Early Texas Voting At Fort Worth Library Thwarted Today Before Up Close Inspection Of New Art

The last time Texas had an election I was pleasantly surprised to see that my neighborhood East Regional Library had been added as an Early Voting location, obviating the need for the long drive to Handley to do some Early Voting.

So, today I decided to have myself a leisurely stroll to the East Regional Library to do some Early Voting. I knew the library was closed on Fridays, but figured that would not affect Early Voting.

However, upon arrival at the library parking lot I soon discovered that the two cars parked there were not early voters, because there was no Early Voting happening.

I arrived at the library right at noon, a timing which must never have happened before, because as I was looking at the plaque you see above, the Clock Tower bell began gonging, loudly, followed by a selection of religious greatest hits, like Amazing Grace, which I continued hearing long after I was a distance distant.

Til reading the Clock Tower plaque, you see above, I had no idea the Clock Tower had been presented  by the Citizens of East Fort Worth, with it being a project symbolizing the pride Eastsiders have in their neighborhood, what with it being the Gateway to the City where the West begins.

Let us continue on today's walk to another item of interest.

Lately whilst driving on Bridge Street I have noticed new art installations.

Back, late last year, when many locals were stunned at the revelation of a pseudo work of kinetic art which looked like a stylized, modernized trash can, at the center of the first of America's Biggest Boondoggle's traffic roundabouts under construction, and costing nearly a million bucks, we also learned that the city would be soon installing art on power boxes, with would beautify the apparent eyesores which I had never noticed prior to the apparent eyesores getting covered with art.

The below example I walked by today at the northwest corner of the intersection of Bridge and Bridgewood Streets.

A longhorn in a field of bluebonnets. It does catch ones eye as one drives, or walks, by. As one drives west on Bridge Street one sees many iterations of these works of art, depicting various themes, with most appearing to be somehow Texas related, though not as obvious as what you see above.

I don't know how much these works of art have cost the city. I would guess the price is no where near the almost million bucks the aluminum salute to trash cans cost.

It will be interesting to see how long these colorful pieces of plastic wrap last in the HOT Texas sun, which is starting to arrive, even now, prior to the blistering ULTRA HEAT of Summer.

I guess I will need to make that long laborious drive to Handley to do my Early Voting duty. But not today, that will need to wait til next week....

Are Elsie Hotpepper And I Attending The Downtown Fort Worth, Inc. Trailblazer Awards?

Way back in December of last year I got an email from Downtown Fort Worth, Inc. asking if I have blazed any trails lately, while informing me they wanted to recognize my contributions to Downtown Fort Worth.

I blogged about this in Downtown Fort Worth Wants To Recognize My Trailblazing Contributions.

Elsie Hotpepper was tasked with filling out the form which came with the email in which my multiple contributions to Downtown Fort Worth were to be detailed.

I forgot about this important document, which Elsie Hotpepper was tasked with filling out, til this morning when I got another email from the Downtown Fort Worth, Inc. people reminding me of the upcoming Trailblazer Awards event taking place March 8 in the Ballroom of the Omni Hotel.

I have received no notification from the Downtown Fort Worth, Inc. people as to the current status of recognizing my multiple contributions to Downtown Fort Worth with a coveted Trailblazer Award.

Elsie Hotpepper was also tasked with securing tickets to the Trailblazer Awards. I am suspecting Elsie Hotpepper has failed to follow through on both of these tasks with which she was tasked....

Keeping Tricycle Speed Under The Mount Vernon Speed Limit

I saw what you see here this morning on the Skagit Breaking News Facebook page and found it to be amusing.

Skagit is the county I lived in before moving to Texas. Mount Vernon is the town I lived in before moving to Texas.

In the picture a little boy on a tricycle is perusing the speed limit sign, likely wondering how in the world is he supposed to know how fast he is going when his trike is not equipped with a speedometer.

The part of the sign I found to be amusing  is the information attached below the ENTERING MOUNT VERNON SPEED LIMIT 25 ENFORCED notice...

PICK A SPEED YOU CAN AFFORD

$3 FOR EACH MILE OVER 25 MPH

In all my years of driving in the Skagit Valley I never got a single speeding ticket. I was only a couple weeks into my exile in Texas when I got a speeding ticket, due to a speed trap in Southlake.

Coming from Washington I was unfamiliar with the concept of the speed limit on a road going up and down, with a cop hiding in the speed limit down zone so as to trap alleged speeders.

At my current location on the three mile drive to Walmart, on John T. White Road, if I am remembering right the speed limit changes three times. Heading west on Randol Mill Road towards Town Talk, same thing.

I guess due to most Texans not knowing this is not normal no one makes a fuss to put an end to all the speed limit churning.

Speaking of driving in Texas. I must say, last night's late night drive to D/FW airport was totally painless, due to the well done upgrade to I-121. When construction was underway it was difficult to estimate how long the drive to the airport would take. Last night it took about 15 minutes.

The only construction annoyance in the drive to the airport is at the airport itself, with Terminal E being a bit of a challenge due to the construction upgrade. Last week after, delivering Miss Puerto Rico to Terminal E, upon leaving, I hit the biggest pothole I ever plowed through. Last night the exit from Terminal E was via a different route, and I found no dreaded potholes.

I intend to drive nowhere today....

A Postponed Airport Pickup Had Me Seeing New Scenery In Arlington's River Legacy Park

Last night I thought a change of plans had me driving to the airport this morning to pick up Miss Puerto Rico. By morning that plan had changed. More on that later.

I had myself a mighty stressful morning, so by the time the noon timeframe arrived I was in the mood for a relaxing contemplative walk. But, was in no mood to walk with Arlington's Village Creek Indian Ghosts.

Instead I went to Arlington's River Legacy Park, where the ghost haunting is kept to a minimum.

I'd not been to River Legacy Park since the Thanksgiving Flood. More on that later. But first I must mention that which you see above.

The River Legacy Park Pavilion.

This morning Elsie Hotpepper pointed me to an article about America's Biggest Boondoggle's V Piers being almost ready for their closeup with cement. Seems like it's been months since a fuss was made over those silly V Piers' wooden forms appearing, providing evidence that after a decade or so in the making something was rising from the ground due to the efforts of J.D. Granger and the slow motion Trinity River Vision Project.

I don't remember if it was in that article to which Elsie Hotpepper pointed me, or somewhere else, but somewhere this morning I read mention made of Panther Island and Panther Island Pavilion.

Panther Island is what The Boondoggle calls the imaginary island The Boondoggle is going to connect the Fort Worth mainland to, via those three bridges being built over dry land, currently consisting of some wooden V Pier forms.

So, today when I saw the River Legacy Park Pavilion I thought I should take a photo of it for those who don't know what an actual pavilion looks like. Have you seen anything like this in the area The Boondoggle refers to as Panther Island Pavilion? You know, where The Boondoggle has its Rockin' the River Happy Hour Inner Tube Floats when the e.coli level is low enough to make floating in the Trinity River semi-safe.

Back to River Legacy Park and the Thanksgiving Flood. I visited River Legacy Park soon after the floods of last spring. No damage in evidence after that flood. Today I walked a few miles, from the south side of the Trinity River to the north side. I saw views of the river I'd never seen, in all the years I've enjoyed this park.

I soon realized what had caused the new views.

The Thanksgiving Flood tore away at the river's banks, causing big chunks of earth, with trees and shrubs and other foliage, to break away and fall into the river, bringing the brink closer to the paved trail and opening up expansive views, such as above.

Above you can see some of the yellow mesh fencing which has been put in place as a temporary barrier to keep people from falling over the new brink.

When I got to the bridge which takes walkers, jogger, bikers and bladers across the Trinity to the north side I could tell the river had risen high enough to deposit mud on the bridge. I believe this is the first time that has happened since that bridge opened earlier this century.

The flood left some damage in its wake, but, overall, I think Mother Nature has made some major improvements in the River Legacy Park scenic experience.

Changing the subject from Mother Nature to aborted trips to the airport.

I went to bed thinking Miss Puerto Rico was leaving the island around 4 this morning, arriving in Fort Lauderdale around 7,  and being back at D/FW around half past 9.

By morning my phone had multiple confusing messages. One of those messages said "come get me, i miss my babies."

Huh?

Did that mean Miss PR was already back in Texas, waiting at the airport? I checked the flight status online. Nothing had changed. Arrival in D/FW still when I expected.

But, then I was getting more confusing text messages, arriving while Miss Puerto Rico was  supposedly in the air, unable to use her phone. Several confusions later I figured out she was still in Florida. More messages later I learned that the plane got in from Aguadilla, PR too late for those on board to catch the flight leaving for Texas.

So, Miss Puerto Rico has been stuck in Florida since this morning. The next flight out is half past 8, arrival at D/FW a little before 11 tonight.

Weeks ago when Miss Puerto Rico told me she'd booked a flight on Spirit Airlines I reminded her of how upset she'd been at her previous experience with that airline, where she vowed to never fly them again. Maybe after this experience the lesson will remain learned.

Does Anyone Know What We Are Saving The Stockyards From?

There is a Fort Worth effort afoot to Save the Stockyards.

This effort afoot has a Facebook page appropriately titled Save Our Stockyards.

What is it the Stockards are being saved from?

I'm not sure.

All I know for sure is the City of Fort Worth, in cahoots with a California based developer, is wanting to do some developing in the Fort Worth Stockyards National Historic District zone.

I've never been able to get a clear, consistent answer to what these developing plans entail, as in what is proposed to be removed, and where will all this development be taking place?

I have been told that the actual Stockyards are to be removed. I find this real hard to believe, as the actual Stockyards, the old pens with a boardwalk crossing the length above the pens is the most unique part of the Stockyards.

I've long thought the Stockyards sort of turns its back on the part of the place I think is the most unique. The access from Exchange Avenue is a bit tricky to find. You go through a revolving gate which is adjacent to where the Fort Worth Herd spends most of their time. Or you can access actual Stockyards from the north, to the east of Billy Bob's.

Above we are on the aforementioned boardwalk above the actual Stockyards, looking south at the stunning skyline of beautiful downtown Fort Worth.

Are the above actual Stockyards part of what is proposed to be removed? If so, count me on board the Save the Stockyards bandwagon.

Tandy Hills Mascot Olive The Prairie Dog Missing Again

This morning I got multiple confusing text messages from someone for whom English is not her first language.

Amongst those messages I got a confusing text message from someone for whom the Texas variant of English is her first language.

To which I replied something like good gawd is no one speaking understandable English to me today?

The message from the speaker of the Texas variant of English said "the prairie dog is missing again."

I had no  idea what that meant, and said so via the reply I already mentioned.

The speaker of the Texas variant of English then clarified that the prairie dog she was talking about was Olive the Prairie Dog, the Mascot of the Tandy Hills.

How has this happened again? The last time Olive the Prairie Dog went missing it turned into a big deal, with Olive the Prairie Dog posters posted all over, including some big sign versions.

I gleaned the photo of Olive the Prairie Dog from her paternal parental figure, Don Young's Facebook page. You can go there is you have any information about Olive.

A Presidential Presidents Day Walk Around Fosdick Lake Debating Feeding Ducks

What with it being Presidents Day today I decided to go to the nearest location I know of which I think of as presidential.

That being Fort Worth's Oakland Lake Park, for a walk around Fosdick Lake.

Don't ask me why I think of this location as being very presidential. A fortune cookie said I would utter a nonsensical sentence today, so I got that out of the way with that first sentence.

A lot of people were enjoying the ultra pleasant Presidents Day temperature at Oakland Lake Park, including the group of Fosduck feeders you see above. I was on the east side of the lake when I saw this group at the base of the Fosdick Steps on the west side of the lake. I zoomed in for the photo, with my steady hand rendering semi-good results.

Speaking of Presidents.

Last night I watched Saturday's Republican Presidential Debate whilst over at Miss Puerto Rico's. I'd set the DVR to record the circus the day before. Til last night I'd not made it through an entire Republican Presidential Debate during this current election debacle.

But, what happened in South Carolina on Saturday was an embarrassing train wreck that I could not quit watching. A monumental embarrassing entertaining train wreck.

How could the party of Lincoln, Grant, McKinley, Roosevelt, Eisenhower, Nixon, Reagan and Bush the First have devolved into such a mess of nincompoops running for President?

Last night Trump looked so orange. And I'd never noticed Marco Rubio's huge ears before. They looked like wings to me. Was this just because I was watching on an extra big screen? Ben Carson has written a book about the U.S. Constitution? But does not know that that document spells out how a new Supreme Court Justice is appointed? Jeb Bush whining about Trump picking on his family was funny, what with the back and forth between the two which then erupted.

I'd not witnessed a debate so out of control before. Is the Republican Party toast? It seems that might be the case, at least in its current version.....

Sending Valentines Day Jeep Pictures To Puerto Rico

This morning when I woke up my phone I saw an urgent text message from Miss Puerto Rico.

I think I have previously mentioned that Miss Puerto is currently visiting her home island and has left me with the task of cat sitting her babies, Coco and Belly Baby.

The text message asked me to take a picture of Miss Puerto Rico's Jeep.

Miss Puerto Rico took with her pictures of the babies, but not her Jeep. The reason for the picture of the Jeep request was because Miss Puerto Rico's dad wanted to see what the Jeep looked like. Today was the last day Miss PR will see her dad on this trip home, attending her dad's Valentines Day party in the Veterans residential place he now lives in.

So, that has been my exciting Valentines Day, taking Jeep pictures, sending them to Puerto Rico and altering Inwesco images. Don't ask, you don't need to know.....

Almost HOT Enough To Resume A Regular Swim Schedule

The pool is looking doable on this second Saturday day before Valentines Day in February.

However, looking doable does not make the pool doable, unless it is a chilling experience one is looking for.

Currently the outer world is heated to only 63 degrees at my location. Overnight was in the 40s. I think I need about five days in a row nearing 80 to make the pool pleasantly doable.

Past years the pool becomes doable in early March. I'm guessing with all this global warming we've got going on that the pool becoming doable will be happening earlier than any other year in recorded history.

This particular Saturday has me pondering all the habits I seem to have broken. It's Saturday and going to Town Talk  did not cross my mind. Nor did doing some hill hiking on the Tandy Hills. I can't remember the last time I hiked the Tandy Hills. I know I have not hill hiked since the most recent clear cutting removed foliage from a swath of the hills.

Now that you've got me thinking about it I'm wondering if a rare late afternoon hill hike on the Hills of Tandy might be a mighty fine thing.

Well, nix that idea. Just remembered I have something we will called the Inwesco PDF Nightmare to figure out.....

Abraham Lincoln's And My Sister Jackie's Happy February 12 Birthday

On this day, February 12, over two centuries ago, Abraham Lincoln was born.

On this day, February 12, far less than two centuries ago, my Favorite Sister Jackie was born, later to become the mama of my Favorite Nephews Christopher and Jeremy.

To celebrate Abe's and my sister's birthday I was going to go to River Legacy Park in Arlington to have myself a peaceful, contemplative walk.

But, when the time came to go walking I opted for a shorter drive and instead went to the Village Creek Natural Historical Area in Arlington to walk with the Indian Ghosts who haunt that location.

Village Creek is currently looking very peaceful, with the water running so clear it looks almost clean enough to swim in, if one has no aversion to snapping turtles, water moccasins and sharp-toothed garfish.

Last Saturday someone told me they found what I write to be amusing. I said I had no idea I was amusing and verbalized my fear that this new found information would make me self-conscious regarding whether or not I was being amusing.

Ever since this amusing revelation I have been experiencing what I think is some version of what is known as writer's block.

I am on Day Five of Cat Sitting Duty. Miss Puerto Rico checks in several  times a day to make sure I am doing my duty. Last night when I went to check on the Babies I could  not find Coco. Belly Baby was in her regular spot on Miss Puerto Rico's bed, but Coco was hidden from me.

I do not know if Coco was playing a cat game with me, moving to various hiding locations, or what.

But, it took around a half hour before I finally located the little devil, on the bed, right next to Belly Baby, but hidden under a sheet. I am almost 100% certain that that cat was not there when I first discovered her to be missing.

I have not checked in on the meow-ers today. I supposed I should do so.....