Goodbye To February With Hot Walk Around Sikes Lake

Above you are looking west across the rocky beach at the east end of Sikes Lake, on this final day of the second month of 2023.

Today is being the most pleasant, weather-wise, so far in 2023.

Almost 80 degrees, a cooling breeze blowing, nary a cloud in the bright blue sky.

Seems like just a couple days ago we were freezing with a coating of ice. It seems like that because a couple days ago we were freezing with a coating of ice.

That icy nonsense should be over til next winter, at my location.

I hope...

Clear Blue Warm Walk With Linda Lou In Lucy Park

Warmth has returned to the outer world at my location. Yesterday's chilly fog eventually lifted, along with the temperature. By the time I drove to Walmart around 5, Sunday afternoon, the temperature was over 80, and I was over dressed and over heated.

Around 10 last night all weather hell broke loose with a sudden extremely strong wind burst, with a downpour of rain. This only lasted a few minutes. I expected to see a lot of wind damage this morning, particularly at Lucy Park, what with all the trees.

But, I saw no wind damage anywhere.

The walk with Linda Lou in Lucy Park was extremely pleasant today, back in cargo shorts and t-shirt.

Back to the subject of going to Walmart yesterday. A week or two ago, Madame McNutty rode to Walmart with me. Upon parking I was surprised to see two vehicles, parked next to each other, both with Washington license plates.

During my entire time in Texas I have seen very few Washington license plates. As I sat there one Washingtonian came back to his car, with a kid holding a helium balloon. They drove away before I could say howdy.

When I came back out of Walmart a guy was standing by the other Washington license plated vehicle, which was a large pickup truck. I said something like "You from Washington?" To which he said he was not, that it was his girlfriend's truck. To which I said I am from Washington and seldom see Washington plates in Texas.

So, a couple days ago I park in the same Walmart location, and that same Madame McNutty rode to Walmart with me. And I again looked at that same pickup with the Washington license plates parked at the same location.

And, then, last night, that same pickup was parked in that same location again. This time I photo documented the license plate.

So, I am thinking this Washingtonian must work at Walmart. Either that or this Washingtonian spends a long time in Walmart, shopping, because the pickup was still there when I left to head back to my abode...

Foggy Semi-Warm Nature Communing Walk In Lucy Park

On this final Sunday of the second month of 2023, it was to a foggy Lucy Park I ventured today for the first instance of nature communing in several days.

I have mostly avoided the outer world the past few days due to the temperature being below freezing, along with a strong wind blowing.

Today the outer world was heated to 54 degrees by the time I arrived at Lucy Park, about an hour before noon.

With absolutely no wind blowing.

A little rain and some thunder is on the weather menu for the rest of today. So far I have seen no drippage, other than fog, and no thunder booms.

I expected Lucy Park to be visitor-free today, due to the foggy chill.

I was wrong.

There were multiple disc golfers, and fellow walkers enjoying the foggy conditions which are very reminiscent of a winter day in my old home zone of Washington, where one expects such due to the proximity to large bodies of ocean water. 

At my currently location there are no large bodies of water in any direction for hundreds of miles...

Snowy Daffodil BBQ Swimming Invite From Nephew Jason

Incoming email from FNJ (Favorite Nephew Jason) this morning, with an BBQ swimming party invitation...

Hello FUD --

Thought I'd send you a picture I took yesterday of some snow dusted daffodils across the street from your brother's soon to be residence.

[Hank Frank's house is pictured just to the right]

We are having a late winter freeze here, like much of the country. Tonight's temperatures are predicted to be in the teens.  

Changing the subject, I had a nice visit with Judy, Jeff and Pam on President's Day when they made their annual trip down to my restaurant for Fish and Chips with Ivar's Clam Chowder.   

Perhaps we can all get together this summer to celebrate a septuagenarian's birthday. I think that would be fun. Perhaps a BBQ at Birch Bay State Park. 

Does the 2nd Friday in August work for you? Low tide is at 8:30 am that morning, and high tide is at 4:30 p.m. So, I figure we can all go swimming around 2, when the water is bath like and then have a potluck afterwards. And a campfire on the beach.

 

Just an idea.

A warm summer's afternoon sounds delightful right now.

Hope all is well,

- FNJ

_________________________

A warm Washington summer day does sound delightful right now, with the outer world chilled below freezing at my Texas location, with a gusty wind making it really feel way colder than the current 30 degrees.

I have not been to Birch Bay State Park since August of 2017. The Judy, Jeff and Pam to which Jason refers are my Aunt Judy, Cousin Jeff, and Jeff's current wife, Pam. August of 2017 is the last time I saw Judy, Jeff and Pam...

Back In The Deep Freeze In Icy Wichita Falls

Two days ago the outer world was heated to nearly 90 degrees at my location. The night which followed that HOT day chilled to below freezing by morning. 

And now, today, we are fully back in Winter mode, with today getting chillier as the hours pass, with a wind chill real feel temperature of 19 degrees around the time I usually do my daily nature communing.

So, there will be no nature communing today, unless I opt to go to Walmart this morning to observe the wildlife one sees on display waddling down the aisles.

Incoming email this morning from FNJ, also known as my Favorite Nephew Jason, with photo documentation of current snowy conditions in my former home location of the Skagit Valley. I will blog that photo and its accompanying text after I hit the publish button on this...

Hot Breezy Lucy Park Nature Communing

Yesterday, that being the day known as Tuesday, I did no nature communing, even though the outer world was heated to 88 degrees by the time the sun left for the day.

Today, with the temperature scheduled to get almost as HOT as yesterday, with wind gusts predicted to blow over 50 mph, I opted to do some breezy nature communing at Lucy Park.

Which would make that the Lucy Park backwoods you see in the above photo documentation.

In about a month this view should look like a lush jungle.

I managed to have the correct level of outerwear on my surface today.

Cargo shorts and t-shirt.

The steady wind seemed to be in the 50 mph range, with strong gusts which required leaning into the blow, lest one finds oneself blown over.

A cold front arrives tomorrow, but not a freezing level of cold front...

Chilly Windy Nature Communing Lake Wichita

I opted for Lake Wichita Park for my nature communing today. Yesterday's nature communing turned out to be chilly, with me wishing I'd worn sweatpants and a hoodie sweatshirt.

Today, when I left my abode the temperature was 69 degrees, which should have been warm enough for cargo shorts and t-shirt to keep me sufficiently warm.

But it wasn't.

A strong wind brought the dreaded wind chill factor into play. And a cloud covered sky blocked any solar radiation warmth.

In the first photo I am out on the tide flats, looking north at Mount Wichita.

From the tide flats location I zoomed in to Mount Wichita when I saw someone was at the summit. At first I thought the person had pushed a mountain bike up Mount Wichita, but that turned out not to be the case. I couldn't figure out what it was which was by the summiteer.

It would be extremely treacherous to try and mountain bike down the steep slopes of Mount Wichita.

Looking west across the Lake Wichita tide flats. Recent rain has not raised Lake Wichita's water level.

Another look at the barren Lake Wichita tide flats.

Tomorrow we are scheduled to be heated into the 80s. I should manage not to be too chilly, even if a strong wind blows...

Chilly Grayscale Sunday At Lucy Park

It was back to Lucy Park, I ventured, for some nature communing, on this third Sunday of the second month of 2023.

Today's was a chilly commune with nature. The temperature prediction had predicted the outer world air being warmer than the reality of only 59 degrees.

I was expecting it to be in the 70s. 

A total gray cover of the usually blue sky made for zero solar radiation warmth.

And then you add the blustery wind and I was totally underdressed today in cargo shorts and t-shirt.

Walking fast I eventually warmed up. A little.

Under a gray sky, with zero blue above, it makes for photos which look grayscale, black and white, with clicking the grayscale filter. 

I'll click the grayscale filter on the same photo and see how close the current outer world reality matches an old black and white movie.

Clearly, my world is colorless. That should be changing by next month, with leaves sprouting green on the trees, and wildflowers adding color to the ground, with grass turning from brown to green...

It's A Boy!!!

This morning of the third Friday of the second month of 2023 I woke up my phone to find a text message with the above screen shot. 

My Favorite Nephew and Neice-in-Law, Christopher and Carissa, are well on their way to becoming a mom and dad.

When I talked to Carissa's Mother-in-Law, several weeks ago, I was told there was to be a gender reveal in a day or two.

I called Carissa's Mother-in-Law a couple days ago, intending to ask what the gender reveal revealed, but I forgot to do so.

And so, I text messaged a couple days later, asking what the gender reveal revealed, hence this morning's text message screen shot answering that question.

It's a Boy!!!

It took me a moment or two to think I figured out what is happening in the photo. Apparently, the gender reveal was revealed via smoke signals.

Pink if it is a girl. Blue if a boy.

That is Christopher with his arms in the air, in the white shirt in the center right of the screen shot, likely erupting in shouts of joy as the boy news was delivered via blue smoke...

Lucy Park Pagoda Mysteriously Reduced To Ashes

On this third Wednesday of the second month of 2023, I returned to Lucy Park for the first time since, I think, last Monday.

I was overheating whilst walking fast, wearing only shorts and a t-shirt. Well, and shoes. A strong wind was blowing, which was not all that cooling, in the almost 80 degree heat.

And then I saw an aggravation which made me even hotter under the currently not existing collar. I don't think the top part of a t-shirt is called a collar. I'm probably wrong about that.

Anyway, the thing that made my blood semi-boil was suddenly coming upon the burned naked Lucy Park Pagoda.

I have not read of this travesty in the local newspaper. Or heard of it on the news. Was the Pagoda struck by lightning? Or did an arson ignite it? It looked to have been a hot fire, burning the flower beds at the base of the Pagoda.

Remembering Ice Caves & Nephew Jeremy's Treacherous Mount Baker Suspension Bridge

Two days in a row I remember all the memories Microsoft's OneDrive sent to my email. The first set of memories obviously occurred in winter, maybe even in February.

But the second set of memories could not have happened in winter, those happened in August.

In the first collection of memories, those are my favorite nephews, Christopher and Jeremy, currently residing in Arizona, but, at the point in time the pictures were taken CJ and JR were still Washingtonians.

What you are looking at in these memories, other than CJ and JR is what is known as the Ice Caves. This is an attraction one can hike to from the Mountain Loop highway, between Granite Falls and Darrington.

I do not know if access is still allowed into the Ice Caves. There were incidents of injuries due to ice falling from the Ice Cave ceiling. 

In the next set of memories Jeremy is a couple years older.

All but one of the above memories are photos of a hike up the south side of Mount Baker, via what is known as the Schreiber's Meadow Trail. 

On this trail you come to a spot where you have to cross a stream of fast moving glacier melt. It can be a tad treacherous. We got to that spot and Jeremy did not like the look of it. In the picture at the upper right, Jeremy's Aunt Michele is trying to convince Jeremy it is safe to cross the suspension bridge.

Michele can be quite persuasive. Jeremy agreed to cross the bridge, if there was a guard stationed at each end. By the time Jeremy got to the middle of the bridge, all fear had disappeared, which caused Jeremy to make the dramatic pose you see in the top left photo.

The other two photos on the right document Jeremy's crossing of the bridge, before his triumphant moment.

The lower left photo is also Jeremy and Christopher, a couple years later, on the north side of Mount Baker, sitting on top of Tabletop Mountain, with Mount Shuksan behind them. Microsoft is sharing the thumbnail version of this photo. Let me see if I can find the better version.

There you have it, a collection of memories I actually remember...

Nephew Jason's Rowboat Welfare Check Concern Regarding Ex-Aunts

Incoming email from FNJ (Favorite Nephew Jason), along with the screenshot you see above from a KING5 out of Seattle news story about a Hood Canal Coast Guard rescue of two from a rowboat.

The text in Jason's email...

Should someone perform a welfare check on my ex-aunts?

I know sometimes they don’t make the wisest decisions.

Are they residing in the Hood Canal area year round?

It’s hard to get any info on them as of late.

My usual sources have distanced themselves from the pair.

They could have a rowboat.

__________________________

A few days ago a letter arrived in my mailbox from our Favorite Aunt. In that letter mention was made of a recent mighty fine time our Favorite Aunt had with FNJ's ex-aunts, at Billy's Bar & Grill, in Aberdeen, Washington.

That is the most recent news I have regarding Jason's former aunts. Oh, and I do know they chose not to spend winter in Arizona this year, and so are at their home location on Hood Canal.

This rowboat incident is not the first time Jason has evidenced concern about his ex-aunts. Way back in February of 2017 Jason's welfare concerns pertaining to his ex-aunts resulted in two blog posts on the subject...

Will Camelback Helicopter Rescue Be Needed For Clancy, Fancy, Jackie & Jake?

Country Road Detour While Helicopter Rescues Jackie, Fancy & Clancy

I suspect I shall likely be hearing more about this rowboat rescue incident...

Pleasant Walk Around Sikes Lake After Pleasant 2023 Super Bowl

It was back to my neighborhood Sikes Lake I ventured on this second Monday of the second month of 2023, for a fast walk around the lake.

With the outer world warmed up, and with no wind blowing, it was back in shorts and t-shirt for today's communing with nature.

Later today, well, tonight, rain and thunderstorms are on the weather menu. With wet dripping possible for tomorrow, too.

My Super Bowl party this year was super. I made four pizzas, from scratch. Best pizzas I have ever made.

And for the first time in memory the actual game that comes with the Super Bowl held my attention clear til the end.

More often than not I lose interest in the Super Bowl game and go off to do something else, requesting that I be informed when a commercial break happens. 

There were a few amusing commercials during this year's Super Bowl. But, it seems the Super Bowl commercials are not as entertaining, or surprising as it used to be back when the Super Bowl commercials became a special thing, like when Apple introduced the Macintosh. I think that was it.

Oh, and, speaking of Apple, I liked the Halftime Show.

Seemed dangerous, those floating platforms. Had OSHA been consulted? I did not remember Rihanna had so many hit songs til she started singing them, bringing back the memory of hearing the songs on the radio.

And I wish that thing way too many modern singers do, as in touching themselves in a location one would think one would not touch when making a public spectacle of oneself. I think it was the late Michael Jackson who introduced this bizarre move. 

And, don't get me started on twerking...

Happy Birthday Little Sister Jackie

Seems real recent in my memory, but it was a long long long time ago, on this date, February 12, way back in the sixth decade of the previous century, when my little brother, Jake and sister, Nancy, sat on a curb on Fairhaven Avenue, looking up at the hospital on the other side of the street, waiting for our dad to hold our new baby sister up to a window so we could see sister Jackie for the first time.

I can remember this so clearly.

It was a happy day.

When you are the oldest sibling of multiple siblings you get to experience something the younger siblings do not get to experience.

The arrival of a new baby brother or sister.

Now, I do not remember the arrival of brother Jake, he is only 13 months younger than me. I sort of remember the arrival of sister Nancy. I think it was in the Mount Vernon hospital. 

Like I already mentioned, I clearly remember the arrival of Jackie.

And then seven years later my mom had me driving her somewhere. I remember it was on Rio Vista Avenue, in Burlington, when mom said she had something she wanted to tell me, and proceeded to tell me there was a new incoming brother or sister. I think I was 16 at the time.

Over the course of the next couple weeks Jake and Nancy were also informed of the new incoming. 

And then, all of us, me, Jake, Nancy and mom and dad, went into Jackie's bedroom to tell her the good news.

Jackie did not take this news well. She insisted such could not happen. It took awhile til Jackie accepted the idea that she was going to have a new baby brother or sister. 

Before my youngest sibling was born we had cement poured in the backyard for a patio. We had been to California the year before, including going to Hollywood and Graumann's Chinese Theater, where the stars put their handprints and names in cement.

So, we replicated that with all our names and handprints. And, not knowing if our incoming new baby sibling was a boy or girl, we had already decided on the name, Joey if it was a boy, Michele if it was a girl.

And so we wrote in the cement, "Joey or Michele," and I think made a little handprint.

I wonder if that is still in the backyard of the house I grew up in? Seems like the last time I asked that someone went and looked. I do not remember what the result of looking was...

HAPPY BIRTHDAY JACKIE!!! 

Blue Saturday Bicycle Thief Strikes Again

The blue view from my kitchen window on this second Saturday of the second month of 2023.

The sky is blue. And so am I.

I left my abode for just a couple minutes, to go to the mailbox. When I returned I saw my favorite bike had been stolen. 

Rather brazen.

The bike was on the patio. The thief had to go up stairs to get to the patio. The bike is not easy to take down and up the stairs.

This is now the third bike I have had stolen since I have been in Texas...

Rainbow Return To Clear Blue Sky In North Texas With Linda Lou

By 5 in the afternoon, yesterday, I felt the need to escape being indoors.

Rain was continuing to drip, but, even so, I opted to make a run for my vehicle.

Linda Lou opted to ride with me to Walmart.

Upon arrival at the Walmart parking lot I saw a sure sign that the days of gray dripping were coming to an end.

A rainbow.

And now, on this second Thursday of the second month of 2023, a clear blue sky has returned to North Texas.

I see a walk around Sikes Lake, or Lucy Park, in my future for today...

Day Two Of Rain In Wichita Falls Now With Lightning Strikes

On this second Wednesday of the second month of 2023 the view out my kitchen window is even more dismal than yester morning's drippy dismal view.

And this morning's rain has lightning strikes and thunder booms in the mix.

Blue sky is scheduled to return this afternoon.

Two days of this and I am beginning to be SAD. As in Seasonally Affected Disorder type SAD....

Tuesday Return To Winter After Hot Monday

You are looking out my kitchen window, looking south, on the first Tuesday of the second month of 2023. 

Rain being dripping by mid-morning. And continues to drip, periodically going into downpour mode.

Yesterday, late afternoon, when I drove to Walmart, the temperature was 81 degrees. By this morning we lost about half those degrees, with the current temperature already at the predicted high for the day, of 45 degrees.

This going from summer to winter to back to summer to winter again, in the space of 10 days, must be confusing for the trees, thinking it is time to start growing leaves, and then a fresh deep freeze putting a halt to the leaf blooming, once again.

Yesterday I was tempted to switch the climate control to 'cool', but didn't. Instead, I got the ceiling fans spinning.

This morning the climate control is in 'heat' mode...

Email Memories I Remember From Microsoft

Once again, memories in my email. I have been erroneously thinking these are Google memories. They are not a Google thing. They are a Microsoft thing. Memories from Microsoft's OneDrive, not Google.

I remember today's memories. But that which is being remembered did not happen in February. These memories happened in August and September. In February those mountains views are not accessible.

In the upper left that is favorite nephews Chris and Jeremy, with Mount Shuksan behind them. We are starting the hike up Tabletop Mountain.

Below Chris and Jeremy, that is just Jeremy threatening to throw a snowball at me, with Mount Baker behind him. At this location we are on the north side of Mount Baker.

To the right of Jeremy that is favorite nephew Joey, hiking up Mount Baker, from the south side of the volcano.

Above Joey that is a McDonald's in North Dallas. It was a unique McDonald's, designed to look like a giant Happy Meal box, among other unique architectural elements. I believe this McDonald's no longer exists. I believe the last time I was at that McDonald's was in January of 2009, with mom and dad.

Warm Sunday Walking Lucy Park Leads to Jurassic Dinosaurs

It was back to Lucy Park on this first Sunday of the second month of 2023, for some refreshing nature communing under a clear blue windless sky, which you can see via the above photo documentation.

I should have been in shorts and t-shirt. I overheated. 

After Lucy Park, on the way back to my abode, I came upon a herd of dinosaurs corralled inside a fence enclosure on the east end of the Sike Senter mall parking lot.

The herd of dinosaurs moved slowly, what with being reptiles, and thus cold-blooded, with 60 degrees rendering them sluggish. Rolling down my window to take a picture I was surprised by how loud the dinosaurs were.

I saw a sign attached to the fence which indicated this herd of dinosaurs is known as Jurassic Empire. I Google "Jurassic Empire Sikes Senter" to learn the following...

Jurassic Empire is the largest most realistic dinosaur drive-thru event in Texas. It will feature more than 50, moving, breathing, giant life-size realistic dinosaurs in their natural habitat, including a giant T-Rex. The drive-thru event will have you and your family going from the Jurassic era all the way through the Ice Age.

Admission prices are as follows: Weekdays, Thursdays, and Fridays: $45 per car for one to seven people and $75 for eight to 14 people. On the weekends, Saturday and Sunday: $55 per car for one to seven people and $85 for eight to 14 people.

___________________

Well, that explains the vehicles which were maneuvering through the orange cones. It somehow did not seem all that realistic, what with being on a parking lot, surrounded by a cyclone fence, with orange cones marking the route through the imaginary natural habitat.

Maybe little kids would find this to be fun. But? $45 being the cheapest admission price? Are there really all that many people who would think this would be worth $45? 

Clear Blue Walk Around Sikes Lake With The Patriotic Pulpit Making Dixie Great Again

Another beautiful clear blue sky day, on the 4th day of the 2nd month of 2023, walking around Sikes Lake.

The temperature a relatively balmy 54, with a gusty wind blowing.

On Saturday's, on the right wing nutjob radio station I listen to, it is the Patriotic Pulpit who does the nutjob duty. A new thing the nutjob right wingers blather is labeling people as being Marxist, or Commies. As if one does not need any additional evidence as to how stupid these types are, I doubt any of them could come remotely close to explaining what Marxism and Communism actually is.

The Patriotic Pulpit is followed by "Let's Make Dixie Great Again". No I am not making that up.

During that show they repeat multiple times an invitation to...

"Join in the fight against the so called liberal progressive, who are really Marxist communists, who are taking away cherished monuments to our history, taking down statues of heroes of the South, like Robert E. Lee, Jefferson Davis and others. It is only a matter of time til they come after other American heroes, like Thomas Jefferson and Francis Scott Key, author of the Star Spangled Banner."

All said in a twangy Southern accent.

I can only take listening to the Patriotic Pulpit for a couple minutes, til I switch to music, or the Saturday NPR show which is always about some aspect of cooking food. Today it was all about the Hawaiian cuisine....

Clear Blue Sky Return To Lucy Park

Back to Lucy Park today for the first time in days, after being snow and icebound day after day after day. During the ice lockdown I did manage to escape, twice, on Wednesday, and yesterday, with the ice mostly melted, Linda Lou rode with me to Walmart.

As you can see, via the Lucy Park photo documentation, there is nary a cloud in the clear blue sky. So nice to see blue again after so many gray days.

My vehicle's temperature monitoring device indicated it was 49 degrees when I got to Lucy Park, around 11 this morning. With absolutely no wind blowing. So, 49 degrees almost felt balmy. Particularly with the amply solar radiation.

In another month the Lucy Park trees should be starting their return to a jungle of green foliage.

2023 Wall Calendar Takes Me Back To Monument Valley

Last year my 2022 wall calendar's theme was America's National Park. My 2023 wall calendar's theme is Scenes from America's West.

The January 2023 scene was of Quaking Aspens in Sante Fe National Forest in New Mexico.

I have been to New Mexico a number of times. I do not remember being in Santa Fe National Forest. Or seeing any Quaking Aspens.

The February 2023 scene I have seen multiple times.

Monument Valley in Arizona.

If you have watched movies, like Stagecoach, you have had a virtual visit to Monument Valley.

I remember one particular Monument Valley moment. I had been to Disneyland, Christmas of 1994. Then headed west to the Grand Canyon, and beyond, with Moab, Utah the final destination before heading back to Washington.

Driving north, after a stop at the Burger King Navajo Code Talker's Museum in Kayenta, Arizona, what I was seeing through my windshield seemed totally familiar. I pulled to the side of the road, fetched out my van's manual, and there it was, on the cover, the exact scene I was seeing in real life. 

I no longer have that manual, but I think I can find the photo I took of the view through the windshield which matched the manual's cover. I'll be right back, I hope, with that photo...

Found the Monument Valley photos. A lot of them. From two different visits. The above is the scene which matched my van's manual. Monument Valley is in the distance.

And above I am now in Monument Valley, a couple years later, being friendly with a Navajo native.

I used to go on long roadtrips just about every year, sometimes more than once a year. I've not been on a roadtrip since October of 2018.