Tag: texas

BOTD

Colorful Bird Seen at the World Aquarium in Dallas, Texas

If anyone knows the name of this bird, I would appreciate you sharing it in the comments section. Later this week, we will be going back to the aquarium so I will find out its name them and add it, if no one knows it.

The End of Our Ten Day Trip

We got an early start and crossed into Ohio before 7 am. The terrain is starting to get a little flatter. I never realized that Ohio was as big as it is, especially when you drive diagonally across it. We stopped in Louisville, Kentucky to pick up a cocker spaniel. We now had a packed car and were finally headed home. After crossing back into the Central Time Zone, we continued our trip into Tennessee, Arkansas, and then into Texas.

In the last ten days, we had driven through twenty-one states and delivered eight puppies to their new homes Even though we had not been able to make many stops to “tour” the different areas, the trip gave us a terrific overview to pick where we would like to return for a longer visit.

Cyclone Trip – Day 1

My daughter arrived about 12:30 pm to pick me up for the trip. She opened the back hatch of her car and let a two year old Doberman out. Ok, I know I agreed to go with her on this trip, but I am terrified of Dobermans. He was such a beautiful dog; so I walked up to him, and he started licking me. That helped me to feel much more comfortable about the situation. He was nervous, but quiet and sweet. We made several stops for him to have breaks and drove until about 11 pm. We hoped to get to Mobile, but since she picked me up so late, we only made it to Lucedale, Mississippi.

I held the leash with the dog on it in the motel room, and my daughter brought in this giant dog crate that holds dogs up to 100 pounds. Thank goodness we were on the first floor. Also, we didn’t know it until the next day, but he was used to sleeping with his owner. So after putting some food in the crate to get him in, we closed the door, and he started scratching the floor of the crate. Well, the poor dog had been stuck in that crate for nine hours, and he wanted nothing to do with it. So we finally decided that we had to let him out. He immediately went between the beds that we were sleeping in, laid on the floor and went to sleep.

About 2:30 am, the dog jumped up and began pacing to and from the door. He startled me, so I woke up and was watching him. I would have taken him out, but I was afraid he was too strong for me; so I woke my daughter up. She was still half asleep and said to give her five minutes. I know my daughter and this is going to be the first of five minutes again and again. She always hits the snooze button on her alarm at least three times. The dog waited a few minutes and must have been getting desperate so he put his front paws on her back and gently pushed her. My daughter’s eyes popped open, and she asked me what had just happened. I was laughing so hard, I could hardly talk, but got out enough information for her to know that she better take the dog out right now. Where was this wonderful creature when she was going to school and refusing to get up in the morning!! I just wish I could have gotten a video of this event. It truly was priceless! —To be continued.

White Rock Lake Park

One of Dallas’ most valuable and most used assets is White Rock Lake Park. People from all over come to the park. It is a very relaxing place. Although swimming is not allowed, there is no shortage of things to do. On a typical day, many people use the trail system to exercise before or after work. They mainly walk, jog or bike. Although many rowing clubs train in the lake year round, recreational boating usually occurs in the warmer weather. Since the lake is relatively small and shallow, boats with large motors are not allowed. Sailboats and kayaks are the primary water vehicles seen.

Another activity at the lake is fishing. There are piers at various locations, but most fishing is done from the shore. The fishermen are comprised of all ages from children on their first outing, to veterans, who sometimes fish at night. Something that is totally unexpected is the number and size of large-mouth bass that can be caught along the shore, especially when they are spawning.

At the north end of the lake, the city has built a dog park where dogs can run around freely without leashes and socialize with other dogs. There is even an area where the dogs can swim, which at times can be quite amusing.

Another unique feature is a building called the Pump House. It has been restored and can be rented out for various social functions.

Egret at one of the many piers

The lake has lots of wildlike and numerous birds. Some of the wildlife includes coyotes, foxes, nutrea, beaver and even the occassional bobcat. These animals can sometimes be seen roaming the streets of the nearby neighborhoods. All types of birds stop by the lake while migrating or live there. There is a flock of monk parrots that have lived in the park for years. In the winter, white pelicans reside in the lake.

One area of the lake has been named Sunset Bay. This is where the pelicans roost in the evenings and is a wonderful place to take pictures of the setting sun.

At the southern end of the lake, there is a spillway. Lots of birds congregate there when the lake is low, but when the water is flowing over the spillway, many people come to check it out. The power of the water is an impressive thing to see.

Spillway

White Rock Park is used for many activities, but one of the best is for family gatherings and picnics. It is nice to drive around the lake and see all the families playing and relaxing together without their televisions and other electronics.

The main reasons that I think Dallas is a wonderful place to live are because of the friendly people and the wonderful green spaces provided by the city, like White Rock Park.

What is your favorite thing to do when in Dallas?