An Aerobat on Cross-country

   Mission: Deliver playing cards.
   Aircraft of choice: Cessna 150 Aerobat.
   In preparation for our chapter of the Ninety-nines' flyin' poker fun run, MyMrMallory and I flew to Frederik, Oklahoma, and Vernon, Texas, two of the run stops, to deliver cards. We took off from Wichita Valley airport.
 

    Both navigation radios in our little aerobat Cessna were inoperative, with Bobby unable to repair them until next week, but we did not worry, for we carried with us other navigational technology.

    MyMrMallory expertly inputted frequencies into the portable GPS, a Garmin 296. Just after takeoff, though, the portable Garmin ceased to function. Not to worry! We brought along, not one iPad, but two. So I reached behind my seat and brought up my mini iPad, which did not show any data. I must have missed paying my bill. Not to worry! I reached behind MyMrMallory's seat and brought out his iPad, the battery of which ran low and shut it down. So, where is that ol' timey sectional? Oh, it's blowing around in the back.

      Dangerous picture-taking. I wrapped my camera strap around my wrist, then poked it out my window to take this image of the Red River below the empennage and tail of the aircraft.

A homestead and grain silos at the corner of plowed fields near Frederik, Oklahoma.

      Clouds that portend rain started to pop up over a parched land. Relentlessly, we flew to complete our mission just in case the storm promised by the weatherman would not interfere with the flyin' poker run.

          On short final to runway 17 at the airport in Frederik, our eyes open wide for fighter traffic from nearby Shepard Air Force Base. The jet fighters come in to Frederik airport to do touch-n-goes as practice. What a sight that must be.

Our little aerobat's shadow on the runway at Frederik.

Frederik is home of the WWII Airborne Demonstration Team.

       Parachuter Sharon met us at the airport to take our playing cards. She also handed us a packet containing a video and a certificate for a "buy one, get one free" ride in the DC-3. What a delight to shake the hand of a parachuter.

      On short final into Wilbarger County airport. Just to remain steady with theme, the battery to my nifty Nikon P7700 was too low, so I had to switch to my iPhone camera, which I use with just as much delight. 

Here we are in the prairie, a prairie as long as the eye can see! Clouds have turned darker and thicker.

       Walking into the FBO at Wilbarger County airport, Harlan, to the left in the image, said hello, and followed it up with "Coffee's that way. Restrooms are that way," he said, as he pointed toward the back and toward my right. Lawrence, right, walked up to say hello. "You want some popcorn? Help yourself."

      "I'm a wore out crop-duster," Kirk said to me.

      "What do you fly?" I asked him. 

      "I fly an Air Tractor, an ancient one, ancient like me." 

      "I'd love to fly an Air Tractor. You are lucky to have one." 

      "Yes, I am."

      "Do you know Amanda?" I asked.

      "You bet. She's a good ag pilot."

       Our mission accomplished, we took off on our return to Wichita Valley airport with 15-knot headwinds, quite strong for a little airplane. With my window open, I breathed the fresh country air of a lovely autumn day before a much needed rain fall, one that would ground our flyin' poker fun run, probably, but I wouldn't mind at all.

Barred Owl Waiting

      The barred owl released by a dear friend sits in her crate waiting for the moment she will fly to follow her destiny in nature. Raised lovingly and released with joy by Wild Bird Rescue. A remarkable creature of God, she is.

Monarch on a Sunflower

      In my garden. What a delight! 

Dashing Hogs

       The difference between the fellas and me is that I have a modicum of guilt chasing around wild hogs while flying in the helicopter. I don't like to terrorize them or stress them, or worse, let them become accustomed to the helicopter, for someday there may be mass shooting, not from a camera, but from a gun. Eek. Even so, I could not resist myself and asked Gary to turn toward them, just for a short while, to look at them closer, and to grab a few images of a most adaptable and strong creature of God.

Horsing Around

Releasing Barred Owl

       Even though I will sound absolutistic, I will say it anyway: All releases are special. With this one, though, I learned of the different levels of delight. To photograph a dear friend releasing, and to photograph a barred owl, one of a species of educational bird at Wild Bird Rescue that Ms. Lila gave me the honor to name, combined to make this release one of the most special to me.

      Katie, executive director of Wild Bird Rescue, brings "Catness," the barred owl, out of her crate. Catness was rescued as a nestling and taken to Wild Bird Rescue, where she survived and grew. In the background, my friend's husband is ready with his camera.

      Katie hands Catness to my friend, whose lovely face shows delight at the opportunity to release a wild owl, raised by Wild Bird Rescue, back to nature. 

My friend releases the barred owl.

Rain Drops on a Moonflower

Promise of Rain

In the distance, a promise of rain.

Moon Set over Bonanza

      As I prepared my plane to fly, the moon set behind the clouds. 

MissusParkey's Trees

     Meanwhile, at MissusParkey's house, I noted the remarkable cloud formations that promised scattered showers forming over the house. The once upon a time lovely garden (so I hear), with trees now dead, provides a contrasting foreground for the clouds. This sort of contrast often makes me reminisce of the sweet times that might have passed there, at the home on the grasslands of North Texas.

Mud Dauber Nests

Hanging in an old barn.

Gulf Fritillary on a Sunflower

Saddles in a Barn

Batteries and Stones

A dusty dirt road took me to an interesting site. 

I approached, noting the effects of erosion.

If I had driven up on a paved road, my wheels would have squealed as I stopped abruptly, excitedly.

           All around these old things erosion had created fascinating formations and exposed rocks worthy of a photographic exploration. 

       I wondered, how long ago did someone place the flat stone under the ladder to make it sturdy on the clay soil?

Oxidized Tube on Sandy Soil

Pre-flight at Sunrise

     I had one eye on my plane as I checked it before my flight, and one eye on the glorious sunrise.

Austin parks my plane after pulling out of the hangar. The morning felt cool and looked beautiful. 

Dredging a Pond

      When the mesquite-lined ponds dry up, the opportunity to tend to the health of the pond arises. A large mud bucket, seen lying on its side at the top right side of the pond, is pulled across the muddy bottom to remove the sludgy parts. Then the bulldozers push soil to the sides. The process looks impressive from the air. When, eventually, the rains return, the pond will fill.

Wide angle view of a pond in the middle of a wheat field. Two bulldozers push dirt to the edges of the pond. Seen at top of the pond, two white trucks, a fuel tank, and a mud bucket.

The morning sun reflects on the moisture of the soil.

Ground view of the dredged pond. 

Moonflower Drooping

Lovely moonflower as the sun rises, then, when its rays caress its petals . . . 

. . . the moonflower gathers up and droops.

Moonflower seed pod.