Fogbow

Now 81F here so I'm out on the patio.

Local buffet restaurants rushing to reopen today. That may not end well since most people here aren't vaccinated yet.

Local horticulturalists think most trees here will recover from the deep freeze. Smaller outdoor ornamental plants may not.

Hot dry windy weather now poses fire risks. No reports of fires so far.

Airforce making up for lost time this afternoon. Usually Thursday mornings are their busy time.

Houston doctors warn of 4th COVID-19 surge as mask mandate ends

https://abc13.com/10405138/?ex_cid=TA_K ... ce=twitter

According to the state's vaccine tracker, less than 9% of Texans are fully vaccinated. Medical experts have told ABC13 that in order to gain herd immunity, 70% to 80% of the population must first be vaccinated.

Propst said lifting the mask mandate comes too soon and feels like an insult to their endless work over the last 12 months.

"I personally know at least four people who succumbed to COVID-19. People who range in age from their 20s to 70s. So it is deeply personal to us," Propst said. "I think as health care workers, and as professionals, we try to compartmentalize that and we try to push our feelings down. But when there are instances when something is so blatantly wrong and so blatantly dangerous and risky at this point, when we're so close, and we have all suffered so much, it is emotional for a lot of people. I certainly have experienced that and had colleagues, when they heard about Gov. Abbott's ill-conceived and ill-informed rollback, [who] were both angry and tearful."

Propst said a perfect storm is brewing as Texas reopens businesses to 100% capacity, with no masks as spring breakers take vacations and with five COVID-19 variants spreading through our city.

It may be COVID19, but so many people seem committed to making it TheCulling21.

It is spring break. There are reports that Galveston is packed.

Spring Breakers pack Galveston on first weekend of Texas reopening
There is no longer a mask mandate in place, and businesses can operate at 100 percent capacity.

https://www.khou.com/article/news/local ... 171313cbd3

Galveston was the place to be on Saturday as the first Spring Break weekend of the year got underway.

Thousands flocked to the beaches to enjoy the weather and water.

However, COVID-19 was still on the minds of many as they tried to get in some much needed rest and relaxation.

For the first time since the start of the pandemic, crowds returned to the island.

So check back in two weeks for stories about overwhelmed hospitals.

United Regional is the big hospital here.

United Regional to expand COVID-19 vaccinations to more people

https://www.timesrecordnews.com/story/n ... 719772001/

United Regional Health Care System will soon open up COVID-19 vaccination appointments to all community members eligible under state guidelines as more allocations of immunizations become available, a URHCS official said Tuesday in a media release.

People who are eligible under Phase 1A and 1B, school and childcare workers, and people 50 and older are eligible for the vaccine, said Patrick Johnston, URHCS marketing and communications coordinator.

Beginning Tuesday, community members can visit unitedregional.org/myshot to verify their eligibility and the availability of COVID-19 vaccines at United Regional, Johnston said.

Just short of the first day of Spring but we have been busy clearing leaves off the lawn that were killed by the big freeze. As our daughter said yesterday evening as we rested our sore bodies on the patio with alcoholic refreshments, " Next house, no trees."

By my count we filled the 50 gallon plastic bin 12 times and dragged it up to the dumpster in the back alley.

Now we wait to see if the trees survive.

Hopefully they do survive.

You didn’t want to use the leaves as mulch for the trees?

Volkonski wrote: ↑Sat Mar 20, 2021 8:02 am Just short of the first day of Spring but we have been busy clearing leaves off the lawn that were killed by the big freeze. As our daughter said yesterday evening as we rested our sore bodies on the patio with alcoholic refreshments, " Next house, no trees."

By my count we filled the 50 gallon plastic bin 12 times and dragged it up to the dumpster in the back alley.

Now we wait to see if the trees survive.

Without knowing the species of trees, I normally just run the mower over fallen leaves, mulch some into the lawn, and Hoover some up for the flower beds. Thick waxy leaves like Magnolia and Rhodies are a bit tougher to chew. Oak leaves seem particularly indestructible. But, Maple, Ash, Birch and most common yard tree leaves are highly digestible for a mower. It greatly reduces volume, and promotes decomp.

Dave from down under wrote: ↑Sat Mar 20, 2021 8:12 am Hopefully they do survive.

You didn’t want to use the leaves as mulch for the trees?

The leaves were about 2 inches thick on the lawn. Had to get them off of the lawn which is about to start growing again after the winter dormant phase.

Mulched the trees and beds with pine bark after the autumn leaf removal.

Dave from down under wrote: ↑Sat Mar 20, 2021 8:12 am Hopefully they do survive.

You didn’t want to use the leaves as mulch for the trees?

That is my favorite Autumn trick: to use the Fall leaves to make a no-grow zone around the tree particularly for the lawn. It helps keep the tree roots buried, rejuvinates the soil, creates a clean organized look, and reduces yard maintenance (weeding).

Mrs. V. and our daughter headed out today to the local farmers' market but it had closed before they got there. So they went to a garden shop. Garden shop explained that few local plants will be available this Spring because of the Big Freeze but they got a few plants.

So, you're saying your honey-do list now has rake back mulch and dig a dozen holes around the maple on it?

bill_g wrote: ↑Sun Mar 21, 2021 8:09 am So, you're saying your honey-do list now has rake back mulch and dig a dozen holes around the maple on it?

Its a pecan.

What are the plants with red leaves?

Azastan wrote: ↑Sun Mar 21, 2021 12:45 pm What are the plants with red leaves?

Looks like a begonia.

Azastan wrote: ↑Sun Mar 21, 2021 12:45 pm What are the plants with red leaves?

I thought they looked like coral bells, but I am still not used to seeing the leaves be that colour. Growing up, I had a lovely long row of coral bells in the front garden, which attracted hummingbirds like nobody's business.

I didn't do much gardening for many years, other than my orchids, so sometimes it's a shock to see the amazing varieties I've been finding at the local nurseries.

No, the suspect isn't an antivaxxer.

11 National Guardsmen transporting vaccines held at gunpoint in West Texas, suspect arrested

https://www.kxii.com/2021/03/22/11-nati ... ntent=kxii

An Arizona man has been arrested after he cut off and held at gunpoint a caravan of National Guardsmen transporting COVID-19 vaccines to Matador, Texas around 7 a.m. Monday morning, according to Idalou Police.

Larry Harris, of Wilcox, Arizona, is accused of following three National Guardsmen vans from Love’s Travel Station on East Regis Street in Lubbock to about two miles east of Idalou. Police say Harris attempted multiple times to run the vans off of the roadway. He then turned his vehicle into oncoming traffic on Hwy. 62/82 and stopped the vans.

He then pointed a gun at an unarmed National Guardsman, identified himself as a detective, and demanded to search the vehicles and ordered the rest of the unarmed Guardsmen out of their vehicles at gunpoint.

Harris told police he thought the people in the vans had kidnapped a woman and child. All 11 of the Guardsmen were in uniform.

Volkonski wrote: ↑Mon Mar 22, 2021 3:33 pm No, the suspect isn't an antivaxxer.

11 National Guardsmen transporting vaccines held at gunpoint in West Texas, suspect arrested

Is it Singapore? I think it's Singapore. Anyways, one of the disciplines they have in their law enforcement system is public beatings. Whether meted out immediately at the discretion of the officer on the scene, or by order of the court upon sentencing, the guilty receive a number of lashings with a bamboo rod. Though American police already hand out beatings at their own discretion in a number of incidences, and rightfully get called on the carpet for it, this particular situation begs for a public pillory.

Man with 75 total arrests behind bars again after allegedly assaulting nurses

https://www.texomashomepage.com/news/lo ... m=referral

Raymond Lyndell Davis, 46, faces two assault of a public servant charges related to an alleged confrontation in the emergency room at United Regional Sunday afternoon, March 21.

Davis’ bonds were set by a judge for $10,000 per charge for a total of $20,000.



One victim told police he was walking by a room and heard another nurse yelling. The nurse said Davis, still attached to his IV, blood pressure cuff and heart monitor leads, was trying to leave.

The nurse told police he tried to restrain him because the nurse was afraid he would rip out this IV and spray blood everywhere.

United Regional is our local trauma center.

Yesterday we roused ourselves out of bed early to drive down to the Japanese Garden at the Fort Worth Botanical Garden for their Japanese Festival. Our daughter has a teachers' work day today. She doesn't report to work until 2:30 PM (but then works until 8 PM) so she could sleep in today. Our younger daughter and her husband met us there.

The Japanese Garden is beautiful (even showing some freeze damage). We saw demonstrations of Japanese dancing and drumming. Saw the largest koi I have ever seen in their large interconnected system of ponds (taken all together more like a small lake). Ate sushi.

And walked and walked and walked (Mrs. V's phone said that she had taken over 15,000 steps yesterday ). Toward the end of the day I was quite worn out from all the cobblestone paving and stone steps and sat for quite a while.

Took this photo whilst the others went down into this tulip garden. Didn't think I could manage all the stairs.


Did managed to make it back to the minivan under my own power.

Then we headed out for some shopping stops. First to a game store where our gamer SIL ran in to grab a few quick things. Then to a British Food Shop where we Anglophiles picked up some choice treats (haggis anyone?). Then our SIL wanted to stop at the Tanger Outlet Mall which was on the way back to get some shoes. Alarm bells rang in my head.

When we got to Tanger he, our daughter and Mrs. V. went in. After a while he came out having found what he wanted. Then the two of us waited and waited while receiving text messages promising the shoppers would be out "soon". Finally Mrs. V. came out with her purchases saying that our daughter was going to check "one more store". Then we waited and waited and waited. Finally just before the mall was closing (7 PM) our daughter showed up having finally found what she wanted.

There seems to be a shoe shopping gene in our family that has been passed down from mother to daughter over the generations.

By then our SIL was hungry so we got some salads and sandwiches which we ate in the van. Got home over 12 hours after we left to the relief of the cat who is not used to being left alone for an entire day.

But it feels so good to do something so normal after being cautious/frightened for what seems so long.

Getting warm and dry. Again.

.Fire Weather...
Elevated to near critical fire weather conditions are possible
Tuesday through Thursday due to strong gusty winds, warm
temperatures and low afternoon relative humidity.

When will you head for the North Fork?