A Stormy Texas Night With Fertilizer Exploding In West & Elsie Hotpepper No Longer Missing

The sun is not yet providing much illumination this stormy Thursday morning in Texas.

You can sort of see, via the view from my patio portal on the outer world, that an extremely strong wind is moving the foliage surrounding the swimming pool.

Currently the outer world is chilled to 46 degrees at my location. This means the water in the pool is a lot less cool than 46, due to yesterday's high being in the near 90 zone.

The power went out in my abode around 4 this morning. This woke me up, which is when I realized rain had arrived along with thunder booming.

I don't think I heard the explosion in West that killed more people and did more damage than the Boston bombings. Apparently the fertilizer plant that had erupted into a big fire, being fought by firefighters, when the explosion exploded, was known to have some operation issues.

In other news, the missing Elsie Hotpepper has now been located. Suffice to say, Elsie is yet one more victim of American Airlines.

I don't know if going swimming this morning is a good idea. I'll have the answer to that question in about a half hour.

A HOT Hunt For The Missing Elsie Hotpepper At Quanah Parker Park

No, that is not the paved trail in Arlington's Village Creek Natural Historical Area you are looking at in the picture.

That fact is clearly obvious to an observant person, due to the well known fact that the Village Creek Natural Historical Area's paved trail does not have a center line.

However, the paved trail in Quanah Parker Park does have a center line.

Which might lead one to guess that today I parked at Quanah Parker Park to go on a borderline too HOT walk.

The one making that guess would be correct.

Elsie Hotpepper has gone missing for the first time in quite a while. I looked for the missing Hotpepper at Quanah Parker Park, but did not find her.

The last I heard from Elsie Hotpepper was on Monday, at which time Miss Hotpepper talked about islands. As in South Padre Island being a preferable island location to Galveston Island.

Changing the subject from Hotpepper back to the HOT weather.

Just like a week ago today, a BIG storm is predicted to arrive sometime after midnight at my location on the planet. Last week's BIG Storm piddled out at my location.

I am not liking the A/C running. Eventually I get used to this, if I am remembering correctly.

At 83 degrees my location is the HOTTEST of the temperatures I monitor hourly. My old home zone of Mount Vernon, in Washington, is a relatively chilly 55 degrees, while my mom and dad, nephews, sister and favorite brother-in-law, in Arizona, are only 14 degrees warmer than Mount Vernon, at 69 degrees.

Well, enough about temperatures, I must go continue my hunt for the missing Elsie Hotpepper now....

A Plethora Of Village Creek Wildflowers Thinking About Skagit Valley Tulips

Arlington's Village Creek Natural Historical Area's Wildflower Area today was blooming a lot more wildflowers than what it was blooming just two days ago.

And so it seems, wildflower season has finally arrived in North Texas.

Yesterday, whilst walking in my neighborhood I came upon a flower growing wild that I thought was a wildflower, but I was later informed this particular flower is known as a very common Iris.

I don't know why a very common Iris can not also be a wildflower.

Currently my old home location, that being the Skagit Valley in the State of Washington, is in the midst of the annual Skagit Tulip Festival, running from April 1 through April 30.

Over a million visitors come to the Skagit Valley each year to look at the tulips and other flowers blooming on the valley floor.

Until 1985 I lived in West Mount Vernon, on the west side of the Skagit River. This meant every weekend during the Tulip Festival I had myself a really fine time dealing with the worst traffic jams I've ever experienced anywhere.

The traffic problems have improved over the years, with mass transit hauling some of the visitors in buses. And better control of the traffic flow.

Looking at the Skagit Tulip Festival website I see a mission statement...

The Mission of the Skagit Valley Tulip Festival is to coordinate and promote a countywide Spring celebration of the tulip bloom, in commemoration of the valley’s annual tulip harvest, and to be an advocate for Skagit Valley agriculture.

Reading the above had me wondering if Tarrant County has a countywide celebration advocating anything. Skagit County has countywide public transit. Tarrant County does not have countywide public transit.

Does Tarrant County have countywide anything? I'm drawing a blank.

Well, there is the Tarrant Regional Water District, that covers more than Tarrant County,  but I don't know of the Tarrant Regional Water District celebrating advocating anything other than conserving water, except for the water the Tarrant Regional Water District sells to gas drillers, who mix the water with chemicals and shoot it underground, turning it into water the Tarrant Regional Water District does not worry about conserving....

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.