A Contrast Between Earth and Sky

Yesterday was  the most perfect day to be outdoors. It was 63 F, the sky was deep blue and the humidity was almost now existent. I drove to the lake, parked, got my backpack on and I went for a long and slow walk, stopping to look at wildlife,birds, trees loaded with fruit and  a lake that could have been a mirror. It's about 8 miles from the lake to downtown and the reflection of the high rises made a perfect copy on the water.

The fall prairie grass on a rolling hill

The return of hundreds of pelicans on their annual migration

The interesting part of this post for me is that standing in one spot, I see a field of wild prairie grass  on a rolling hillside and looking from that spot directly overhead is a sky of migrating pelicans with eyes set on the lake. Earlier in the month there was a post that announced that the pelicans were back. Well, the mass directly overhead will swell the population by a several time factors. It was without doubt a contrast between earth and sky in North Texas.

Remember The Old Barometers

No one talks about the old barometers that we grew up with hanging on a wall or on a mantel. Some had a thermometer and a clock. It was the barometer that was the most interesting. It had little pointers that you could mark the setting and see if it went up or down. If it went down and sometimes really down, you knew that a bad storm was on the way. In the wintertime, that usually meant snow!

While they are still used today and the weathermen still report the readings daily on the weather forecast not much attention is paid to them. Even the Weather Channel reports in millibars rather than in inches of mercury. I suppose that is in part because millibars are metric and uniform worldwide

The point here is this: The lowest reading recorded in the East was during the Hurricane of 1938 in New England and Long Island  at 946 MB of mercury. This storm (Sandy) is now at 952MB. While it is low--very low-- I still relate to what a low reading did to us that grew up with old barometers recording in inches. Anything that got close to the 28.00 inches was a deep low pressure or major storm. It was a reading that got people excited and started making plans. [Us kids] didn't know exactly what was going on but we knew something was brewing and we took notice.
 

The blizzard of January 26,1978 over Lake Erie saw 20 foot snow drifts and of course blizzard condition winds. As the low pressure  moved out over Lake Erie the lowest pressure reading was 953MB or 28.05 Inches of HG(Mercury). That was only 34 years ago. Less than the once in 50 years or only a third of once in a 100 years type storms, This will be #4 of once in a hundred or 250 years that I have lived through to date.

The 952 MB being reported for Sandy now is only 1 MB off from the Blizzard of 1978 and that was 28.05 inches. If it hits the projected 946 as some experts forecast, then the readings will be down in the 27.90 range. A normal for good weather is 30.00 inches and 31.00 is super blue skies.

 The conversion forMB is the mb reading times 0.0295301 to convert to inches. Since some of you most likely still have that old barometer handing on the wall or siting on your desk or siting on your mantel go set the pointers and see how much more it drops. Don't feel bad if you do still have an old barometer,it's one of those things that we know about the weather that the younger generations have no clue about!  Don't it make you feel good to know these things!

                                             

Don't Mess with New Year's Day!

Old Bench, hay bales and pumpkins!

A cute scarecrow in the middle of Pumpkin sales.

Yesterday, I noticed four or five large-scale landscape projects putting up Christmas lights and  it's not even Halloween. The stores are getting geared already for the holiday season as we all know. I tend to favor the traditional more than all the hype. The day after Thanksgiving is early enough for Christmas.  The sales would still be the same and everyone would not be as tired as they are when it's over. The rush to get the sales dollar for the next holiday before we've had the first one can only be described as Greed. You can't cut it any other way. If it's not Greed, then stay within the boundaries of each holiday. "Oh! I can't do that," you say.......well, my friend, then it really is Greed. Yeah, I know, some of  you like the rush of the seasons. It could explain why I have put up two Christmas trees in the past 10 years.

Going to the garden center, getting a small bundle of bow branches (for the scent), a couple of scented candles, an ornament here and there and voila! Christmas spirit. The old adage: less is more. It really has a lot more meaning than one might think. It's less habit, more mental and the spirit seems to be more genuine. That's what I like most of all.....the feeling of it being genuine.

I just had a thought. The advertising calendar is 3 to 6 months ahead of our regular calander. The thought is that I should celebrate on that schedule. Any one know where I can get Easter stuff this time of year?  Once, I knew a renown Anthropoligist that left his Christmas Tree up so that his son who was in his wife's uterus at the time would see the lights of the tree and the decorations when he was born seven months after the last Christmas.

Maybe we really need to re-think this whole thing. One wall could be Halloween, one Thanksgiving, one Christmas  and one Easter. The flag pole in the yard would do the Memorial Day, Veterans Day activities, Labor Day and Columbus Day and President's Day  could be landscapes outside with the flag pole. Cupid could be in the flower beds shooting his arrow toward the roof line near the chimney where a red  heart and ribbon would be hung.

That leaves the rest of the year time to celebrate National Ice Cream Day, National Pizza Day, National Spaghetti Day, National Chocolate Day, National Secretary's Day, Where is New Year's Day, you ask, It's right where it should be. The first day of the year when I can  sit on my rear, drink beer and watch college football! And don't even think about tampering with this day in any form. It's just fine like it is already.

This reminds me of Breckenridge, Colorado up in the mountain mining camps. The green is evenly mixed with the gold of the Aspen trees and all one hears is the sound of wind and running stream waters.

 

Scenes of the Season

A pumpkin patch at a local UMC in Dallas but very close to Plano.

Between here and there but not here because it's more over there, the season of fall has begun to play its magic. The trick has been more of a treat so far, but it's still early in the season. Just as Aida begins its run at Winspear Opera House and goes to the outdoor plaza for a free offering and picnic, before it begins its indoor performance, a healthy and strong cold front blows in from the North. It is also the much anticipated opening of the Klyde Warren Deck Park, a 5-acre park built over the Woodall Rodgers Freeway that has for years cut downtown off from the Uptown area. This isn't just a park to go sit down. Although, you can do that. It is a park of planned activities including an outdoor performance stage that will fill with bands come next spring and summer. There are hundreds--yes, hundreds of trees and gardens. And no, the trees roots won't grown down into the Woodall Rodgers making it like some spooky cave by next Halloween. Engineers know about these things. It's a bag of tricks that is a closely guarded secret to the society of engineers and they ain't talking!

While the much cooler weather is  great, it does present some discomfort for the thin bloods! They scream (I suppose because it's  Halloween) that it's c-o-l-d ! One thing you learn quickly about Dallas is that not everyone has thin blood. There is a second group, the diehards, that wear shorts and t-shirts all year long. Yes, even when it does get a bit more chilly. So, you acknowledge the ones screaming that it is c-o-l-d but pay little attention to them for the most part.The final group (the third) are the ones that  are dressed like they are in Churchill Bay, Canada  in mid January with more quilted fabric and fur than the village Eskimo's  wear that live in Churchill Bay.

Here are a few images from today and note the beautiful colors popping out. The temperature has just dropped about 30 degrees with 20 MPH North winds gusting higher. I'm in shorts and t-shirt but had the sense to put a long sleeved heavy shirt on and with a sweatshirt hoodie tossed on the front seat for back-up. It is weather sent on the wings of Angels to me.

Hopefully, I can ride the Red Line to City Place and take the McKinney Avenue Trolley through Uptown and see if I can get some shots at the Klyde Warren over the weekend. Monday would be a better day but I'll watch the weather and see how things go.

This afternoon as the cold front blew through. It was mid 80sF before hand. Tomorrow---59F--maybe!

These are from White Rock and then a section of Seasonal Witchery. I might have to do a couple of post to get the images on here so let's see how it comes out space wise.

The Return of the Big Pelicans

A pelican takes flight

It's nature's  Park Bench for the Birds !

The pelicans have returned to the lake once again. The gulls will follow soon. Then--the cycle ends and it starts all over again for next year. Somethings in life are timed by their cycles.

An Urban Pumpkin Patch

You would never know that it was ten days from Halloween with the North Texas temps riding into the 90s today. Of course, we already know that that is going to change come this coming weekend as a very strong cold front arrives and knocks the temps back down in the lower 50s during the day and a good chance to see a freeze with urban temps in the low to mid 30s!

It turns out to be a perfect day to find that jack-o-lantern and get it carved for when the cold weather hits and the witches in their pointed hats sail the night sky's on their broomsticks under the light of a full moon.

So, the good people of  Arapaho UMC have made it easy for you to purchase your pumpkins from them. They have a crew of little red waggons where you can load your pumpkin up and pull it to your car. They were moving pumpkins today when I was there. Their selection was great and the displays helped to get you in the season.

Great Selection

Great Customer Service!

Paddle Boarding on a Fall Afternoon

A paddle boarder works his forward stride.

Now, the glide from the stride!

A paddle boarder gets in a good workout on the lake between the dam and the water pump station at White Rock. The pump station building--a historic landmark--is getting a face lift thanks to the city of Dallas and the water district. The trail across the top of the dam and the front of the water pump station are currently closed,although the risk-takers continue to make tracks.

A Rough Day at the Fair Today......and Now This!

We've all seen the midway ride at carnivals and fairs that is a swing and as it spins around, you go higher and swing out at an angle. Now, engineers created the same ride but it takes you up to 200 feet and then swings. Well, at this writing, approximately 2300 hours, there are 24 people stuck at the 200 feet level at the State Fair. Dallas Fire Rescue is still working on a plan to get people down. They have been suspended up there for nearly two hours already. Twelve swings with two people per swing........the last one to be rescued could well be into the wee hours of the morning.

For those of you that are shaking your head and shivering just thinking about hanging 200 feet in the air, here is something that will shake and shiver you to your bones........Six Flags at Arlington just blew up the old ride that was a parachute that dropped you from 200 or 300 feet. The kicker,is that on that very site, they will replace it with one of these swings..........at 400 feet in the air.........I guess bigger,faster,higher is replacing common sense. Yes, I know, the rides are engineered to be totally safe. That helps me understand this bigger,faster,higher thing more than ever.

Now, the Texas State Fair has a great record of safety over the years. Eventually, somethings have to go a bit nuts and/or fail. This 126th running of the Fair ends it near-month- long run this Sunday. Two more days. I'm crossing my fingers and toes that the last two days go without incident.

Big Tex Burns

At approximately 10:25 CDT Big Tex broke out in smoke around his collar and motorized mouth,then broke out into flames. The only thing remained was his big steel frame and his two arms (still sleeved in material from his shirt). At 13:00 CDT his steel frame was traveling through the streets of Fair Park to an undisclosed location to be inspected by local fire officials.

State Fair Officials have already announced that Big Tex, who began in 1952 in Kern, Texas and was sold to the State Fair Board,  has stood stead over the fair for 60 years  and will be rebuilt. Beginning anew by next years State Fair a new Big Tex will reappear,bigger and better than before.

http://www.featurepics.com/online/Big-Tex-2358092.aspx

In Great Admiration and Respect

Today, in the warmth of a delightful fall afternoon, I started out in search of that one fall splash of color that say, "here, it's not New England but it can be from time to time almost as perfect." Last year, I found it in a patch of woods beneath the dam at White Rock  in the old fish hatchery stands. It was every bit as pretty as I've seen in New England, which is hard to wrap my mind around while remembering that while there are stands of maple trees in Texas, they are many,many miles away from the Dallas area. But every fall, I begin the annual search.

My mother, as a little girl, had grown up with some pretty famous names in baseball coming around. She was nearly 80 before I was able to find out that she had been a Dodgers fan and even rooted for the Yankees a few times. On the other hand, I had grown up on the St. Louis Cardinals and later the Detroit Tigers, but I did know the big names of the day even if they played for the opposing teams. Thinking back now, I had shoe boxes of baseball cards. and mom was hard to beat in answering questions about facts printed on the cards. This really was a side of my mom that I wish that I had understood more then than I do today, but thankful I heard her tell some of the stories when she was growing up.

Yet, when I start out on a shooting trip, the trips are pretty much routed out in a circuit and it follows the events and on-going construction, openings, discoveries of new projects starting or seasonal event. The shoot schedule isn't that large of a schedule but it does have to consider car or train, walks or doctor's appointments , shopping or living in general. The price of gas has cut down on a lot of travel by car and the trains have been a good back-up, but  sometimes, there is that magnetic-like pull that causes you to follow your instincts. Today, although it didn't start out that way, ended up that way and I'm happy that it did.  Mom was a rather self-contained person that would be like an earthquake that she knew or even had a friendship with some people. But, the proof was in the pudding as they say and she usually came out on top in that department. Yet, even today, I pay respect  to the dearly departed  when I can. After paying tribute to one of mom's -never-would-have-guessed friends, I decided that I would go in search of one of my boyhood idols that was in the same cemetery and not very far from where I stood while visiting one of mom's friends.



The plaques on the crypts of Mickey Mantle and his wife.
The two boys are in crypts below their dad.

Note the rows of copper (pennies) stacked up from visitors to the crypt. The two that I found most interesting were the stone and the bent nail. Stones are usually a Jewish tradition left after a visit. The bend nail, I am not sure, but it has it's significances most certainly.

The American Flag stands in the corner of the private crypt area where Mickey is entombed.

It is with much respect and admiration that I post these images in the love for the sport, the players, the institution that baseball is to so many. Mickey, you were my hero in baseball.
 

The Things I Find on the Way To The Doctors.

To make a long story shorter, I had a Doctor's appointment that I had on the brain was 9:20. Turns out that is the appointment in February. The one today was 2:20, not 9:20 so I'm ready a bit early. After checking the e-mail and checking on the web page and the blog, I got my shoot list out to see if there was some place on the list that I could shoot and end up at the Doctor's about the right time. As luck would have it since Mr. Murphy had already dealt me one of his laws ----I headed out.

Dallas has a couple reality TV shows being filmed here. One is the popular A&E," Storage Wars Texas". The other, Discovery Channels, "Fast 'N Loud".The storage war series from a photo shoot point of view is not the storage lockers as much as the places in the Design District where they get their items appraised and in  one case,  Dr, Mo's retail shop. And, of course, as far as Richard and Aaron are more popular it is the garage rather than the auction barns. The luck of the draw today made more sense to head out to the garage of Fast "N Loud, aka Gas Monkey Garage.

As luck would have it again.......today......there was a sign on the door that read, "Closed Set  Do Not Enter." The doors were half down and you could see legs from the knees down. The most interesting was the fact that the traffic was unbelievable. People were everywhere taking pictures. So it really wasn't that bad of a day from capturing a moment in history. There was a sign that I debated whether to shoot in whole or in part but decided to go ahead and shoot the full sign since the address was already published on their website  Gas Monkey Garage. Normally, even in an editorial situation I try to be fair and show respect.

Since the show is a super good show and the Discovery Channel has done such a great job with the season...tune in and check out the show.

Note the sign on the door!

The Swag Van is Stoker

 

A Chilly Fall Afternoon Full of

outdoor events, peaceful moments and  a big broadcast satelite truck hundreds of miles from  its base.

Beautiful Turtle Creek in Uptown Dallas Area just off Cedar Springs Road.



Dallas,Sunday,October 7,2012 (Editorial Use):At the opposite end of Cedar Springs Road on the back side of Love Field  at Bachman Lake ,sits a big broadcast satelite truck for a television station in Tampa-St. Pete area. It's several hundred miles from its base as it sits here.

 

Signs are Everywhere

Fall is in the air. This is only the first week of October and already December temps are in the air. There are other signs as well. While at the lake yesterday, looking across to the other side, the tops of the trees were showing some yellows. On the trail the wild cherry trees were already dropping cherries and the birds were going nuts (so to speak). This first real taste of Great Lakes weather won't last. Already, the weathermen are talking about 80s returning by mid week, but the cat has snuggled down in her comforter a little deeper than most afternoon nights and  the heavy knit sweaters are at arms reach, just being on the safe side.

It is the time of year that I really have come to love more than spring although they both are weighted pretty much the same on my scale of seasons. Spring just happens! Subtleties before it pops out and announces that it has arrived. But, fall--that takes preparation and getting ready for winter. Watching the animals get ready for winter is awesome. Squirrels stashing nuts, birds packing seeds and nuts and berries, migrating birds overhead as they do their annual migration to warmer spots in South America and Central America. Just a walk in the park is never boring.

Plus, I'll let you in on  a little secret. I can't take the heat like I once could so the cooler temps makes being out more enjoyable  overall.

Due to the
LBJ I-635 redo from the High 5 to I-35E (a 11-mile stretch)



 

Wild Cherries

Here are a few images that  need little comment. Enjoy.