The First Parts of the Silver Line Have Been Shipped from Overseas

 See Sept  23 & 24 post for images of what the silver line will look like and all see the same spot it will share with TEXrail in Terminal B.

 The past few weeks the construction of the new Silver Line Rail System that will run on the the old Cotton Belt Corridor, have been shipped to Stadler, in Salt Lake, Utah, where they will be assembled.The Silver line engines and cars are very much similar to the TEXrail train currently running between Ft. Worth's TP (Texas Pacific) station to Terminal B at DFW International. There, they will share the adjoining tracks  in Terminal B. So Terminal B will have two very much alike separate trains that are both quiet and environmentally friendly except for their color markings and Trinity Metro and Dart operators. 

A couple of weeks ago, I rode the TEXrail from terminal B to Grapevine and was greatly impressed at how the cars were laid out, the quiet running and the exceptionally smooth ride noted. People are going to like these trains. No doubt about it. Stadler is part of the Buy American program. So, the car piece will come from Europe, ship to Salt Lake, be assembled and then trucked to Dallas as finished cars. There are some minor adjustments that will be made here once on rail. 

Dart has announced in a published 12-page info booklet describing the Art and Design Program  for each station along the route. 

From DFW Terminal B (going east) the Silver line will stop at the DFW North Station (about half way between Terminal B and downtown Grapevine) then on to Cypress Waters Station  where DART buses will be able to be accessed also. The hike and bike trails can be accessed thru a pedestrian access.

Next will be the Carrollton Station. Here, from the read of the information brochure there are somethings that sound like they are to come to the A-Train on the Green Line which is active now. The ride to Denton earlier in October was accessed this way already. However, the future Irving-Frisco Regional Rail Line seems to be future additions. Will need to do some more research on this phase.

Addison Station is well underway on the North Side of the Addison Transit Center adjoining Addison Circle. When completed, Addison's Kaboom Town Celebration in July will certainly grow even more as access via the Silver Line will be the same as riding DART to Fair Park or the AAC to large scale events. No more parking problems as the walk from the station to the park area where the fireworks are shot off is a quick walk. 

Knoll Trail Station has no parking and is tagged by DART as a Kiss and Ride station. 

Next is UT Dallas Station; City Line Station, 12th Street Station and the end of the line state at Shiloh Road Station. 

You can a see the current DART light rail in Terminal A and TEXrail in Terminal B. You can walk between the two terminals outside on a short leg  turning right on a longer leg and left again on a short leg to Terminal B. Where the Silver Line will join the TEXrail which will in effect give you service from Plano to Ft. Worth. 

Now, lets get the bullet train Houston to Dallas to ARLINGTON to Ft. Worth. It's a shame we can't go to see the Cowboys or the Rangers game yet via rail. To me, that sounds like top priority!! I hope to see at lease one trip to Arlington via rail before  pushing up daisies.

This blog has images of all the trains except the Silver Line, TEXrail and the A-Train and DART light rail. The construction of the Silver  Line at Addison Transit Center is also posted here in this blog most recently.

Festival at the Switchyard, Carrollton. A main event annually

 The signature event for Carrollton, Texas, a railroad town on I-35E. It was marked as the 11th annual.

Downtown Carrollton is an interesting town to begin with, but this even was packed. The rail station shut down the elevators to the sky walk from the station across busy Beltline Road for safety reasons as the crowds would have overworked the thing for sure. It was a delightful and sunny day with long sleeves and a light jacket. 

I talked to several vendors that were very, very nice, including these three guys at the H Tea O.

The favored one it was reported with a chuckle.from the next image. All in fun? I think so.

 That's Raspberry Tea Folks  Try their teas.

This could not wait. All is not lost being the hard worker!

DART'S QR code with new routes and info that are forthcoming. There was also an 8-1/2 x 11 booklet on the new Silver Line from Shiloh Road in Plano to DFW Terminal B, where it will share the second track with TEXrail. So, DART will have rail service, both light rail and electric diesel in both Terminal A and Terminal B. TEXrail is operated by Trinity in Ft. Worth. The stations on the new route are outlined in the informational booklet's 12 pages.The Silver Line is a 26-mile corridor passing through 7 cities. Hurry up 2024. I want to ride the new addition as soon as I can! Another great advantage is that it will connect the northern corridor rail lines of DART together with a connection to the A-Train in Denton. Getting around is gonna be a lot easier. Since selling my car in July last year, I have enjoyed both the ride and the savings. No car insurance. No $3.19 gas. No new tires, oil changes or registration fees. The saving was a whopper. Getting your head wrapped around the stigma of public transportation is something we all need to do. 

Rainbow Fountain and Grill Outside and In. The Milk Shake and Texas Sheet Cake were Great!

 

 

The Carrollton Police Departments Shinny Cycle. I found an officer that lived where my grandfather and grandmother lived when he died and had known the brother of my grandfather as a neighbor. His family had been in the motion picture, "The Painted House". My grandfather's store sat in the corner of a cotton field as depicted  in the movie. 

Inca Wasi art and bracelets

 

 

This little boy was drawing a crowd as he played a game with his guardian or parent. When the music started playing at the main stage, he started dancing to the music and never missed a beat of his former concentration of the game. It was so cute. The kid is a born music lover and future star! Best Wishes to his bright future. what ever it may be---rock star  maybe!

Reset on home page and page 4

 The main web page has been reset on the home page and on page 4 of the 5 main tabs on the home page. More pictures, more quotes, more Metroplex in pictures. Absent is our curio items that were available for purchase, which you can still do on the Glendine link on the blog, which is the 5th tab on the home page. Once you open up the Zazzle, you can then check out products and collections on either the Glendine Fashion and Design Works or on the Moontripper stores.While there are some duplication, the distinction between the two stores will gradually migrate to two distinct types of products. So following us on our blog, website and curio stores still offer some very good prices and unique items. The Moontripper is headed toward all abstract designs made from our collection of more than 10K images. These will be for wall hangings from the kitchen to the bathroom to hallways, dens and even home offices. Shoes, key chains and tea pots etc. to license plate holders, garden flags and much more. So check it out. Zazzle has a return policy that is topnotch---although our aim is not to see you have to do that in the first place.

We still have our Twitter account but it is basically for our followers to get the 'scoop' first! Thank you for supporting our stores and our blog. We do appreciate you. The graphic designers and buyers for advertising, web sites, blogs, newsletters and other uses is our main goal. The curio items are for everyone. Come give us a try if you haven't bought a postcard or a photo enlargement, poster or whatever. We do this for you as a way to honor Glendine, our mother. She designed and created so much unnoticed in the Design District here in Dallas. That's what she liked to do and we follow her lead, even today. She was trending before trending was a thing. Really!

 

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Happy Halloween Everyone

 Happy Halloween Everyone!

Cipolla's best seller book on this topic is an extra! extra! post

https://psychology-spot.com/basic-laws-of-human-stupidity/ 

 

 Image of the day is in the post header. I can't beat that....I just saw a Dallas Tree trimming service doing the exact same thing this past week with the evidence feed to a mechanical chopper just yesterday. Dallas residents have been  complaining in the past about ONCOR trimming trees (not the tree service mention above)  that cause power outages eventually ( as we just had 60MPH winds for the past two days) as the strong upper level low finally moved out of the area last night. 

So, the article is a bonus of the post-- the cartoon is a bonus of the post and Carlos (RIP) you need a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. 

 

These images are not the actual shoots from yesterday, but do depict the exact same type of activity seen this past week when the winds were 60MPH. The images from the past show the proper way to trim a tree---not the extension latter, rope and chain saw 30feet up the tree. 

Day of the Dead Festival is Coming Up on November 2nd.

 There is a bit of a history lesson and religious festivals in different cultures. Growing up, I had always thought that the celebration was on the day after Halloween. But, later on in life, I discovered that it actually on November 2nd each year. The confusion that arose comes from the close association to Halloween and All Saints Day on November 1st.

It goes like this:

October 31st is actually, All Hallows Eve

November 1st is Day of the Children and All Saints Day . 

November 2nd. Day of the Dead Festival

It was an honor for my business host to take me along to his own families graves out side Mexico City. It was an honor for me to be ask to come celebrate with his decease family members and his own family celebration. I am better for the experience overall and my host honored me by bring me along to the celebration for his family on the Day of the Dead. 

Denton, Texas

 I rode the A-Train from DART's light rail Green Line to Frankfort and then caught the A-Train to Denton.

My trip to Denton to Cartwright's for lunch and my second ride on the A-train was an update on how much downtown Denton has changed. The trip was one of the enjoyable trips this past summer.

Family and Friends and Father's Everywhere that have lost a son in death.

 

 

 

 Happy Birthday KP

You would have been 51 today. 

 

You are Loved and You are Missed Dearly

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Ricky Gervais is right on the money on this pod cast.

 Sometimes, Art mirrors Real Life. Well, Ricky Garvais just proved that it does and the "Cancel Culture" is about to get its pay back on the upcoming generations, although, they don't know it yet. They are not as "WOKE" as they think they are.

https://home.nzcity.co.nz/news/article.aspx?id=342027&tst

 

The last that I heard officially, Walmart adds about $48 Million annually to their overall revenue from this  kind of thing. What is one mans garbage is another ones treasure. Recycle folks. It's not that hard of a thing to do. And, set up a separate savings account where you can place the earnings. Watch it grow and how much money you throw away from your shopping experiences. Not  talking about wasted food here at all. 

Article continues after the image here where it says Resume Post Here below left margin.

Resume Post Here:

For one, you have to be open minded to Ricky's type of dry humor. After all he is British.

For two, you must have understanding about what the "Cancel Culture" implies. Hollywood, included.

For three, I've only been saying this since 1970. Then, I said that it would take a generation and a half to get us out of this mess with youth today. In the 1980s I revised my estimate that it would take a full 2-generations to get us out from what parents let their kids get away with. 

And, like Ricky Gervais, I have wanted to see this mess reversed and hoped to see it in my lifetime. In the article, Ricky, says that today's version of my exact thinking. The only problem is that Ricky is younger than me and he probably will see it more than I will. 

Neuroscientist, Sam Harris in the pod cast, "Absolutely Mental" talked to Ricky about that very thing. In yet another Pod Cast, "Smartless", hosted by Jason Bateman, Sean Hayes and Will Arnett, allowed the conversation to turn to Cancel Culture and gave Ricky Gervais  a clear chance to further share his views on the subject. 

So, the bottom line here is that I concur with Ricky and Neuroscientist Sam Harris. In addition, I am greatful to the three host of "Smartless" to allow Ricky the opportunity to share his views on the subject. It has needed to be shared for many years. It goes back to what a longtime mentor of mine informed me that, " you never know how much clout you have until you exercise it."  I've been more outspoken in the last 5 years than at any time in my conservative upbringing. And while I was still in the corporate world I found out that I have much more clout than I could have ever imagined. Since then,  I have journalized in journals and in this blog. 

So, do YOURSELF a favor and listen to the pod cast or read the article associated with it on Fox News, in the article published by Julius Young, on 10-20-2021 at 6:04 PM.It opens in a separate window. It did for me on a test run of the link.

I call it my Road Diet as I listen to pod cast while riding the bus and the trains.

Yesterday was the second anniversary of me almost getting blown away in a tornado (again!)

 Second year anniversary and some of the businesses and homes, churches and schools have not all been rebuilt. The shopping centers are making great strides, of course. St. Mark's School made way quickly to rebuild. Thank goodness, it is a premier school. Yesterday, Dallas County School Supertendent Dr.Michael Hinojosa,said it best: you look at the school and they are doing fine, leave them along. If you look at another school and they are having trouble, you give them lots of L-O-V-E! 

North Haven Garden Center was destroyed, re built and was hit again by another tornado the following year. It's always been a special kind of place for me in that Mom loved that place. It was only a few blocks from her neighborhood and I had drive back in the old neighborhood just a week before the tornado struck. It was in the patch of the tornado that was on the ground through north Dallas for 36 minutes. There were 9 tornadoes that day in north Texas. 

 

                                               Home Depot Destroyed and since been rebuilt

                                                   Shopping Center Preston and Royal

Just prior to this house being hit,   my front door blew open. As I got up to close it, I could see the funnel cloud. It crossed the street at my corner.  This house had about 4 minutes before being hit.

Seeing the pictures from the space station showed the path like a scar on the earth---which it was. 

Here in Texas we have two major tornado seasons. One in the spring and again in the fall. Although, tornados can strike any time of the year. Several years ago the Christmas tornados hit Rockwall. That year there were a total of 40 tornadoes. The average hovers some where around 20-25 I believe hearing.

Velvet Taco for Dinner, Out all afternoon at Presidential Center's Nature Trails

 Well, the perfect fall weather day finally was at hand. It was a delight to be out in that type of weather. 

It never crossed my mind that today was the final weekend of the Texas State Fair at Fair Park and the buses and most of all, the trails were loaded with bodies going to the fair. So, some of the schedules were a bit off as it takes the non-regular riders more time to figure out what to do at the station. Well, you start by getting your gear ready and ready to move when the train stops and the doors open.  Anyhow, there was a bit more time lost because of that than anything else and I made it to Mocking bird station by riding a bus and a train to get to Mockingbird. Saw some SMU video crews outside the Angelica. Stopped to chat with one of the girls about what was going on. The SMU students had made a movie and it was being premiered at the Angelica. On to SMU via Bush Avenue to enter the Nature Trails of the George Bush Presidential Center. The nature trails cover the entire south end of the property from SMU St. and Bush Ave. to the southbound service road of the North Central Expressway (US75) which had that section named for George Bush as well. Then, its across the shopping center on Mockingbird to Bush to complete a few acres of property.

Last year was the first year to check out the plantings and this year have been looked forward to,to see how much the annuals had grown and what was new for this season. It was somewhat a surprise to see 6-7 foot tall golden rods. Wow, the allergies of students, faculty and nearby residents will love that as well as the  docs  who make their living by treating patients with allergies. While they are very pretty for color, Going there was a total surprise with that straight out the gate. 

After walking two of the trails (they all come back together from south to east and west sides of the center) the landscape was pretty but I was a bit disappointed to find so much of those golden rods. If it hadn't been for the large Monarch Butterflies surrounding the tennis courts and the La Cross field, it might had been a bust. At Mockingbird station retail sections pumpkins had been on sale. But when I was there the remaining pumpkins and hay bales were being given away to those that wanted them. 

Instead of walking back to Mockingbird or catching one of the free shuttles from the Center back to the trail station, I walked up SMU toward Greenville Avenue, then decided to stop at the Velvet Taco to have dinner. Then, I watched for the buses but missed all of them and ended up back at the Lovers Lane Rail Station on foot. So with that, I have now walked the distance from Lovers Lane to Mockingbird in both directions; then caught the train to my regular stop and then my bus home. It was so nice I might 

 

do something like that tomorrow. As far as the weather goes, it doesn't get much better than this. Low tonight will be 48°F and 73°F during the afternoon tomorrow. Clear and blue sky.

 

                                  Fruit tree produced fruit this year.                              

Monarch Butterfly stops to refuel on its migration to the mountains of North Mexico for the winter.

A Real Cold Front Moves inTomorrow Morning with Beautiful and chilly fall days afterwards.

 Got the book out tonight to see when I had to turn on my heat last year. It was October 27th when it hit 39°F. It is going to be close with 41°F forecast for Saturday morning. I've got my camera all charged up and ready to go beginning Saturday. I am ready for fall weather, for sure.

The State Fair ends this weekend. Does not seem like the three-week-run is nearing the end already. Didn't get a chance to try the fried jello or any of the other specialties this year, even the Fletcher's corny dogs. Didn't make it to the Arboretum for the 90,000 pumpkin displays, either. Covid has been a monster of sorts. It has touched almost everything. 

 

 

                                                                         Pine Nuts

                                                                              A-Train