The Day Before The Storm

90 MPH winds hit the Metroplex early this morn.  A southside airport had several planes that were damaged. Several homes south of Oak Cliff were damaged.  Behind the first front comes front #2. It is in the mid 70s this morning. Later, a wind advisory kicks in with up to 40 MPH winds and then the second front. It will drop temps by about 10-15 degrees for tomorrow and the next several days. The redeeming factor is S*U*N*S*H*I*N*E folks!! That Sun with a big Thank You!!!  It is Springtime in Texas!! Weather changes by the hour  It also looks like the weather will be cool with plenty of sunshine for the largest St. Patrick's Day Parade in the Southwest. It kicks off Saturday morning down Greenville Avenue in the North Park and Park Lane area and runs two miles down to SMU Blvd. From then on, it's let the party begin on Lower Greenville.

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Raindrops on a Red Bud Bloom

Nature's Canvas

Foggy afternoon on the lake

 While the weather has been so crappy lately, I have been playing with the settings on the camera again. I'm using an Olympus that I have used the past 9 years after putting the Nikon in the bag still waiting for the service repair ticket to come from Nikon's customer service.

More Pictures: St. Patrick's Parade

The Rolls, The Marine, The Chief,The unknow

Cute girl, but I don't know who she is.

I love bagpipes. If I had a set of pipes, I'd go to the lake and pipe all day.

They sound good, too! That's a semi trailer converted to a moving stage. with garage doors or flaps.I really don't have that figured out yet.

And Here It Is Like Clockwork

Living in the Great Lakes for many decades it  did not take long to always count on the annual St. Pat's Snow Storm. It is wet. It is heavy. It is a heart attack waiting to happen if you hand shovel it and are not in good heart health. It has always arrived one week either side of St. Patrick's Day. Hence, the St. Pat's Day Snow plus/minus 5 days either side.

With the odd weather we have been having, I was beginning to think that maybe the tides have turned on Ole St. Pat's Snow. Nope! The eastern seaboard is getting hammered and the worse is yet to come. Come Tuesday, next, the measurement will be in feet, not inches.

It never really sunk in until one year, I decied to buy a new car in the spring rather than in the so-called best bargin days of fall. My thinking was that if I purchased a new car in the spring, the snows would be over, hence the salt on the roads, hence another year salt free for the undercarriage.
The car was purchased. The next morning, when I looked outside, I could not believe my eyes. The snow was up to the front bumper. Later that morning, I was talking to one phone with a friend in Chicago and was relating the story to him. He said to me, "well dummy, you always wait until we have had the St. Pat's Snow!". He then explained about mother natures fare well to winter. I started watching from then on and year after year the ground got covered with snow that was heavy, deep, wet and the hospitals ER's had a run on heart attacks.

So, since the St. Pat's Day Parade down Greenville Avenue is tomorrow, Saturday, the  eleventh of March, it reminded me of what the eastern seaboard will be experiencing this coming week. With 100,000 linend up on both sides of  Upper Greenville for the parade, the real block party continues on in Lower Greenville. I hope to get some images for the live news feeds (as images). We had a weak cold front come through this afternoon and will come back over us during the night as a warm front. Showers and T-storms could be an item in the morning, but by parade time of 11A.M. CT, things should be looking up and the sky should be opening up as the afternoon progresses.

For those of you getting snow (like Professor Pat in Boston) and others, I ask: Do you know where your snow shovel is? Last year, Pat sent me a picture of a big snow pile with a shovel sticking in it with the caption: "I'm in here somewhere?" I have just one golden image to share today.

The beautiful gold necklace tassels with new leaves already appearing.

Record Setting February

We have had five 80-degree days in February this year (11 for the entire winter). That's an all-time high--pardon the pun! Did I say that tomorrow and Thursday are in the mid 80s? Actually, that is to warm for me. My preference is for that 65-72 range and through the most of spring. Or, at least until June. It is already stacking up to be one of those hot summers, I'm afraid. We normally get 18-100-degree days in a summer but I remember not that many years ago we had some 40 odd days of 100 plus.

It seems to me that not that long ago I posted something about not having a blog that turns out being a weather report! I'll have to check on that, for sure. But, I must admit, that out side of the gloom and doom days of rain and low hanging clouds, I have enjoyed the sunshine. In fact, staying in the house when it is sunny just isn't something I can do anymore. The instant the sun hits the window just right, it's time to head out the door.

Yesterday, was just one of those days that I had sunshine, good subject matter and a good day with the editors submitting  images for publication. I'm rather looking forward to the St. Patrick's Day parade down Greenville Avenue. Up coming will also be the Dragon Boat Races on Lake Carolyn in Las Colinas. Finally, the Las Colinas Entertainment District  is rising out of dirt across from Cottonwood Four Seasons and the anchor, the Irving  (Las Colinas) Convention Center.

There is construction going on under the bell tower at University of Dallas. While there looking at the construction information boards, the news earlier in the week that Irving's mayor will not seek re-election this year; it also came to mind that the talk about what to do with the land where the old Texas Stadium once stood was brought up again. As, I'm driving over some of the new roadway the thought came to mind that with all the flyways criss-crossing, there isn't going to be any land left to develop it seems. The point is--all this construction--all the different political jurisdictions--it's just amazed that things are getting done finally. Then--there was one project that I cannot recall what it was, but what I do remember is that the completion date was 2030 or 2040. Breaking out in a laugh the thought was--2030-2040, most likely, I won't be here!! So, I put the camera in the bag and headed for home.

New Entertainment Center at Las Colinas

From Carpenter Freeway up to O'Connor and Williams Square

This has long been promised to Irving Residents.