WinCo Nature Communing With Dorothy & Giant Candy Canes

None of my regular morning nature communing on this first Tuesday of the 2026 version of November. Also known as Election Day.

I did my voting last week. And now I await the results.

Most of my walking this morning took place at WinCo. I needed to go there because I needed to grind some fresh peanut butter. The peanut butter you make yourself at WinCo is the best I have ever had. I learned this soon after the first WinCo opened in the DFW zone, years ago.

My route back to my abode, from WinCo, took me by MSU, also known as Midwestern State University.

Every year, since I have been in Wichita Falls, I always seem surprised to see the annual Fantasy of Lights displays begin showing up on the MSU campus, before Halloween.

Today I saw it looked like most of the displays have now arrived. So, I stopped to photo document some of the scene.

Above you see a fallen Santa Claus, near a train and giant candy canes. A Merry Christmas to All sign is between the fallen Santa and that little brown gingerbread house. To the right of Santa, but out of the photo frame is the Jolly Roger Pirate Ship. 

There are a few of the Fantasy of Lights displays, in addition to Jolly Roger, which I don't quite get how they fit the Christmas theme. Like the Wizard of Oz display with Dorothy, the Scarecrow, Cowardly Lion and Tin Man on the Yellow Brick Road in front of the Emerald City.

I will try and remember to experience the Fantasy of Lights, this year when it gets nearer to Christmas. The Fantasy of Lights draws a large crowd, at night, on weekends. It is entertaining.

Monday Sikes Lake Return Free Of Rain & Lightning Strikes

The forecast for this second day of the 2026 version of November was for heavy rain and thunderstorms starting by 7 this morning.

However, upon the arrival of the sun to begin its daily illumination duty, I looked out my bedroom window and saw a clear blue sky with no clouds to be seen.

So, what with the outer world looking so pleasant, I decided the Wichita Bluff Nature Area would be today's location today of my daily nature communing and endorphin acquisition.

However, when it came time to exit my abode for outdoor activity, the sky was totally covered with angry looking clouds, blotting out the sun. No blue sky to be seen in any direction.

And the earlier dead calm had been replaced by strong gusts of wind.

Apparently, the weather forecast was off by a few hours.

Not wanting to be on the Wichita Bluffs when rain opted to pour and lightning to strike I decided to return to nearby Sikes Lake for my outdoor fun.

As you can see via the above photo documentation of today's view of the lake, looking southwest from Sikes Lake's rocky eastern shore, the wind is whipping up some waves. And the sky looks like it could begin behaving badly at any moment.

Fortunately, I was able to complete my endorphin acquisition whilst staying totally dry and free of any lightning strikes.

Speaking of waves. I am sort of anxious awaiting tomorrow's anticipated BLUE WAVE. I shall likely be staying up late tomorrow night.

Sunless Sikes Lake With Blooming Sunflowers On November 1

On this first day of the 2026 version of November, the day after Halloween, it was back to nearby Sikes Lake I commuted for some cloudy, pleasantly temperatured nature communing and endorphin acquisition after a night of seeing way too many trick or treating beggars.

First day of November and wild sunflowers are still busy blooming along the Sikes Lake lakeshore. Colorful wildflowers are one thing Texas does well.

Today was predicted to be foggy, but, so far, I have seen nothing of that type weather action. Just clouds.

Tomorrow, the day before one of the most seriously important elections in America's history, the current weather prediction is for downpours, thunderstorms, flash flooding and possible tornadoes.

Nature Communing Hamilton Park With Halloween Lawn Decorations

I may have gone a little overboard with my Halloween decorations, this year.

Making all these lawn decorations impervious to a strong wind is just a little challenging.

Yesterday's weather forecast for Halloween was for rain and thunderstorms. 

By the time Halloween arrived that forecast had been changed to light rain, Halloween morning. That light rain did arrive, as predicted, this morning of Halloween.

My Halloween nature communing and endorphin acquisition took place at Hamilton Park. Hamilton Park is almost as close as Sikes Lake, with the Circle Trail, and other trails running through the park.

I hope all are having themselves a mighty fine fun Halloween.

Friday Morning Walmart Return After Last Night's Linda Lou Walmart Walk

Washington's Linda Lou went for a long walk with me, yesterday, early in the evening, at Walmart.

Due to being distracted by Linda Lou's witty conversation I forgot to get the main thing I went to Walmart to get.

Apple Cider Vinegar.

This worked out just fine. Because, due to the predicated rain arriving as accurately predicted, with the dripping beginning around 7, this final Friday morning of the 2026 version of October, Walmart became my go to location for my daily nature communing and endorphin acquisition, with Apple Cider Vinegar being among what I acquired, this morning.

And now, an hour before noon, the dripping continues. So far there has been none of the predicted thunderstorming happening that I have seen or heard.

Today's above photo documentation is a look at the not too busy Walmart. Actually, Walmart was being a bit busy. The photo just indicates otherwise.

Tomorrow is Halloween. Rain is predicted. And thunderstorms. I don't think I'll go out trick or treating...

Midterm Texas High Tech Early Voting Nature Communing

I got around to early voting this final Thursday of the 2026 version of October. I had intended to do my daily walking and nature communing in the Sikes Senter mall location of the polling place, prior to voting.

Voting was to start at 11 am. I arrived a half hour before the voting opening. 

A line was already forming. I decided to opt for stationary walking, in line, rather than my normal mode of walking.

The line wait turned out to be a bit entertaining. I enjoyed it. Good stationary nature communing

The Sikes Senter mall is pretty much a ghost town. There are only a few stores still operating. And they also wait til 11 am to open.

In the photo documentation, above, you can only see a couple of the voters ahead of me. There were maybe a dozen more. And behind me, several dozen.

It had been a few years since I opted to use the polling place means of voting. I'd been using the mail in ballot method. But, for some reason, I did not trust that method, this year.

The in person voting method at my Texas location has gone hi-tech, way beyond any previous, in person, voting experience.

After showing photo I.D. and my voter registration card, I was given a couple things to sign, one via an electronic stylus method. I was then given a sheet of paper, with a directional arrow at the top, and the ACCESS CODE 27009 you see photo documented above.

After being given those two pieces of paper, I was directed to a voting station where I inserted the piece of paper and entered the ACCESS CODE. All via the touch screen method.

Then the voting began. Also, via the touch screen method.

When I reached the end of the voting I was asked to review my choices, did so, then instructed, when satisfied with the choices, to hit the print button. 

Did so, the piece of paper then got sucked into the machine and my ballot was printed. I was then instructed to go to another station, with the printed ballot, where I waited in a short line to insert that ballot sheet of paper into another high-tech machine, which sucked in the paper, and then advised me there would be a short wait til completion. Just a few seconds later the American flag was waving on the screen and I was told my voting was complete.

I was then given the I VOTED TODAY sticker you see photo documented above.

Is this what it is like to vote in person at my old Washingtons state zone of voting? For years I voted via the mail in ballot method, in Washington. I do not remember the last election in Washington where I voted in person at a polling place.

Wednesday Sikes Lake Nature Communing With Trump & Obama

It was back to nearby Sikes Lake I ventured on this morning of the final Wednesday of the 2026 version of October for some extremely pleasant nature communing and endorphin acquisition.

As you can see, via the photo documentation of the view from the rocky eastern shore, looking southwest, there are some waves waving on the lake, clearly indicating a bit of a wind is blowing.

The wind made the temperature, which was in the upper 60s, feel a bit cooler, which only added to the extreme pleasantness.

The nature communing helped a bit to ameliorate the foul mood I was feeling, being annoyed at how some Trumpnuts, supposed friends of mine, can be so woefully oblivious to the utter irony of their hypocritical upset at me for pointing out, clearly, that they were being embarrassingly stupid. Somehow, such is unforgivably rude for someone like me to make a totally accurate statement of fact. I mean, sometimes stupid is stupid. Clear and simple. 

And then you have their cult leader, frequently saying various persons are stupid, like just morning I saw a bizarre video of Trump saying Obama was a stupid man, making that stupidity clear by how Obama compared Trump's White House to the Cheesecake Factory.

The irony. Trump once again sounding incredibly stupid whilst saying someone else is stupid.

I have yet to vote. I think I shall so tomorrow, at the Sikes Senter, a mall by Sikes Lake.

Spring-Like Snake-Free Lucy Park Backwoods Jungle Hike

It was the long four-mile drive to Lucy Park my motorized means of motion took me on this final Tuesday of the 2026 version of October, for some pleasant nature communing and endorphin acquisition gained by exploring the Lucy Park Backwoods Jungle.

One would think Spring had sprung what with how Lucy Park has gone from being brown to green since last I visited. The recent rains have had a nice result.

The leaves on the trees have yet to get the memo telling them it is the time of year for them to drop their leaves.

 
I am always a bit apprehensive at the above location when I hike the Lucy Park Backwoods Jungle. This is the location, soon after my arrival in Wichita Falls, where I saw the biggest snake I have ever seen, in the wild.

It has been several years since I have seen a snake, nary a one since that bizarre bout a few winters ago where we went to below zero for several days. I do not think cold-blooded reptiles like getting that cold. Or can survive it.

I have seen a lot of snakes since I have been in Texas, including rattlesnakes, and not just the hundreds of rattlesnakes I saw at the Sweetwater Rattlesnake Roundup.

My scariest rattlesnake encounter happened on the Cedar Hills State Park mountain bike trail. Cedar Hills State Park is in the Dallas zone of Texas.

That Cedar Hills State Park rattlesnake encounter happened when I was in deep woods, suddenly hearing the unmistakable sound of a rattlesnake rattling it rattle.

And then I saw it, coiled up, a few feet off the trail, the rattle sticking up above the coiled rattlesnake. I think it was simply warning me and was not getting ready to strike. I increased my speed, nonetheless.

What was totally unsettling was soon after the in the woods rattlesnake encounter I entered a section which was sort of marshy with tall grass. Perfect snake habitat, or so it seemed to me. But, I saw nary a snake in that scary section.

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.