Immediately following the spectacle known as Christmas, we launched down the
road for yet another visit to Arkansas and good company. We
had hoped the weather would be better than it ultimately turned out. However, the cold front
reached further south than it was supposed to have, leaving us with a
cloudy and chilly 7° C weekend. It is a good thing that is nearly perfect weather for hiking
about and discovering new places.
Hell Creek Natural Area has been quietly waiting on the to-do list for quite some time now. Timing is everything for this spot. Excessive undergrowth and reports of a militarized tick population generally prohibit access from March through October. Click the title above to read more. It was a good, quiet journey. There are not many folks out on the trail at this time of year.
While lingering about, a return visit to Woolly Hollow enabled solid exercise
though more calm and quiet forest. A bear bellowed in the distance at one point along this hike. Each attempt to record the racket failed. It was as if the beast knew of the effort through some sort of game cam of its own. I departed empty-handed, since there seemed no solid reason to stick around to learn more of proximity.
The courthouse consistently greeted us each evening in its best display. New lights bordering the windows caused them to stand out brighter than ever. The only thing missing from the scene, a light blanket of snow. We had left that at home, to clean up after itself, and it was due to be gone before we returned.
Emerging quietly from a natural spring in an obscure hillside, a small stream
scours a path through the surrounding oak and hickory forest on the outskirts
of Mountain View. Here, within the boundaries of Hell Creek Natural Area an
endangered space offers refuge for the endangered, in one of the few surviving
examples of the original natural landscape.
One would be lucky to have found a trail into this location at all, just a few
short years ago. Most passers-by would have simply overlooked the mostly
unimpressive branch trickling beneath a hairpin curve on Mountain Crest Road.
Even with a recently installed parking area and signage at the end of Sarah’s
Way, one still has to know what to look for. There is no official trail.
The most generally accepted track down to Hell Creek cuts a deer path
through the forest, northeasterly from the parking area. Half-way down the slope
an old fire road intersects requiring minor reconnaissance to pick up the trail
again. It eventually opens up a hundred or so meters later, offering two
potential directions for exploration, both easily accomplished together in under
an hour. However, that is hardly sufficient time to enjoy this distraction.
A choice in either direction unfolds an excellent display of the sort of
solution weathering continually reshaping most of the Ozarks over the past
million or so years. Minor caves, karst monoliths, and rock bridges, litter the
banks and bed of the creek.
In the winter environment of this observation, water appeared as book ends
on the formation. It suggests a persistent solution channel silently at work
beneath and between the rock layers, in spite of the dryness of this season.
Various reports identify water as much more apparent during the wet season,
evidenced through the variety of formations on location.
Hiking upstream along the trail, towards the previously mentioned hairpin
curve, then returning along the same path, enables a better view of the
transition downstream. Soft and muddy root entangled banks slowly give way to
slabs of rock beneath and flanking the channel. Stepping down gradually, digging
in a little deeper as it moves along, the creek relentlessly bores through
everything in its path.
The stream eventually spills onto private land a little less than a kilometer
north of the trail intersect, derailing any effort to continue downstream to
the White River. While the path is not obstructed, forging ahead could be
dangerous. Best practice urges respect for posted boundaries.
Ensure an equal level of regard for the wildlife here too. The site offers
refuge to more than just dwindling numbers of the gray bat (Myotis grisescens).
A namesake creature known as the Hell Creek Cave Crayfish (Cambarus zophonastes)
also makes home here. Both are listed as endangered species.
Hell Creek Natural Area appears equally endangered for Arkansas. Human
disturbance and environmental contamination top the list of impending dangers
to the wildlife and the area. Indeed, this particular visit noted visible
trash and accelerated development in the surrounding area.
Sincere efforts toward protecting the site began in in 1985, when Arkansas
Natural Heritage Commission acquired the land. In a partnership with the Cave
Research Foundation, the groups continue efforts toward a more thorough
inventory of this unique and imperiled ecosystem.
These actions often come as blessing and curse though. The more intriguing a
site for both science and citizen, the more it becomes trampled, quickly
losing any sense of the natural.
I did not want this installed. I did not ask for this to be installed. It does not permit me to disable notifications. It is annoying the hell out of me, recommending apps that I would never be interested in. What is the point?
This article helped me figure out how to shut it down permanently, though the steps are not exactly right. It refuses to permit uninstall of the app.
Here's my mod on the process:
- Settings
- Apps
- Find App
- Force Stop
- Disable App
- Roll back Updates
Magically, the app is gone now, along with its evil twin sister AppManager.
My new favorite GeoJSON editor that just enabled me to have another layer in a Power BI Azure map (and make it look how I want) without going through a lot of hoops.
Rarely read these listicles. This one was pretty straightforward though and gave me a new template for writing here. We'll see if it sticks ... click the image to read the entire story.
"Journal when you feel like you need to. And try to clarify your thoughts:
What is bothering me right now?
Why am I stressed or have anxiety about?
What am I feeling good about?
What am I feeling grateful for right now?
How I am feeling lately?
The purpose is to understand you better and process feelings and emotions."
Put together a little Date Conversion template for Power Automate Desktop that I need to save out. Copy/paste the quote block areas and you are on your way.
Apparently, I am Maui from Moana, according to a colleague that spends her spare brain cycles equating folks with Disney characters. She explained this to me today, and when I said I would have to watch the movie for the first time, she sent the video along.
This made for a fun day. Snake & Rooter did the work, as the tub faucets were above my pay grade and desperately needed repaired or replaced prior to the coming re-glazing. The whole matter cost just under $600. We probably got took, or not. It is hard to say these days. The supervisor did need to come back and fix a few things.
Just after the installers left, I ran water in the sink and instantly confronted a leaking drain. The diverter leaked when it was turned from the shower to the tub position; only about 3 drops, which they blamed on craftsmanship. Their supervisor repaired both without much amusement on his face.
Later, we discovered that the access panel was not put back correctly either. Removing it, the subfloor appeared damp also. It may just be leftovers. There does not appear to be anything leaking.
It was only small fiasco that took most of the day, and I was a little disappointed that things were left as they were. That sink drain did not just suddenly decide to leak. Somebody forgot to check functionality. Shame on me.
Out on the road again, the first encounter with the bizarre occurred just east of Carrollton. It is unlikely we would have even stumbled on that had I not been ignoring the map in favor of memory that turned out not so good.
The original intent had been to pass along US-24, then MO-41 through Arrow Rock. Instead, we missed the right turn in Richmond and ended staring down the World's Largest Pecan in Brunswick. We were nearly trapped into shopping too, but it turned out only a momentary distraction.
The opportunity to drop in and have a look at Pinnacle Youth Park, just north of Columbia. A brief examination of the site found it dryer than had been noted on previous occasions, but no less interesting.
After lunch, we launched straight into the St Louis area, pausing briefly to check on some family land. Unfortunately, they had draped so many lights over the area as to make it impossible to view anything beyond the front gate.
That only left our plans for the evening, beginning with the Missouri Botancial Garden, which accessing proved to be an adventure of its very own. It was not awful and the visit to Garden Glow, quite a fun little experience.
The next morning ended up in St Charles for their annual Christmas Traditions. It was kind of half surprise and half "well, of course" and an interesting little experience in the home of the first capital of the state of Missouri.
We had to get out of there fairly early, pausing in Rocheport, just as the sun began to disappear behind the snowstorm clouds that we were headed for in Kansas City. The day had been near perfect weather, but was about to be ruined, as we finally arrived in town to much higher precipitation levels than had been predicted.
The X in the pane switcher within Power BI is huge pain in the neck!
I find myself constantly opening things that I have inadvertently closed.
The user experience would feel better if the option were to simply collapse the pane only.
What exactly is the use case for closing a pane versus collapsing anyhow? It is not memory hog. Closing it does not appear to offer any benefit except enabling users to have to click twice more time to get to open again.
The current user experience for this is backwards.
Two clicks to collapse, click again to re-open; and, one click to close, with two Clicks to re-open.
I recommend one clicks to collapse, click again to re-open; and, two clicks to close, and two clicks to re-open.
That is, unless you can somehow make it so that there is ever only one click, like getting rid of close altogether.
I suspect that most would agree that collapse should be the primary action and not close. If nothing else, give me a collapse button! I should not have to click twice to collapse the pane out of the way.
"When a candidate is curious, it suggests genuine engagement with your company and interest beyond a paycheck. Curiosity is a great way to predict if a candidate will be willing to learn and grow in their position as well."
While generally true, I think they put on blinders at the end. Some folks display their curiosity through observation more than questioning. Additionally, a candidate may have already satisfied much of their curiosity about a firm and a role by the time they get to the hiring manager, eradicating any curiosity about either, resulting in few or no questions.
The story also suggests,
"Tips for cultivating curiosity at work:
1) Give time and budget to team members who want to learn more about a particular subject or skill.
2) When challenges come up, practice asking questions before throwing out solutions.
3) Take time to get to know your team members on a more personal level by offering optional team lunches and other experiences.
The first is obvious or should be to anyone with a mind to business. The second is little strange. My philosophy is to always ask questions before throwing out solutions. Lastly, it is important to remember that some team members value their privacy above all else. Don't push it.
Got a little award today and posted to LinkedIn, one of the last surviving social media networks, for me. There is a little more freedom to simply posting here though, which is what this blog appears to be slowly transitioning towards.
The whole affair took place at one of the ballrooms at Argosy Casino today, just beyond this wonderfully tall tree, lit warmly welcome the season of eating. The associated cheesecake was delicious accompaniment.
Heading south to the Pineville area of Missouri, I stumbled on some long-lost family.
There was also this odd little structure that I am still puzzled over.
I also discovered that bulls are very short and hairy in these parts.
Additionally, I was to beware of Google shortcuts. I don't usually mind, but this really was an unnecessary and unrequested diversion. It was good kicking up a little dust though.
The purpose of the excursion is documented in the following story.
Excepting the random cry from resident avian species, quiet reigns under
clear blue 18 ºC November skies, at Big Sugar Creek State Park and the Elk River
Hills Wild Area, in southwest Missouri.
One can be alone with their thoughts in this space, allowing them to
drift, gently tethered, similar to the wild oats along the banks of now dry
creeks, swaying back and forth on the whims of the breeze. Not another sound
intrudes on the scene, excepting the steady crunch of leaves underfoot, and
their occasional rustling from above.
Small bits of water remaining are crystal clear, reflecting the mostly
naked upper story of this hardwood forest. Ferns cling to life along the creek
banks too, keeping warm under a sun normally much too scorching. A few young
oaks blaze red, and an occasional maple shines yellow; all else is deeply
bronzed or brown. An offhand breeze rises, falling off as quickly, causing
leaves to occasionally shower lightly down.
Packed earth, littered with small gravel is interrupted by layered rock beds
spanning the multiple creek crossings. Outcrops of rock across the hollow
suggest an ancient cover collapse incident throughout the area. Water has been
at work here for a very long time, shaping and reshaping the landscape. While
mostly dry on this date, it is evident that the rainy season hosts an entirely
different landscape.
Rising to the highest point along the trail, the stench of nearby pig farm
drifts into range. The pungent odor is as quickly lifted away by a soft breeze
reaching the crest of this Ozark ridge at the same moment.
Descent in the second half is only somewhat different, hosting much larger
obstacles along the path, which hide under a thick blanket of leaves. It is
wiser to pause to take in a view of the deepening hollow below, than take the
chance of stumbling on one of the numerous complications underfoot.
This stream bed displays evidence of water flowing and pushing through the
landscape with increased determination in this section. Indeed, the tour could
be quite treacherous in the Spring, potentially unpassable. Snarls of trees
remain piled up in places from the last deluge, and further along, gouged banks
snake through, revealing a soil profile unsuitable for much of anything.
While water is in more abundance, it still only stands in pools or
trickles along, though sounding much more dramatic than on the other side of the
ridge, in the persistent silence. A small rock rolling down the hillside, at
first, sounds a boulder crashing through the landscape.
Soaking in the last mile at a slower pace, one creek crashes into another,
mingling and running in different directions. Surrounding rock bluffs and the
beds are more sculpted, and small hollows offer up winter homes to various
critters of the region.
Rising up along a small bluff, then descending again, leads to yet another
seasonal stream merging with another. The glade from which this journey began is
not far beyond that. Voices drift lightly down from above. It is the first sign
of humanity in nearly two hours, at once dreadful and enabling an odd sense of
reassurance at the same time.
A few tests with a longer exposure raw file on the Samsung S23, processed using Adobe Photoshop Express Basic Silver. These are 30 second exposures at ISO 400, after dark, about 8 pm above the 39th parallel. The above is looking northwesterly, while the shot below is staring straight up.
Made it out to Las Vegas for the first time since I was probably 5 years old. To be perfectly honest, it may very well be the last trip to that world. I was not all the impressed. If you do not gamble or drink excessively, what exactly is there for you?
A lot of conferences are held there though, which is what got us into this mess. Hyland Software and then Microsoft. Most of the photos are relegated to my other site, in multiple articles.
The latest collection of stories comes from a brief encounter with part of the west Chicago suburbs, to include East Dundee, Hoffman Estates, and Schaumburg. No adventuring occurred beyond that, except on the return trip.
This is likely the last of this travelogue style of writing. A recent journey out to the wasteland of Las Vegas set me to thinking that I need to change things up.
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