April Is Our Month for Severe Weather

That's a bit of a misnomer in as much as here in North Texas, all 12 months can, and have had, severe weather. We are the mixing bowl of Gulf moisture, jets from the west and cold air from the north. However, this morning we had a good ole-fashioned thunder bumper with lightening, downpours, and rumbles that shook the walls. I can't remember the last time that we had one that I took note of more than the one this morning. As the line of storms marched off to the northeast, I got the heck out of the house for a couple of reasons. One, I can't stand to be closed up in a house and two, I wanted to get some images of that immediate after-the-rain-look where water droplets were still hanging from plants and spring flowers and the fresh green look from grassy areas. Plus, I can also judge how focus is doing on the camera when the air has been cleaned of all the particulant matter that causes focus to change on it own and I'll be the first to admit that I have screwed up the settings many times to where the focus was off more than I like. Finding a good target area to re calibrate is critical and I have used the skyline of downtown Dallas from White Rock to judge that.

But first and foremost, my de-stressing trick is getting out of  the house. When I am out shooting, my stress levels nearly bottom out and my blood pressure drops to there lowest levels. So, from a health standpoint, being out and about for me is as good as it gets and I'm able to function normally.

People have ask where downtown is in relationship to White Rock Lake and Park.This is one of those  picture that says a thousand words. The sign is at the northern most point of the lake. The point where White Rock Creek feeds the lake is at the Mockingbird bridge which is below this sign a few hundred feet.  The exit here is an old fashioned clover leaf type exit going down and under the bridge. West Lawther is the far lake shore side nearest downtown's view. East Lawther has four points of entry while West Lawther can be driven from the bridge here at Mockingbird around to Highway 78, Garland Road.The lake is a little over 9 miles around.

This is the shot and is taken from atop the escarpment at Dreyfuss Club. It is slightly lower than the highest point known as Winfrey Point which is just south and to the left of this image.

The green space is between Lake Highland Drive (where the two new homes sit) coming down to the Cultural Bath House Center on Northcliff from where this image was taken. The cultural center is were the cultural events, lectures, theater, music and the like are held. In front of the center is the Water-Wise Garden planted by the Dallas Master Gardeners, Texas A&M extension services here in Dallas.