Egrets I've Had A Few But Then Again Too Few To Mention Today At Fosdic Lake

This morning's storm lasted a couple hours. Some areas of the D/FW Metroplex were hit with hail an inch in diameter. The hail that hit me was not nearly that big.

I don't know how many inches of rain fell. I do know when I drove to Target, near the end of the storm, there was a lot of water on the road.

By 12:30 the skies had brightened. So, I drove to Oakland Lake Park to walk around Fosdic Lake.

A lot of other people had the same idea. There was a guy practicing his golfing, a couple guys fishing, lots of walkers.

And the birds seemed in some sort of celebratory mood. I suspect wild storms are difficult moments in bird world. And they are very happy when the storm ends.

Usually the Fosdic Lake birds and turtles are quite skittish. Particularly the turtles.

But, today the ducks did not quickly duck for underwater cover as soon as I neared them. A flock of pigeons continued sitting on the ground, as I walked by them.

And the turtles stayed on their logs.

The oddest of the bird behavior was the egret you see above, on the Fosdic Lake paved trail. I thought as soon as I turned the camera  on it would fly away.

Instead the egret performed some sort of egret dance for me.

The egret did not seem to care in the slightest that I was getting so close. I think I could have reached out and petted the pretty white bird.

And then there was Fosdic Falls and Fosdic Creek. I'd not seen Fosdic Falls falling so much water before. I don't think I'd been in this location so soon after a big rainstorm.

So, that has been my exciting day so far. Swimming pre-storm, surviving yet another wild Texas storm. Followed by following an egret around Fosdic Lake.

And now it is time for lunch.

Turtle Today At Fosdic Lake,Wildflower Extravaganza At Tandy Hills Tomorrow

I was startled today during my brisk walk around Fosdic Lake in Oakland Lake Park, when I came upon the big reptile you see in the picture.

If I remember right, I think I've been told that during mating season male turtles hit the road looking for love outside of their usual water homes.

I remember coming upon turtles on the Horseshoe Park mountain bike trails on Lake Grapevine, far from the lake.

Despite their slow reputation, turtles can move rather fast when they want to.

But, I don't understand how leaving the lake, where all the turtles live, is going to find you a turtle girlfriend. Maybe this guy was coming from another watery place and was heading for Fosdic Lake, due to its reputation for having a lot of good-looking turtle girls.

Switching the subject from turtles to another subject.

The Tandy Hills are scheduled to be dry enough for hiking tomorrow. I know this because I got email this morning from Don Young informing me that on Saturday the Wildflower Extravaganza at Tandy Hills is taking place. Master Naturalist, Jim Varnum, will be your guide through the Tandy Wildflowers. Show up at noon at View Street & Lewis Avenue for a nature hike with a naturalist.

Under An Umbrella In A Downpour At Fosdic Lake Pondering Rush Limbaugh Heaping Praise On President Obama

You are with me under an umbrella, in a downpour, looking at Fosdic Lake in Oakland Lake Park, today around noon.

I rather enjoyed walking in the rain under an umbrella. I've not done that all that often in Texas.  Lightning striking made me a little nervous, but the rumbling thunder was slightly in the distance, so I felt slightly safe.

I have been having myself a wet day today. This morning I said I did not think I'd go swimming. And then the rain went into downpour mode, making it suddenly seem fun to go out in it in my swimming suit to go swimming in the rain.

The pool water was quite a bit warmer than the incoming rain and the temperature of the air. Was very pleasant. Except usually I do not get wet from the neck up. That was not possible today.

When the thunder started booming, as I was walking, and the rain started pouring real hard, I thought taking some video might be interesting. I just uploaded a YouTube video of today's walk in the rain.

But, before I get to that, one very strange thing happened today. I turn on my radio to WBAP/96.7, at a bit past 11, to listen to the opening of the Rush Limbaugh show. This is part of my aerobic routine, because usually I find him annoying, which raises my blood pressure. I think.

I was curious how Rush was going to spin the killing of Bin Laden and somehow make Obama a bad guy.

Well, first off, Rush had the same problem I just had. When I typed Obama, it came out Osama. Over and over again Rush made that mistake and then corrected himself, eventually saying he needed to refer to the guy as Bin Laden and end the problem. And then a few seconds later, made the mistake again.

Here's a blurb from today's Limbaugh email newsletter...

"We need to sincerely congratulate President Obama.  He has done something extremely effective -- and when he does, it needs to be pointed out.  He has continued the Bush policies of keeping a military presence in the Middle East.  He did not scrub the mission to get Osama Bin Laden."  -Rush

The above is a mild version of how effusive Rush was in his praising of Obama. I kept waiting for the sarcastic twist, that never came. Yes, Rush did get in some digs about how many times Obama used the words "I" and "me" in his message from the White House last night.

My reaction to the Osama news was odd. I think because it's been such a long time he's been the world's most wanted man. The news seemed somehow anti-climatic. I'd long gotten over the shock of 9/11. So much has happened since then. A lot of it not good. And now Bin Laden is finally dead.

I'm thinking what happened last night is just the start of a new chapter that may take us to some disturbing new places we don't really want to go.

And now my disturbing video of walking in the rain with lightning strikes...

The First Day Of May Has Brought A Big Chill To North Texas Which Had Me Shivering At Fosdic Lake

The weather forecasters got it right for today. It is in the almost 4 in the afternoon time frame and currently only 48 degrees.

When I went swimming this morning the water was way warmer than the air. It is not a heated pool.

Hours later, when I returned to the outside to drive to Oakland Lake Park, to walk around Fosdic Lake, when I opened the exit door from my abode I could tell I needed to be wearing more than a short sleeved t-shirt. So, I returned to my closet and added a long sleeved t-shirt.

I was not long walking around Fosdic Lake when it was clear to me I had no business being in shorts.

Yesterday we got into the high 80s here. I got real HOT, yesterday, hiking the Tandy Hills. Today it reminded me of what it is like to fly to Seattle, from here, in July. To go from 100 degrees to 50, such as was the case when I flew to Seattle on July 20 of 2008. After I landed at Sea-Tac and stepped outside for the first time, the shivering started. It lasted a month.

That is what it was like today. I did not take a very long walk. And the shivering did not last a month.

In the picture, at the top, of Fosdic Lake, you might think the lake had flooded around one of the Keep Fort Worth Beautiful litter barrels that aren't beautiful.

But, Fosdic Lake was not flooding today. Some vandal had decided one of the Keep Fort Worth Beautiful litter barrels needed to be disposed of in the lake. Or maybe a thoughtful citizen thought he or she was helping clean up the park by sending one of the litter barrels on its way to the Trinity River.

This morning Betty Jo Bouvier sent me a link to a real interesting BBC YouTube video that went well with feeling cold and also made me feel claustrophobic.

I'm feeling sad about Betty Jo Bouvier and Honey Lulu, because they are feeling sad.

Honey Lulu's mom died on Friday. Betty Jo lost both her mom and dad in the past 2 years.

Betty Jo and Honey have been extremely good friends for decades. Me, I sort of lost contact, and then re-contacted. Betty Jo and Honey Lulu have long been among my most favorite people I've ever known. I always liked both of them. A lot. My attachment to that pair goes all the way back to high school, when, apparently, among other things, Betty Jo, Honey and myself used to go swimming with very little clothing on out at Bay View in Padilla Bay in the stunningly beautiful Skagit Valley.

Neither I or Honey remembers this clearly, so I choose to remember it as skinny dipping episodes. Betty Jo objects to what she claims are my falsely recovered memories.

I am looking forward to my next trip to Washington. I've got so many people to see who I've not seen in awhile. And some I don't care to see who I have seen in awhile.

Walking Around Fosdic Lake Talking To My Sister About My Brother's Knees While My Eyes Burn

I was housebound yesterday, due to inclement weather, with my only outdoor activity being my early morning swim.

Today I escaped my confinement at an hour before noon and went to Oakland Lake Park to walk around Fosdic Lake.

I am currently not suffering from any rash that I'm aware of. But, I am suffering from extremely irritated eyes. As in itching and dripping tears, making it difficult to see the computer monitor.

I called my mom and dad while I walked around Fosdic Lake. They weren't home. So, I called my sister. She got back to Arizona from Tacoma a few days ago.

Tacoma made my sister sick. Same thing happened the last time she stayed in Tacoma. That time it took about a month for my sister to recover. It took me about a year to recover from the last time I was in Tacoma.

As I was talking to my sister, my mom and dad arrived. I asked where they were going and learned my brother is in a hospital getting his knee or knees replaced. So, they were going for a hospital visit.

My brother was a jock, something I avoided, and so he has had many sports related surgeries. All my siblings were jocks and all have suffered jock-related maladies, not the least of which is finding watching a baseball game to be a stimulating activity.

So far, today's predicted severe t-storms have not arrived at my location. It is only 65, so I have my windows open. This may be why my eyes are being so irritated. One never knows what is in the air one breathes at my current location.

I should call my parakeet in the mine, Miss Puerto Rico, and ask if her allergies are in overdrive.

Watching Litter Get Sent Over Fort Worth's Fosdic Falls On Its Way To The Trinity River

As soon as I stepped from my motorized transport upon arrival at Oakland Lake Park, today around noon, I could hear the roar of Fosdic Falls falling out of Fosdic Lake.

That would be the shadow of the Fosdic Falls thin man in the lower left of the picture, taking a picture of Fosdic Falls from the Fosdic Bridge connection to Fosdic Lake Dam.

There is a metal net-like device spanning Fosdic Creek at the point where Fosdic Lake spills over the dam, creating Fosdic Falls.

An amazing amount of litter backs up behind the metal net-like device, impeding the flow of water, sort of like a litter dam.

Today a man was risking being swept over Fosdic Falls in order to use a stick to try and remove some of the litter that was impeding the water flow.

I did not really approve of this man's litter removal method. When his stick snagged a piece of litter he tossed it on the other side of the metal net-like device, sending the litter over Fosdic Falls, sending it on its way to the preferred litter removal agent in these parts. The Trinity River.

The Trinity River is about a mile north of Fosdic Lake.

Above you see some of the Fosdic Lake Litter,  slowly bobbing its way to Fosdic Falls. This particular floating litter was floating at the west side of the lake, at the base of a cement stairway to nowhere that I run up and down when I am at Oakland Lake Park.

Insomnia On The First Tuesday Of April Only 7 Degrees Above Freezing In Texas

Looking out one of my viewing portals on the world, on the first Tuesday of April, you can see it is yet one more clear blue sky morning in Texas.

What you can't see is that it is only 41 degrees out there.

I had myself an Insomnia Night last night. When I finally managed to go into slumber mode I had myself an extremely detailed nightmare. Nazis were involved. I now sort of know what it is like when Nazis take over your town.

I see the Tandy Hills in my future for today. Yesterday's wind should have dried the hills.

The ubiquitous Anonymous left a  comment on yesterday's blogging about walking around Fosdic Lake, asking....

How close is Fosdic Lake to a drilling site? I'm just saying... 

I did not understand the premise of the question til I looked, just now, at what I said in the blogging. So, I guess Anonymous is suggesting my miserable cold like symptoms may have been being caused by a Barnett Shale Natural Gas drilling site being near Fosdic Lake.

Well, there is one a fairly short distance to the northwest of Fosdic Lake, maybe a quarter mile distant. I live closer than that to a Chesapeake Energy drilling site. I suspect it is the culprit behind my occasional misery.

Regarding my feeling miserable, the symptoms have abated, so far, this morning.

I don't know about going swimming this morning, with it now only 7 degrees above freezing, having dropped 2 degrees since I woke up the computer. I'll probably give it a try because the water is going to feel so much warmer than 37.

I will let you know how that goes, later.

Walking Around Fort Worth's Fosdic Lake Experiencing Misery Symptoms

That is Fosdic Lake in Oakland Lake Park you are looking at in the picture. Fosdic Lake is about a half mile east of the top of Mount Tandy.

I figured the thunderstorm that rolled in after midnight may have muddied up the parched Tandy Hills. So, walking around Fosdic Lake was my default choice today for some salubrious aerobicizing.

It is slightly hilly in the park that surrounds Fosdic Lake. And there are some long paved stairs that provide some verticality.

It is only 63 degrees right now at around half past 3. This morning when I went swimming it was 54 and very windy. The water in the pool was quite a bit warmer than the air. It was very pleasant.

I've got my windows open, with a nice breeze blowing. You'd think I'd be feeling real good.

However, I am having what seem to be incoming cold symptoms. It has been so long since I've been sick I don't quite remember for sure what it feels like. Something is irritating my eyes, I seem to be sniffling and stifling the impulse to sneeze. And there is a burning sensation in my throat.

Maybe it's just the heavily polluted air that I breathe, having a worse effect than usual.

If I get sick I'm going to be very, very cranky.

Don't Litter At Tonight's Fort Worth World Premiere Of TRIP's Up A Creek Movie Documentary

I am not absolutely certain, but I think trash and litter in the Trinity River may be part of what is covered in TRIP's "Up a Creek: the Movie."

I went swimming (not in a creek) this morning, even though it was only 40 degrees. The water was warmer. I did not stay in the water long enough to induce a case of the shivering trembles.

I went to Oakland Lake Park at noon to walk around Fosdic Lake today.

I've long been amazed at these ugly green litter barrels that litter Oakland Lake Park, along with these worn paper messages stickered on the barrels, saying "Don't Litter - Put It in the Can! Keep Fort Worth Beautiful."

Well.

You'd need to click on the picture to enlarge it, but, ironically, there is litter on the ground between the two litter barrels you see in the picture. There is a lot of litter in Oakland Lake Park. A lot of the litter floats in Fosdic Lake. I suspect this type litter is some of what ends up in the Trinity River when it goes in to flood mode.

At least we now know it is all the litter that is what is keeping Fort Worth from being beautiful.

I suspect if you go to the Stagecoach Ballroom tonight you may learn more about the bad stuff that goes in to and gets done to the Trinity River by its many abusers.

The Stagecoach Ballroom is located at 2516 E. Belknap, aka 377, in Fort Worth, just a short distance northeast of The Smoke Pit, with The Smoke Pit being my favorite place to get BBQ, whilst served by scantily clad servers.

The Red Carpet for the movie premiere starts at 6:30, with "Up a Creek" screening at 7:00. To fortify yourself, for viewing the movie documentary, adult beverages will be available. I'll be in the VIP area signing autographs with Elsie Hotpepper. Or not. I've not decided yet.

Below is map that should help you find your way to the Stagecoach Ballroom....

The Shadow Of The Fosdic Lake Thin Man On An Oakland Lake Park Ledge Thinking About Wink & Roy Orbison

The Shadow of the Thin Man was not on the Tandy Hills today. Instead the Shadow went walking around Fosdic Lake in Oakland Lake Park in Fort Worth in Texas.

I was sitting on the Fosdic Lake Pavilion's rock ledge when I looked down and saw my shadow. So, I stood on the ledge and took a picture. It made for a very different Shadow of the Thin Man picture than those that happen on the Tandy Hills.

Last night I got email from a New York based rock critic who is busy writing an article for Billboard magazine about Roy Orbison.

The hunt for Roy Orbison info led the New York based rock critic to my bloggings about Wink. It sounded like he did not make it all the way to the bloggings about Wink's Roy Orbison Festival. I told him that the Queen of Wink was his go to girl for info about Wink and Roy Orbison, saying I'd forward his query to the Queen of Wink today. And then I forgot. I'll take care of that as soon as I am done with this blogging.

Change of subject back to Fosdic Lake.

It is always a harbinger of the upcoming arrival of spring, and its wildflowers, when I see the first of a special delicate very bright yellow flower.

I would have picked a bouquet of those yellow beauties except for the disturbing fact that they don't really have a very pleasant fragrance.

I don't remember if I've mentioned it before, but I'm from the Pacific Northwest, Western Washington to be precise. The Skagit Valley of Western Washington to be even more precise.

Up in the mountains in Washington you will see wildflowers. But not so much in the lowlands. In the lowlands you see a lot of flowers though. Fields of tulips, flags, irises and bright yellow daffodils of the same type bright yellow as the Fosdic Lake yellow wildflowers.

Walking Around Fort Worth's Fosdic Lake Today Thinking About Old Bags In Tacoma

I could not get to one of my daily constitutional zones til around 4 this afternoon, unless you count my early morning swimming constitutional, which this morning somehow caused me a very interesting shivering sensation for about an hour out of the pool.

As you can see in the view looking north at Fosdic Lake in Oakland Lake Park, it is a nice blue sky day in Texas.  Well, this part of Texas.

It is currently 72. Windows open.

I just heard from my therapist, Dr. L.C., desperately seeking Elsie Hotpepper. I thought Elsie was with Dr. L.C., so I am of no use in the locate Elsie Hotpepper project.

I'd not gotten any email from my Tacoma Informant for awhile. I got one today telling me to look at Fubbo's Blog, because she'd had one of her incidents and blogged about it. I'd not looked at Fubbo's Blog in a long time, because, well, quite frankly, it's so badly written and so, well, uninteresting.

Apparently Fubbo was in her booth at one of the flea markets she works on the junk dealer circuit.

Fubbo was working the booth with some sad sap who hasn't figured out she is dealing with a sociopathic nutcase suffering from histrionic narcissistic disorder, who's a convicted felon who's done hard time for stealing 100s of thousand of dollars. And, currently this sad sap thinks Fubbo is a good business partner. The sad sap will wise up eventually.

So, this little old lady from Yakima comes up to Fubbo's booth and asks if she could have a bag to put her purchases in. Fubbo's "business partner" kindly gave the old lady a bag. Which set Fubbo off on one of her tantrums. Directed at both the old lady and the "business partner."

Fubbo making a big deal over a bag is classic Fubbo and why she was too toxic, by far for me to allow myself to be subjected to. Rather than worry about being 100s of pounds overweight, rather than worry about being addicted to psychotropic drugs, rather than worry about all the real things she should be worrying  about, Fubbo attacks an old lady over asking if she can have a bag and attacks her "business partner" who gave the old lady a bag.

Fubbo really was let out of jail way too soon. Psychiatric treatment should have been one of the conditions of her release. I don't think lobotomies are still performed.

On a totally different note on a much more pleasant subject. I told my mom last night I'd look at one-way options to Phoenix today. Bus, train or plane. I had it in mind that ground transport, without me having to drive, would be fun.

But then I started realizing what a living hell being stuck in a bus or train for 30 plus hours would be. This started making the 2 hours in a plane option seem much more appealing.

The only thing worse I can think of, than being stuck in a bus for 30 hours, would be being stuck in a flea market booth with Fubbo for 6 hours. No, worse would be being stuck on a plane next to Fubbo for 2 hours.

The First Wildflowers Of 2011 Are Showing Their Colors In Fort Worth

Just this morning I mentioned that in less than a month it will be Spring. I did not say in less than a month it will be Spring and Texas will be putting on its annual wildflower show.

Today for my mid-day constitutional I went to Oakland Lake Park to walk around Fosdic Lake.

Upon arrival I was a bit surprised to see color carpeting the ground in blue and purple wildflowers. And some of those beautiful yellow wildflowers that someone at some point in time told me are called Dandelions.

The pleasantly high temperatures that followed our unpleasantly cold temperatures must have confused some confusable plants into thinking Spring had arrived. And so they woke up and turned on the color.

It is 63 right now, a little before 3. I don't know if it is being warm enough to wake up the cold-blooded reptiles. Like snakes. Where does a big reptile, like an alligator, go when it gets way below freezing?

Elsie Hotpepper called me soon upon my arrival at Oakland Lake Park. I'd gotten out my camera and had it turned on to take a picture of a deflated boat that had joined the collection of litter that trashes up Fosdic Lake.

I turned off the camera and turned my attention to Elsie Hotpepper. Elsie was driving down the freeway at a high rate of speed when she called. It sounded like she was on a motorcycle.

I just saw incoming email on the other screen. Stenotrophomonas says it was not he who demolished the Tandy Bamboo Teepee. I fear the mystery of the Tandy Bamboo Teepee is going to remain an unsolved mystery.

My Windows Are Open In Texas On A Balmy Sunday Thinking About Going To Leavenworth In Washington

In the picture we are in the Fosdic Forest at Oakland Lake Park, in Fort Worth, looking north through the forest at a blue sky and a blue Fosdic Lake.

I ran the A/C while driving today.

My windows are currently open. It is 74. Ice Storms and Blizzards and Sub-Zero temperatures, with all the associated trauma, is slowly fading from memory.

I think I may now begin to reverse the gained poundage that has been caused by too much sloth, due to too much time spent in involuntary homebound imprisonment.

Just got an email informing me that Elsie Hotpepper is still pouting over being revolting.

My  mom called me last night while I was temporarily separated from my phone. I called back on my way to visit Fosdic Lake. No answer. My dad has made a very poetic answering machine message that never gets old, with a very clever rhyming of phone and tone.

I can't say who, because he or she does not want the burglars working his or her town to know he or she is over in Eastern Washington at my favorite tourist town, Leavenworth.

I suspect the Leavenworth visitor is likely back home, or soon will be.

I have not been to Leavenworth since one month before the 9/11 Terrorist Attacks.

I remember one very fun winter visit to Leavenworth, snow on the ground and one shopkeeper being totally loopy, giving stuff away. We thought she was under the influence of some mind altering substance.

I can't remember what it was she was giving us. T-Shirts? Souvenir mugs? Darn my failing memory. This was in the mid 1990s, fifteen years ago, give or take a year. And already I've forgotten details.

I'm hoping this return to pleasant weather means winter is over in Texas.

I Wandered Around A Windy Fosdic Lake Today Wondering Why Fort Worth Is Not The Most Romantic Valentines Day City In America

I made it to Oakland Lake Park today for a very windy walk around Fosdic Lake.

The wind was blowing from the south. Which seemed odd since we are scheduled to get some very cold air later today from the north.

Right now it is 53 with the wind gusting in the 20 plus mph zone.

The current plan is for tomorrow to get to a low of 6, with a strong wind making it feel way below sub-zero.

With snow.

Will this be a blizzard? I've only experienced one blizzard. In October, back in the 1990s, in a log cabin on the North Rim of the Grand Canyon.

I am stocked up on vittles. I've got 10 sticks of firewood in case the power goes out again. I've got several containers filled with water in case the water disappears again.

On a totally different note, did you get the news that El Paso is the 5th Most Romantic City in America? And even weirder, that Tacoma is the #1 Most Romantic City in America. The Most Romantic City in America List is a Valentines Day thing.

Why is Fort Worth not on this list? We are very romantic in this town.

Finding Mutant Trees With Elsie Hotpepper Today Walking Around Fort Worth's Fosdic Lake

I got back here around 11 this morning, after walking all around the Dallas Cowboy Stadium to check out what the Super Bowl has done to that ultra-modern structure.

Well, it has been tarted up like a cheap one of those types that a big flashy billboard warns you not to employ, that you see when you exit I-30 to try and check out the stadium.

So, I got back here, feeling like I'd had done plenty of walking for the day, when I got a call from a forlorn Elsie Hotpepper.

My one longtime reader may remember of late I have turned down  a couple Hotpepper hike requests. And I also turned down last night's Hotpepper saloon hopping request.

When Elsie called me around noon, sounding forlorn, and asking if I would go walking again with her around Fosdic Lake, I figured I was already tired of walking, so doing the slow Elsie Hotpepper walking would not bug me too bad.

So, I went walking with Elsie Hotpepper today.

I'd noticed the tree at the edge of Fosdic Lake that you see above previously. But not til Elsie saw it and said it looked mutant did I wonder if it was. For years fish that live in Fosdic Lake have not been safe to eat.

It seems possible that a tree who's roots sucked its water from Fosdic Lake might grow up to be the mutant tree you see here.

Maybe I should be more agreeable to doing some more Elsie Hotpepper hiking. Apparently when you walk slow you see things you do not notice when you are moving fast.

I should have taken Elsie Hotpepper with me to check out the Super Bowl today. Who knows what she would have noticed that I didn't?

Fast Talking & Slow Walking Around Fosdic Lake With Elsie Hotpepper

You are looking at the Oakland Lake Park Forest, south of Fosdic Lake, late this afternoon.

There were a lot of people today, walking and jogging and playing around Fosdic Lake.

Including Elsie Hotpepper.

Elsie Hotpepper had not previously had the Fosdic Lake  Experience. With the temperature in the balmy low 60s I thought it was a good time for Elsie to get some fresh air.

That and Miss Hotpepper wanted to consult with me regarding one of her current plots.

Elsie Hotpepper is a fast talker and a slow walker. My preference is that both talking and walking be fast.

I don't think I was of much use regarding helping Elsie with her plotting.

I really do not have a very well developed Machiavellian type mind. While Elsie Hotpepper may be a direct descendant of Lucretia Borgia.

Lucretia is such a nice name. I wonder why it is not used more often?

If I were to reproduce again, and the reproduction was a girl, I think I would name her Lucretia. Lucretia Jones has a real nice ring to it.

A Fosdic Lake Gas Drilling Rig, Sinkhole Filling Operation & White Tree Buds

A Barnett Shale Natural Gas Drilling Rig hovered above Fosdic Lake in Oakland Lake Park today.

The hovering gas rig was the first interesting thing I saw when I drove in to East Fort Worth's best park today.

Or second or third best park in East Fort Worth. I forgot about Gateway Park. And the Tandy Hills Natural Area.

But both the Tandy Hills and Gateway Park are further west.

I have just decided that Oakland Boulevard is the arbitrary dividing line that is where East Fort Worth begins, which does make Oakland Lake Park the best park in East Fort Worth.

A week or so ago I found a sinkhole on the west side of Fosdic Lake. Within a couple days the growing Fosdic Sinkhole was surrounded by crime scene type tape to prevent anyone from sinking into the Fosdic Sinkhole.

Today I was surprised to see a crew filling the Fosdic Sinkhole.

What fortuitous timing, on my part, to happen to be in Oakland Lake Park right when this operation was underway.

Now, I am no Sinkhole Engineer, but, as a rank amateur, as far as the Science of Sinkholes goes, I think one should find out what is causing a sinkhole, rather than simply filling the hole with dirt. That just seems sort of common sensical.

It will be interesting to see if the Fosdic Sinkhole now reappears. I will try and closely monitor the sinking situation.

Today while I was walking around Fosdic Lake I noticed several trees have had white buds spring out on them.

The picture I took of the buds does not do justice to how cool and sort of otherworldly the white buds looked.

Even though we chilled to around 20 last night here in North Texas, apparently some trees are somehow getting the message that spring will soon be here and it is time to start sending out some new growth.

I hope further freezing does not nip this budding trend in the bud.

Giant White Puffballs & Startled Ducks Today At Fort Worth's Fosdic Lake

Today as I walked across the grassy field that surrounds Fosdic Lake in Oakland Lake Park I came upon an area where stems with big white puffballs were sticking out of the ground like gray-haired wildflowers.

Such a delicate looking bloom.

The increase in temperature, to a relatively balmy 12 degrees above freezing, had more people out walking and running than when the temperature was 12 degrees on the other side of freezing.

When I got to Fosdic Lake I got out my phone to make a call and saw I had a message. It was Elsie Hotpepper, urgently wanting me to call her back because she had something to tell me that would amuse me.

I like to be amused, so I called Elsie back. But, she did not answer. Instead I got a long message about tropical islands, cruise ships and saloon hopping.

I take this to mean that Elsie Hotpepper is taking a cruise ship to a tropical island to do some saloon hopping. I guess I can see where I might find that amusing.

I don't previously recollect ever seeing as many ducks taking refuge on Fosdic Lake as I did today. Many of the ducks were huddled near the shore. Others were huddled in the water.

The lady in the picture is looking at the ducks with an expression of horror. I think she thought those were dead ducks that had washed up on shore, rather than live ducks who were at that location by choice.

The lady looked relieved when I startled the beached ducks and they flew out on to the lake.

Startling ducks and relieving old ladies passes for excitement in my sad little world.

I Lost A Pair Of Sunglasses & Got One Of The World's Biggest Tandy Hills Prairie Fest Coffee Mugs

After Saturday's Tandy Hills 2nd Annual Manly Men/Wild Women Hike I got a message from one of the Manly Men, initials "DY", telling me he'd lost his ultra-valuable Ray Ban Sunglasses somewhere on the Tandy Hills.

I said I'd look for the Lost Sunglasses the following day, even though I was fairly certain I would have about as much luck as finding a needle in the proverbial haystack.

Well, the next day, Sunday, it rained and snowed, rendering Sunglass Hunting impossible.

Yesterday, Tuesday around noon, I returned to the Tandy Hills and began a Systematic Sunglasses Search.

After an undetermined length of time I miraculously found the Missing Sunglasses.

On my way to Oakland Lake Park, this afternoon, to walk around frigid Fosdic Lake I pulled up to "DY's" abode just as he and his lovely wife "D" were leaving.

"DY" stopped his vehicle and went to his front porch to retrieve the BIG Prairie Fest 2010 Coffee Mug you see above. "DY" told me this mug is a valuable collector's item worth $100s.

Which sort of indicates that those lost Ray Ban Sunglasses must have been very valuable.

That Prairie Fest Coffee Mug is so big, I'm not sure I can lift it if it has coffee in it. I sat it beside my pool with the hot tub in the background just to give you an idea as to the ENORMITY of this Coffee Mug.

An Extremely Cold Walk Around Fosdic Lake After Talking To My Latest Tacoma Sister

Around 4 this afternoon I headed towards Fort Worth's most dangerous neighborhood to conduct a Glasses/Mug Exchange.

More on the Glasses/Mug Exchange later. With pictures. Well, a picture.

After the Glasses/Mug Exchange I went to Oakland Lake Park to walk around Fosdic Lake.

The air was warmer, at 30, than yesterday's Tandy Hills Hike at 22 or 21, the 30 degrees felt way colder today because the sun was being blocked by clouds.

I did not enjoy walking in the cold too much.

Earlier today I was up in Southlake. On the way back from Southlake I called my Arizona sister who is currently under a form of self-imposed house arrest in Tacoma, helping take care of one of my other sister's new babies, Theodore Ryan and Ruby Jean.

It sounded like the twin care was going well. My Arizona sister, who is used to being warm, is being kept in the Tacoma House Dungeon. I was incarcerated there for a week, during a horribly long month in the summer of 2008, before I got a reprieve and was allowed to move to the much warmer third floor. I don't think these type issues are as serious in winter when the furnace is running.

I do not know how long my Arizona sister is planning on being in Tacoma. I would think a week, at the max, is a safe duration.

I must go for a long soak in a hot tub to try and put a stop to this shivering sensation I have going on right now.