It's The Second Time That It Has Happened in the past 6 months.

In the forward motion line of the EF-3 Tornado and less than a mile away, two things stood out. This hedge apple tree in the path of the storm still has fruit hanging on the tree. The other was a church steeple left unscathed. All around on both side, total destruction.

Human beings do things at a whim. They also do things with great planning. One just doesn't know what to expect other than to always exercise caution. Well, the best kind of caution for the situation at hand. Here's the back story.

Earlier in the summer months last year, I was in an isle at Kroger's looking for a new product that I was thinking about trying out. Across the isle from me was a mom with three children in or very near their teens. They had found a cracker that they liked and had ask mom if they could get a box. It was pretty obvious that mom wanted to say yes but the financials just could not support it at the time.

I waited until they were out of the isle as they were heading toward the check out line I ask the mom what was the name of the crackers that the kids had been talking about? She told me. I mentioned to here that I wasn't ready to check out yet but if she would allow me to purchase the crackers and have the cashier give here the receipt and crackers I would buy the crackers for the girls. The mom was near tears, and thanked me. It had been a while since I had done something like that and  I must admit, it even gave me a warm feeling inside knowing that hope and prayer and observation makes so much possible when we allow God to step in spreading his Grace far beyond what we can see or even be aware.

As I pulled out of Kroger's lot for the mile trip hope, I saw a car in the lane next to me a few cars ahead with windows down and kids arms waving like they had won the lottery. As I got closer, it was the kids and mom of cracker fame. The smiles were from one side of the car to the other and it was clear that the kids and mom, were overjoyed from the experience. The crackers were like $2.89.

Part Two Came Back To Me  At A Walmart after having a battery changed out on my pacemaker.  I was trying to use my debit card and I could not get the chip to sit. The machine kept giving me a Read Error. The clerk that works the self-check-outs that I know, motioned to me to come over to her master station and run my card there. It gave me the green light, finally and the clerk handing me the receipt. I had not scanned anything there but the clerk had suspended the transaction. A lady had kind of cut in line and the clerk processed the transaction and handing me the receipt. She told me as I was about to leave that the lady that had been ahead of me had paid for my groceries. It was about $26.00 total. I was stunned and it took a while for me to realize what this young woman dad done. It felt good that someone was making a difference in the world.

Red Buds are Even Blooming Already

This Hawk waits for his mate to arrive. Nesting season is getting underway.

Part Three Cane Back to me this week.

I had pulled into a McDonald's in Garland to get a coke. I was the only one at the #1 drive through. Out of the corner of my eye came this white car pulling up in #2  and jumping ahead of me in line. It didn't bother me, but I do watch things like that when I am out and about. Always trying to be aware with the way things are today.

The young man at the drive through window was smiles from ear to ear and he said, "Today is your lucky day. The car ahead of you just paid for your coke."  Again, I was a bit stunned.

So I paid out out $2.89 for some crackers for a young  single-family and it came back at $27.08.

God is great. God is Good. God's Grace is powerful and far reaching. Thanks Be to God.

One The Way To The Doctors I Saw a Red Bud Tree in Full Bloom in Plano.

Blooming a 6 weeks early.

At first I thought that it was just some left over Christmas decorations and lights that had not been taken down. But on closer observation, this was the real McCoy. A mature Red Bud about 14-20 feet fall with a coverage of about 8 to10 feet on all sides. In fact, on the way home from the doctors, I came back the same way to make sure that I had really seen what I knew to be the real thing.

So,based on that-- and even with the cold weather coming next week, Spring in North Texas is gonna be the early bird delivery this year. So with that said---and even with a bit of cold snaps, Spring is in the air for sure and it is my hope that we get to enjoy spring in an elastic version this year.

Meet My Goal To Return To The Lake By the 15th of January.

Today was my longest trip out since getting out of ICU and returning home. It was also my second grocery shopping trip and all went well. It is good to have goals, especially ones that you know that you can meet, but the questionable ones make for a challenge that drives the human spirit.

As I made the trip around the lake, it didn't take much time to spot an old friend sitting in his favorite tree where he waits for a mate each January. The bird is not camera shy at all and will put himself out in the open, when he soon did across from the marina.

While I am no where near making my regular route of shooting again, I am thankful just to see the lake again. It will not be a daily trip again for several more weeks,but I have patience and will set the bar a little lower now, because I do see some areas where I won't be able to return to full steam again. I guess that is what happens when you get old. Even my doctor said he saw another 10 years for me. It's nice to know that someone is watching the clock.

Red shouldered Hawk Hanging out in search of a mate. It is nesting season already from Raptures.

True, I Almost Died and Was Near Death--Happy New Year to All My Readers

....and I have long said that," if you create the beast,you have to feed it." And, yet, I have many to thank for their continued support with purchases of my images for the past several weeks of down time.. I also have a lot of professionals at Medical City Hospital Dallas from the Emergency Room to the Operating Room to the hospital stay over the holidays. The Doctors tell me that 15 units of blood is a lot of blood to have pumped into you in a relatively short time.

 I cannot thank the Dallas Fire and Rescue enough for their quick response time and professionalism. There has never been any doubt about DFD ability to serve the community where they are based. Regardless of the station assigned, they need support the year round and I will work in ways that I am just now beginning to formulate on how to help the fine men and women of the Dallas Fire and Rescue.

The staff of nurses, food service, environmental cleaning, admitting, and the support staff at Medical City Dallas, I offer you my gratitude and thank you for your help and support during my emergency.

Recovery time is estimated at 8 weeks. And, last but by no means last, I have my two brothers, my daughter and my youngest son to thank more than anyone will ever know. Family is everything.

Long Horn Bull with a beautiful view of Lake RayHubbard.

 

A true Texas Longhorn

Lake Ray Hubbard toward the southern end and my last shooting day before my life-threatening trip to the hospital

01-09-2020:Update and corrections for more clarity.

Consequences Not Intended Lead to Double Problems

Arthur Gordon, wrote in one of his inspirational books that tells about how everything of consequence begins. When I first read his chapter it was an eye-opener nearly 40-years ago. Now, it has been "nailed up in my mind" to paraphrase Gordon, and I see examples of it every day. Law students know that laws are crafted with an intent behind them. A consequence before hand  if you will.

It got me to thinking. Cigarettes had  a bad down side long after the health problems were made for debate. The down side I'm talking about are the discarded cigarette butts. Long after the paper wrap around the filter is returned to nature, it is the fiber of the filter that hangs on a years afterwords. Many still stuck in cement cracks and  the like long after the smoker has died and was buried. It is a double consequence to smoking cigarettes. As Gordon wrote, "Perhaps, this is the way every thing of consequence begins".

So, Sunday, I drove a few large parking lots looking for the second consequence to the smoking situation. It didn't take long to find examples. It was an unintended consequence to driving people away from,cigarettes. Turns out it is now  spent vape canisters--the modern version of a cigarette filter. So in trying to help or cause people to make life decisions legally by banning smoking in specific areas, the unintended consequence is now two-fold. We still have smokers of cigarettes. Even at $5.00 plus a pack. They are still discarded over bridge railings, from balconies of apartments, out car windows along roadsides , riverbanks, parks, and businesses. We all have seen that consequence of smoking (health is a totally different topic here). Now, instead of just filters, we have filters and canisters. A double whammy. These were discarded after a Friday Night Lights evening in Texas---a football game under the lights.

Click on any image to enlarge all three images.

The most popular type found. In reality, cigarette butts were a better consequence as for the environment.

Another type of vape dispenser

The Watch refill

The Steamboat Was Back On The Lake Yesterday

Several years ago when I heard (before I saw) the sound of a steamboat whistle, it just didn't fit. At first, I tried to write it off. It is just not possible to have a steamboat on this lake.Well, I was proven wrong when I saw  coming across the water,  a guy standing at the helm with long leather gloves, one hand stretched forward and resting on a piece of equipment.

The Dallas Morning News had published an article about the guy who built the steamboat from an old sailboat. It was amazing. Hearing a true steam whistle was a sound that is so distinct you always know that sound from any other.

About a month ago I saw the guy and his boat back on the lake. Then Sunday, I saw him on the lake  going up White Rock Creek under the Mockingbird Bridge. Later in the day, the guy from Hooters drove his little boat car drove down the boat ramp and was going across the water with people running with their cameras to snap a shot of something that they had never before seen. In fact, it is this last statement that has brought me back to the lake time and time again over the past 20 years. Its the unusual. The different. Always something different. And it is these very things that will bring back all the people who were running for the boat ramp with their cameras trying to get a picture of the little car puttering across the water for years to come. I could not bring myself to ask those people if any of them saw the steam boat?

 Click on any of the images to enlarge all three for better viewing.

See the two steam whistles in from of the pipe stack?

If you are interested in the boat car....there is a post in the archive with pictures.

Flag Pole Hill With Drone Here Is The Lady Ghost Images

Click on any image to enlarge.

 Special Post For Those Learning About The History of Flag Pole Hill and White Rock Lake flying drone.


post was of 10-3-2018.