Hiking The Tandy Hills On Easter While CatsPaw Explains Today's Holiday To Me

I had not been on the Tandy Hills in hike mode for a few days. As you can see via the Easter noon view from the top of Mount Tandy, looking west at the stunning skyline of beautiful downtown Fort Worth, Easter is a bit overcast in North Texas.

I was erroneous when I said earlier today than no predicted t-storms had arrived yesterday. I was later informed that thunder was clapping quite loud around 10pm and then again in the wee hours of Easter.

On the way to the Tandy Hills I saw a lot of blown down tree limbs.

Apparently I slept through a couple storms. I was exhausted from being worked like a pack mule at the Prairie Fest. And on top of that that Caraway lady was plying me with some sort of intoxicating beverage from Rahr's Brewery that seemed to have the same effect on me as a sleeping pill.

This morning, in addition to saying there'd been no t-storms I asked if anyone knew why Easter was called Easter.

CatsPaw kindly alleviated me of my ignorance, telling me...

Again, we have a mixing of Pagan and Christian beliefs and practices ... the name was probably taken from the spring fertility goddess Oestre who brought the end of winter and new life at the vernal equinox.

Spring. Fertility. Now we know why those "umbrellas" were at Prairie Fest! (Interestingly, "oestre" is also the root word for estrogen, the female hormone.) Eggs, bunnies ... umm hmm.

Easter is celebrated on the first Sunday after the full moon that occurs after the spring equinox which is why the date changes each year. 

It took me a second or two to get CatsPaw's "umbrellas at the Praire Fest" reference from an earlier blogging.

I wonder if I am going to be conscious and sober for today's predicted t-storm?

If lightning bolts aren't striking I think I will go swimming again, after lunch. This morning's swim was quite salubrious. I won't be working on my tan this afternoon though, unless the wind blows the cloud cover away.

It Is Easter Morning In Texas With Wildfire Smoke And Ham & Eggs

Today is the last Sunday of April. It is also Easter. The last time I went to an Easter Sunrise church deal it was in the 30 degree range and foggy.

That 30 degree Easter Sunrise was at Roozengarde in the Skagit Valley, surrounded by thousands of tulips.

I don't think there is anywhere in Texas that I can go and be surrounded by thousands of tulips.

Easter Sunrise in Texas this morning was nowhere near freezing. More like 40 degrees above freezing.

I have my windows open. The smoky smell of wildfires is definitely in the air.

I don't believe yesterday's predicted t-storm arrived in my location. If it did, I missed it. Why are all these predicted t-storms not materializing?

Because it is Easter I am having ham and eggs for breakfast. But, before the ham and eggs, I am going swimming.

I forgot to ask. Does anyone know why Easter is called Easter? I know why Christmas is called Christmas, sort of, but Easter is a mystery to me.

The Dawn Of The Third Sunday Of April In Texas With A Blue Sky & One Week To Go Til Easter

I dawned about the same time the sun did this 3rd Sunday of April.

Looking through the bars of my patio prison cell, when I went outside to fetch my swimming suit, you can see it is yet one more clear blue sky morning in North Texas.

Except, I think there may be some smoke in the air. I can't get my eyes to quit watering. It is being very annoying.

On Friday there were big wildfires to the north, up by the Red River border with Oklahoma, and to the west of my location, in the Lake Possum Kingdom area, where dozens of homes were burned.

You mix in what the thousands of Barnett Shale Natural Gas drilling sites spew into the air that we breathe, with all these wildfires, with all the other air pollution that is allowed to be spewed in these parts, it is a wonder I am not more of a respiratory mess.

I believe today is what is known as Palm Sunday. My Sunday School days are so far behind me I don't remember what today is known as Palm Sunday. Except for Palm Sunday being a week before Easter Sunday.

Easter being next Sunday, has the 2011 Prairie Fest doing its festing on the day before Easter. I wonder if an Easter Egg Hunt is planned? An Easter Egg Hunt with the eggs hidden on the trails of the Tandy Hills might be a fun thing. Twelve and under, with a parental unit having to accompany their kid. This might make for an amusing spectacle.

It is a relatively chilly 52 degrees out there. I think I'll go swimming anyway.

Bill Hicks On Easter (And More)- The Lost Letterman Segment

In the wee hours of Thursday I had a hard time sleeping. There wasn't a whole lot on TV that was of interest except for for two hour segment on THE BIOGRAPHY CHANNEL about comedians who's lives ended prematurely and tragically. It was a long list; Richard Pryor, Bernie Mack, John Belushi, Phil Hartman, Chris Farley, Freddie Prinze, and Richard Jeni, among others.

But one stood out in this broadcast, Bill Hicks, who many reading this may be too young to remember. Bill died of pancreatic cancer on February 26, 1994; he was only 32 years old. His professional performing career spanned roughly the early 1980's until the time his illness forced him to withdraw. Hicks performed on David Letterman's shows on NBC and CBS eleven times during his career, which really began to take off in the early 1990's...it was then his illness was discovered.

In October 1993 Hicks performed on LETTERMAN for the last time. The following is a passage taken from the Bill Hicks website.

In October, Hicks taped a performance for David Letterman that became one of his most infamous moments. Returning to his hotel following the early evening taping, Bill was told that censors had cut his segment. In a 39-page letter to John Lahr of The New Yorker, Bill expressed his frustration. He had reason to be enraged; the set had been approved (twice!) by the powers that be. It would’ve been his last television appearance. The set was finally aired on January 30, 2009 when Letterman had Bill's mother as that night's Late Show guest. Bill's last live gig was on January 6, 1994 at Caroline’s in New York City – he did not complete the series of shows.

Despite his illness, Bill was at peace. He spent time with his parents, playing them the music he loved and showing them documentaries about his interests. He called friends to say goodbye and re-read J.R.R. Tolkein’s The Fellowship Of The Ring.

Here's the segment that was cut from the show, broadcast on January 29, 2009. Bill's mother Mary Hicks was Dave's guest.



For more information, visit the Bill Hicks website.