Theo & Ruby's First Day Of 10th Grade

What with the temperature heading, once again, past the 100-degree mark I opted, once again, to do my nature communing in the air-conditioned comfort of Walmart. 

I was about 20 minutes into my endorphin acquisition when my phone made its incoming message noise. I woke up the phone, saw the incoming message was from my little sister, Michele. I clicked on the message and soon saw the two photos you see here, above and below, with the following text...

First day, 10th grade. Their friends meet up at our house to walk together to school.

 I do not know if Tacoma has a three- or four-year high school system. If it is a three-year system, that means today is my nephew Theo and niece Ruby's first day of high school.

Since they are walking to school that would seem to indicate to me that their high school is Stadium High School. That is a school made famous in a couple movies.

Of late I have had way too many instances of thinking that time if flying way too fast. Theo and Ruby in high school is yet one more instance of that. Theo and Ruby turn 16 this coming December 17. 

That means Theo and Ruby will soon be getting driver's licenses. 

I have not seen Theo and Ruby since March of 2019. I remember giving Theo a driving lesson at that point in time, with Theo driving grandma's van. My best guess is Theo would have been, maybe 8, at that point in time. Complex math is not an area I am strong in.

Tuesday Air-Conditioned Walmart Nature Communing With Cowboys

With the temperature already in the 90s, heading to a predicted high today of 104 degrees, as measured by the Fahrenheit method, I again opted for the air-conditioned comfort of Walmart for my daily nature communing and endorphin acquisition.

Two days from now, on the second Thursday of this 2026 version of September, we are currently predicted to get chilled to a high in the mid 90s, followed by a few more 100 degree plus days, and then a cold front blowing in, chilling us to highs in the 80s, with thunderstorming and rain.

I'll believe that when I hear the thunder boom and raindrops hitting my windows.

As you can see, via today's photo documentation, Texas cowboys do their grocery shopping at Walmart, along with all the non-cowboys.

Labor Day Laboring Over100 Degrees HOT

 The first Monday of the 2026 version of September, also known as Labor Day, is being a HOT one. 

With the weather forecast advising that one might want to avoid heatstroke by not being outside for extended periods of time, I opted, once again, to do my nature communing and endorphin acquisition in the air-conditioned comfort of my nearby Walmart. 

Currently this day after day after day over 100 degrees HOT is predicted to continue til around the middle of the month, when we are forecast to get chilled to highs in the 90s, along with some. thunderstorming.

The plant life at my North Texas location is suffering severely from the ongoing drought. A good couple downpours would be greatly appreciated.

121 Degrees Of Selfie Photo Documentation

Shortly before 5 this afternoon of the third day of the 2026 version of September, I braved the HEAT to make my way to Walmart, for some pleasant, air-conditioned nature communing. 

When I started up my vehicle and saw the vehicle's temperature monitoring device was indicating a Death Valley heat level of 121 degrees, as measured by the Fahrenheit method, I got my phone out of its pocket, to attempt photo taking.

After several attempts with the phone camera to take a selfie photo with me in the rear-view mirror, which is the location of the temperature, and direction information, I was semi-successful.

You can sort of see via the photo documentation that I was getting a bit overheated. When you start up the vehicle, the air-conditioning takes a few minutes to reach comforting cooling.

I do not remember any previous year where I found myself looking forward to Winter, like I currently am...

HOT Texas Nature Communing Around Shrinking Sikes Lake

On this second day of the 2026 version of September, I found myself in the mood for outdoor nature communing, instead of the indoor air-conditioned nature communing I have been doing, of late, due to the outer world being way too HOT.

So, it was to nearby Sikes Lake I drove to do some high-speed walking. Which would make the above photo documentation the view one sees looking south from under the Sikes Lake Pavilion. 

See that bridge in the middle of the photo, bridging over shrinking Sikes Lake. In the next photo we will be standing on that bridge, also looking south.

Those two spots you see in the middle of the photo, in the water, looked to me to be seagulls. Do seagulls venture so far inland? I suspect not. Maybe these were albino geese, if such a thing exists.

It is about 20 days til Fall arrives. I hope Fall's arrival brings with it significantly colder temperatures. The current 10-day forecast has us going over 100 degrees, each of those 10 days.

124 Degrees Going To Walmart To See Weird Stuff

One of the reasons I enjoy going to Walmart is one never knows what one might see there. For instance, that which you see photo documented above. I parked a couple slots away from that unusual vehicle.

How is this thing street legal? It had a Texas license plate. How is all that stuff stuck on the car secured sufficiently to render it impossible for stuff to not come flying free whilst motoring, even at a slow speed.

Why would anyone want to drive such a thing?

That is just a variation of a thought which often crosses my mind whilst nature communing in Walmart, with that thought being why would that person wear that in public, or have that part of their body pierced or that hideous tattoo on their nose?

Below you see the temperature in my vehicle when I climbed aboard shortly before 5 this afternoon. 124 degrees as measured by the Fahrenheit method. Currently 100 degree plus days are being forecast well into September.

It was so HOT for Saturday's Hotter 'N Hell 100 bike race event, with the humidity so low, the dehydration danger so high, that the race was shortened from 100 miles to 100 kilometers.

Over 7,500 rolled their wheels on Saturday, with over 120 of the wheel rollers needing to be hospitalized.

I am so looking forward to winter and getting my long pants out of storage...

Sunny Sunday At Lucy Park Walking New Circle Trail Section With Ducks

Even though this final Sunday of the 2026 version of August is being Hotter 'N Hell, it was to Lucy Park I opted to venture for my daily nature communing and endorphin acquisition.

I will likely enjoy the air-conditioned comfort of Walmart, later today.

Lucy Park was an attraction today because I'd recently learned a new section of the Circle Trail was now ready to be walked on. That is part of the new section of Circle Trail you see photo documented above. That little bit of blue on the right is the Wichita River.

This new section of the Circle Trail has been years in the making. With its completion I believe there is only one section of the Circle Trail which needs to be completed, which will make the Circle Trail a complete circle. The uncompleted section is by Mount Wichita, along Lake Wichita, and is being stifled by some landowners who do not want the Circle Trail circling through their property.

To access the new section of Circle Trail I parked near the Lucy Park Duck Pond. It has been a few years since I walked in the Lucy Park Duck Pond zone.

As you can see, the Lucy Park Duck Pond sort of looks like a rain forest in Washington's Olympic National Park.

Above I came upon my first duck, today, in the Lucy Park Duck Pond zone. He politely posed for me.

Soon thereafter I found my trail blocked by a big flock of ducks. After asking them nicely they cleared a path for me.

I like the sound of a flock of ducks quacking.

I am looking forward to the coming significantly cooler days, wearing long pants and a sweatshirt. And no need for air conditioning...

Back To Communing With Nature In Air-Conditioned Walmart

Our couple day break from being way too HOT ended today, just in time for the Hotter N' Hell 100 bike race to be as HOT as advertised.

So, with the outer world being way too HOT, it was back to air-conditioned Walmart, this morning, for my daily bout of endorphin acquisition and nature communing.

Outer world nature communing will not be doable for quite a few days, if the current weather forecast is accurate.

Nature Communing With Wind Chill At Lake Wichita

This morning when I woke up my computer a little past 6am, the computer's temperature monitor was telling me the outer world was currently chilled to 68 degrees, as measured by the Fahrenheit method.

That chilly temperature indicated this final Thursday of the 2026 version of August was going to be another under 100 degree day, like yesterday, making for outdoor nature communing and endorphin acquisition.

Yesterday it was to Sikes Lake I ventured, today it was to equally nearby Lake Wichita.

The air was cooler today than yesterday. With the strongest wind I have experienced in a long long time making for some good wind chill. Gusting, at times, making staying vertical a fun challenge.

Above you see the view I saw soon after exiting my vehicle. The dry spillway of Lake Wichita Dam. That spillway has been dry for years. I do not remember when last I saw water spilling over that spillway.

Above we are on the lake side of the dam, above the spillway. If Lake Wichita had its normal amount of water, that is what you'd see above, water about to spill over the dam's spillway. 

Above we are about to walk out on the Lake Wichita Boardwalk. I do not know what type vegetation it is that you see on both sides of the Boardwalk, But you can see that that vegetation is giving a good indicator of how windy it is.

Usually, when it is windy, walking out on this floating dock is a bit adventurous, what with the rocking motion. Today there was no rocking motion. I think the lake level is so low that the dock is no longer floating, but is sitting on the lake bottom.

Tomorrow, and for the entire Hotter 'N Hell 100 weekend, the temperature is predicted to be back over 100 degrees

Relatively Chilly Nature Communing Shrinking Sikes Lake

For the first time in what seems like weeks, the outer world temperature chilled to a level comfortable enough for outdoor endorphin acquisition, instead of the stifling air-conditioned comfort of Walmart, WinCo, Target or Lowe's.

So, with the temperature barely in the 80s, under a totally cloudy sun-free sky, it was to Sikes Lake I ventured for the first time in what seems like a long time, for some extremely pleasant communing with nature.

From the above photo documentation from the rocky east shore of Sikes Lake, looking west, one might think the ongoing drought has had no dire effect on this particular North Texas lake. One would be wrong to think that.

Above is what Sikes Lake looks like a short distance north of that view from the rocky east shore. I don't know why the duck flock hangs out at this part of the lake, instead of the part which currently does not look as if it is drying up.

Above and below, we are at the far north end of Sikes Lake, looking south. As you can see, mostly dried up.

With this section dried up for a long enough time for green vegetation to sprout.

Above I am heading back to my vehicular transport, standing on the middle of the bridge which takes one from one side of Sikes Lake to the other.

Possible precipitation was in the forecast today, along with the temperature only going to 99 degrees, as measured by the Fahrenheit method. I did not expect to see any rain, as of late rain predictions have not been close to being accurate.

But, I was barely back in my vehicle, windows rolled down, when big drops of wet started hitting the windshield, soon falling copiously enough that I rolled up the windows, and took the above photo.

The temperature is currently forecast to be back well over 100 for this weekend's Hotter 'N Hell 100 bike event.