Cowboys, Cement Trucks and Undecided

Well, today was actually a fun day, but it was rather slow pickings for something not in previous news cycles. Some days are like that. Still, I had a interesting discussion about photography basics and I even saw a current syllabus given out at a local college. The photographer that was taken the course was understanding of the requirements of the course and  had already shot some of the items. One of his images was very good. What I did find amazing was that the syllabus mentioned the "golden hour" but totally failed to explain what the golden hour was and how it played an important part of photography. The golden hour is technically what is called, "civil twilight", a period after the sun has set but before the Vail of darkness moves in over the light being reflected into space that gives enough light in a spectrum that makes everything "pop" in a picture. Civil twilight occurs twice daily. After the sun sets, and before the sun actually appears over the horizon in the morning, and is that light that lights up where we can see but the suns rays have not reached us just yet. Personally, I like the morning civil twilight more than the end of the day civil twilight. It's just a preference, but it is important to know when it appears and how long it will last. That is published by the Naval Observatory and is a program like sun rise times or moon rise times etc.,etc.

I was photographing a line of rusted panels along an industrial street which is not paved. There is a cement plant at the far end and also BNSF tracks where cars are sorted and moved  into the businesses with sidings. My car was already dirty so it really didn't matter that the dust being kicked up by the cement trucks coming in for re-loads was settling over my car. It's going to get washed off tomorrow with heavy rain and storms tomorrow that is part of the system that brought 10-inches of rain to LA and Southern Cal. We are going to get heavy downpours and winds could reach 70 MPH in some of the storms,

In a cloud of dust and a hardy Hi-Ho Cement Truck.

A family member ask if I would take a group picture on their iPhone at a quinceanera. He ask and I always will take a picture. When he thanked me for the picture of the rather large group, I ask if I could take a picture of  the men's hats. This was a nice hat.

This is the road off Harry Hines into the new Parkland Hospital. The building is so massive and a cantilever building also.I really have been studying the building for that perfect shot. I'm zeroing in on a solution but I'm not there yet. This is the small part of the cantilever structure. The main  part of the building is on top of all this and coming this way to the left of the three rows of rooms that can be seen here. From down town  you really get a feel of just how big $1.3 Billion dollars can build in a hospital of 800 rooms--no doubles-- plus all the other services that go with a major trauma center. The county announced that the old Parkland of the JFK era is up for sale. It includes 12 buildings across the street from this new structure. UT Southwestern Medical  is using some of them and of course, they just built the new William Clements Hospital, a 400 bed teaching hospital less than a mile up the road in the west campus of the Medical District

Mockingbird Dogs It Up In Style

Going past the entrance off Mockingbird Lane, just before the turn into the Big Thicket at White Rock, the old dog park is no more. The  new dog park is more than  just more. It's fantastic. There really isn't any comparison between  what was the old and what now is new. Even the dogs are happier! Really!

I parked in one of the few spaces along E Lawther Drive before the first marina and walked back over the foot bridge to the trail entrance just before where W Lawther and E Lawther meet on the trail side. Two things were really popping out at first sight. Since Amy opened the White Rock Paddle Company about five years ago--the days when she wore her pink ball cap--the canoe, kayak and paddle board rentals have skyrocketed. As I approached the foot bridge ramp, dodging one bike after another (it's decision point there, were you must decided to go left or right because otherwise, you are going to hit a solid stone wall).

I counted 23 people standing in line to rent equipment. As I looked toward the open waters of the lake, there were  more  on the lake than what was in line. Now, it's only fair to say some of those were private kayaks and paddle boards. Most of the canoe-looking craft were actually bass boats with fishermen in them. Never-the-less, it is also fair to say that people are enjoying White Rock Lake like I have never seen before.

At the apex of the walk over the bride, looking toward the dog park, the new open water area that is collared off from where White Rock Creek flows into the lake, under the Mockingbird Lane bridge, was filled with neon green tennis balls and dogs chasing them all over. It was so obvious that the dogs were enjoying the time of their lives. I was a bit more than just stunned at how obvious it really was. Dallas Parks and Recreation must be commended at a project that is without reservation, a hit!

The newly revamped and ungraded Dog Park on Mockingbird  at White Rock Lake

The dogs were having the time of their lives! It was that obvious.

09-28-15: edited to add enjoying and to delete have

Something New for the New Year

Today  was my  first trip out in the past five days. The cold isn't good for the heart at my age. That's what I am told at any rate. It was a trip to the drug store only to find that I must go back again tomorrow for one medication that was out of stock. So, while out, it would be a chance to get lunch and make a trip around the lake for the first time in 2014.

The ceilings were very, very low lending themselves to that feeling of gloom and doom. A mist was falling just enough to keep the intermittent wipers on their highest setting.  It was almost, at times, like there was trying to be fog. In fact, a couple of landmarks at the lake had their tops covered in fog. Since fog is defined as a cloud lower than 50 feet, the credence to ceilings being low was upheld.

The old entrance to The Big Thicket had been undergoing a bit of construction that looked very much like some kind of sign, but at years end, it was not yet determined. But, today, there were several new signs-- long needed-- marking not only the Big Thicket, but the cut-off to the pump and filter buildings on the west side of the lake and a new nautical and Big Thicket route marker. In fact, they look really nice, even covered in the fine droplets of water.

Someone today was complaining on Yahoo that there was only one picture to a story they were commenting on. Someone else commented that [they]  "assume you know what the word gallery means. Did you click it on?" I realized that people still have trouble navigating on the web, so I will remind every one that you click on one of these images and it opens in a more viewable condition. Try it! It doesn't cost anything!!

Nice New Sign



Gloom and Doom Winter Day

One of the television stations were doing a piece on the re-make of the dog-park. A million-dollar redo. The bike and pedestrian bridge is blocked off at the east end and the trail is blocked off at the west parking lot entrance. That's a lot of ground being made ready for construction. The jewel of the city park system is getting her crown polished up. Looking good!!

A totally new sign that was needed. It sits at the end of the bike bridge with the back to the dog park across the water and at the foot of the Big Thicket Hill off Mockingbird.

 

New on the Geo.Bush Turnpike.

Went out to an insurance agents office today because of a change in medical plans this year. Two years ago, the stretch along the George Bush Turnpike was open fields. Today, it is development  and money and development and more money as fast as the pneumatic hammers can spit nails. The sad part is that its close to my brothers and I liked at one time driving out there. Truth be known, I still like going out to see my brother, it's just not as fun getting there today! Some guy passed me on the service road going faster than the traffic on the turnpike. A block the other way sat two Plano motorcycle cops enjoying this 75* weather a week before Christmas. It all goes with growth and development.Or so I'm told.

New Construction now is  filling in the open fields in Plano.

Along the Coit to Alma Section of the Geo. Bush Turnpike.

 

A Personal Request for more Color at American

American Pilots Agree, then U.S. Air makes offer of  8B$ U.S. for American. Anyway you look at it, the polished aluminum finish will most likely change. Why? because the new fleet of planes at American will be composit and must be painted.  So buckle up. The ride is still gonna be bumpy a bit longer but your seats should stay fastened to the floor.

 Actually, a new face lift wouldn't be a bad thing with the old look being one of the oldest in the marketplace. It's tired. It needs to be upgraded. Be bright, but not white! Let's put some color on Runways 17R,17C,17L;18R,18L and 13 R and 13 L. Now that would brighten up the sky over DFW and the world over! When Brantiff first started using color, they were the talk of the industry. Southwest still gets instant notice when one of their animal planes is spotted. United had a chance with their new paint scheme but missed the mark.American, let's get on it!  Win one for DFW big time.