First Full Day Of Winter and a Cold Moon

The cold moon rising on the first full day of winter these final days of 2018 is really nice to watch, photograph and ponder the real meaning of life itself. Granted, it would be nice to be out in the vastness of Montana (and freezing, I might add) where the night sky is dark and lit only by that big cold moon of the winter solstice and reflecting off the snow. My Celtic ancestors would be out celebrating, I bet.

It was right on one o'clock when I hit the doorknob and headed out. A little weak cold front was just crossing with high cloudiness but still sunshine dimmed. As the front passed, the wind shifted and the skies cleared making it a nearly 70 degree day. By the time that I headed in, the air had chilled enough that it was a bit uncomfortable  to have the window all the way down. It is forecast to be ten degrees less tomorrow, but still nice before the next kink in the weather patterns turns us to that January cold. I'm shivering already from  my already used electricity and there are still  5 more days in the billing cycle. Rates have really gone up--not the usage. I turn on the same light every night and used the same settings for the microwave. In short, I am a creature of habit and I hate giving anymore to TXU than I have to each month.

Fall colors still holding on but the rain should end it for sure.

Wind Favors Areas. Remember that next summer and sit were there are leaves at the ball game. You should get a breeze there to help keep you cool. 

The little red squirrel has his seat picked out already for next season. I had to tell him that this season was already done. He left soon afterward.

Winter Solstice, Relaxed Winds and More

Today was an absolutely beautiful day unlike any of yesterdays rawness. The widow makers were down everywhere and some could have really done some damage had people been out and about unaware. One near the White Rock Boat Club Marina was about 10-inches round and some 15 feet long. The bigger one lay lodged on a branch about 20 feet above ground. Bikers stop along there and people walking their dogs do also. It could have caused more than just a headache had it fallen as someone was coming by. Usually, I report them to the Parks Maintenance guys and they are very good about getting on it and getting them taken care of usually within an hour or two.

Also, today, at the dam, I made a discovery of a new pair of red shouldered hawks. I was on the trail up to the dam and sat down on the new bench. While there watching the seagulls,out of the corner of my eye, I caught a sweeping wind between the two fences between the trail and the spillway. Later, as I came down the trail back to the parking lot, I spotted the big male sitting in a tree at the base of the main spillway at the channel. There again, the low angle of the sun was lighting him up like a candle but not in a good way. Another photographer came alone and even he was having problems getting a good shot with a 600 mm lens.  But, it's another area to watch for nesting  and I have seen this guy sitting on top of a telephone pole as the roadway comes up from the water filtration building to W. Lawther. Keeping in mind also, that from there to where I saw him today is a straight line across the old fish hatchery  to the spillway. That gives me cause to think that it is the same bird most likely. Also, the red shouldered that once sat on the telephone pole on the South side of Lawther at the T&P railroad bridge, that is now being rebuild as a bike trail, is also in line with where I have seen him at the turnoff down to the water filtration building. Drawing a straight line from point A to point B to point C would connect all three sightings. All, within about a half mile distance,too.

A widow maker that might hurt more than a headache.

The red shouldered at the dam

Just in time for a little Celtic Celebration of the Winter Solstice

45 MPH Winds Yesterday. And Widow Makers Were Falling Left and Right.

Weather was a key factor yesterday, but I was still able to get out and around. It's not unusual but somewhat rare to see white caps this size on the lake. Some of these were hitting 1-2 feet in height. Down at the dam the white caps were crashing over the dam's spillway in waves oscillating from north to south.

The herons were having a bad feather day some birds were having a bit of a problem keeping their balance on utility wires. Couple that with the fast approaching Winter Solstice  due tomorrow and the lake took on a look seldom seen. Maybe the Celts were on to something  besides the Solstice just marking the agriculture cycles. You think? The earth's axis is tilted back as far as it can go during the Solstice. Ever wonder what it would be like if it got stuck and could not rotate back to normal seasons for us?

45 MPH Winds creating White Caps on the lake.

A bad feather day in the high winds.

The day before the Winter Solstice. Look at the low angle of light for mid afternoon.

Pair Are Preparing To Nest at White Rock

This is  Our White Rock Male

Another view of the White Rock Male. The female is up on the hill in a tree. 

Later, the pair flew off into the Big Thicket. The trees in the area between the owls tree and the Red Shoulder's nest of years past has suffered some major damage from storms, disease, old age and loose soil from all the rains. But, this pair seem to be okay with that and have been seen in almost the exact location the past three days.

In other bird news. The bald eagles in Northeast Florida were attack by a wild adult eagle. The famous pair of Romeo and Juliet  has caused a stir. Romeo has been on the nest for two days straight while Juliet, who suffered serious damage and injury left the nest. According to reports on the cam site, an unknown female took over the two eggs that are pipping. Romeo was reported to have fought off the attacker by himself. It's nature and things like that happen. It's upsetting but man cannot intervene.

This Time of Year I'm Reminded of Two Things....

The first thing that I am reminded of is don't fall for the pan handler's game. The second thing that I am reminded  of  is don't fall for the pan handler's game because of two things.

Thing Number One.


 Several years ago, maybe ten---twelve years ago--- I was in line at a Sam's Club membership desk. The lady in front of me was adding someone to her business account. The business---panhandlers unlimited. I had been passing this woman at a major intersection on the way to work for a few years prior. When it came time to pay for her membership renewal after adding another person, she pulled out of her bag several envelopes all stuffed with $1bills; $5bills; $10bills;$20 bills. And yes, she had envelopes stuffed with $50 and $100 bills, too. When she turned around an saw me behind her in line, she said something to the effect that she guessed that the cat was out of the bag....chuckling as she walked away

Thing Number Two.


Panhandlers are not always doing what they appear to be doing....panhandling. They can be and sometimes are  undercover cops.  They have been and continue to be crooks scoping out what  you have in your car. Have you ever looked in your rear view mirror in your anxious moments to get away from that 'guilt trip' they cause pulling on your heart string? Don't be surprised to see them giving hand signals to a car along side yours. You might have already been had before you get to your favorite store's parking lot or garage.

And while I am thinking about it, I haven't heard the news cast this year reminding people not to support the panhandlers because of a city ordinance on panhandlers. Did they win their lawsuit, maybe?

I see them all over the city working street medians. Where the city has done away with medians and made double left-turn lanes, the pan handlers became confined to the side walks, not the middle of traffic lanes. It seems to be working much better than an ordinance, anyway. Traffic Engineering 1. City Council Ordinance Writers 0.


I am also reminded of  a friend who was a college professor. He always carried a pocket of 20- one dollar bills. He gave each panhandler a $1 bill. He had a good heart and a good soul. He is also six feet under and the panhandlers he gave the $1 bills to are still standing on the corner today.

I've also watched panhandlers over the years with their little game. You see them coming back from the local C-store or a Mc Donald's with a big plastic cup of soda pop. They set it down behind a sign post, walk to their "post", wait for the lights to cycle one full turn then start down the next line of cars with a limp. Funny thing. Walking back from the C-store, that limp wasn't there.

And, back to the woman with the Sam's Club Business Membership. She  later revealed that her take on a daily basis was a little over $500. Of course, she had a prime spot. Not all intersections are the same for revenue. Intersections that are split  by interstate highways even have "workers". It is their job to stand there all day. How do they report their earnings, I wonder.

 What to do

Each and every one of us have a tender heart. Even the hardened hearts soften this time of year at lease some. The best and the most good comes from the agencies that know how to help those who need help. The Salvation Army's Red Kettles or their cost per meal donations. United Way Campaign  donations can be made through your work.

And Remember what J.P.Morgan said,"  The first step towards getting somewhere is to decide that you are not going to stay where you are." 


 Some of those panhandlers got somewhere ten years ago. They wave at you each morning and afternoon. Did you decide to state where you are?

 The red shoulder was hanging out at the same tree and location yesterday. That was where he was the day before. The only difference is that his mate, arrived and whizzed right past him. The look afterwards that he had was somewhat comical.I've seen people do the same twist in the neck.

Business as usual overlooking the territory

Check out the neck position after the mate flies by

The mate is in the territory. They are already looking for a nesting sight. Now is the time of year when you have to follow their lead to see where they  settle if you want good images of my baby red shoulders when they branch later on in the season.

On The Last Day of Fall, A Red Shoulder Gave To Me

a chance to get some very unique images of textures. It was on my return trip out that I got to see him fly low and over the the tops of the tall prairie grasses. He was hunting, I am  sure, but do not  know what it was the he was hunting. A mouse, a rabbit, maybe? But, while the images are a bit darker of his face, the feather features and the backgrounds were good for posters.

I was on the DFW HD cam this morning  watching the sunrise. The thought hit me that the sunrise was more like a sunrise on some distant planet---it was really weird in a way, although pretty as could be. Then, this afternoon while I came up on the Red Shoulder sitting on a branch over the road just as pretty as  you please, I shot from the car, then parked and shot from the car again and then got out, walked under the tree, around the tree, crossed the road and shot back at this amazing bird. It was like, okay, I see you and I see your camera and its the holidays and go ahead an take some pictures. I have been seeing him more and more lately. He has also allowed more camera time without flying off. But, as I came back down the run, he took off on that flight over the tall grasses mentioned above. So, I walked down to the edge of the lake and was looking at the reflection in the water. It caused me to look up at the sky and the clouds were doing that strange kind of light as I had seen this morning on the DFW webcam.It's really weird to see how they have been so different and yet, that has duplicated it again within the same day. Strange. I observe a lot of things and have  for way to many years. These are somehow different and more strange. It's just hard to explain. I wish that I had gotten a screen shot of the sky this morning at DFW. Then, I could have compared the two in likeness.

Imagine the middle row of clouds being sunrise yellow and you have the DFW image this morning at sunrise.

Red Shoulder not phased that I was under the tree clicking away.

Cute! I was at a stop sign and saw this. It was just to good to pass up. Creative design and placement without doubt. It's another Red Shoulder, I do believe.

The Search for the Big Live Tree in Downtown Dallas

The mission today was to make the downtown route and see if I could find a big, real Christmas tree. Ft Worth has a beautiful Michigan 45-60 foot downtown in Sun Dance Square and this year is not the first year that a Michigan tree graced Ft. Worth's downtown.

Starting at the center of the universe--that is to say, North Park Center, I made my way down Greenville Avenue through all three sections. Businesses had decorated pretty well. In fact, they looked nice. At Ross avenue in Lower Greenville, I made my way to Washington and cut across into Deep Ellum. While Deep Ellum businesses had decorated-- for the larger crowds that now come to Deep Ellum by day, it was not enough, I though.  It was on to  Commerce Street into downtown to see what I could find. In fact, I didn't even notice Nieman's  decoration if they had any this year.

Much to my surprise, there were a lot of artificial trees that looked the same. Klyde Warren Park, The Plaza in front of City Hall and the Plaza at the Ron Kirk Bridge Deck Park. It was pretty much ditto, ditto, ditto. Except when you got to  Main and one of the cross streets in from of Nieman Marcus where the odd, but comical, but half way interesting  faux tree made of old car tail lights brought traffic into a gawking mode. Imagine that.It was rather pretty in a Holiday Spirit kind of way don't you see.

Looks like a 59 Chevy to me.I remember those tail lights being covered in canvas on the dealer's show room floors. They did things like that back in the day.

Pretty much like city hall and Kylde Warren, this is in the Plaza at Ron Kirk Bridge Deck Park.

The top was nice at Ron Kirk. Didn't get a shot of the Statler's live one and/or where it came from.

After making the block several times I had to make a quick shot from traffic.  The valet services were packed with the holiday brunch crowd fresh out of church services. The image came out pretty well.

When I got to Main Street Park, the distraction was so intense that I actually forgot to look to see if Main Street had a tree. The distraction was across the street on the south side. Low and Behold! there was a good 40 foot live tree. Undecorated, but that didn't matter. The tree was beautiful and I don't even know where it came from.  And I should have guessed that such a tree would be at this particular business. It left Dallas for some 20 years or so then came back into their original building that had been upgraded and still holds tons of history for personalities from an "A" list of Hollywood's "A" listers. The business: The Statler Hotel, of course. I would not have expected anything less. And---once again---they are at the top of the list of class in the Hotel business. They remind me of the old Orrington Hotel in Evanston, Illinois or the Drake in downtown Chicago. The Statler remembered how the little things make all the difference in the world.