get the wildflowers a lot more excited about blooming than the bout of almost freezing that had the wildflowers shivering last week.

The outer world has become so warm at my location that I have had to resort to using the in-house mechanical cooling device known as air-conditioning to make the air in my abode suitable for habitation.

I have a bad feeling, the source of which I am not certain, that we are going to be having a record breaking HOT summer in North Texas. I may need to escape to the relative frigidity of Washington...

Sunny Sunday Pedaling Arlington's Bob Findlay Linear Park

I took my handlebars to Arlington's Village Creek Natural Historical Area this fine second Sunday of April to pedal with the Indian Ghosts, then exit the Natural Historical Area to continue pedaling on the crooked paved trail that is known as the Bob Findlay Linear Park.

We may be at a VCNHA number of visitors tipping point where adding additional parking space may be needed.

Today I saw what may have been a record number of people enjoying the outer world in the Natural Area.

One family of 11, all with fishing poles stuck in the creek, with one of the 11 claiming to have caught a fish. But I saw no evidence of the catch.

A guy and girl pair on skinny tire bikes had the guy with two big leashed dogs. I saw this was not going well. By the time I reached the guy with the two dogs I told him he was being very adventurous, when what I actually thought was he was being very foolish. About 20 feet after I passed the guy with the two dogs I heard the noise of a bike crash. I turned around to see the guy on the ground with the leashed dogs all tangled up.

Changing the subject to something else.

This morning's swim went well. The cool pool has lost a lot of its cool. Are we now at the point in time where the pool remains comfortably doable until next fall cools it down?

I think I will have myself an afternoon swim along with some lounge chair based sunbathing, preparing my pasty skin for excessive South Padre Island sun exposure.

Leo's Sweetwater Rattlesnake Roundup Update

I got an email early this morning from Leo, subject line: "Rattlesnake Update!"

I've received emails from Leo previously, regarding the Sweetwater Rattlesnake Roundup.

I think due to my Sweetwater Rattlesnake Roundup webpage coming in near the top, or at the top, when searchers search Google and other web searchers, that some people of limited comprehension ability assume I am some sort of official Sweetwater Rattlesnake Roundup person.

Leo's previous emails resulting in blog posts with the following titles...

Apparently I Have A Big Rattlesnake Surprise Waiting For Me

And....

The Sweetwater Rattlesnakes Will Have Their Day

And...

Apparently Killing Sweetwater Rattlesnakes Is Senseless & Makes You Look Like A Moron

And...

I Am A Tree Hugging Idiot Rounding Up Sweetwater Rattlesnakes

And...

Apparently Children Are Witnessing Rattlesnake Beheadings In Sweetwater Texas

Today's email from Leo said........

Dear Sir/Madam,

Please see the attached.

Yours sincerely.

Leo...

Leo's attachment consisted of a PDF file, which consisted, in its totality, that which you see above, that being a photo and text below the photo that said.....

Pictured here are some of the foulest people on the

planet; animal abusers and killers. Mindless, sick in the

head individuals, with principles rotten to the point of

putrefaction. Those whose only purpose in life seems

to be to inflict as much pain, misery and suffering as

possible.

Having just completed a day's rattlesnake hunt, where

the 'great State of Texas' is apparently overrun with

them, they managed to catch just the one snake.

Is it must me, or does Leo seem just a tad overwrought???

The Fosdick Lake Turtles Were In Carefree Party Mode Today

The Fosdick Lake turtles were the main attraction, this second Saturday of April, in Oakland Lake Park.

The turtles, and their duck lake partners, seemed very sedated and not their usual skittish selves today.

Did some element causing a narcotic effect wash into Fosdick Lake during Wednesday's rain?

Or were the turtles and ducks just being lethargic due to being happy about the return of warm temperatures after this week's bout of almost freezing?

In the picture at the top it appears that this particular duck/turtle pair are quite cozy with each other. I think inter species relationships like this are a bit rare? Aren't they?

Below is an example of turtles on a log not getting skittish whilst being visited by some humans. I saw these two kids playing with the turtles soon upon my arrival. When I completed my walk around Fosdick Lake these kids were still playing with the turtles, who were still log bound.

Below is another turtle pair who let me get way closer than the norm, happily posing for their close up.

I have often wondered why I never see any baby turtles, wondering if they hatch out of the egg full grown. Today the baby turtle mystery ended with my first ever sighting of a baby turtle. You can not tell, via the photo, how small this turtle is, as in about the size of a silver dollar. Where was mama turtle, I worried? No other turtles were any where near this possibly orphaned baby.

The perfect Saturday weather conditions, after a week of less than ideal weather conditions, brought a lot of people to Oakland Lake Park today. Including the BBQ Picnic Party seen below.

This BBQ Picnic Party has an inflated  bounce house, a big smoker BBQ, lots of folding chairs, a yellow Pinata hanging from the tree.

And a portable outhouse.

In a park in what is widely known as One of the Greatest Cities in the World, one needs to bring ones own portable outhouse to ones picnic.

Along with potable water. Because none is available.

Very perplexing....

Live Gun Fights Saturday Night In Fort Worth's Stockyards Station

Stockyards Station is in the Fort Worth Stockyards.

In Stockyards Station tourists find a collection of shops selling a variety of goods, mostly Western - Cowboy - Texas themed.

Along with several restaurants.

Plus the Tarantula Trail runs right through Stockyards Station.

This morning I learned, via the ad you see above, that, in Stockyards Station, tourists can also experience "Live Gun Fights."

The Fort Worth Stockyards is one of Fort Worth's few unique tourist attractions.

Actually the only other tourist attraction in Fort Worth I can think of that is remotely unique is the Water Gardens in downtown Forth Worth.

Soon, in Fort Worth, the world's first new drive-in movie theater of the 21st Century will open, giving Fort Worth one more unique tourist attraction, the likes of which exist in no big town any where else.

All these unique tourist attractions, plus having regularly scheduled Saturday night "Live Gun Fights" are likely just a few of the reasons Fort Worth is considered, by the citizens of planet Earth, to be One of the Greatest Cities in the World.

Seriously though.

Saturday night Gun Fights?

In your town's #1 Tourist Attraction?

Are tourists encouraged to bring their own guns and join in on the fight?

In an era where we are experiencing an awful lot of worried yammering about gun control, due to what almost seems to be an epidemic of tragic gun enabled mass murders, it really does not seem to me that having regularly scheduled "Live Gun Fights" is a good idea, even though this is the town which thinks it is Where the West Begins........

A Post Storm Serene Walk With The Village Creek Indian Ghosts

Gazing out at the serene Village Creek Blue Bayou today, one would never guess a storm passed this way yesterday.

I would have thought that yesterday's rain would have dropped enough water to have Village Creek running high.

I was half expecting the Village Creek Natural Historical Area to be closed from flooding, with me denied access to walking with my favorite Indian Ghosts.

But, instead of a lot of water, a mere trickle was trickling through the Village Creek Dam Bridge.

The dose of water amped up the Village Creek greenery, but not the wildflowers, except for a massive carpet of yellow dandelions, which I don't think the locals consider to be a wildflower. For some reason the locals seem to think the beautiful yellow dandelions are a weed, not a wildflower.

Methinks yellow dandelions are a flower, growing wild, hence a wildflower, not a weed.

Enough with the weedy pondering, it is time for lunch.

Bud Kennedy Is Not Allowing Tarrant Regional Water District Candidate John Basham To Comment On Facebook

Bud Kennedy is just about my favorite Fort Worth Star-Telegram columnist, journalist and food critic. Bud Kennedy is very prolific, very opinionated and very articulate.

Bud Kennedy is also prolific, opinionated and articulate on Facebook and Twitter.

Yesterday, on Facebook, Bud Kennedy informed us that Texas Representative Matt Krause has endorsed John Basham to be elected to be a board member of the Tarrant Regional Water District in the upcoming election.

Bud Kennedy also informed us that neither Krause or Basham "live in the district".

When I read this I thought to myself that I was fairly certain that John Basham lives in the Tarrant Regional Water District. Then when I read the comments to Bud Kennedy's posting I was reminded of how bizarrely strange the rules are regarding the set up of the Tarrant Regional Water District.

As in only voters who live in selected parts of the district are allowed to vote. And, even though you may live in the district you must own property in the selected parts of the district to qualify to run for TRWD Board Member.

Like I said, bizarrely strange.

Below is Bud Kennedy's post on this issue followed by the comments, with the last comment being from Bud Kennedy telling us he'd deleted a comment from John Basham because Bud Kennedy does not "allow candidates to campaign here." Apparently Bud Kennedy is allowed to make a comment about a candidate, but that candidate is not allowed to comment.  Like I said, bizarrely strange....

Bud Kennedy
17 hours ago via Twitter
Update: TX @RepMattKrause, who doesn't live in the Tarrant Water district, has endorsed @JohnBasham, who also doesn't live in the district.

Joe Corpening Dont ya love politics???

John Murrin Pritchett The law clearly states board members only need to own property in the boundaries of the TRWD's election boundaries. They don't have to live in it. The state rep mentioned in your post represents folks who live within the election boundaries of the district.

Bud Kennedy Did not question anyone's eligibility. In general, a board should represent those stakeholders taxed to build and operate the agency.

John Murrin Pritchett In general, a board with power over 11 counties ought to be accountable to the voters in those same 11 counties.

Bud Kennedy No representation without taxation.

Bud Kennedy Candidate's comment deleted. I generally don't allow candidates to campaign here, but John was pointing out that he owns a parcel of property in the district and also lives nearby in the area served by Tarrant Water. http://www.trwd.com/ServiceArea

A Wet Wednesday In Fort Worth Walking On Dirt Sidewalks

That is my windshield wiper keeping time with the music while it wipes rain from my windshield as I head east on John T. White Road this wet Wednesday in North Texas.

As of mid-afternoon I have heard no thunder booming. Rain continues to drip, off and on.

According to my computer based temperature monitoring device my location is being chilled to 39 degrees.

To go from the balmy 80s, to almost freezing, in less than 24 hours really does not seem normal to me. Two nights ago it was so hot and humid I almost got out of bed to turn on the A/C. Last night I re-installed the heavy winter blankets that I'd stored away, thinking winter was done for the year.

Changing the subject from the weather to one of my other favorite subjects.

A short distance ahead, in the view in the picture above, you come to John T. White Elementary School.

Note that dirt path on the south side of the road. That is what is known in Fort Worth as a sidewalk.

In the year 2013 Fort Worth is a town that still has dirt paths leading to some of its schools. This is just one of the things that makes Fort Worth unique and known around the planet as one of the Greatest Cities in the World...

Wednesday Morning Swimming In The Rain Waiting For The Big Storm To Arrive

This Wednesday morning's patio view of the outer world at my location does not quite capture the fact that drops of rain are falling, falling in amounts copious enough to require sticking my camera to its Popabrella in order to take a dry picture.

For a couple days the weather predictors have been predicting a BIG STORM, scheduling this BIG STORM to arrive around midnight, last night, with BIG BOOMS, BIG WIND, BIG HAIL and BIG DOWNPOURS.

I don't know when the totally non-copious rain began to hit the ground last night. I have heard no booms, seen no lightning flashes, or any hail.

However, there has been some breezy wind action, so much so that the current outer world temperature of 37 degrees really feels like a sub-freezing 23 at my location on the planet.

So, once again we return to winter in North Texas.

The weather predictors predicting BIG STORMS that don't seem to quite materialize with the level of Bigness one might expect from the forecasts, is beginning to have a bit of a Crying Wolf feel to the forecasting.

Maybe the BIG BOOMS will arrive at some point during the day.  Although, as you can see below, the forecasters no longer seem to be forecasting any booming.

Despite the extreme temperature drop, this morning I was able to have myself a really fine time swimming in the pool that was not nearly as cool as the air. I believe the outer world got heated to some temperature in the 80s yesterday, hence the pool water being way warmer than the air. I suspect this will not be the case tomorrow morning.