Linda Lou's Skagit Valley No Kings Protest Report With Wichita Falls Protest Against Trump

The Skagit Valley of Washington's Linda Lou called me this afternoon whilst I was on my way to WINCO to tell me about today's NO KINGS PROTEST in my old home zone.

Linda Lou told me today's protest dwarfed the previous two.

This will mean nothing to anyone who does not know the town, but both sides of Mount Vernon's College Way were lined 7 - 8 deep, from I-5, all the way to Skagit Valley College. That is a couple miles.

Meanwhile, a couple miles north, in the town I grew up in, Burlington, Burlington Boulevard was lined up deep on both sides of the road, all the way from the Skagit River bridge to Fairhaven Avenue, in downtown Burlington.

Linda Lou reported seeing a surprising number of protest signs.

It was windy and cold this morning, so I opted not to go to the Wichita Falls NO KINGS PROTEST, which took place in downtown Wichita Falls. I had gone to the two previous protests.

When I got back from WINCO, I woke up my computer, clicked on the link to the local newspaper's online version of the Wichita Falls Times Record News, a news source I have repeatedly complained does a bad job of covering local news.

Well, the Times Record News was right on top of today's big story, as you can see via the screen cap above.

I'll hit the publish button on this and then go check out the local news sources in my old home zone and see if I can see some photo documentation of Mount Vernon and Burlington's protests.

Feeling Homesick For Skagit Valley Tulips With Texas Wildflowers

I saw that which you see above, this final Saturday of March, on Facebook. Several photos taken in my old home zone of Washington. The Skagit Flats, to be precise. Which this time of year become colorful due to the blooming of multiple types of flowers.

The photographer is someone named Lisa Ketcham. The photos were posted by something called KOMO SoNorthwest Photography. KOMO is Seattle's ABC TV affiliate.

For those seeing these photos, who are the Texas flatlander sorts, those landforms rising in the background of the photos are mountains. The foothills of the Cascade Mountain Range, to be precise.

I do not remember what year the Skagit Tulip Festival started up, other than it was several decades ago, and I was living in West Mount Vernon, at the time, oblivious to the fact that a new festival had started up, with my first awareness of this coming from the massive traffic jam clogging the road I had to drive to go anywhere from my abode.

The Skagit Tulip Festival has grown bigger, year after year, adding things like Tulip Town, Roozengarde, with the various towns in the valley hosting various events. 

If my memory is serving me accurately, and sometimes it does, the last time I was in Washington, whilst the Skagit Valley tulips were blooming, was in April of 2006.

I'd flown up for my Favorite Nephew Jason's first wedding. But, we did not drive out to the Tulip zone. It was a one day zip up from Kent, that is a south of Seattle suburb, to Burlington, where the nuptials took place, then to Eaglemont Pavilion, in Mount Vernon, for the post wedding party, and then back to Kent.

Now, I have made mention of the fact that my current location in Texas is free of any mountain scenery, no matter what direction you look.

And there may not be any tulip fields, but Texas does have colorful wildflowers.

I first learned Texas wildflowers existed when I drove to Texas to check out the possibility of moving to the Lone Star State. The last stop before arriving in DFW was a motel in Amarillo. The next morning, heading southeast on Highway 287, I was surprised by seeing a lot of color on the side of the road. Mostly yellow, with some pink, and a little blue. I was later to learn the yellow blooms were known as Evening Primroses.

A few years after the move to Texas I found myself in what is known as Texas Hill Country, which is an area known for its wildflowers. At Fredericksburg there is a wildflower farm with big fields of wildflowers, looking a lot like the fields of color you see in the Skagit Valley at Tulip Festival time.

I have been feeling a bit homesick, of late. Seeing those photos of the Skagit flowers, and the mountains, added to the homesick feeling. I miss mountains, saltwater beaches, fresh Dungeness crabs and clams, and many other things....

Apparently Washington Does Not Care How It's Done In Texas

I saw that which you see above, yesterday, on Facebook, and thought it amusing, partly because it is about my old home state, and makes mentions of Texas, the state I am currently in.

The below text sort of explains the thinking behind the sign...

Washington doesn’t need to explain itself

It has mountains that stop you mid-sentence, evergreen backroads, ferry rides, rainy mornings, and the kind of views that make people move here and immediately start acting like they discovered the place.

Come for the scenery, the coffee, the seafood, and the clean mountain air. Stay for the forests, the coast, the weird little towns, and the feeling that nature is always one turn away.

But if you showed up expecting Washington to trade its identity for somebody else’s version of “better,” you’re probably in the wrong state.

Washington isn’t trying to be Texas. Washington isn’t trying to be Florida. Washington is just being Washington.

So, take in the view, grab some salmon, spend a little money, and let the Pacific Northwest keep doing its thing

My Metro by T-Mobile Payment Declined Unfunny Bad Sitcom Day

Well. I had myself an absurdist sitcom comedy day yesterday. It had to do with my cell phone provider, Metro PCS. For years I have easily paid my monthly phone bill by simply typing "Pay 50.00" when the "Payments are easy!" text message arrived on my phone.

And then, when the 25th of the month arrived a couple months ago, my attempt to pay, which previously got a thank you text in reply, instead got "Payment declined by your financial institution".

I tried to take care of this via the phone, which was totally frustrating, as I was diverted to T-1 Mobile, which now owns Metro PCS.  I gave up on that method. I think I was talking to an out of the country call center. So, I logged into my Metro account, online, which I had done previously when updating the credit card info. This proved equally frustrating. The original log-in did not work. I had to go through multiple hoops with proof it's me codes being sent to my phone.

Eventually I was able to get into my Metro account. Decided to update the credit card to a different one. Did so and made the payment whilst logged in.

The next two months paying was no problem. I'd text PAY 50.00, get the thank you message and thought the problem was over.

And then, yesterday, on the 25th, it happened again, but with the new card. This time I was not going to go through the hassle of trying to fix this online, instead just go to the Metro PCS store a short distance away. Did so, go out of my vehicle to see the sign you see photo documented about, that being the sign on the door, which said "Store Closed Due to Internet Outage Please visit 3634 OLD JACKSBORO HWY Sorry for inconvenience."

Not sure where Jacksboro Hwy was I drove back to my home computer, Googled the address to learn it was a couple miles away.

Upon entering the store I did not realize it had just opened and I was the first customer of the day. I explained the problem. The guy I explained it to said this was nothing Metro caused; it was my bank that declined payment. To which I replied that makes no sense, that for years this worked fine, then a couple months ago, it didn't, I switched to a different bank, and then the same thing happens. The Metro guy suggested maybe there were insufficient funds in both accounts, to which I told him both accounts have thousands of dollars banked.

Below are the text messages my phone received yesterday...

Payments are easy! Pay

$50.00 by 03/25/26

for ACC997816494 by

replying 'PAY 50.00'.

Metro by T-Mobile Terms

& Conditions apply. See

mybty-mo.com/terms

Payment declined by

your financial institution.

To pay using MASTER

CARD ***********6435

reply back 'YES". Metro

by T-Mobile terms and

conditions apply. See

www.metrobyt-

mobile.com/terms

Your request was not

understood. Please go to

Metro by T-Mobile.com

to make a payment.

Metro by T-Mobile terms

and conditions apply.

See www.Metro by

T-Mobile.com/terms

When I went to Metro by T-Mobile to try and make a payment the phone took me to a T-Mobile page requiring a log-in. I don't have a T-Mobile log-in. That was the last straw before I took off to find a Metro store.

So, the Metro guy tells me it takes several minutes to get the system up. Those minutes dragged on and on. The Metro guy was going around the store doing various tasks. Eventually I asked if he'd just opened. Yes, was the reply, and that he was late, due to get stuck in traffic in his drive from Dallas. You drove here from Dallas to open this store? Yes, I do that every day. You drive back to Dallas when you close? Yes, every day.

It is about 140 miles between Dallas and Wichita Falls.

I neglected to mention, the Metro guy was Indian. I asked him if he was Indian after he spoke to another guy in what sounded Indian to me. Yes was his reply, to which I thought so, even before you spoke Indian because of your cool sound Indian accent.

At this point I was thinking this is like being in a live version of a foreign call center.

The Metro guy could tell I was beginning to get a bit annoyed, after about the 5th time I asked how much longer til your system is working. He then said he could take down my info, as in phone number and credit card info and make the payment when the system comes up. Oh, and there is a five-dollar payment support charge added for paying in the store.

 At that point the Metro guy says, the system is up. He then accesses my account, points me to a card reader. I tell him this card I am using here is the same one that got declined when I tried to pay via the phone.

I stick the card in, do a weird name signing with an electronic pen. The payment goes through, the Metro guy hands me a receipt, to which I said to him "You do see, don't you, why this is totally absurd? That the card worked fine here, and you are charging me five dollars to pay the bill in the store."

How is such a thing even legal.

I left the store, got in my vehicle, at which point the phone makes the incoming text noise. I swiped the screen dreading that it might be another text from Metro PCS, telling me "Payment Declined."

Nope.

Instead, it was a text message with the regular "Thanks for your $50.00 pymt."

Needless to say, despite being happy with Metro PCS til a couple months ago, I will be finding a new cell phone provider before the 25th of next month...

Sunny Hot Sunday Goosing Sikes Lake

 On this third day of Spring, the 4th Sunday of the 2026 version of March, it was to Sikes Lake I ventured for some salubrious endorphin acquisition.

A nice breeze was blowing, making the 85 degrees, as measured by the Fahrenheit method, not feel too HOT.

The temperature predicted for today is 100 degrees. I suspect the high will end up being higher than 100, since yesterday's predicted high of 97 turned out to be 101.

In the above photo documentation, we are on the west side of the lake, looking southeast. That is a flock of geese lined up on that cement structure which spans the lake. I have no clue what the purpose of that cement structure is.

Or why those geese are lined up on it, instead of enjoying floating on the lake.

My old home zone of Washington state is having a record-breaking heat wave, along with the rest of the west coast. The heat wave is causing the snow pack to melt at a flood causing level. 

There is no snowpack anywhere near my current Texas location in danger of being melted by the current heatwave. 

Hot First Day Of Spring Sikes Lake Nature Communing

The temperature was almost 80 degrees, as measured by the Fahrenheit method, when I ventured to Sikes Lake for some pleasant nature communing, along with a surprisingly large number of fellow nature communers.

As you can see via the photo documentation of the view from the rocky eastern shore of Sikes Lake, looking southwest, it is a clear blue sky day, on what I think is the first day of the season known as Spring. But my wall calendar is telling me yesterday, March 19 was the day Spring arrived.

I must go Google now to find out, for sure, what season I am currently experiencing.

Well, according to Google my calendar is erroneous. The Vernal Equinox is happening today, March 20.

It seems like only a few weeks ago we were experiencing extreme Winter weather, with snow and a couple days with the temperature sub-zero. It seems like only a few weeks ago, because it was just a few weeks ago.

And now look at what our predicted high is two days from now, that being the day known as Sunday.

100 degrees in March just seems wrong. I suspect we are heading towards a record-breaking HOT summer. 

Nature Communing Lucy Park's Jungle-Free Backwoods Jungle

It was to Lucy Park I ventured this third Wednesday morning of the 2026 version of March, for some actual salubrious outdoor nature communing, after several days of avoiding such, due to the chilly windy outdoor conditions, which have now abated, with today's high getting into the 80s, if the prediction is accurate.

I speed hiked the Lucy Park Backwoods Jungle today, photo documented above.

I thought the Lucy Park Backwoods might be in near jungle mode, but the Lucy Park trees have not greened up as much as the trees seem to have greened in non-park locations.

Maybe the temperature is a few degrees cooler in Lucy Park, due to the lack of blacktop and heat producing vehicles which warm up the trees lining streets in town, hence causing the Lucy Park trees to more slowly start to sprout leaves.

Anyway, it was mighty nice to get a dose of endorphins, today, after experiencing withdrawal symptoms the past several days.

Thursday the temperature is scheduled to get into the 90s, so I should have another good day of nature communing tomorrow.

Chilly Tuesday Morning Enjoying Rising Walmart Gas Price

A week ago, give or take a day or two, I filled my tank at my neighborhood Walmart gas station at $3.17 a gallon.

This third Tuesday morning of the 2026 version of March I was back at Walmart to do some interior space nature communing and wildlife observation, in Walmart. 

I opted not to do outdoor nature communing, due to the outer world being extremely chilled. And windy. We got below freezing the past two nights. Tomorrow warmth is predicted to return.

Upon leaving Walmart, walking to my vehicle, I decided to fill my tank again, what with the gas price predicted to keep on rising, soon going over 4 bucks a gallon.

It looked like many were so inclined to fill up, what with this gas station being way busier than it usually is, in the early morning.

Windy Sunday Sikes Lake Nature Communing

On this third Sunday of the 2026 version of March, it was to Sikes Lake I ventured for some windy nature communing. Which would make the photo documentation the view looking southwest from the rocky eastern shore of Sikes Lake.

Today's weather forecast's most interesting prediction was for strong 50 mph winds to be blowing, starting around the time the sun arrived for its daily illumination duty.

As you can see, the lake is barely rippling, nowhere near having strong wind produce white capping waves.

This photo was taken at the start of my nature communing. A half hour later that predicted strong wind arrived in full gusto mode. I was at the parking lot when the wind began to gust. It did not cross my mind to walk back to the lake to possibly get a good wave photo.

The temperature high for today is predicted to hit 67 degrees as measured by the Fahrenheit method. And tonight the low is predicted to get below freezing, down to 29 degrees. I thought we were done with that chilly nonsense.

I have the A/C running right now. I suspect that will be switched to heating mode in a few hours.

$3.17 A Gallon At My Neighborhood Walmart

Last time I got gassed, if my memory is serving me correctly, it was costing $2.19 a gallon. I still have more than half a tankful. Today my neighborhood Walmart's gas station, that being the location where last I paid $2.19 a gallon, now is costing 98 cents more.

I suspect by the time I need to fill my empty tank again, the price will be well above $3.17.

The last time the price of gas spiked I do not remember how high it went. I don't thing it got out of the three dollar range.

A couple days ago, Washington's Linda Lou told me gas in my home zone had gone over $4 a gallon.

My old Skagit Valley Washington zone is home to a couple big refineries which turn Alaskan crude into gasoline. 

Apparently having refineries in the neighborhood does not make the gas cheaper.

I do not know where the nearest refinery is in relation to my current Texas location. I do know that Texas pumps a lot of crude oil out of the Texas ground. It doesn't get shipped in from Alaska on super tankers.