A Rainy Sunday Drive With My Mom & Dad Looking For Turkey Legs & A Giant Fountain

Mom Navigating Heading North In A Rainstorm

The theme for today in Arizona is rain. A lot of rain. Torrential downpour type rain.

Because of the stormy weather my mom thought it'd be fun to drive north towards the Grand Canyon and go to Jerome and Prescott.

I checked the weather conditions for Jerome and Prescott and found both to be freezing with heavy snow and a Severe Winter Weather Warning.

So, the plan to head towards northern Arizona was altered to going on a hunt for an illusive turkey leg and then to Fountain Hills to see one of the world's tallest fountains.

The Fountain Hill Fountain In Dormant Mode

We were not long on the road when we came to the Wal-Mart Supercenter. We walked in, after a lengthy hunt for a close to the door parking space, to find turkey legs, already cooked, in the deli. I told my mom and dad I'd walk ahead to find the raw turkey legs.

A short time later I was walking back to my mom and dad with an armful of the formerly illusive turkey legs. After determining which of the turkey legs I was holding were the biggest, we purchased them and continued on our way.

After what seemed a short while we were in the desert. Soon we were at Fountain Hills. It was raining hard. We had trouble finding the fountain. Had the fountain been spouting water I suspect we could have found it. At its highest the fountain spouts well over 500 feet.

The Roller Coaster Ride Into A Zion Like Canyon

I tried calling my sister to ask if she knew where the fountain was. She was not answering. So, I went into McDonald's and asked the first person I saw. He pointed me towards the road we had just been on. That road led us to the fountain which was not scheduled to erupt for another 45 minutes.

So, we continued on our way. Further north.

I was totally bum puzzled. It looked to me that we had mountains to our left and to our right. How could going north get us going back south, towards Phoenix?

After awhile my bum puzzlement was alleviated when we came to a road that led us towards Saguaro Lake and behind the mountains, which I had thought, erroneously, were a barrier.

Saguaros Near Saguaro Lake
With A Snowy Mountain Background

This two lane mountain highway was the wildest road ride I have ridden in a long time. Without my mom being able to actively monitor my dad's speed he seems to push right to the edge of the limit. And maybe a bit beyond.

Soon the scenery reminded me very much of Zion National Park. I had not eye witnessed such scenic scenery in a long time, not since the last time I was in Washington.

Not long after leaving the wild scenic wonderland we were back in semi-civilization in the form of Apache Junction. Apache Junction turned into another town and then another and then another and eventually we were back in Chandler and then our home port in Sun Lakes.

When we left Sun Lakes, this morning, the rain was falling hard. When we returned to Sun Lakes, hours later, the rain was falling even harder.

A meatloaf was waiting for us in the oven. Soon a late Sunday lunch was on the table. Along with the meatloaf  we had baked spuds with sour cream, asparagus, Brussels sprouts, green salad, tomatoes, fruit salad and lemon meringue pie. This type diet is how I grew up. Is it any wonder I have an eating disorder?

Texas Provided The Humor Today At Church In Arizona

Sun Lakes United Methodist Church

Praise the Lord and pass the ammunition.

I have now attended church for the first time in this century.

My church attendance, prior to this century, occurred in the last decade of the last century at a Rock 'n Roll Church in Portland, Oregon.

Today's church in Arizona was not a Rock 'n Roll Church.

Instead of Rock 'n Roll it was the Sun Lakes United Methodist Church, which today was under the control of the United Methodist Women.

The sermon was delivered by Nancy Wilsen.

No, not the singer from the Rock 'n Roll duo known as Heart. The Heart singer's last name is spelled "Wilson."

Today's sermon was the first time I recollect actually ever listening to a sermon. Back in the Presbyterian days, of my long ago youth, I did no sermon listening. I just prayed for it to be over.

Today's sermon was quite good. And amusing.

At the start of the sermon Texas was mentioned. Preacher Wilsen asked if there was anyone from Texas in the congregation. There were a couple hands raised. Preacher Wilsen then apologized, in advance, to the Texans, for the joke she was about to tell.

Apparently 3 Texas boys attending Texas A & M met an untimely end. Upon reaching St. Peter's Gate the trio sauntered in without waiting for permission to enter.

St. Peter stopped the boys and asked them where they thought they were going.

To Heaven the boys replied.

You must prove yourselves worthy first, Peter told them, by answering a question.

Can all of us get in if one of us gets the answer right? one of the boys asked.

St. Peter thought about it and decided, considering that they were Texans from Texas A & M, he'd cut them some slack and if one got the question right, they'd all get into Heaven.

What is Easter? asked St. Peter.

The first Texas boy said, "Dang, that's that time when that fat man in a red suit with a beard flies around with reindeer giving away stuff."

Wrong, said Peter.

The next boy said, "That's that day when you give hearts and candy to your girl friend."

Wrong again.

Last chance, the third boy said, "That's when Jesus came out of his tomb."

"You are right," St. Peter said, "off to Heaven you go."

The two boys heaped praise on the boy who got the answer right, to which that boy said, "And I didn't even get to the part where Jesus sees if he casts a shadow, or not, to learn if spring will come early or winter will last another 6 weeks."

In church this Texas joke seemed very amusing. Typing it out, not so much.

There were only two awkward moments in church. One was when anyone who was a newcomer was asked to stand and introduce themselves. Apparently I got a bit long-winded.

The other awkward moment came when everyone was told to greet anyone who was in their vicinity. It seemed to me that mayhem momentarily ensued. My mom apologized, saying she should have warned me about that part.

My favorite part of the sermon came when Preacher Wilsen began to say the Lord's Prayer. God, who in the Methodist Church apparently is a woman, kept interrupting the Preacher. I could not tell how this was being done. I wondered if Preacher Wilsen was a ventriloquist.

Later, at the Post-Church McDonald's, others, who had been in attendance, joined me in wondering how the Voice of God was done, also wondering if Preacher Wilsen was an excellent ventriloquist.

I fear the mystery of God speaking is going to one of those eternal mysteries, the answer to which, may never be known. By me.

My sister and my favorite brother-in-law were supposed to meet us at the Post-Church McDonald's, but they did not show up. We were all quite perplexed by their absence.

Up Early On A Rainy Sunday In Arizona Thinking About Becoming A Methodist

Looking out my primary viewing portal on the outer world on this 3rd Sunday of the 3rd month of 2012 you might be able to tell I am up well before the sun in the Valley of the Sun.

But,  you can not likely tell that the Valley of the Sun is getting drenched with a rare Sonoran Desert rainstorm.

Wind stressed the fronds of the palm trees almost all day Saturday. And then sometime in the middle of last night I started hearing that soothing pitter patter noise that raindrops specialize in.

Currently it is 47 degrees at my location.

At my former home location, north of being deep in the heart of Texas, it is 20 degrees warmer. Snow is apparently falling in the mountains that surround the Valley of the Sun. I have no idea if, when Sunday lights up, it will reveal a white fringe on the distant peaks.

My mom and dad are going to church in a couple hours. Methodist. I have no idea what the methods of Methodists are. The last time I went to church, with mom and dad, it was to a Presbyterian church.

I did not bring with me my usual Sunday shirt and tie attire. I have been told the Methodist church is quite casual. And, unless someone else, of the congregation, has a visitor, I would likely be the youngest person in church. I do not remember ever being the youngest person in a church before.

I could go swimming now, if I wanted to. I have a swimming pass. All the pools in Sun Lakes are heated. At the main clubhouse there are multiple pools. I have yet to go swimming in any of them.

Hiking With My Sister To A Hole In The Rock In Papago Park In Phoenix

My Sister Gearing Up For The Hike To The Redrock Top

Does my sister look a bit reluctant regarding the idea of climbing the Papago Park redrock butte behind her, with the hole in the rock being the goal?

Papago Park is a hilly zone, primarily in Phoenix, but spreading into Tempe and Scottsdale.

Papago Park's redrock sandstone buttes make for an unusual feature inside a major city. In Papago Park you will also find the Phoenix Zoo and the Desert Botanical Garden.

This is only 10 minutes from downtown Phoenix and attracts millions of visitors a year.

Arizona Hikers Trekking To The Top Of
The Butte With The Hole

My current hometown, Fort Worth, Texas, also has an unusual feature about 10 minutes from its downtown, called the Tandy Hills Natural Area. The Tandy Hills Natural Area does not attract millions of visitors a year. Nothing in Fort Worth attract millions of visitors a year.

Oh. I forgot about the sporting goods store, Cabela's, which sold Fort Worth a bill of non-sporting goods, promising, in exchange for tax breaks and other perks, to give Fort Worth the #1 tourist attraction in Texas.

I digress.

Kids Coming Through The Hole In The Rock

I was very surprised at the large number of little kids making the trek up the redrock butte to the hole in the rock.

In Papago Park, in addition to the trail to the top of the redrock butte you see in these pictures, there are many miles of other trails for hiking and biking.

I saw a lot of mountain bikers today, in Papago Park, which made me feel very nostalgic for Moab and my mountain bike.

From the Hole in the Rock you can see a white pyramid. This is known as Hunt's Tomb, due to this being the burial location for Arizona's first governor, George W. P Hunt. Since Arizona is currently celebrating its centennial of being a state, this would seem to indicate that Mr. Hunt became the governor of Arizona in 1912.

Kids Inside The Hole In The Rock

I have already mentioned my noticing the huge reduction in the number of balloon people that I am seeing in Arizona compared with all the balloon people I see in Texas.

This particular Saturday, in the urban zone of Phoenix, is instructive as to why there is such a big girth differential between the two states.

Today I would hazard to guess that there were likely no more than half a dozen people on Fort Worth's Tandy Hills. Granted, the Tandy Hills are not nearly as scenic as these redrock buttes in Papago Park, but that really does not explain the difference in outdoor activity levels.

My Sister Looking Through The Hole In The Rock

That difference in outdoor activity levels sure would seem to go a long way to explain why I'm experiencing the same thing I experienced the last time I had spent way too long in Texas and then flew to a skinnier part of the country to find myself thinking the people looked as if they've had the air let out of them

Today I saw 100s, maybe 1000s of people out and about, hiking, biking, boating, climbing. Every butte or hill we came upon, today, had people either hiking or biking, or both, on it. Including a very steep paved trail on something called A Mountain, in Tempe, near Lake Tempe and Arizona State University.

My sister's pedometer indicated by the end of today's trekking we had trekked about 4 miles. Much of that trekking involved elevations gains.

I do not know what is in store for me tomorrow. Church has been mentioned. My mom just came into my quarters to give me a church worthy shirt. Against my will I was fed dinner tonight. My mom was unsuccessful  in her turkey leg hunt. I have heard Sweet Tomatoes mentioned multiple times this evening as a possible dinner zone for Sunday. Along with my sister....

A Redrock Walk With Roadrunners Through The Phoenix Desert Botanical Garden

Phoenix Desert Botanic Garden Plant Sale

My sister and I arrived very early Saturday at the Phoenix Desert Botanical Garden. The bi-annual plant sale was under way. By the time we left, a couple hours later, that throng of plant hunters had swelled far beyond the number you see in the picture.

Phoenicians seem to be early risers who like to be out and about, hiking, biking, walking and plant hunting, looking, for the most part, like people who have had the air let out of them, unlike most of the people I see at my regular location on the planet.

I can not remember the last time I enjoyed something as much as I did the walk through the Desert Botanical Garden.

I've long had an affection for redrock, developed long ago from my first exposure in Utah.

A Red Cardinal Standing Cactus Guard

The redrock in the Phoenix zone is like the Utah redrock on a small, yet very scenic scale. The Utah redrock has no saguaro cactus, that I am aware of. The Phoenix redrock, with its cactus, adds a real nice element to the basic redrock.

I saw several Roadrunners, aka Paisanos, running about today. I think the Paisanos may have been chasing the dozens of jackrabbits who scurried about chasing the dozens of quails.

Nothing seemed to be chasing the red cardinal you see in the picture perched on a cactus in front of a big mound of redrock.

The Desert Botanical Garden has around 65 acres of desert flora under cultivation, with over 50,000 plants.

When we first entered the garden my sister and I had the place, for the most part, to ourselves. That did not last long.

I don't remember if I've mentioned previously my interest in Native American culture.

Today I got to grind mesquite seeds in the Apache way. I do not know what I was supposed to make with my supply of ground up mesquite seeds. Maybe bread.

The above is an example of an Apache domicile. To me it looks as if this abode would be a bit of a fire hazard.

This particular Saguaro silhouetted against the Phoenix sky looks as if it may be making an obscene gesture. A lot of the Saguaros seem to be of a similar mind. I won't share the description my sister used for many of the various cactus shapes. Suffice to say it was a male oriented description. Maybe that would be better worded to say it was a description with a male orientation.

Let's leave the Desert Botanical Garden and go to another part of Papago Park to walk through a hole in the redrock in another blogging.

Saturday In Arizona Hiking Desert Botanical Gardens With Papago Park Holes In Rocks Declining To Hunt For Turkey Legs

Pedestrian Bridge Over Lake Tempe Dam

I have had me a day, so far, this Saturday, and it is only 3 in the afternoon, with a lot of hours left in the day. I'd take myself a nap if I were nap enabled, which I am not.

My sister took me away from my mom and dad's Sun Lakes abode about 7 this morning. Our destination was the Phoenix Desert Botanical Garden. More on the Phoenix Desert Botanical Garden in a subsequent blogging.

After visiting the Desert Botanical Gardens we headed for another location in Papago Park, that being the hole in the rock. More on the hike to the hole in the rock in a subsequent blogging.

After hiking to the hole in the rock we left Papago Park to go visit my brother and sister-in-law's new location in Scottsdale. I rather liked it. Basically they live in Melrose Place, except in Scottsdale, not Los Angeles.

We left my brother's hungry, after not getting the pancakes that had been promised the night before.

So we headed to another of those cool restaurants called McDonald's. I had something called a Southern Spicy Chicken Sandwich and a Double Cheeseburger. I think I have the names right.

As my sister and I waited for our gourmet food we watched a very skinny lady blocking the drink bar whilst she squeezed the fat out of a couple dozen McNuggets. My sister grew impatient with the lack of access to the beverages and asked the skinny fat squeezer to move.

The skinny fat squeezer then told us her doctor told her she had a coronary condition and should try and squeeze all the fat she could out of her food. We watched as she cut the McNuggets into pieces with a knife and ate the pieces very furtively and bird-like.

It has been my observation that McDonald's attracts interesting customers.

The sequence of events that followed McDonald's I may have a bit confused. At some point after McDonald's we went to my youngest nephew's apartment and his big brother's house. The apartment was in Tempe, with the house being in Scottsdale, which leads me to think we may have gone to the house first.

In Tempe we walked across the new pedestrian bridge you see above. This bridge is above the new dam that replaced the failed dam that made Lake Tempe next to Arizona State University. You may remember that dam failing during bad flooding in Phoenix a year or two or three ago.

At some point, after walking across the bridge, I think we were in Mesa, where we dropped in on my favorite brother-in-law's sleeping mother. I've always found my favorite brother-in-law's sleeping mother to be very nice. But, she did not remember me.

Leaving Mesa we headed south, back to Chandler, where we drove by the Pacific Seafood Buffet. I've not been to a seafood buffet in a long while. Let alone a Pacific seafood buffet.

Eventually we were at the core of downtown Chandler, where my sister drove us around the Chandler town square. It was being festive due to St. Patrick's Day. This location sort of reminded me of Taos. Which makes sense, sort of, with New Mexico being the next state to the east.

Finally I was re-delivered to my mom and dad's in Chandler. My sister left and soon my mom was asking me if I wanted to ride with them to Maricopa to get a bougainvillea and turkey legs. I declined the offer.

I was too tired to go turkey leg hunting.

The 3rd Saturday Of March Dawns Potentially Dusty In Arizona

This morning I stepped outside for a closer look at the view from my primary viewing portal on the outer world at my current location at the heart of the Valley of the Sun on this 3rd Saturday of the 3rd month of 2012.

Stepping outside set off the security system resulting in bright lights being turned on me. I felt like a POW in a German WWII prison camp, caught trying to escape.

I quickly returned to being inside the "camp". Eventually the security lights turned off.

As you can see, below, it is currently a relatively chilly 59 degrees at my current location. At my former location, north of being deep in the heart of Texas, it is currently 65 degrees.

Apparently we are being advised that dust may be blowing here today. Maybe I will be seeing one of those giant dust storms that blow through this valley fairly frequently.

I have an hour and a half to go before my sister arrives to take me to the Phoenix Botanical Garden, if my time calculations are correct.

I realized this morning that I have not heard from Elsie Hotpepper since I left Texas. I do not know how to issue a BOLO for a missing person from my current remote location.

Friday BBQ In Arizona With Spencer Jack, Super Hot Potato Chips & Refrigerator Slide Shows

Spencer Jack & Brittney Arriving

Today was not the first time I have experienced the unreliability of smart phone based GPS direction locators.

Everyone who used a GPS to find my sister's house in Chandler today got mis-directed. Eventually old-fashioned methods, like maps and directions, given over the phone, facilitated successful arrivals.

For, instance, the late arrival of Spencer Jack, which you see in the first picture. When it was ascertained that Spencer Jack was in the neighborhood I was instructed to sit on a bench in the front yard to act as a navigable landmark.

Until today I had not seen Spencer Jack since early August of 2008. I had not seen Spencer Jack's dad since April of 2006. I had never met Brittney. I am not sure how Brittney spells her name. Spencer calls her Brit. I rather like Brittney.

Videographer Spencer Jack

Spencer Jack just turned 5.

I have not been around all that many 5 year olds in a long long time. Apparently 5 year olds are now adept at taking digital pictures and video and uploading pictures and video to their computer. Spencer Jack has his own password.

In the second picture you are seeing Spencer Jack shooting video of my sister's pool's waterfall. Spencer took a liking to the waterfall.

The second group to arrive, after being mis-directed by a smart phone GPS, were Spencer Jack's maternal grandma's sister, husband and son. I'd also not seen them since April of 2006.

Four Generations Of Jones

At some point in time Brittney took a picture of Spencer's dad, grandpa and great-grandpa and Spencer. That would be my nephew, brother, dad and great-nephew.

I took a picture of Brittney taking a picture.

At one point in the evening I found myself playing something called Ladder Golf. Spencer Jack and I were on one team, playing against Spencer's dad and Brittney.

Ladder Golf is a grueling sport involving dual golf balls on a string. Its seemed sort of dangerous. Spencer and I misunderstood the rules and for awhile thought we got points by hitting his dad and Brittney with the golf balls. As far as I know there is no photographic evidence of this.

Spencer Jack Celebrating His Ladder Golf Win

After Spencer Jack and I won the Ladder Golf game, it was time to celebrate, which Spencer did quite boisterously, including squirting people with a bubble gun and dancing.

I forgot to mention, the BBQ was quite nice. Very smoky. My pictures of the BBQ did not come out well, so there is no photo documentation. Suffice to say there were burgers and beer soaked brats.

Along with all sorts of fixings. And potato chips with a 3,000 Scoville Rating.

But no Dungeness Crab.

My sister's kitchen is the most high tech I have been in, that I remember. The refrigerator is a jabber mouth who likes to give advice. Like making ingredient suggestions. Or mentioning that the milk supply is low.

Ruby Jean On My Sister's Refrigerator

If you are in my sister's kitchen and you are feeling lonesome for one of my other nieces or nephews, or any number of other things, you just say, I'd like to see Ruby Jean and Ruby Jean appears on the refrigerator door.

When it was time to leave I left with Spencer Jack.

Spencer Jack's dad followed my mom and dad back to Sun Lakes so Spencer could take a quick tour of that location.

Spencer Jack flies back to Washington early tomorrow. I am here for another week. Tomorrow, early, I am going to the Phoenix Botanical Garden.

Friday Morning In Chandler For McDonald's Breakfast Burritos With Meyer Lemons & The Remains Of A Palm Tree Forest Fire

What you are looking at in the picture is a pair of very big Meyer Lemons growing in my mom and dad's backyard.

My mom and dad and I just returned from a Grand Tour of Chandler to have some homemade Meyer Lemon Meringue Pie.

Meyer Lemons are rounder than your regular oblong type lemon. Rounder and sweeter. Meyer Lemons are a cross between a regular type lemon and Mandarin Orange. Which explains their origin in China.

On the Grand Tour of Chandler we found another of those cool McDonald's restaurants, like we went to yesterday. At this one I had something called a Breakfast Burrito.

After the Breakfast Burrito the tour continued through downtown Chandler, eventually going past a big forest of Palm Trees that had been badly burned in two Palm Tree forest fires.

The remains of a Palm Tree forest fire looks very unusual. I regret I was too busy gawking to take a picture. Maybe I will be going by the Palm Tree forest fire again whilst I am in Arizona, and take a picture.

In an hour or two I will be back in Chandler for a BBQ. Spencer Jack may be there.

A Second Sun Lakes Walk Without Getting Lost This Time

If I Had A Pole I Might Go Fishing

This morning, unlike yesterday, I managed a walk along the Sun Lakes greenbelt without managing to get lost.

I did not get lost and I managed to find two more of the Sun Lakes.

My lungs are really appreciating breathing in all this clean air.

The Sun Lakes are also clean. I learned this via signs posted next to the lakes. During some months of the year you must release any fish you catch, but, with most months of the year, releasing is not required.

I saw catfish among the types of fish that can be caught in the Sun Lakes. So, a Texan would be right at home fishing here. You are restricted to using only one pole. This seems reasonable to me.

I Am Planning On Moving To This House

I don't remember if I have mentioned, previously, that the Southwest style of architecture is my favorite. My house in Mount Vernon, far north of the Southwest, was Southwest inspired, with a touch of Frank Lloyd Wright thrown in.

I liked the house you see in the picture. It faces one of the Sun Lakes. It has a driveway that leads to the greenbelt's paved trail. In the driveway sat an electric golf cart.

A lot of these Sun Lakes people motor about on electric golf carts.

With no golfing involved. You can drive to the Sun Lakes' Basha grocery store in your golf cart.

I have seen no electric Volt cars motoring on Sun Lakes' greenbelt's paved trail.

We are currently in a BBQ cooking frenzy here in preparation for this afternoon's BBQ in Chandler.

This morning, for breakfast, among other things, I picked a grapefruit. Making this the absolutely freshest grapefruit I've ever had. Freshly picked oranges, too. But, I did not pick the oranges.

I have been told there is a pass for me to go swimming in any of Sun Lakes' 5 swimming pools. These are heated pools. I do not know if my delicate sensibilities can handle a heated pool.

The 3rd Friday Of March In Arizona

I am up well before the arrival of the illumination providing sky orb on this 3rd Friday of the 3rd month of 2012, looking out my current viewing portal on the outer world.

I see no swimming pool, this morning, no matter what window I look out. Which is probably for the best, since it is only 57 degrees in this semi-chilly Sonoran desert. It is 10 degrees warmer, right now, at my former location in the humid State of Texas.

Last night I slept better than I have slept since I don't know when. It is so quiet here. The air is so clear. I know this Valley of the Sun metro zone has some air pollution woes at some times of the year, but it does not seem to have any right now.

Last night I did not need to use any medicinal spray to keep my respiratory system functioning. I am having no eye burning woe.

I am beginning to think that the air that I breathe in Texas may not be as salubrious for ones well being as one might wish it would be.

Today I am scheduled to go to a BBQ at my sister's house. No one I have spoken to has yet heard from Spencer Jack's dad. Or Spencer Jack.

Tomorrow I am going, with my sister, to some sort of function at the Phoenix Botanical Garden.

So far I am sort of enjoying being in Arizona.

Getting Lost In Arizona With Giant Saguaro Cactus & Tall Palm Trees While Being Late For Dinner

A Big Sun Lakes Saguaro

Well.

I am enjoying my first evening in Arizona. For the most part.

Around 5 I indicated I wanted to go for a walk to check out the local flora. My mom gave me the directions to get to the green belt where I would find lakes, cactus and palm trees.

It was fairly easy to find my way to the green belt via my mom's directions.

I walked around Sun Lake #4. I think there are 5 lakes in Sun Lakes.

After walking the green belt for a distance I decided it was time to retrace my steps.

Somehow I managed to get lost. My mom and dad live on Olive Lane East North. I somehow got on Olive Lane East South. Olive Lane East North and South do not at anytime meet.

Sun Lake #4 With A Tall Palm Tree

So, no wonder someone easily confused, such as myself, might get lost. That and the roads in Sun Lakes are a confusing maze of twists and turns.

When I took off to take a walk my mom asked if I had my phone with me in case I got lost.

When I realized I was lost I called. But I got a wrong number. I thought it was Tootsie Tonasket, but it turned out it was my sister I accidentally called. My sister was able to tell me I needed to find Olive Way East North.

I walked north on Olive Way East South all the way to its northern end. I was totally bum puzzled.

Bum puzzled is a new term I recently learned on Survivor.

Just as I was being my most bum puzzled my dad called to tell me it was time for dinner and that I was late. I told my dad I'd gotten lost, but my sister had pointed me in the right direction. At that point in time I thought my sister had pointed me in the right direction.

A few minutes later I realized I had no idea how to find Olive Way East North, so I called my mom's 24 hour help line. When I told my mom what intersection I was at she was able to direct me back to my starting point.

Where I had dinner.

Have I ever mentioned before that I don't usually eat dinner?

My First Day In Arizona With A Double Filet-O-Fish & Lost Bets

Desert Mountains East Of Phoenix

In the picture I am about 30 miles from being on the ground in Phoenix. It'd been about 3 years since I've seen scenic scenery of the mountain sort.

I was surprised by the big lake to the east of Phoenix. I later learned it was called Lake Roosevelt. Washington has a Lake Roosevelt on the Columbia River behind Grand Coulee Dam. I saw no dam that accounted for this Lake Roosevelt.

I had no annoying incidents flying US Airways today. Except for the fact that the last time I flew this airline it was still US West and then, in addition to something to drink, they also threw you a bag of something to open up and eat.

Hiking Through Sky Harbor Airport

Today was my first time experiencing the new thing, to me, of ordering small morsels of food and paying for it with a credit card swiping device.

This was also the first time I've flown since virtually every airline, except Southwest, charges to check in a bag. This charge to check in a bag seems to have caused people to try and take too much on board, which resulted in the overhead bins getting too full and causing those with wheeled on carry-ons to be told they had to check in their bag.

I said earlier today that my only walking today would likely be via the long hike through an airport. This turned out to be true. So far. The Phoenix Sky Harbor Airport helps speed up the walking with a moving sidewalk. At the end of the moving sidewalks I had to do some auto-walking en route to the baggage claim area.

When I finally saw the baggage claim area I also suddenly saw my mom and dad and sister. Soon my sister was driving us out of the Phoenix Airport. My sister said it was the biggest airport in the world. I did not disabuse my sister of this notion because I'd already been humiliated by saying that Susan Lucci had never been on Dancing with the Stars. My sister made a bet with me on this issue and then quickly used her smart phone to prove me wrong.

McDonald's Is My Kind Of Place

The loser of the Susan Lucci bet has to get into my sister's swimming pool. Methinks this may have been what is known as a sucker bet, with my sister, apparently, not knowing that me getting in a pool this time of year is no problem at all.

After we finally left the world's biggest airport my sister drove us all over looking for a place to eat.

I have to say, one thing has really struck me, so far, every where I go in the Phoenix zone the land is landscaped. Every intersection, every freeway exit, everywhere. It is such a contrast with a certain other area of the Southwest with which I am familiar that does not even landscape the freeway exits to its top tourist attraction.

Eventually my sister found this really cool restaurant called McDonald's. My sister told me all the McDonald's with which she is associated have been re-tooled into the slick ultra modern type one she took me to today.

Heavy Traffic In The Desert Outside Phoenix

I had a Double Filet-O-Fish. With some other things. One of which was a Mango/Pineapple Smoothie.

Soon after we left McDonald's, we left civilization and passed through desert that is Indian land. Eventually this led us to Sun Lakes and my mom and dad's place, which is where I am now.

It is rather warm. I don't know if air conditioning exists in this part of the country. I suspect it does, but it is not running at my current location.

I just checked. It is currently 84 degrees at my current location on the planet. The location I left a few hours ago is currently 74 degrees.

I think I'll take a walk around the grounds and take some pictures of palm trees, citrus trees and cactus.

The Ides Of March Dawns Warm & Humid In Texas

I am looking out my primary viewing portal on this 15th morning of the 3rd month of 2012 being very beware of the portentous date that is the Ides of March.

On this day, over a couple thousand years ago, in 44 B.C. to be precise, Julius Caesar was stabbed to death, from 23 knife pokings, by a conspiratorial group of Roman Senators.

Even though our current American Senators and Representatives are held in low regard due to their partisan squabbling, I guess we can take some solace in the fact that the politicians who represent the American Empire are better behaved, for the most part, than the politicians who represented the Roman Empire.

Changing the subject from assassinating Romans to the weather.

It is currently 68 degrees and humid at my location. It is 56 degrees and not humid at the location I will be located at in about 8 hours.

I have no idea what I will be seeing via the view from my primary viewing portal on the outer world tomorrow morning. Maybe a cactus, palm and blossoming orange tree.

The sun is now arriving to begin its illumination duty. This means it is time to go swimming one more time before I depart for a colder climate.

One Last Walk With The Keechi Creek Indian Ghosts Before I Relocate To The Sonoran Desert

Today was the last day for awhile for me to walk with the Indian Ghosts who haunt the Keechi Creek Natural Historical Area, formerly known as the Village Creek Natural Historical Area.

Currently the Keechi Creek Blue Bayou is being the Keechi Creek Green Bayou.

Today is being cloudy and humid in North Texas, at 76 degrees.

I think I will leave this humid zone for awhile and go spend some time in the Sonoran Desert.

Tomorrow I think my only hiking may occur via walking through airport terminals.

I got gas today on my way to walk with the Indian Ghosts, so I called my mom and dad to tell them I got gas and how much it cost. My mom told me I could have waited and just given them this important information tomorrow in person.

I had not heard from Elsie Hotpepper today til just seconds ago when she informed me that she had no clue. I have no clue what Elsie has no clue about.

The 2nd Wednesday Of March Dawns Warm In Texas Cooler In Arizona

The shadow of the soon to be skinny dipping thin man is up early on this 14th day of the 3rd month of 2012.

With about a week to go til spring I have my computer room window open this morning. It is currently 66 degrees outside at my location.

I see a long swim in my future this morning.

Spencer Jack and his dad are flying to Phoenix today. I don't know if I will be seeing them until a Friday BBQ at my sister's house in Chandler.

I keep forgetting to inquire if I should bring cool weather clothes with me to Phoenix. This morning I realized I could just check the Phoenix weather and draw my own conclusion. As you can see, it is colder, currently, in Phoenix, than it is in Fort Worth.

And Fort Worth's 5 Day Forecast is a bit warmer than the Forecast for Phoenix. I don't think I will shivering in Phoenix, though, unlike summer in Tacoma.

Ths sun is starting to provide its daily illumination service. It is time to go swimming.

Walking Today In Quanah Parker Park Listening To The Quanah Parker Comanche Blues

Today was the first time I've been back to Quanah Parker Park since I've been reading Empire of the Summer, a very excellent book about Quanah Parker and the Comanche tribe.

Over the years there have been many times when I have arrived at Quanah Parker Park and stepped out of my motorized vehicular transport to be surprised by the mournful sounds blaring from a solo saxophonist.

Today was the first time this year I have heard the Quanah Parker Park solo saxophonist.

I think the tune being played today may have been the Quanah Parker Comanche Blues.

Today, looking at the sign commemorating Quanah Parker at Quanah Parker Park, I could not help but wonder if, at some time during his raiding career, Quanah Parker parked his tribed at the location on the Trinity River which is the location of the park named after him.

One of Quanah's Parker relatives lived a short distance to the east of Quanah Parker Park, in the now, long gone, town of Birdville, near the now, long gone, Bird's Fort, which was located at the northern edge of the east side of River Legacy Park in Arlington.

When Quanah Parker finally gave up the fight and moved to the Comanche Reservation near Fort Sill, Oklahoma, he quickly worked hard to adapt to American ways.

Colonel Ranald Mackenzie, he being the man many think was the best Indian fighter of all the American Indian fighters, was the man who was finally able to get Quanah Parker to give up the fight.

The sign telling the short version of the story of Quanah Parker, in Quanah Parker Park, mentions that he became friends with President Theodore Roosevelt and Charles Goodnight.

The sign neglects to mention Quanah Parker's surprising friendship with Colonel Ranald Mackenzie, which began soon after Quanah's Comanches surrendered.

Mackenzie wrote letters on Quanah's behalf to Quanah's mother's relatives. It was Mackenzie who found out and told Quanah that his mother, Cynthia Ann and sister, Prairie Flower, were dead.

Quanah wanted to learn the white man's ways, asked Mackenzie to help him, and so Mackenzie did.

Quanah Parker Wearing
Business Suit & Tophat

In the years that followed, those who met Quanah Parker were at times startled by his refined good manners. Quanah would explain he was taught how to be like a white man by Colonel Ranald Mackenzie.

The Parkers rebuffed Quanah's initial attempts to make contact with them. I do not know, yet, if in later years, after Quanah Parker became widely respected in the Anglo world, and due to wise investments, the wealthiest American Indian, if the Parkers accepted Quanah and his offspring into their clan.

Are any of Quanah Parker's descendants leaders in today's Comanche Tribe, I can't help but wonder.

The 2nd Tuesday Of March Is Starting Very Early

Looking at the very very dark view from my primary viewing portal on the outer world on this 2nd Tuesday of the 3rd month of 2012 you might guess I am up way before the arrival of the illuminating sky orb.

You would be guessing correctly.

I woke up a 4 this morning and was unable to re-slumber myself.

Just a couple days ago 4 in the morning was 3 in the morning, prior to getting the great benefit of saving daylight time.

Three mornings from this morning I will likely be waking up in a place where daylight is not saved.

I don't know why they don't save daylight in Arizona. Maybe it is because they have so much of it. Not all of Arizona refuses to save daylight. North of the Grand Canyon is on Utah time. Utah does save daylight.

This morning, well before the sun arrives to begun its solar heating duty, it is 62 degrees at my location. Yesterday we got into the 80s.

These balmy temperature would seem to indicate I am going swimming this morning. I may not wait until the arrival of natural light.

See You At Prairie Fest 1 Saturday March 31 On The Tandy Hills

Previous to today I thought that due to the fact that I will be a thousand miles distant on the occasion of the first of the 3 part Prairie Fests of 2012, that I would not be able to do any March Prairie Festing.

As I so often do, I thought wrong.

I had erroneously thought that the Prairie Fests were happening on the next to last Saturday of March, April and May.

However, I have now learned, from the Don of the Tandy Hills, that the Prairie Fests will be happening on the final Saturdays of March, April and May.

So, I should be back in the D/FW Metroplex in plenty of time to do myself some Prairie Festing.

I like the changes made to the Prairie Fest. Having vendors and displays seemed an awful lot of bother, to me, for a one day event, with that event being very vulnerable to weather calamity.

That, and last year I really did not like the vendor calamity I found myself in when I found myself helping man the TRIP booth, when suddenly, in mid Prairie Fest, I am told it is time to dismantle our booth. And so I helped doing so, hauling all sorts of heavy things, like building blocks, through the festival grounds.

At one point I lost control of my building blocks and almost did serious damage to a young lady sitting on a hay bale.

To this day I do not know what the reason was for the sudden TRIP evacuation from the Prairie Fest. I tend not to ask questions, with it much easier simply to follow orders when being told what to do by a dominant female who packs heat.

Taking A Spring Break At Fosdic Lake With Comanche Braves, Duck Feeding & New Restroom Facilities

A Fort Worth Park Gets Indoor Plumbing

I was really pleased today to see some solid progress indicating that the City of Fort Worth is taking huge steps towards bringing its parks into the modern era.

Specifically, modern restroom facilities have been built near the Oakland Lake Park picnic pavilion.

What an upgrade!

Can running water be far behind? Imagine the luxury of being able to wash your hands after using the fancy new restrooms. Or being able to use running water to help facilitate a pleasant picnic.

With progress like this it is a wonder to me why so many people don't understand how it is that Fort Worth makes the rest of the world Green with Envy.

Comanche Braves Scouting Fosdic Lake

Yesterday I mentioned that I am enjoying reading S.C. Gwynne's Empire of the Summer Moon, about Quanah Parker and the rise and fall of the Comanches.

I am very impressionable and easily influenced by what I read.

Which may explain why, when I saw the scene in the picture above, I thought I was looking at a pair of Comanche braves on their Mustangs on a scouting expedition in preparation for a raid on Oakland Lake Park.

This marked the first time I have ever seen horses in Oakland Lake Park. From whence did they come? Who has horses corralled in this residential area? Could these Comanche braves be living under the Tandy Bamboo Teepee? Do these two horses account for the rash of horse hoof prints that have appeared all over the Tandy Hills' trails?

Fosduck Feeding Frenzy

Authentic Comanche built their teepee lodges out of Lodgepole pine logs, not bamboo. I suspect the Tandy Bamboo Teepee is not Comanche in origin.

There were dozens of kids on the loose, playing around Fosdic Lake today, in Oakland Lake Park. What is the holiday, I wondered?  March 12? Why are kids out of school?

Eventually I asked and learned it is Spring Break.

A mom and dad and little kid had the Fosducks in a feeding frenzy, today, as you can see in the last picture. I do not think the Fosdic ducks migrate north for the summer. They are too well fed whilst living in Fosdic Lake.

The 2nd Monday Of March Dawns Late With A Blue Rain-Free Sky

Looking at the outer world through the bars of my patio prison cell, via my secondary viewing portal on the outer world, it appears that the nuclear sky orb is well on its way to doing its daily illumination duty on this 2nd Monday of the 3rd month of 2012.

At Day 12 we are rapidly approaching the Ides of March.

I think I can type, without fear of once again being wrong, that over a third of March has now passed into history.

Now that we are on Day 2 of Daylight Saving Time I remember it is this particular time switch that I do not like.

Last night I found myself still up and about past midnight. Which had me up, this morning, after the sun.

If I find a one hour time change discombobulating, I suspect a 17 hour plane ride, to the west, that had me crossing the International Date Line, out in the mid-Pacific, would really have me messed up.

I won't be going swimming this morning. It is too late for that. That and it is also too cold.

My Regular Sunday Walk With Arlington's Keechi Creek Indian Ghosts Wondering If Buffalo Hump Visited Village Creek While Exploring The Empire Of The Summer Moon

The last couple days of rain has caused the Village Creek Natural Historical Area, aka Keechi Creek Natural Historical Area, to suddenly turn into a green jungle rain forest.

I had myself a very pleasant walk through the Keechi Rain Forest today.

I am currently reading the most interesting book I've read in a long while.

EMPIRE OF THE SUMMER MOON: Quanah Parker and the RISE and FALL of the COMANCHES, the Most POWERFUL INDIAN Tribe in American History, by S.C. Gwynne.

There are many reasons why this book is interesting, one of which is the areas talked about in the book are often areas of Texas with which I am familiar. Like locations of Indian Villages back in the days when there were still Indian Villages before the Texans evicted the natives in a primitive version of eminent domain abuse which in later years the Texans would perfect into a world class art form.

I'd heard of Buffalo Hump prior to reading Empire of the Summer Moon, but I thought he was a fictional Comanche chief made up by Larry McMurtry in some of the books in his Lonesome Dove series, like Comanche Moon and Man's Walk.

Buffalo Hump was born in the late 1790s, died in 1870. He was a powerful War Chief of the Penateka Band of the Comanche.

Buffalo Hump's Comanche name was Numu Tekwapu. This name transliterated as Po-cha-na-quar-hip. What this meant in English embarrassed the prudish Victorian Texans, so they took to calling Numu Tekwapu, Buffalo Hump.

What could Buffalo Hump's Comanche name possibly have meant, that Texans did not want to make a name for it, you can't help but wonder, can you?

The Comanche meaning of the name, which the Texans did not want to Americanize, was "erection that won't go down".

I suspect Buffalo Hump had many wives.

Some historical events, in Texas, have remained in the collective memory, like remembering the Alamo. Others have been largely forgotten. Like the Council House Fight and what followed the Council House Fight, that being Buffalo Hump's Great Raid of 1840.

Buffalo Hump was so mad about being betrayed by the Texans, at the Council House Fight, that he organized a big war party of Comanche, which he led from the north of Texas all the way past San Antonio to the Texas Gulf Coast, where the city of Victoria was attacked and the shipping port of Linnville was destroyed.

Buffalo Hump and the Comanche made off with a huge bounty of goods and horses. It was a long trek back to the safety of the Comancheria Nation.

The Great Raid of 1840 became legendary, until the legend faded from the collective memory.

Is Texas State History a required course to take to graduate high school in Texas, I can't help but wonder? In Washington, freshman year, you are required to take Washington State History. At least that was the case when I was in high school.

Washington does not have a lot of history, compared to Texas. There is no Alamo to remember in Washington. There was the Pig War between the United States and the British Empire, fought, primarily, on Washington's San Juan Island.

A pig was the only casualty of that conflict.

To pass Washington State History, among many bits of knowledge, you are required to know all of Washington's counties and their county seats. Washington has only 39 counties. Texas has 254 counties. I suspect no one in Texas can name every county in Texas and its seat.

I've known several Texans who matriculated through the Texas education system. I remember asking one of those Texans if she knew where the headwaters of the Trinity River were. She did not. I looked it up and found out. I have since forgotten.

I think I remember mentioning previously being appalled that Gar the Texan, he being a fairly intelligent, albeit somewhat poorly educated product of the Texas education system, expressed great surprise that Fort Worth was so named due to having started out as a fort. A small fort that was called a camp at its inception. I recollect no curiosity, from the incurious Gar the Texan, as to the source of the Worth part of the Fort's name.

I do not remember if I ever asked Gar the Texan if he knew what happened at the Alamo.

I suspect Gar the Texan has Comanche blood in him. He has the Comanche traits of being short and scrawny, with a big head covered by a mop of black hair, with a doleful, squinty gaze, along with the taking of multiple wives and possibly being benefited by Buffalo Hump syndrome, which would explain the ability to juggle multiple girl friends at once.

Speaking of Fort Worth, I must get around to sharing the story of Quanah Parker's mom, Cynthia Ann Parker's arrival in Fort Worth, after being kidnapped from her Comanche tribe by well meaning, murderous Texans on a rampage, who killed her husband, Peta Nocona, then grabbed Cynthia Ann and her baby, Prairie Flower, while Quanah and his baby brother, Peanut, escaped, never to see their mom or sister again.

The Rainy Start Of The 2nd Sunday Of March Thinking About Dick's Drive-In & Only Children

Looking skyward, via my primary viewing portal on the outer world, we can see it is not sunny on this morning of this 2nd Sunday of March.

A lot of rain has befallen this formerly unsodden part of the planet the past 24 hours.

It is currently 47 degrees, heading to a predicted high of 67, with more rain also predicted.

Speaking of primary viewing portals on the outer world, I don't know what mine is going to look like 5 mornings from now, though I suspect a blue sky will be part of the view.

Changing the subject from my favorite one to hamburgers.

I have not been blessed with sampling one of the burgers that has won any of the local best burger competitions, like Fred's. I have had a Dirty Love Burger at Tim Love's Love Shack and a burger at Kincaid's. I was very disappointed in both, particularly Kincaid's.

This morning the world made a bit more sense when I read that a reader's poll in Esquire magazine had picked Dick's Drive-In as America's best burger joint. The Esquire editors had figured California's In-N-Out or Virginia's Five Guys would be the top burger joint.

But, Dick's Drive-In won with 56% of the vote. I suspect part of this burger landslide could be attributed to the Seattle area's higher than the norm level of literacy and magazine readers.

Pretty much every time I am back in Washington I find myself, at least once, at a Dick's Drive-In for a Dick's Deluxe, Fries and a Strawberry Shake.

Changing the subject from burgers to blog post comments.

Two funny ones this morning. One about the serious subject of the problems with some Only Children, the other another comment to yesterday's blog post about me trashing an awesome industry....

Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Only Child Syndrome":

wow...i have a 10 year old only son and i am praying that he can grow up and have normal relationships....man, my work as a mom is even more important than i thought!! being a somewhat non-social person myself, i am going to have to come out of my comfort zone and start having more people come over i guess. lord help us all 

Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "I Have Nothing Better To Do Than Trash An Awesome Industry That Employs Millions":

I think I can safely say that I am the most prolific and least intelligent of all your anonymous commenters. None of the anonymous comments in this article are mine. However.