Saturday Sikes Lake Perfect Nature Communing

On this next to last Saturday of the 2026 version of October, I opted to journey to nearby Sikes Lake for my daily nature communing and the resulting endorphin acquisition.

As you can see, via the photo documentation of the view looking southwest from the rocky eastern shore of Sikes Lake, the outer world at my location is currently what I think is known as dead calm. Also known as near perfect weather.

No wind. A few wisps of clouds. Temperature in the upper 60s. That is around 40 degrees colder than it was just a few days ago. I think this likely is the cause of the much larger number of fellow nature communers today making their way around the lake via various means, walking, jogging, running, biking, skateboarding.

I have long found it odd that I often see skateboarders skateboarding in this town. But, I have never seen anyone roller blading.

I roller bladed frequently when I lived in the DFW zone.

My one and only time trying to roller blade in Wichita Falls, was at Sikes Lake. But, when I went to put the roller blades on I found they were broken. I can't remember why I made no effort to replace the broken roller blades.

I've replaced three bikes since I have been in this town.

Currently I am free of bikes, roller blades and skateboards. Leaving my feet my only non-motorized means of motion.

Friday Nature Communing Scenic Wichita Bluff Nature Area

We are at that pleasantly temperatured time of the year, when the relatively long 5-mile drive to the Wichita Bluff Nature Area section of the Wichita Falls Circle Trail is my favorite go to location for nature communing, endorphin acquisition and enjoying the great outdoors.

Today was particularly nice, the air climatized into the low 70s on this next to last Friday of the 2026 version of October.

The Wichita Bluff Nature Area section of the Circle Trail is the section with the most elevation gains and losses, up and down the bluffs.

In the above photo documentation, we are high on the bluffs, looking east towards downtown Wichita Falls.

Let's turn around and look the opposite direction.

Actually, this turned around view is looking a bit northwest. That shiny reddish-brown thing you see is the Wichita River, currently running high due to all the recent rain.

Some people who have never been to Texas, for some reason, think the state is all flat brown desert. As you can see, via the photo documentation, at my North Texas location, that certainly is not the case.

It is more of a dense green jungle-like landscape, at the particular location we are looking at above.

Hiking up the bluffs today seemed really easy. I think this may be being caused by the fact I have lost some poundage, which apparently was weighing me down more than I realized.

Going To Homecoming With Ruby & Theo In Tacoma

The photo you see here arrived on my phone last night, It was a photo sent from an Apple phone. It always takes me awhile to remember how to get an Apple phone photo off my Android phone, but, eventually I remember.

In the photo you are looking at my favorite twins, my niece, Ruby and nephew, Theo.

The photo was sent by their mama, my little sister, Michele.

The explanatory text with the photo...

Homecoming last weekend. I don't know why Theo wore a pajama "suit", but everyone loved it.

Ruby and Theo go to the iconic Stadium High School, in Tacoma, Washington.

I replied to the text, texting...

They look so cute. I dunno what a pajama suit is, but I like it.

To which Michele replied...

Well, apparently, it is pajamas over shorts and a shirt and tie. The tie, btw, was dad's.

Ruby & Theo turn 16 in December. Hardly seems possible. Seems like only yesterday I was giving Theo a driving lesson in Arizona. That driving lesson is historically recorded, on YouTube. In the video you see all my siblings, but one. And my mom. And a couple other nephews, and a niece-in-law, and my favorite sister-in-law. That is my little brother, Jake, below, waving at you from the YouTube video....

Wednesday Whole Walk Around Sikes Lake Return

It was back to Sikes Lake this beautiful, pleasantly temperatured third Wednesday of the 2026 version of October, for some salubrious nature communing, along with hordes of others seeking the same thing.

In the first of three instances of photo documentation, we are the east side of the lake, looking at a little water spilling over the spillway of the Sikes Lake Dam. It has been a long time since we have seen any water spilling over this dam. 

Now, let's walk to the west end of Sikes Lake.

Now we are at the west end of the lake, on the bridge which crosses the creek which empties into Sikes Lake. That white spot you see at the far side of the lake is the dam location we were at in the first photo.

Let's turn around and look out from the other side of the bridge, looking west.

The creek emptying into Sikes Lake looks a bit like a bayou. One frequently sees fisherpersons fishing at this location. But, none today.

Sikes Lake is stalked with fish, twice a year. When this happens, I do not know.

It sure would be mighty nice if today's pleasant temperature was a year round reality. No need for any interior climate control, no air-conditioning, no heat.

Just Mother Nature being even tempered...

Pleasant Sikes Lake Nature Communing Musing About Voting & Un-Friending Facebook Trumpers

With the temperature barely into the 60s, as measured by the Fahrenheit method, it was to nearby Sikes Lake I motored for some extremely enjoyable nature communing and endorphin acquisition on this third Tuesday of the 2026 version of October, along with a lot of other nature communers, many opting for the jogging option.

The photo documentation, above, is today's view, looking southwest, from the rocky eastern shore of Sikes Lake.

Early voting began yesterday in Texas. I have not yet done so. 

Some counties in Texas are reporting record breaking numbers of first day early voters, numbers way higher than the first day of early voting in a general election.

So, this would seem to portend well for the predicted, hoped for, big blue wave rolling across the country.

This morning I did something I have never done before. Un-friended a few Facebook friends.

Trumpers.

Trumpers of the classic Dunning-Kruger sort, idiotically hypocritically ignorant with zero awareness of how stupid they make themselves seem to be. These sorts do not deal with actual facts, reason and reality. And thus have zero awareness of their wanton hypocrisy.

The ones I un-friended I had not seen in person in a few decades. Long ago they were not what one might think of as bright lights. In other words, long ago, pre-being Trumpers, they were dim bulbs.

My early voting location is walking distance from Sikes Lake. Sikes Senter. That is the name of the one and only mall in Wichita Falls. That someone thought it clever to spell Center with an 'S' is sort of embarrassing. I suspect whoever it was, is currently a Trumper...

Warm Walmart Nature Communing Instead Of Early Voting

With the temperature in the low 50s, as measured by the Fahrenheit method, I opted to not experience outdoor nature communing, and instead opted for the climate-controlled nature communing one finds at Walmart, on this third Monday of the 2026 version of October.

Seems like only a few days ago Walmart was my go to location to experience air-conditioned nature communing when the outer world was heated into the 90=110 range.

Today my Walmart attire was not of the short type of a few days ago but was blue jeans and a long-sleeved flannel shirt. No long underwear, though. Not cold enough to need that yet.

As you can see, via the above photo documentation, Walmart was not seeing a lot of nature communers this morning.

Today is the first day of Early Voting. That's likely where a lot of Walmart shoppers were, hence, the Walmart ghost town affect we were seeing today.

I had, myaelf, planned to vote on the first day of Early Voting. But, this morning I decided to wait a day or two.

Saturday At Sunny Chilly Lake Wichita

On this third Saturday of the 2026 version of October, it was to nearby Lake Wichita I commuted for some extremely pleasant nature communing and endorphin acquisition. 

The temperature got down to 49 degrees, las night, as measured by the Fahrenheit method.

For some not understood reason, the air-conditioner decided to turn on last night about 2 in the morning, when the interior temperature was 69 degrees. I had a bout of trouble figuring out how to shut off the A/C.

Now, today, I get to have the fun I have every six months or so, trying to remember how to switch the A/C from one climate control setting to the other. COOL to HEAT, HEAT to COOL. Today it will be switching it from COOL to HEAT. I likely did not need to make note of that fact.

In the above photo documentation, we are heading out on the Lake Wichita Boardwalk.

And now, we are out at the end of the Lake Wichita Boardwalk, looking northwest, with Mount Wichita that small bump on the horizon.

Speaking of the Northwest. Looking at the Texas landscape today, brought to mind what it was like to look in any direction, north, south, east or west, from any location in Western Washington. You would see mountains. Tall mountains. Several of them volcanoes. 

At my current Texas location, any direction you look it is a totally flat horizon.

In the above flat horizon photo, we are now looking northeast, at the long Lake Wichita dam and that small thing which you see in the water is the Lake Wichita floating dock. Let's walk there next.

Now we are on that floating dock, looking slightly southwest at that Boardwalk we were on moments ago. And more flat horizon.

Everyone I ran into today was enjoying whining about the shockingly abrupt switch from high heat, as in temperatures in the 90s and 100s, to a temperature only 17 degrees above freezing.

Back when it was HOT I was looking forward to Winter. Now that I'm getting a sample of what that is like, I'm not looking forward to it quite as much...

Friday Windy Chilly Nature Communing Wichita Bluff Nature Area

With the outer world temperature in the 50s, after what seems months of being above 100, day after day after day over 100 degrees, as measured by the Fahrenheit method, today, on this third Friday of the 2026 version of October, it was to the Wichita Bluff Nature Area I ventured for some actual, outdoor, nature communing, along with extreme endorphin acquisition, due to the effort it takes to go up and down the hills of the Bluffs.

I had a weather adventure yesterday afternoon, driving to WinCo in a torrential downpour, with that downpour being the most torrential I have experienced in a long time. Even though I had umbrella cover, I managed to get soaked getting from my vehicle to the WinCo entry.

You cannot tell it by the below photo documentation of me being the Shadow of the Wichita Bluff Nature Area, that I was in sweatpants and long sleeves, today, for the first time in a long, long time.

As I was approaching the highest point on the bluffs, a strong gust of wind whipped my hat off me, making for a fun chase and eventual capture, nicely adding to the endorphin acquisition.

A view looking northwest near the summit of the Wichita Bluffs. That section of reddish brown you see near the center of the photo is the Wichita River, currently flowing with a lot more water than has been the recent norm.

I have yet to switch my interior climate control from COOL to HEAT. Last night I did find myself needing to get under the thick cover of blankets. It's been many months since I felt that need.

I think we may be heading into an extreme Winter. I hope we don't get a below zero bout, like what happened a few years ago. I'd prefer not to endure that type adventure again.

Raging Rainstorm Thundering Thursday Walmart Ghost Town Nature Communing

Last night, around 3 in the morning, I was awakened by a bright flash followed by a loud boom, followed by a raging downpour, along with more bright flashes and loud booms.

When the sun arrived to attempt to begin its daily illumination duty, I soon saw that the outer world at my location sort of looked like a lake, on this third Thursday of the 2026 version of October.

And so, with the sky continuing to drip copiously, it was to Walmart I ventured this morning for my daily regular nature communing and endorphin acquisition.

Walmart was more of a morning ghost town, this morning, than the morning norm, due to that dripping sky previously mentioned.

You can see, via the photo documentation, what a ghost town Walmart was this morning.

Several Walmart aisles were totally blocked by big containers containing the leaks dripping from above.

Leaving Walmart, my route back to my abode took me by the Lake Wichita Dam. I was curious, if after years of not enough water, if enough water fell last night to cause water to spill over the dam's spillway.

Nope. No water spilling over the spillway.

Maybe today's continuing rain will be enough to cause that water spilling over the spillway thing to happen.

Back To Sikes Lake For Semi-Stormy Nature Communing With The Ducks

On this second Wednesday of the 2026 version of October, the weather prediction for days has been predicting rain and thunderstorms for today.

So, with that forecast in mind, under an overcast sky, with a strong wind gusting, I made my way to nearby Sikes Lake, once again, for some nature communing and endorphin acquisition. 

I had been seeing the above dock, on the ground, under construction the past couple weeks. Wondering, each time I saw it, what it's function was going to be on a lake which forbids swimming, kayaking, or any form of boating. 

Fishing is allowed though. And the lake is stocked a couple times a year. One frequently sees fisherpersons fishing from various locations around the lake.

Even though clouding blocked the sun, the temperature still managed to get into the low 80s, with the humidity rendering me as bad a sweaty mess as what I suffered at the HOTTEST of summer.

A couple years ago there was an extremely controversial mass extermination of the rather large, varied, Sikes Lake goose population. The mass extermination was met with big post-extermination protests.

I did not mind the geese being gone. Some were quite aggressive. But, I did not like the mass extermination. I thought catch and move would have been much better.

Since the extermination some geese have returned to Sikes Lake. But they are outnumbered by a different bird.

Ducks.

Lots of ducks. I think ducks are cuter than geese. And less aggressive. I like the way they quack and waddle. And the baby ducks, are those known as ducklings, are really cute.

Above you see a flock of resting ducks near the Wichita Falls Museum of Art.

By the time I was back in my motorized means of motion, and started up the engine, raindrops began splattering on the windshield. By the time I made it the short distance back to my abode the rain was almost raining down hard.

Looking out my computer room window, it looks stormy out there.