Unsettling Sights Today

It's a pelican.What else can I say. Pelicans rule!!

The sun broke out and that was the signal to get the heck out of the house. By the time that I got to the lake, police were all over the lake. That's not a problem.  Usually it is comforting to see the men in blue, but today was different and it could be felt emotionally

By the time that I made it around to the old T&P trestle that was replaced into the new trail bridge, I saw three officers with open frame shoulder butt firearms.  One lead the pack with the most amazing blood hound that I have ever seen. Seeing the dog working was amazing and while I can't say what was going on officially, as I got around to the curve where the Katy Trail Extension comes under the T&P right -a-way police cars had the entry to the parking lot on the curve blocked off.

Another policeman and his car were parked and he was talking to some visitors. It did seem at that point that the previous scene on the back side of the curve was some kind of training exercise. Whether a real training mission or an actual search makes no difference. Things like that just don't happen at the lake and when you see it in action first hand with guns drawn and in arms, it is upsetting visually. It's a city park. There are other places where it would not be so visible for a training exercise.

Be that as it may, if it were something that would be a public safety issue, then I can see that in a city park...there would be no other place to hold it because it would have  to be an actual investigation.

This house is off the beaten path, but I pass it because there are other things going on around it. It's still one of my most favorite architectures. I love big veranda porches. The second deck open turret. There are a lot of people that have never seen this lovely place. So, editorially, this is a fine example of Southern Architecture in old Charleston, old Savannah , Pawleys Island.

This shows how choppy the lake really was today and the gentleman at times, was loosing more ground than he had just gained. Tiring Labor for sure.

A Big Boy sits;Two poodles get a boat ride and a Mixed Lab poses.

Got up early yesterday morning. Headed out to Fair Park. The "confirmed" move on the museum's face book linked page on Twitter said today was the day. The Union Pacific Big Boy 4018 steam locomotive was scheduled to move to its new home in Frisco,Texas. After two hours of waiting with several dozen people, railroad workers and a few wannabe hotshots , the Union Pacific main line would not permit the move over their tracks. The dead rail siding out of Fair Park must interchange with the UP before being transferred to the Burlington Northern Tracks. After 14-months of observations, one would tend to piece together a little undercover political maneuvering being displayed between a couple of factions involved between the railroads and jurisdictions. That is my observation based on prior knowledge of the situation. It goes without saying that burning bridges is never a good thing.Having said that, the bottom line is many people with interest in railroading  had that precious Sunday off wasted;some being very hurt, not once but several times, during the course of this move to Frisco. Another thing struck me as being odd. An old Wichita Falls REA rusted truck was missing from Fair Park's fenced in area for the former museum. Not a word was said about that. HUM? File that one under, "Keep an eye on that",Casey Jones.

While switching was about to begin to jockey things around, the railroad was going to exercise their muscle under the color of "safety". It was time to get out of that mess and find a source for my special project this summer: "Seniors and Retirees and their Pets at the lake". It didn't take me long, either. I stopped at McDonald's and got lunch to go, drove over to Dryfuss Club and sat on the hilltop watching the TOP O' TEXAS ride at Fair Park cycle up and cycle down  while I ate my lunch. Afterwards, it was time to get some great animal shots. Over by the marina area, it was quick to book up the afternoon with three great dogs. Two were poodles belonging to a couple and a Lab mix that loved his tennis balls and the water.

People have fun with their animals at the lake and spend a lot of time and money to keep those pets safe and happy. Enjoy a few choice shots.

The F-7A

Captain Greg his wife and their two poodles go Hobie Kayaking

Ace, a mixed Lab loves the water and the two tennis balls in his mouth!