Latest Update is that no change in our heat wave until the end of August. Today will be the 41st day of 100°F since June 11th.

 

 

 

While Still Recouping, Here are some views for you.

 

Dragonfly with golden winds

Do You See the lizard ?

This family member remembers me and will leave the family group and come pay respects. 

They are such smart birds and do remember you as being nice to them or being nasty in someway toward them.

Black and Blue Swallowtail Butterfly. One of my favorites outside of the Monarch

Yes, Virginia, this is a wild peafowl that has lived on this street for over forty-five years total for the flock.

They walk the streets, sidewalks and lawns; sit on porch banisters, rooftops, sheds and basically the neighbors say they get used to the squawking. There are also three known white ones that are amazing. I have pictures of the blues and the whites in one yard displaying their tail feathers that are nearly as tall as I am when displayed. These are big birds. When the colony gets to large the city will come out and remove a number of them.They do fly up into the trees at night to roost but during the day, they own the streets.

Taking Time Out for Heat Health, Some Much Needed Camera Maintenance

It was my plan to write a post for this weekend. However, I had a quick trip via ambulance to the Hospital ER and I'm in recovery mode at the moment. 

Meanwhile, here are a few of the things we still see in Texas after a long hot summer. 

Enjoy!

Oak leaves trapped behind bleachers by a chain link fence

Twin Radio Towers with wisp of clounds

Arborglyphs

Arborglyphs

Arborglyphs

Heat, Wild Fires, Water Conservation, Power Grid worries,

This is not a typical North Texas Summer. It may be closer in between events but it's not an overall typical time. 

This morning, while it was relatively cool, I made a trip out to see how things were going outside my neighborhood. Plus, I've been in the house for going on ten days and I can only take so much before this old buzzard has to ride the thermals. And, riding the thermals has a whole new meaning of late. Three days of 109°F highs. Two were new records and one was a tie of an old record. Anyway you cut it, record or not, it was still 109° F three days in a row. When I went to bed last night it was still 100°F.

Usually, about this time, I'm saying, "come on September". I'm afraid that this year it might be October. The wild fires are coming much earlier with no rain for 48 days. Remembering, of course, that rain in these terms means the rain must fall in the bucket at DFW. That's the official reporting station. I got about a quarter of an inch about two weeks ago and my grass is already in dormant mode. 

Water conservation and power conservation has already been in discussions. Up until yesterday, we had not had much wind and wind helps to generate power along with solar. With no wind, the grid dropped reserves almost 1,000 Mega Watts. 

Still, I'll take Texas weather like wedding vows---in sickness and in health, blah, blah,blah! Although, it's been a bit more taxing this year. I have always found it interesting how we talk about the weather on earth. We have only been recording records for a bit over one hundred years and a decade or so on a planet that is some 4-Billion years old. I don't worry about the weather records for the past century--- it's the previous 4.9999 billion beforehand that worries me. You know what I mean, Vern? You know what I mean. Vern knows what I mean. 

                                            Checking the rails for safety in this heat

It isn't just the light rails that  experience expansions, the commuter and Amtrak have the same problems in this heat.

Dallas Is Well Ready to Host Anything the World Cup has to offer this One of Five Selected Host Cities

With Three major venues in Arlington; Three in Frisco and Fair Park's Cotton Bowl, the city also has a major soccer field complex with19 fields with two lighted fields in the shadows of Las Colinas at Money Gram Park.

I've seen the soccer fields in both Rio and Sào Paulo, Brazil and Toluca, Mexico. Dallas is certainly ready for that crowd.Texas Style! 

Yesterday Broke a 11- day run of 100 Plus Temperatures, but.....

 they are coming right back and building to 105°F through next Tuesday.  And, it's not just the heat, rather, it's what the heat does to roads, train rails, and a host of other things, like causing the ground to shift and rupture pipes. We have already had water mains rupture in the Metroplex this year. 

That brings to mind the fact that for a freelance photographer, one must always be on the lookout for events such as this. Here, is just an examples of such an event. I was in agreement with one of the gentleman who said that, "this is what maintenance really looks like." Hats off to these men for what they do.

 

Thanks to NASA and the People of NASA who took the greatest picture in the world.

 Absolute! Absolutely! NASA stars bring us a look at new stars never before seen. THANK YOU! NASA