A Turn of Events For The Better

It was early when I headed out on Saturday. The humidity was like 88% and the dew point wasn't much better. In short, it was muggy and it's still was not officially spring with mother sun. During my outs and abouts, generally, my gas comes from Kroger's gas pumps. Yes, I use my discounts! Once in a while I might stop at QT or RaceTrac if the price is lower than my Kroger discount at purchase. The main reason is that on my rounds, I travel between two Kroger gas stations and it's just johnny-on-the-spot to get gas. On Friday, I had noticed that the southern Kroger gas station sells gas for $1.99 per gallon and I estimated (wrong, as it turned out) that the northern Kroger by my house would be the same. So that's where I headed Saturday morning to gas up.

When I got to the pumps, the price was $2.06 and with my $0.03 a gallon discount (I already used my $0.10 a gallon discount up) it dropped the price to $2.03.That's a $0.04 per gallon difference. However, that was not worth the effort or the savings to go elsewhere. Sometimes, I get Kroger's. Sometime, Kroger's get me. That's the way of the gas cycle. Alright. It cost me a big $0.40 to stay put.  That just means that I have to sell more photos.

When I left the station, normally, I would go right. Yesterday, my car turned left for some reason. As I got to the first intersection, I spotted a line of people holding place cards and signs outside the  Islamic Association of North Texas. It's the Dallas Central Mosque and to the Muslim community, it's like the Archdiocese Church which is usually a cathedral in the Catholic diocese. You get the point none-the-less. So, I made the block and came back around, parking in the parking lot of the church across the street from the mosque.

The local TV stations were there with their heavy tripods and video cams. I ask one of the cameramen what was going on. He pretty well summed it up but omitted a key factor that there was an opposition side and then a counter opposition side to the protest about the Mosque congregation. Then, I saw the AK-47s or what ever they call those curved clip rifles. I'm not a gun person. Then, I saw the Richardson Police. One here, one there, one over there and they were a bit jittery. That made me even more jittery and I got in my car and made another block coming in the back door lot of the Mosque  parking lot.

Never seen one of these at a protest before, but glad that they do.

This is not a Texas 6-shooter and somewhat disturbing to me.

Some of those that embraced the Mosque with their support. The two opposition groups were on the other side of the street.

Making my way around to those lined up along the side walk it was soon to be made clear that they were not formally, part of the armed protest but where embracing the Mosque with a line of supporters. Then, something else happened that was so different from some of the other marches that I had photographed in the Dallas area. I saw several people with blue vest like they wear at Home Depot with the words on the back in white letters that read: ACLU of Texas Legal Observer. They all had clipboards with a form-type check list that was a notation of various things they observed. Later, there was a chance to speak with one of the women and she told me that they were just bringing back this type of operation. There were fourteen of them.  Most people don't realize that the ACLU needs community support financially to do some of the things that they do such as this type service.

As it turned out after some time had gone by, a spokesman from the IANT came along the line bringing the supporters that had embraced the Mosque together to announce that an agreement between the opposition and the counter opposition and that they would be going to a local Mediterranean restaurant to have lunch and discuss the differences that they had. He also announced that those that had embraced the Mosque in support were welcome to stay but that the IANT would suggest that they disband so as not to add any more discourse to the meeting. With that, people began to leave peacefully.

 It was announced later in the evening news that the meeting had gone well and that differences were smoothed over to the point that both sides would march together in the upcoming march for unity later this month. After looking at my images again this morning, I noticed that I had missed an image that to me was more chilling that initially though: A Richardson policeman with creased marks between his eyes brows holding one of those AK-47- like tactical guns at the ready.

From there, I went looking for angles in a very large and old cemetery. This is what I found.

I looked at this amazing art for nearly forty-five minutes reflecting on what had just been witnessed earlier in the day.

The Real Leprechauns Come Out Tomorrow

Yes, Irish folklore says that the real Leprechauns are filled with mischief. Do you believe that? If  you do, then there are more leprechauns in this world than was first thought. Why then, do you think they are so hard to see if there are that many of those little black bearded men in green tails and high hats?
Me, personally, has my own opinion. I think it's because it's all a rough. They want you to believe that they are hiding under the rainbow with a big kettle filled with gold. You know, the old Kelt's were like that. They won many a battle by making their enemy think they were someplace else and then, they could come riding in on their white horses with their blond hair blowing in the wind and scare the H-e-c-k out of the enemy who would then surrender on the spot. Maybe, the leprechauns were in deed sitting under a rainbow with a pot of gold. So, if you see one tomorrow. Just give him a little wink of the eye and go on about your way because it's St. Patrick's Day everywhere and those mischief little Leprechauns are too.

Leprechauns??

Now, I know who this is and he ain't a Kelt!, But WE still love ya, Barney!

Y'all Have A Happy St. Patrick's Day, even if you don't have any of that little Kelt's blood running in your veins.

 

A Spectrum of White Rock Activity

Today started early at the vampire's. She drew three viles of blood!! I made my way to the car, drove down the service road a mile, did the loop DE loop coming out on the service road going the opposite direction and into McDonald's. My body needed food and coffee. Thankfully, I brought a little jar of my favorite orange juice with pulp to take my meds with while I ate.

The clouds were low and gray again and there were enough drops of water on the windshield to put the wipers on intermittent. At the lake, I sat in my favorite spot and ate in the car overlooking the lake. It was so pretty this morning with just the right amount of rain to make the buds, new leaves and flowers glison on their own without the sun.

By this time it was time to check on the birds,  Stopping at the lake's MC Donald's and ordering my second cup of coffee I made the short distance to Aquatics Center Shelter House which has a picnic table under roof on either end of the Center with open air picnic tables in the front and chatted with a birdwatcher who was passing my way. When finishing my second cup of coffee, it was time to stroll down to the lake's edge. Spotting the shovel bills almost instantly, the reports were coming in that the wood ducks have been sited looking for nesting sites, but the hot new was that a Chiloe Wigeons from South American had been sited and in short order appeared with two others looking for the rare site. There was also talk about a Texas native duck that is only seen in south Texas islands. Never did find that duck.

As the day progressed, the workout guys were making use of the cooler weather to do the heavy stuff. But the non bird hit was when I came around  a curve on the West Lawther side of the lake and heard
the piping of pipes!! Bagpipes!! It still sends chills down my spine to hear that sound, St. Patrick's week or not. In fact, on Saturday after shooting the parade on Greenville, I was thinking that  if I had a set of pipes, I'd go to White Rock and play the pipes.

Here's a recap in pictures.

A South American Chiloe Wigeons

Marco

Jonathan & Alejandro

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.

An Enjoyable but Short Conversation with Former Chief Brown

We all remember that awful day when gunfire began to echo in the canyon of tall buildings downtown. That's when then chief, David Brown stepped forward as the leader that he was and became the "wise father" for the police department. 

The nation listened as he spoke at new conferences, critical updates to past press conferences and at the funerals to come later. He stood like a rock for fallen officers families to lean upon. He stood as a rock in support of the men in the department he lead, although there were some bitter sweet times off and on before that tragic day outside El Centro College in the heart of downtown, the Chief stood as the top man leading a department with much success.

He was named the Grand Marshal of this years St. Patrick's Day Parade and Festival. For some reason this year, I landed a great spot at the beginning of the parade. Generally, I'm a bit farther down on Greenville Avenue. A little trick I learned from the Christmas Parade is that you want to be where the celebrities are before they take their place in the vehicle or float that they will be riding on. So, that may have been the reason I stayed at the corner of Blackwell and Greenville. The old Sam's Club Park Lane store parking lot was filled with trucks and floats and staging activity. It is a "fur" piece from there down to Blackwell from Park Lane and Greenville, the official start of the annual parade.  I wanted a good picture of the former Chief to add to the portfolio of images from the memorials outside Jack Evans when the Chief was master of the domain so to speak. Ironically, I saw him pose with a couple of characters depicted in "Lord of the Rings" earlier.

Before the five minute warning was issued to parade participants, the new Rolls-Royce convertible was moved into place driven by a young Marine Corp enlistment in his sleek dress uniform, I called out to the former chief and then waved. He turned and looked my way. At that time, another man did the same thing and private consultant David Brown was on his way over to the metal barricade. I shot images while he was walking and while he greeted the man next to me. Then, I said to Chief Brown:" you look relaxed and happy now." He replied, " I'm getting there. After about 4 months it sets in."  From my experience of being retired, I said to the Chief," once you lay down the sword, it takes about six months before you really feel free and start to have fun again." The five minute warning was sounded and the chief said," You got to get a shot of these kicks" making a reference to his green athletic shoes, then he headed over to his position in the parade. I got the picture of the chief and the "kicks" and if another picture didn't come out, my day had already been made and I was that "happy"photog that I mentioned to the Chief.

 Click on any image to enlarge all three. More images will follow in a second post. 

These "Kicks" are Beau-T-Ful

The Chief Turns in response to the call.

Chief Brown looks really good and relaxed.

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.

Could Not Believe What I Was Seeing

It was not scheduled to be nice today. When the noon news came on as I was eating my lunch, it because very clear that the temps were good and the possibility of some clearing from the cloud cover was  looking even better. By 1 o'clock, the car was  headed for the lake. My strength has been getting better. My diet has changed yet again and not only is the weight coming off, my heart health is my main purpose. The amount of walking has increased as my strength builds and that is nothing more than the old law of physics that when a body is in motion, it remains in motion. Or, something like that.

My approach to the lake has changed because of the bird watch. The clouds filled in again and a strong southwest wind was constant. A seagull caught my eye. He was hovering in mid air about three feet above the water. He would dive to the surface and come up with a fish. Then, he would drop the fish. Then, he would dive again and come back up with a fish. After doing this a couple of times, I locked in on my settings as the wind on the waves were giving the auto focus nightmares. My motor on the lens could be heard over the wind. Then, while the camera was up to my eye and focused on the seagull, all of a sudden this big blob of white and black filled the viewfinder and it was one of those deals where I actually jumped back a bit in surprise and shock. A pelican come splashing in where the seagull had been. From there, you can see a good image and a image that was still being focused on by the auto focus. It was really somewhat bizarre. As it turned out, it was only the second time that I have actually got a shot of this happening. Good, or bad, I now have two images of this "perfect timing" event.

The arrival and point of sudden shock!

The fish is in the beak!

Down the hatch and others followed.