Windy Sikes Lake With Flock Of Goslings

It was to Sikes Lake I ventured this morning, on this final day of the 2023 version of March, to do some nature communing which required leaning into a strong wind.

The wind was blowing from the west. I would have thought, due to feeling how hard the wind was blowing, that the waves on the lake would have been bigger, with whitecaps.

You know for sure Spring has sprung when you see what I saw today at Sikes Lake.

A flock of newborn goslings. I saw no goose parental units by the flock. Usually, mom and dad goose are overly protective of their newborns and don't let visitors get too close.

And now a screen cap of part of today's forecast for my location.

I think I got hit with one of those 55 mph gusts. I had to lean into the gust to keep moving.

The high wind and dry conditions have caused the issuing of a Red Flag Warning. I do not know why it is called a Red Flag Warning, but what it means is conditions are such that the wildfire danger is extreme.

So far all I see is a smoke-free crystal clear bright blue sky...

In Washington Looking West Across Daffodil Fields At The Olympic Mountains

Many a time I have made mention of the fact that at my old home zone of the Skagit Valley, in Western Washington, no matter what direction one looks, east, west, north or south, one sees mountains.

At my current flat location no matter what direction I look there is nary a mountain to be seen.

I have frequently shared photos of my old home zone showing the mountains one sees from that location. 

Those photos I have previously shared have only shown the mountain view looking east from the Skagit Flats, usually with the Mount Baker volcano in the picture.

Yesterday, on Facebook, I saw the photo you see above. In that photo we are not looking east at the Cascade Mountain foothills, we are looking west, with that line of snow covered mountain peaks being the Olympic Mountains, located on the Olympic Peninsula.

Those land masses you see sticking out above the daffodil fields may be islands. I am not sure about the land masses on the left or right, but I am almost 100% certain the land mass in the middle is Fidalgo Island. That is where the town of Anacortes is located, and where you can find one of Washington's best hamburgers at the Fidalgo Drive-In.

In Anacortes you can hop aboard a Washington State Ferry and float to multiple islands.

For those reading this in Fort Worth, Texas, these are real islands, surrounded by real water. Not imaginary islands that might one day become an imaginary island if a cement lined ditch is ever actually dug, with river water diverted into the ditch.

I have not read anything about Fort Worth's imaginary island and that cement lined ditch in quite some time. The three little bridges, built over dry land, have been finished for quite some time, waiting for that water filled ditch to turn the bridges into the connection of the Fort Worth mainland to that imaginary island...

David, Theo, Ruby, Michele & Kristin Somewhere In Iceland

Email this morning with 8 photos from Iceland, with the only text in the email saying "You'll have to use your sleuthing skills to figure the locations."...

Well, the first photo made it fairly easy to deduce that Theo, Ruby and David are in Iceland, about to exit the airport in, I would hazard to guess, Reykjavik.

Which leads me to guess that the above photo is in Reykjavik.

A church, I think, in, I think, also Reykavik. If not Reykavik, then maybe the biggest town outside the capital region, Akureyri.

Iceland has multiple hot springs, including the most famous one, known as The Blue Lagoon. So, I guess that would be my guess as to this location.

No clue regarding the above, other than it appears that Theo, Ruby and David are walking on thick ice.

Iceland is known for its long haired horses. That may be what we are seeing above.

The oldest known geyser in the world is in Iceland's Haukadalur Valley. That may be what David, Theo and Ruby are looking at.

Are the Tacoma Trio preparing to eat an Icelandic hot dog? Or a flatkaka (dried fish and dark rye bread traditionally baked in the ground) or the Icelandic delicacy known as Puffin? I think I'll stick with it being Icelandic hot dogs.

Theo was gungho to go to Iceland after learning one can often see the Aurora Borealis from that location. The sun is being in solar flare mode at the moment. I hope that means that Theo got to see the Northern Lights. 

After Iceland it is on to France, to Paris and Disneyland. I hope the current unrest and protests in France do not create any problems for David, Theo, Ruby and their parental units...

Skagit Valley's Linda Lou Sees Mount Baker In Hiding

The above photo, from the Skagit Valley's, Linda Lou, arrived on my phone this morning, along with text saying, "Mount Baker trying to peek through the clouds."

It took me awhile to find where it was hiding on my computer, but eventually I located a photo of the same view, which I took way back in April of 2006 when I was heading to my Favorite Nephew Jason's first wedding.

In this version Mount Baker is not hiding.

Seems odd now, how totally normal it seemed to live so close to a semi-active volcano.

That dip at the top of the volcano is the crater.

When you hike up Mount Baker eventually you get close enough to the crater to smell the sulphur odor the crater emits.

At times Mount Baker spews out a lot of steam along with that sulphureous odor. At a volume of sufficient size that it can be seen from the location you see above, driving north on I-5, or any other location with a view of the mountain.

In my current frame of mind it is looking unlikely that I will be seeing the above scenery this coming summer...

Newspaper Daffodil Delivery To Skagit Valley Jones Family Compound

Email from FNJ (Favorite Nephew Jason) this morning, with the daffodil newspaper photo above, and the text below...

First arrival of the largest local newspaper at the Jones family compound. I set this up for my incoming father who is set to arrive just a few days into the next month.

He should receive the print version of the SVHerald, 5 days a week, along with the weekend version of the Seattle Times and the weekly LaConner Weekly News (which is the best weekly newspaper I have ever ran across. Seriously). ((If some blog writer wanted to give them a plug on a blog site, It would be well justified)).

I support local journalism, as might you, and hopefully your brother will enjoy his reading material.

________________________

I checked out the online version of the LaConner Weekly News, I can see why Jason is impressed. This online version of La Conner's newspaper is way better than the online newspaper version of the town I now live in, that being the Wichita Falls Times Record News, or the Texas town I lived in prior to Wichita Falls, that being Fort Worth and that town's pitiful excuse for a newspaper, the Star-Telegram.

La Conner is one of Washington's tourist attractions. This time of year, when the flowers are blooming all over the Skagit Valley flatlands, La Conner is a traffic jam of tourists. The town has multiple restaurants and art galleries and a famous bridge over a channel one can use to float your boat to one of the town's restaurants.

Linda Lou has told me that when next I visit the Skagit Valley she will take me to a restaurant in La Conner which Linda Lou says makes the best fish and chips and clam chowder in the Puget Sound zone.

Lucy Park Dry After Last Night's Thunderstorm Downpour

It was back to Lucy Park I ventured on the morning of the next to last Friday of the 2023 version of March.

In the photo documentation you are with me on the middle of the Lucy Park suspension bridge, looking north at the muddy Wichita River.

At one point in the middle of the night, last night, a blast of wind was followed by a loud downpour, followed by thunder booms. 

A lot of water fell in a short time frame, but in sufficient volume that by morning the moat around my abode, which happens after a lot of rain, was the biggest I have ever seen the moat be.

When the moat happens a temporary detour is in place making it possible to get to the carport.

After last night's deluge I thought the Wichita River might be in flood mode. When that happens Lucy Park goes under water. I've only seen that happen twice. But, today the river was nowhere near flood level.

And after a couple days of getting warmed into the 80s, we are back in being chilly mode, on the 50s...

With The Virginian Pondering Hot Springs Pot & Port Townsend

 

There has been some discussion, of late, regarding traveling to the Pacific Northwest this coming summer.

COVID put a stop to doing so during the past couple summers. I have not been in Washington since August of 2017.

There is a big birthday party planned at a location on the Skagit Flats, in July. 

I have been communicating with another Washingtonian, currently exiled, like me, to another state, specifically, Virginia, whilst I am exiled in Texas.

The Virginian has been trying to convince me to make it to that aforementioned birthday party. 

We both live in repressive states where marijuana is pretty much illegal. Unlike freedom loving Washington, and the rest of the west coast, including Alaska, where marijuana has been decriminalized, particularly progressive, non-repressive Washington, where it has been decriminalized for years.

So, the Virginian has been wanting to try a thing or two or three she has not previously tried. One being marijuana, another being skinny dipping in Baker Hot Springs. I forget number three. Maybe floating the ferry to Port Townsend. 

Marijuana was legal when I was in Washington in 2017. But, I saw no stores selling it. The surprise that visit was it was my first return to Washington after the voters voted to take the state out of the liquor selling business. So, I was a bit surprised to go in the Lynden Safeway to see a couple aisles devoted to products like vodka and whiskey. When I was a kid Lynden made it illegal to sell any type booze inside the city limits.

How come Washington, and some other states, have on the ballot things like initiatives, propositions and referendums, letting the voters vote on things like legalizing marijuana or taking the state out of the liquor selling business?

Voting in Texas is so BORING due to there being few things of the initiative, proposition, referendum sort to vote on, letting voters approve of this that or the other thing.

Anyway, regarding pot selling stores in Washington. I Googled "pot selling stores in Washington" to find there are a lot of them.

My old hometown of Burlington, has one, called Western Bud, part of a pot selling franchise with multiple outlets. Western Bud sells a variety of pot products, including cannabis chocolate chip cookies.

So, I've got the pot problem solved for the Virginian. Port Townsend is easy. Just walk on the ferry.

But, it has been a lot of years since I have been to Baker Hot Springs, consequently I have no memory of how to get there, other than take the exit off Highway 20 to Baker Dam, but the multiple junctions taking one to Baker Hot Springs, that is a blank in my memory....

Brother Jake's New Skagit Valley Residence With Daffodils

Good news, via email, from FNJ (Favorite Nephew Jason) this morning. Jason's paternal parental unit, my little brother Jake, has been trying to sell his Scottsdale, Arizona abode, so that he can move to his new abode, back in his old home zone of the Skagit Valley.

The text in the email...

Picture 5 features your brother’s new residence.  He is expected to relocate in less than 2 weeks.  

__________________

Picture 5 is that which you see above, across from a field of daffodils. Jake's new residence being the house in the middle.

Jake's new residence is part of the Skagit Valley Jones Family Compound.

I am almost 100% certain brother Jake's youngest grandson, Hank Frank, and his parental units, FNJ2 (Favorite Nephew Joey) and Hank Frank's mama, Monique's abode is to the right in this photo, by that big evergreen tree.

Some day I may return to the Skagit Valley to visit the Jones Family Compound for the first time...

First Day Of Spring Chilly Lucy Park Nature Communing With Balloons

I have done no nature communing the past couple of days. I strained something in my lower back a few days ago, which put me in to take it easy mode, til the strain pain abated.

This morning I decided that doing some nature communing might be salubrious abating the strain pain.

So, it was to Lucy Park I ventured, under multiple layers of outerwear, due to the first day of Spring being chilly, as in the temperature being somewhere in the 40s, with a strong constant wind blowing, making those 40 degrees feel cooler.

I fast walked the Lucy Park backwoods off trail zone today. And came upon the odd thing you see photo documented above. 

Were these balloons filled with helium, which broke away from wherever they were tethered, and then eventually came back to earth when too much helium leaked?

I am fairly certain these are not spy balloons sent by China...

Seeing Skagit Valley Daffodils With A Few Daffodils In Wichita Falls

This morning, on Facebook, the Skagit Valley's Miss Carol BD posted a photo featuring some daffodils.

I commented regarding that photo, saying I seldom see such things as daffodils and tulips at my current North Texas location.

But that yesterday I did make note of driving by a small patch of daffodils, and that I might photo document that daffodil patch today, if I remembered to.

Which I did. Remember, that is.

Below is that rare North Texas daffodil patch, spotted near the intersection of Midwestern Boulevard and Maplewood.

That photo at the top, that is a field of Skagit Valley daffodils in a photo from the Seattle Times.

That big white thing hovering above the daffodils is the Mount Baker volcano.

In front of Mount Baker, those are what are known as Cascade Mountain foothills.

The Skagit Valley Tulip Festival will soon be happening, with the Skagit flatlands carpeted in multiple colors, from multiple types of flowers, but, primarily tulips.

Over a million visitors descend on the Skagit Valley during the Tulip Festival.

MPEC Visit Walking To Wichita Falls With Bluebonnets

The morning trek, this morning, was to MPEC (Multi-Purpose Event Center) to locate the location of a meeting taking place next week. 

MPEC is close to Wichita Falls, the manmade waterfall. MPEC is in Wichita Falls, the town.

So, I walked from MPEC to Wichita Falls. One never knows if Wichita Falls will be turned on, or not falling. As you can see, water is falling over the falls.

Dirty looking water.

On the way to the falls I came upon something I have rarely seen in Wichita Falls.

Bluebonnets.

The State Wildflower of Texas.

 I am not totally sure these are bluebonnets, but if they are not, they are a close relative.

Further south, in Texas, in wildflower season, one comes up massive displays of bluebonnets in multiple locations.

Sikes Lake Prickly Pear Cactus On Chilly Walkabout

Sikes Lake was my go to location for a long walk this chilly Tuesday morning, a day before the Ides of March.

Chilly, in that the temperature was in the mid 40s.

Meanwhile, this morning I got snow reports from two unlikely locations.

That little darling, known as Miss Tessie, located in the Redding, California area, had enough snow on the ground to make her leery of trying to drive anywhere.

And that bigger darling, known as Madame McNutty, had snow falling, but not sticking at her location in Appomattox, Virginia.

I might get some rain at my location, today, but no chance of snow.

I forgot to mention, that is a patch of Sikes Lake Prickly Pear Cactus you see photo documented above.

Prickly Pear Cactus, in the Spring, produce a flower that turns into an edible fruit-like product. People make various edible items from Prickly Pears.

I have had Prickly Pear jam and Prickly Pear syrup. Terribly sweet with no noteworthy flavor.

Chilly Green Lucy Park With Bright Yellow Wildflowers

Two days ago we nearly hit 90 degrees in the temperature department.

Today the outer world was chilled to 46 degrees when I did some nature communing at Lucy Park.

As you can see, green has become the dominant color in the Lucy Park color scheme.

And I saw my first wildflower of the wildflower season which will soon be sprouting colorful sprouts all over most of Texas.

Today I came upon several instances of that big, bright yellow wildflower you see above. 

One would think such a big, bright yellow wildflower such this would spew out a pleasant fragrance. But that is not the case with this flower.

Pungent is the word I would use to describe this wildflower's fragrance...

Fort Worth's Imaginary Iconic Irony

It has been a while since I have seen something in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram which cause an eye rolling reaction.

Can you guess what word in the above headline caused that eye rolling reaction?

If you guessed "iconic" you guessed correctly.

Does no editor at the Star-Telegram know what iconic means? 

I developed a disdain for the Star-Telegram's frequent hyperbolizing soon after first exposure to this newspaper.

Just Googling "iconic" quickly makes clear that an old bottling plant can not possibly be iconic.

There is only one thing in Fort Worth which is remotely iconic, in that you see it, and you know it is Fort Worth.  And that is because the town's name is part of the iconic thing.

What comes up when one Google's "iconic"?

i·con·ic

/īˈkänik/

Relating to or of the nature of an icon; regarded as a representative symbol or as worthy of veneration.

Synonyms for iconic---archetypal, epochal, exemplary, paradigmatic, quintessential, and recognizable.

What makes something iconic? An iconic design is something recognizable and memorable and comes in many forms such as people, architecture, branding, typography, automobiles, industrial design, cinema, and popular culture.

What is example of iconic? Iconic often describes something or someone that is considered symbolic of something else, like spirituality, virtue, or evil and corruption. The iconic Statue of Liberty is a symbol of freedom. Michelangelo's iconic statue of David was supposed to represent anatomical perfection.

________________

So, could the Star-Telegram please explain to us why this old Dr Pepper bottling plant is iconic?

When a structure is iconic it is not a mystery why it is iconic.

The Golden Gate Bridge, the White House, the Hollywood sign, the Dallas skyline, the Alamo, the Space Needle, the Eiffel Tower.

Well, you get the gist, there is a long long list of actual iconic entities in the world.

An old Dr Pepper bottling plant in Fort Worth is not one of them....

Back To Lucy Park With Its New Mini-Lakes

With the return of a clear blue sky, it was to Lucy Park I ventured today for a somewhat chilly bout of communing with nature.

Wednesday and Thursday's deluge left Lucy Park with multiple mini-lakes, like the one you see above.

The downpours of rain did not seem to add much to the water level of the Wichita River. 

Microsoft OneDrive Memories Take Me To Rattlesnakes & Swimming With David, Theo & Ruby

Today is the first day in awhile where I remember the memories, supposedly from this day, that Microsoft's OneDrive sends to my email.

I do remember all these memories did occur in March, but not in the same year. That memory photo at the upper left is from the Sweetwater Rattlesnake Roundup. I think it was in March of 2004 I made my one and only disturbing visit to Sweetwater's Rattlesnake Roundup. 

Below that photo memory from Sweetwater we move ahead a few years, to 2019. This week in March was the last time I have seen the Tacoma Trio of David, Theo and Ruby, and their parental units. 

That would make the two pool photo memories being memories of David, Theo and Ruby in Aunt Jackie's swimming pool. I had myself a mighty fine time that day. It was memorable in multiple ways, including swimming with the kids.

On this computer, if I can find it, there is one photo of me in the pool, tossing David,

It is sort of hard to believe that that March swimming pool incident was four years ago. So much has happened in those four years.

In a couple weeks David is taking his brother and sister, and parental units, to Iceland to see the Northern Lights and Gullfoss Falls, before continuing on to France to go to Paris Disneyland and the Eiffel Tower.

That visit to the Sweetwater Rattlesnake Roundup was the first time I made a video with my then new, and now, long gone, video camcorder. It was a primitive effort, but the video pretty much captures the Rattlesnake Roundup...

More Fort Worth Bridgey McBridgeface Nutty Nonsense With Other Real Bridges

A couple weeks ago I blogged about a fresh Fort Worth embarrassment. That being the public being asked to come up with names for Fort Worth's three simple little bridges built over dry land.

Construction of which took seven years.

Over dry land.

The moronic Fort Worth public figures responsible for the bridge boondoggle idiotically claimed, over and over and over again that the three bridges were being built over dry land, to save time and money.

Making that idiotic claim when there was no option other than building the bridges over dry land, due to the fact that there would be no water under those bridges til a cement lined ditch was dug under them, with Trinity River water diverted into the ditch. 

To further elaborate on how idiotically moronic this building over dry land to same time and money claim is, well, what if the cement lined ditch was installed first. Well, there would be no way to cross the ditch, til bridges were built.

So, clearly there was no option other than building the bridges over dry land.

Regarding that blog post about the naming of those three pitiful freeway overpass looking bridges, Steve A made an amusing comment...

Steve A has left a new comment on your post "Fort Worth's Bridgey McBridgeface Bridge Name Nonsense Boondoggle":

How about "The Montlake Bridge Would be Green with Envy" as a name for one of the bridges. In Seattle, they weren't as clever as Fort Worth. In Seattle, they dug the ditch (called the Montlake Cut) for the ship canal and THEN built the bridge. Just the reverse of what Fort Worth did. Hence, my proposed name. We could call it MBWBGWE for short.

___________________

Actually, there are two bridges over the Montlake Cut in Seattle. The first one built after the Montlake Cut was first cut. And then a few years later Interstate 5 came to town, requiring a massive double decker bridge high above the Montlake Cut.

And, for some unfathomable reason Seattle never felt the need to ask the public to suggest names for these bridges.

Yesterday the Fort Worth bridge boondoggle came back to mind when the entity known as Nutty McNutt pointed me to what you see at the top. A photo of the Astoria-Megler bridge under construction.

A blurb from Wikipedia about Astoria-Megler Bridge...

The Astoria–Megler Bridge is a steel cantilever through truss bridge in the northwest United States that spans the lower Columbia River, between Astoria, Oregon, and Point Ellice near Megler, Washington. Opened 57 years ago, in 1966, it is the longest continuous truss bridge in North America.

The bridge is 14 miles (23 km) from the mouth of the river at the Pacific Ocean. The bridge is 4.067 miles (6.55 km) in length and was the final segment of U.S. Route 101 to be completed between Olympia, Washington, and Los Angeles, California.

___________________

Construction of this big bridge across the Columbia River began November 5, 1962, completed by August 27, 1966.

Completed in less than four years.

When Fort Worth began construction of its three little bridges over dry land, marking the start with a TNT exploding ceremony, it was with an, at the time, astonishing four-year construction timeline.

To build three little bridges over dry land.

Three little bridges which ended up taking seven years to build.

Over dry land.

The bridge which connects Astoria to Megler was built over a deep, fast moving river that was subject to tidal changes due to being so close to the Pacific Ocean.

I have driven over that bridge over the Columbia multiple times. It is one of the most adventurous river crossings I have ever crossed, particularly the section which quickly goes high, so that Portland bound ships can get past the bridge.

I wonder how long it would take Fort Worth to build a bridge like the Astoria-Megler Bridge over the Columbia? 20 years? A century? 

Driving With Linda Lou To Lucy Park's Emerging Green Leaves

This first Tuesday of the third month of 2023, it was with Linda Lou onboard, I drove back to Lucy Park for some high-speed nature communing.

Since I was last at Lucy Park, two days ago, leaves have begun sprouting on some of the trees, such as the one you see above, a harbinger of the arrival of Spring in a couple weeks.

Today's nature communing may be the last for a couple days. Storms are scheduled to begin arriving later today, and last, to varying degrees of severity, through Thursday.

As you can see, clouds have already arrived, ahead of the storming. 

Tomorrow I will likely be at the Wichita Falls Public Library during my regular nature communing time of the day. I need to replenish my reading material supply...

Hot First Monday Of March At Sikes Lake

On this first Monday of the third month of 2023, it was back to Sikes Lake I ventured to join the throngs enjoying the balmy 80 degree plus temperatures.

Which would make that the Gray Lagoon of Sikes Lake, you see above, looking west from the bridge at the west end of the lake.

It is currently noon on Monday, which is why I am hearing tornado sirens doing their regularly scheduled system check.

Quiet has again returned.

If you have never heard a tornado siren, well, they are loud. Think the loudest siren you have ever heard and double or triple the decibel level.

I have only once heard the tornado sirens go off due to an actual tornado. That was when I lived in far east Fort Worth.

We are currently scheduled to have two days this week with thunderstorms, possibly severe, predicted. Thunderstorms and tornadoes go together. A severe thunderstorm brings with it the conditions that can cause a tornado. 

Sunday Exploring Lucy Park Backwoods With Mud & No Snakes

Back to the Lucy Park backwoods I ventured on this first Sunday of the third month of 2023. As you can see, recent rain has greened up the ground, but, so far, not much new leaf action.

That aforementioned recent rain did leave a few muddy areas, easily detoured around. I have had a couple sticky incidents with Lucy Park mud in the past. The worst being bike related, coating on so much mud the bike became inoperable.

The outer world is being heated into the high 80s today. So, I kept a careful watch for anything slithering. 

The biggest snake I have ever seen in the wild I saw in the backwoods zone of Lucy Park, a couple summers ago. It was at least six feet long. And thick. It slithered into brush before I could take its picture.

But, I saw nothing reptilian today. Not even little lizards.

More rain is on the weather menu for the coming week. 

Nature Communing At Flood Free Lucy Park After Yesterday's Deluge

Yesterday's nature communing at Lucy Park was under a mostly clear blue sky.

But, by the time I left Lucy Park a storm was brewing. Soon after returning to my abode the storm was done brewing and was spewing lightning bolts, hail, rain and wind.

The rain continued for hours. By late afternoon a moat surrounded my abode.

By the time the sun finished yesterday's illumination duty the sky was beginning to return to being blue.

By the time the sun arrived, this morning, to begin its daily illumination duty, the sky was totally blue, with nary a cloud to be seen.

And so, this morning, I ventured back to Lucy Park, expecting to possibly find the park in flood mode. 

Well, no flooding was found, but the Wichita River is flowing a lot more water than it was yesterday, as you can see, above, via the view, looking south, from the middle of the Lucy Park suspension bridge.

So, March at my Texas location has roared in like a lion, with more roaring predicted in a few days...

Lucy Park Pagoda Blooming Before Thunderstorm Comes Booming

 At 11 this morning, arriving at Lucy Park, the sky was blue, which you see photo documented above. The weather prediction was for thunderstorms to arrive around noon. I scoffed at this, thinking no way.

And now, back at my abode, at half past noon, thunder is booming, lightning is striking, and the outer world is looking mighty stormy on this second day of the third month of 2023.

Just a sec, I will go take a pic from my kitchen window vantage point, hoping to manage to photo document the hail hailing, or a lightning strike.

The road has become a river. A moat almost surrounds my abode. But, the photo did not manage to photo document either the hail or the lightning, but did manage to photo document how we went from that clear blue sky a few minutes ago, to the above dark drippy scene.

I forgot to mention, at the photo at the top, of the burned-out Lucy Park Pagoda, signs of life have appeared, with flowers blooming through the fire flamed ground around the former Pagoda.

This storm today is likely a sign of a wild wet thundering March month now underway...