A Hundred and A Half Shots and Not One Bird

I'm actually pretty proud of myself. This morning, I got my breakfast made, eaten and dishes loaded in the D-washer, poured my travel cup full of hot coffee and out the door I went. It was just after 8am. I made a quick pass at the lake and remembered and were reminded again, that I had promised myself that I would not go to the lake on Saturdays and Sundays. As I was en route from home, there were two rows of bicycle riders decked out in their little Lance pants going north 2-by-2. There were 15 rows 2-by-2s or close enough counting while in traffic. That was my first clue that I needed to stay away from the lake.

The second clue was when I actually came down the ramp into the park and while I had to stop for the stop sign, here came bikers, runners and then more little Lance pants. And, while "we" are to treat them the sames as if they were cars, they hardly ever stop for the stop signs (which are are required to do. It's even posted on the parks information boards around the park). That was it. I turned around and headed toward Deep Ellum. I love to see people using the parks. Especially, in an urban environment of a few million people, it's "the great escape". I have long supported parks and the work that the parks and recreation division do. Just imagine what it would be like without those parks in that same urban environment. But, with use comes regulations and the bikers have taken over. Forty-two million bucks in  bike and hike trails  and they still insist on riding on the road. In fact, the info board and on line addressed that point: if they get to a point in their sport that they feel compressed, they should seek other avenues for their riding and training. Ha! They will never feel compressed--they have egos so inflated that compression isn't in the cards. And when City Councilmen are approached, they write it off as if nothing happens. It takes---sorry to say---another few to be killed before council does anything. There has been deaths already.

While, en route to Deep Ellum, it hit me that I had not walked the Lower Greenville area on foot since the new improvements were made. So, coming up on the area, I made a trip down upper Greenville, Middle Greenville in the "M" streets section and then on down to Lower Greenville. While Middle of the "M" streets section  does have sidewalk cafes, it's the Lower Greenville section that  has both the cafes, character and a more mixed crowd of the millennium's (22-35) and my generation of baby boomers (53-71).

I parked (which is totally awesome to be able to park in Lower Greenville on any day or hour). Walking up each side, then crossing over and walking back down the other side, it was comfortable and I got to see a lot of the old architecture, the old haunts that have been remade and what I think of as Character--that if it was removed, it just would never be  the same.

From Lower Greenville, I drove all the way down Ross Avenue into downtown and over the Houston street bridge where the new Dallas Streetcar line runs from outside Union Station into Oak Cliff's Bishop Arts District. There was parking along the park side of Houston at Zang and I parked and walked back across the old Houston bridge to see the view of downtown Dallas and the twin arches of the Margaret McDermott bridge over the Trinity and the Margaret Hunt Hill bridge up stream

This is the way it should be done. Come out of the apartment or house, get on your Vespa/Moped and meander on down to the cafe where you can eat breakfast on the sidewalk  and watch the people, check your e-mail and text your friends or girl or mate  that, "all is well"

a mile plus from the McDermott. The view was really good in the morning sun. I came back down Commerce Street into the three tunnels taking Main street back toward Lower Greenville through Deep Ellum. Much to my surprise, I saw not one of the horse drawn  carriages, but two! As far as I know, it must be an expansion from the carriage company that runs the downtown livery because Deep Ellum has not been on may radar that I'm aware, until now.  So that was a new addition that should pan out well for the visiting public that want to tour Dallas.

As I got back into the car, the heat and humidity had hit. The sunroof stayed shut and the windows went back up as the AC got activated. Betsy is kind of like an old horse in that regard. She knows when I get tired and kind of just heads in the direction of home like an autopilot.

Since there are really more than I can post today, and some interesting ones, this will probably be a multi post this week as the heat starts toward the 96 degree mark by Friday. Although, our normal for this time of year is about 92. It's just to early to be that close to 96-degrees---come on September!!

Bards Do Sleep

While the taste of spring is all over the place, the smell of smoke and sight of it on the horizon from West Texas fires filled the air on a strong North wind from the passage of the cold front in and during the first bells of the day and throughout the daylight hours. The storms all moved along the cold front North and East to Minnesota. There were only very light showers, although, I am taking the morning weatherman at his word because all I remember is hearing the air conditioner come on a couple of times during the night. The temperature actually rose over night until the passage of the cold front. So, we were able to dodge a bullet on the tornadoes and strong thunderstorms.

It was a few minutes shy of one o'clock before I was able to leave the house. With the beautiful sunshine, but North wind and much cooler temperatures, I dressed in layers. And, as expected, I was peeling off the top two layers as the afternoon wore on and the sun beat down on my back. Yesterday, I was in shorts with and a T-shirt as the temperature hit 83-degrees. It's been a weird winter and the spring has started out that way, too! In fact, maybe that is why my days have been unside down and right side backwards of late.

The Creighton University women's rowing team has been at White Rock since Monday and will be here until the competition race with SMU is over by noon on Saturday. The lost a coupe of half day practices because of high winds earlier. I got a chance to talk to the bus driver that I have chatted with for a couple of years. He was telling me that he is about to retire and that this would be his last trip down here. His wife will be retiring also, he said. But it isn't to be precluded that he is going to set on his Iowa porch and watch the corn grow. He has a business plus he has a farm, he also manages a farm that is in the family and he plays golf. I have always enjoyed talking with him because he has a since of humor like I do.He doesn't worry about things that he can't control, like me and he has that same viewpoint that I learned from my dad that has a bit of sarcasm at times. Of course, the secret of that is knowing when to use it and when to keep quiet. I'm going to miss his visits to White Rock.

From there I made my way to Winfrey Point, parked overlooking the lake and ate my Fuji apple. It would tide me over until dinner. Then, as a final check on wildlife, I found the Bard owl and the nesting pair of Red Shoulder hawks. The female red shoulder was on the nest again and the male did bring here a bit to eat. There were two more photographers in the area that drifted over. But my images of the day are new growth for cards and marketing pieces and the cute Bard was actually caught sleeping with his head dropping. I had been a bit worried about him falling out of the tree, but then I saw those massive hooks embedded into the bark of the tree. Better the tree bark than in skin, that's for sure. 

Click on any image to enlarge all three.

A wasp nest already underway for 2017 with a wasp working on the nest.

A beautiful Ukulele. The man strommed a couple of cords. The sound was ever so mellow.

An there sits the Bard Owl fast asleep! So cute. Animals are just like us. Or, we are very much like them. There are still people who think that they aren't like us at all. Pain, Blood, Hunger, Life, Death. I sure can't tell the difference. To me, animals actually help us understand who we are more than anything else on this planet.

Only The Second Time On Antibiotics

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Well, I'm sicker than a old dog and that's two days in with the antibiotics which is only the second

Red Shoulder Hawk dead center

Same

Moved but still dead center

time that I have ever taken antibiotics. My thinking is that since I have not taken them on a regular or routine agenda they should attack this little bacteria like no one's business.

The weather here is totally miserable. Before I sat down to write this post, I heard this racket outside then a clap of thunder and then lightening and thunder again. I walked over to the window and at first sight all that I could see was clear sky, then I look out on the sidewalk and it is covered in hail (hence the racket). It's been a roller coaster of temperatures since Christmas. One day it's 40 then its 75 the next day. We have been getting these upper air disturbances every other day regularly. Oh, and then, there is the wind with 5-10 MPH today, 40 MPH gust the next. I cannot remember a winter like this in the past 15 years.

Looking at my shoot log, this crazy weather is beginning to show up there too, which shows up later in sales down the road not just a month but for as much as a quarter since buyers buy on a quarter cycle ahead of the season. The editorial  images are needed to augment those gaps but even that has been rather sporadic at best.  If it wasn't for the love of the photography in the first place it would be the time to be making some  decisions like: it's time to retire from retiring. Which I know I will not do until the lights go out.

I've been watching a couple of trees at White Rock where a pair of Red Shoulder Hawks claim as their hunting grounds. A couple of days ago when I was feeling pretty lousy, I spotted the male squirrel hunting. I stopped the car and shot from the car, which I seldom do, but I just didn't feel like getting out and chasing down a bird that can fly faster than I can walk and that's after I back-up and park. You will need to click on the image so that it opens up larger to get a better view, otherwise all you are going to see is trees and branches. But, it opens up pretty well when enlarged. I can't get better than 100 percent since I lost the use of my high power lens on the Nikon camera. Olympus keeps telling me that they are bringing to market a ring that will allow my Nikon lens to be used on the Olympus camera. That will give me an added 50mm of power to get that 150 to 200 coverage that I lost.

Fresh Fish for Dinner

Over the years of doing this blog, there has been a lot of fish gone into and come out of White Rock Lake. Of course putting the fish into the lake is a job for a Texan driving the tank truck from the Texas State Fish Hatchery. But, catching them is a sport, fun, a way to pass time, or to satisfy that taste for a fresh fish cooked that special way to suit the individual taste buds for anyone. In fact, most of those that have been heard putting down the quality of fish at White Rock has come from those that don't know what goes into testing the quality of the lake and the fish environmentally, or, they don't want everyone bringing their fishing gear to cutting into their favorite fishing hole. ( say what?)

There is a new bench at Dryfuss Club overlooking the lake above where the steps at the end of the stone wall are located. The view is nice, however, a word of caution: the birds sit above you and drop their dirt on you. One got me today hitting the lid of my lunch container squarely in the center. Luckily, I had put the lid over on the other half of the bench and it missed me and my cardio lunch of fruit, sharp cheddar and some other goodies.  While sitting here, because the light was to my advantage, I watched a silk filigree descent from the tree with many, many small caterpillars crawling up and down the filigree string. By the time I finished my lunch and got  the camera over to the area that had produced the sight, there was not many left and it seems that the ones that did reach the ground had become bird food or had made haste to hide. Visible from the new bench was also the black smoke from the 4-alarm apartment fire in Irving.

It was a good day to be outside. By the time it was time to pack it in for the day, the humidity had also arrived. Thickening clouds were evident of that fact. There was also a healthy supply of mosquitoes, also. AARGH!!!
*****************Click on any of the images to enlarge**********************************

One of my favorites--the blue iris

See the sting of creatures descending

About a 2 pound white bass-type fish.  Nice!

Monarch's Arrive in North Texas

To me, it was getting a bit late in the season for Monarch butterflies to arrive. They leave the Great Lakes and Canada in early June. By August , usually they are enjoying the wildflowers here, stocking up on strength to make it on to Mexico  for the winter. Until today, I had not seen any! Then, like a thunderstorm arriving, they were showing up here and there more frequently and have made it here for the 2015 migration.

While watching for monarchs I ran across two senior citizens that I stop to  chat with  for a while. One is an elderly Chinese man.  We communicate with hand signals. I speak no Chinese and he speak very limited English. The second usually is sitting on a bench overlooking the lake with his wife. But, today, I got pictures of my Chinese friend fishing--as he always does. I let him know that I am going to take a picture or two and he generally agrees.

I spent about two hours shooting goldenrod and butterflies and getting my annual shot of a falling leaf onto the docks,. It's usually is one of the first trees I have found each year that drops its leaves before Halloween. Over the years, I have several file shots of that dock. Each with that trees leaves on the dock. Strangely enough, the always land in about the same place.

Here's a couple shots from this afternoon. I changed the settings on my camera today and was testing out the settings. If you haven't  figured it out by now, I don't put the ones that technically are within range to post and list with my agent on line. Funny how that works. If I could watermark the good ones, I would, but of course, they can't be sold if they are watermarked. It's a catch 22 anyway you go. Quality control in the twenty-seven cent stock marked is tuff!

A friend at the lake.

The arrival of the monarchs

Hay fever but it's still pretty.

23 September 2015: edited for clarity and to add a comment.

Mr. Owl, The 7-Year Search Is Over.

I've heard about the big owl at White Rock for years. While people tried to describe where he was hanging out, I never saw anyone actually looking for him. In fact, those that tried to explain the area of trees where it was thought he lived, either could not or did not want to reveal the actual location. People sometimes show their own insecurity in such matters because they want a certain location as their own. Find a photographer with a 400 or 600 MM lens on their camera and observe! It's more interesting than watching the duck races at Eddie Gossage's little camp ground north of Dallas International this weekend (alright, I like Eddie, so his little camp ground is formally named Texas International Speedway and the office race is the Duck Commander 500).

Any who (pardon the owl pun), it has just been one of those weeks. I had three fires burning, so Monday was the day to work on putting them out. First, came the battle with Time Warner Cable. For weeks they have advertised that on April 7th that they would be going digital and you needed to pick up an adapter. I did that last week-end, standing in line for the better part of two hours. The adapter set on the  floor in front of my TV until the day before. I put on the adapter and called the number given to me by the TWC lady when I picked up the adapter. An activation number. It was then, that I found out that I was loosing channels. No where had the advertisement advertised that the change to digital would do that. The first call on Monday netted a goose egg. Cable 1, me nothing

By Tuesday, I had regained some strength and it was fire number 2 with Aetna insurance. It appears that Aetna, has a very messed up formulary for medications that they pay for under their coverage. The one drug that has worked better in treatment happens to be one that they have decided not to pay for. It was time to take on Aetna. I filed the appeal. My doctor didn't want to put his neck on the line but didn't like the fact that I was probably going to have to change up the med because Aetna didn't want to pay for it. 72-hours of e-mails and wait, e-mails and more info and wait, Bingo! Aetna called to say that they were going to pay for the drug anyway. Second call on Tuesday netted a win for me and the doc. Big Companies 1; me 1.

Wednesday, fire number 3 was a "life-time guarantee" on a 5.5 Qt glass-covered skillet purchased at Sam's Club 6-years ago.  Normally, I would not even fight something like this, but I know that the vendor had problems with this pan in the past and Sam's  Club, though reluctantly, honored the life-time guarantee. Now, as luck would have it, Sam's is letting their vendor duke it out with past customers. At this point in time, the vendor is sending me a pre-paid label to return the pan for inspection. This fire still smolders in the debate world currently.

Thursday, it was a battle with Walgreen's. I had two refills at the pharmacy. I go in to pick up the one refill that was a partial (Walgreen's didn't have enough stock to fill) The Aetna decision had come down and was now in the system so I submitted the refill on line.While at the pharmacy picking up the partial that was now filled and ready, the pharmacist said that I would have to come back tomorrow because the second refill would have to be a partial as well, since Walgreen's was out of stock to fill the second refill completely. (UPDATE:NBC5 10 April 2015)WALGREEN'S ANNOUNCED THAT IT WILL CLOSE 200 STORES BY 2017 (now we know why I have to make 4 trips for 2 scrips, don't we.)

It was time to clear the head and go look for an owl. After searching for 7-years, finally, I found the owl. He had been driven up higher in the canopy by a 600MM photographer, the sky was getting dark with building thunderstorms in the large grove of trees, but, trying to make lemonade out of lemons, I cranked up the 200MM and just started shooting into the canopy, then, I saw the big owl fly into another tree. The shot is terrible, out of focus and nearly to dark, but who cares...... I photographed the big owl that had, until today, evaded me, unlike the many times I have seen the two bald eagles when others had not. For my patience, Mr. Owl rewarded me with a red cardinal on a car mirror and a lesser hawk feeding on grubs.

Book Covers

Sometimes, I get blown away by the simple question. Then, it occurs to me that comfort zones for people limit their ability to expand their horizons. A recent experience was noted when someone who watched me photography various things around a fairly popular spot at White Rock Lake. She came up to me as I was getting ready to leave. "Can I ask you a question, sir", she called out. I stopped as she walked over to where I was standing. She ask her question. I tried to give her the best of answers and not be silly. Her reply was, "I would never have guessed that in a million years."

We talked for nearly a half hour about photography and landscapes but mostly about graphic arts in so many businesses. Book covers, CD covers, albums, e-books were just a few uses that she had never thought about. Then, as if another drive kicked in, under a head of auburn hair tied back in a pony tail with grey roots along her temple. At that moment everything began to fit together, she could see the full picture as it was intended. When I showed her the in-camera image, she said that she had done some writing but never did  much with it afterwards because she didn't understand the full process of the publishing process. Selecting an image and putting it together with her manuscript, she could complete the process of e-book publishing as a start with minor software additions to her computer.

An old Sycamore tree that is one of my favorites from year to year.

It was a reality check for me in that you think most people looking at a picture could relate it to how images are used, but they don't.

Cremation of the Big Oaks at White Rock

It is sad to report that another of the big old oaks at White Rock came down in a storm this past week.  This one was about 31-inches in circumference. There were three others that sustained severe damage to large limbs in the same area in an around Preservation Grove. Ironically, last fall, there had been a planting of many new trees by Friends of the Lake in the Grove area.

This past winter, I had started to photograph the old and mighty trees that have so much character and grow around the nine miles that circumnavigate White Rock's shores via  roads and accompanying trails. There are about thirty of particular interest that have received many lightening strikes over the years; lost limbs during storms or were felled by some type of disease or infestation. It has long been my opinion that the big old oaks that have so much character are part of the overall character of the lake itself.  Many lake-goers simply see them as trees and nothing more. I hear all the time," it is where I go to bike" or "I run there".  I'd like to say, "no you only pass through, you don't notice anything else about the jewel of the Dallas Park System" but I don't. I keep quiet. For me that's difficult!!

The past couple of years, there has been some new home construction at the lake. One modern with solar power, one classic revival , one country-style, one mixture of modern and old. There is one that jumped out at me on a rather steep hillside  blends into the trees so well that had not the glass picked up a reflection, I wound not have know it was there. On the east side of the lake last year, several homes were gutted and remodeled  in this type of architecture. I counted four new homes under construction that are at the completed foundation level of building.  So, while the planting of the new trees at Preservation Grove will grow and age with these new homes, it is difficult to see the mighty trees that grow at White Rock go away one-by-one; being cremated in someone's fire place.

Note the thickness of the bark covering.

Two more big oaks are seen in the background along with the new plantings from last fall.

It's Getting To Be That Time of Year Again

A White Rock Wedding by Glendine of Dallas

This is one of my favorite images because it is not only a beautiful setting, but because of the planning and the organizing and the great anticipation of love and joy, and happiness that is represented.

Click on the image for details on ordering this image as a print,framed or wrapped canvas.

A Pelican Practices His "Ho Down Number"

Crazy weather find animals responding just like humans. Today, the temps were in the low 70* F range but the roller coaster will bring 'em down for the weekend where we are rolled up in a comforter. Reading  a good book or watching a good movie or finding a good game on TV seems to be about what the weatherman is forecasting all ready.

 But, this pelican was so comical. I could almost hear the fiddle and the banjo strumming in the background.
 

Check out the second from right as he holds on to his partner with a wing and has the left leg and web foot raised as though
he was in a barn yard ho down. Can't you hear the fiddle and banjo strumming in the back ground? 

The line between darkness and light is moving East to West. Here, you can actually see the line as darkness falls on Dallas.

Looking to the left of the sunset you can see some of the skyline in downtown Dallas. So, this would be looking more Southwest from Northeast.

Winterized

One of the Rescue boats used when the rowing teams are on the lake practicing.

Across the lake from the last shot is the marina for one of the sailing clubs. I love sailboats.

The day before this shot, high winds blew through the area disrupting cell phone towers, breaking branches and limbs off trees. Later, the temps shattered records from a few to several degrees. There was a guy walking the docks at the marina for a sailing club to make sure the tie-downs were still secure. That's a nice volunteer service at any marina.

Never Judge An Event By The Color of the Portapotties!

Here's the scoop: There were only about a hand full of protesters at the Arboretum this morning. By 1 P.M. only one lone man was out in front with his sign.The city begins cutting grass and destroying the wildflowers on Monday after the judge's ruling on Friday.

The porta- potties had arrived for the European and Classic Car Show at Dreyfull Point tomorrow late morning and early to a little after mid afternoon. A group of 12  bright orange porta-potties were at Winfrey Point but I would imagine that there was a big rental of the facility for tonight as several large stage speakers were already on the circle grass. The porta-potties at Dreyfuss Point were blue and grey,hence: you can't judge an event by the color of the porta-potties, but if there's 12 bright orange ones in a row......you are NOT at the European and Classic Car Show --most likely!

The surprise of the day was to find the Dallas Delite Professional Dragon Boaters working out on the lake at the Filter Building docks. Two weeks from tomorrow the 2012 Dragon Boat and Kite Festival will kick off at Lake Carolyn in Las Colinas. I understand that the Delite have already won a medal in Austin this year! Congratulations! and because of the metal......well, here's a view of the Delite crew! Good Luck at the Red River and at Sugarland later on this season.

A Big Slide for a Crawfish Dinner

White Rock is ever-changing, evolving and  a wonderful place. There is always something new happening which makes it such an enjoyable and creative display. The big slide was just such a creative item, but when combined with the event--a craw fish dinner-- it certainly is to be hoped that the slide races were before dinner, rather than afterwards.

Two Generations of Kayakers

On this late winter afternoon,the low gray clouds that hung over the lake this morning and cast that gloomy winter's look, lifted. The sun was warm. There was a North wind that had a bit to it at times but outdoors was the place to be.

Now, this is what I had in mind.



Where's Forward?

 There were two kayakers that I had seen on the lake earlier when I came across a guy putting in a paddle board and a father and son team getting ready to launch their trip on the lake. This team  represented two generations of the sport and for that reason, that is somewhat unusual, brings them to the blog today.

Aargh! Portage!

White Rock and a Record Rainfall

Most rain ever in the month of January 4.27 inches officially at DFW International Airport.

The roar was amazing

The noise of heavy rain after it falls was a crowd  draw today at the spillway of White Rock Lake. Several mentioned that this was the highest that they had ever seen the water. I can't recall a time when it was more. Love Field,which is closer to White Rock, had 4.46 inches, but the official record keeper is DFW, some 20 miles to the West.

The Old Katy Railroad Bed

Straight out of a James Bond movie, men were down in the drain pipe as it was covered over and new sections were added in the front. But, the history here lies in the railroad bed that the drain pipes are now below.
The Katy or the Missouri,Kansas,Texas Railroad (M-K-T) was the first railroad to enter Texas from a Northerly point. It was chartered on  May 23,1870. The railroad's stock symbol was K-T and soon, the railroad was know as the K-T. Later it was changed to Katy. Today the 3.5 mile long section of the Katy Trail has been  converted to a trail from the Park Cities area to the American Airlines Center downtown. There is a Katy Trail extension that runs through the M-Streets and connects with White Rock Lake. This new section is just North of Mockingbird Lane and runs South/Southwest to the Katy Trail Extension just before T and P hill. Following the railroad bed that has been removed, the former track parallels the water filtration building, is now an active finished trail that crosses Grand Avenue at Gaston and continues up the hill behind the golf course off Samuel Blvd., where it once tied into the Union Pacific track section that is live rail today. At this point, the trail turns and heads to Fair Park.
Going North from this point  the former rail bed travels along its present course crossing Greenville Avenue just North of Meadow Road, traveling along what is presently used by DART on the Red Line adjacent to the Royal Oaks Golf Course .

Looking North toward the Meadow/Greenville Crossing

A symphony of equipment working in unison to travel forward with drainage culverts buried under the old Katy Railroad tracks.