Wichita Falls Backyard Ski Hill Not Opening Tomorrow

Saw that which you see here and immediately thought it to be one of those things I see in a Washington online news source which I would never see in one of my local Texas news sources about a similar thing happening.

I saw this news about Seattle's backyard ski hill, this morning, in the Seattle Times.

Now, Wichita Falls does have a hill. I call it Mount Wichita. It is located in Lake Wichita Park. Mount Wichita is a manmade mountain. Made by piling up the residue that resulted from dredging Sikes Lake, late in the previous century.

Snow does fall in Wichita Falls. Sometimes in copious amounts, coating the outer world in a semi-deep layer of snow.

But, even covered with snow, it would not be feasible to ski on Mount Wichita. Too steep for cross-country skis, impossible to ski with regular downhill type skis. Impossible due to there being no ski lift to take one to the summit of Mount Wichita.

I am fairly certain there are no locations in Texas where one can ski. One needs to go to either New Mexico or Colorado to find a ski resort, with New Mexico likely being the closest, either Ruidoso or Taos. 

I have been to both those New Mexico locations. But, never when snow is on the ground...

Theo & Ruby's Happy 2024 Birthday

This blog post was first posted five years ago, and has been slightly updated for today...

On this day, in the year 2010, the Mother Ship landed two new inhabitants on this planet.

Theo & Ruby, born December 17, 2010 in Tacoma, Washington.

And now, on this day in 2024, Theo & Ruby are 14 years old, born during the reign of a good president, turning 14 years old near the return of a bad president with a likely follow-up embarrassing reign.

Theo & Ruby are politically minded, even at their relatively young age. That type thing happens when one is born in many locations in the progressive, liberal, better educated, more modern parts of America, such as Western Washington.

I recollect the last time I was in Washington, summer of 2017, Theo & Ruby directed mama Michele to drive us to downtown Seattle, to a Dick's Drive-In, and to see the Amazon spheres.

At some point on that drive through downtown Seattle we came upon a cluster of protesters protesting some Trump nonsense. One, or both twins, or maybe it was older brother, David, shouted out, loudly, "IMPEACH TRUMP!" I do not remember if the vehicle's windows were open.

Today, on Theo & Ruby's birthday, let's take a look at some photo documentation I found on my computer, documenting fun times I have had with Theo & Ruby (and David).

In the year 2019, in the month of March, I got to watch Theo & Ruby practice their cowboy and cowgirl skills, on horseback. Good preparation for that day in the future when they visit Texas for the first time.

The twins waving goodbye as they mosey out into the Arizona desert.

I do not remember where the above photo of the twin cutie pies was taken. My best guess would be Birch Bay.

Now, I know where the above photo was taken. This photo was taken during a water balloon battle on the street in front of Aunt Jackie's Chandler abode.

And here we see Ruby & Theo coaxing their uncle to slide down a slide of rollers in a fun park in Mesa, Arizona.

Here Ruby is driving Theo and David in a pedal powered surrey on the paved trail on the Tacoma waterfront.

And now the trio has let me get on board to continue the Tacoma waterfront tour.

Above I know for certain is Birch Bay. Theo is mounting a final defense against the incoming tide. Ruby surrendered a few minutes prior to this and headed to shore. I am hoping to help Ruby and Theo (and David, if he is cooperative this time) build sandcastles some future summer when we return to Birch Bay.

The last morning of that 2017 summer visit to Birch Bay Theo and I discovered that the elevator took us to a rooftop lookout where we were able to look down on the beach and see the remains of the sand fort we had built the day before. Those remains are visible due left of Theo, in the middle of the sand bar.

The photo above was taken on what turned out to be the funnest day of many fun days we all had that  March in 2019 in Arizona. Here we see Ruby leading us to the park near Aunt Jackie's house. That is David right behind Ruby, and Theo with the basketball. Someone cropped my face out of the photo, but that is me pushing Miss Daisy, also known as Grandma Shirley, behind Ruby.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY THEO & RUBY!!!!

Microsoft OneDrive Reminds Us Of Aunt Alice's Affair With Santa Claus

Day after day, despite my best efforts to resist, the Christmas spirit draws me back in.

That totally Christmas image, which you see above, showed up via my daily Microsoft OneDrive Memories from this Day.

This particular memory was from several years ago. 

Aunt Alice, in the town of Tonasket, in Eastern Washington. got herself involved with the guy who, for years, had been the Tonasket Santa Claus.

Holding court on a throne in downtown Tonasket, passing out candy canes to kids waiting to sit on his lap and share their Christmas wishes.

Aunt Alice, recently free of Uncle Albert, soon found herself having a whimsical affair with the Tonasket Santa Claus.

For two Christmas seasons, Aunt Alice agreed to play the role of Mrs. Santa Claus, which we see her enjoying in the photo documentation.

Aunt Alice's relationship with Santa Claus came to an end when Santa wanted to formalize the relationship, but Aunt Alice was not yet ready for such, still trying to recover from her years with Uncle Albert...

Sunday Lucy Park HOT Walk With Desiccated Backwoods Jungle

Today, one day short of being halfway through December, with the outer world almost balmy, warmed today into the 70s, it was to Lucy Park I ventured today for the first time in a week or two, to briskly walk around the Lucy Park backwoods jungle, which, as you can see, via the photo documentation, is no longer in jungle mode, due to the trees losing most of their leaves, and the ground cover no longer green.

Yesterday was also not cold, so it was to the Wichita Bluff Nature Area I ventured to commune with nature whilst burning calories and enjoying feeling good from endorphins.

Yesterday and today the sweat pants stayed in the closet, back in shorts and t-shirt was I.

As if summer had returned.

When I was a Washingtonian, living on the west side of the Cascade Mountain range, in December, a day with the temperature in the 70s is rare.

In Western Washington, in summer, the temperature being in the 70s is considered a HOT day. On the rare days the temperature soars into the 80s and 90s, it is considered a blistering heat wave.

I did not have air-conditioning in any of my Washington abodes. The house I lived in before moving to air-conditioned Texas had a passive cooling system that worked well.

Merry Christmas From Hank Frank Slotemaker Family

Friday the 13th a Happy Holidays card from one of the Arizona-based Weston branches of the Slotemaker-Jones-Weston Clan arrived in my mailbox.

That card featured the youngest member of the SJW Clan, a wee lad named Cade Weston.

The next day, Saturday the 14rh, a more specific holiday card arrived in my mailbox, wishing me a Merry Christmas.

This latest incoming card was from another of the Slotemaker branches of the Slotemaker-Jones-Weston Clan. One of the few branches of the SJW Clan still residing in Washington's Skagit Valley.

This Merry Christmas card featured the second youngest member of the SJW Clan, Henry Francis, also known as Hank Frank. 

In the above scan of the incoming card, that would be Hank Frank sitting by one of my two favorite Nieces-in-Law, Monique, with Hank Frank's proud papa, my Favorite Nephew Joey, closest to the camera.

If this card trend continues, Monday's mail should include a card featuring Cade and Hank Frank's cousin, Spencer Jack.

Spencer Jack is a few years older than his two cousins. Spencer Jack already has his driver's license and is out of high school. It will be a few years before Cade and Hank Frank get driver's licenses and get out of high school.

I enjoy getting these Happy Holidays Merry Christmas type cards. I have no idea why I have never enjoyed sending such, more specifically, I do not think I have ever sent anyone a Happy Holidays Merry Christmas type card.

I really do not think it true, as some have suggested, that I have a Scrooge mentality...

Happy Holidays From Arizona's Cade Weston

The Happy Holiday card you see here arrived in my mailbox yesterday, on Friday the 13th. I was quite pleased to see this rather happy Happy Holidays card.

In the center of the card we are seeing Cade Weston, the youngest member of the Slotemaker-Jones-Weston clan.

The Cade Weston branch of the SJW clan live in Arizona, the town of Chandler, to be precise.

Cade's parental units are my Favorite Nephew Christopher, usually known as CJ, and one of my two Favorite Neice-in-laws, Carissa.

Time flies by way too fast.

I may be wrong, but I would guess Cade to be not quite two years old. Last I talked to Cade's grandma, my Favorite Sister Jackie, she was having fun tending to Cade, who was having his first walking attempts. 

I assume by now Cade is a skilled walker.

I'm so old I can remember when Cade's grandma first walked. It was a big event at the time.

Cade sure looks just like his dad did when he was a small fry. Cade's dad was such a fun little kid. I have been told Cade also takes after his dad in that being a fun little kid aspect.

Cade's dad is known as CJ, due to CJ being the initials of his first and middle name, Christopher Jay. Cade's middle name is Christopher. 

Cade's one and only uncle, Jeremy, is known as JR, due to his full name, minus the last name, being Jeremy Ryan.

Are we already calling Cade "CC"?

I do not know. I suspect such may be the case...

A Look At Why Fort Worth Is Not One Of The World's Best Cities

In the past week or two I have seen mention made of a list made of the 100 Best Cities in the World.

The first time I saw this mentioned was in the Dallas Observer, which was observing the fact that Dallas ranked only #56, with two Texans towns thought to be better than Dallas, with Houston at #40 and Austin at #53.

The second time I saw this global list mentioned was in the Austin-American Statesman newspaper, online, which began their article with...

Perhaps your city claims one of the best new restaurants, or best overall restaurants in the country. Maybe it was even named one of the best U.S. cities to live in.

But the true test of greatness is on the global scale.

Resonance Consultancy, a real estate and tourism consulting firm, has released a report ranking the top 100 best cities in the world. Three Texas cities earned a spot on the list.

There are more American towns on this list than any other country, with New York at #2, San Francisco at #12, Los Angeles at #14, Chicago at #12, Seattle at #19 and on to many other American cities.

Fort Worth, Texas is not on this list.

Fort Worth is never on any of this type list.

I lived in Fort Worth for a few years before moving to my current Texas location. It did not take long living in Fort Worth to come to the realization that the town had some sort of civic inferiority complex. I assumed this had something to do with being paired with the bigger, more well-known town of Dallas.

That Fort Worth inferiority complex manifested in many ways. Including what I came to call the Fort Worth Star-Telegram's Green With Envy Syndrome. So called due to that newspaper repeatedly printing an article about some perfectly ordinary thing, claiming that that perfectly ordinary thing was making towns, far and wide, green with envy.

Yes, I know, this sounds ridiculous, but it happened. Over and over again. The syndrome seemed to cease after it was rendered into an embarrassment.

I remember the worst instance of Fort Worth embarrassing itself was the time some Washington, D.C. lobbying group included Fort Worth in a list of ten American towns determined to be the best at the Urban Village concept.

That time the embarrassment did not come from Star-Telegram hyperbole, it was the city government that embarrassed itself. Initiating a citywide celebration celebrating being so listed by an obscure Washington, D.C. lobbying group.

I am not making this up, it really happened, with celebration central happening at Fort Worth's Gateway Park.

During this celebratory period of time, I happened to be up north, in Tacoma, a town which was also on this list of ten best towns with the Urban Village concept.

I had reason to visit with Tacoma's then Deputy Mayor. I asked him if Tacoma had a citywide celebration after receiving this esteemed honor. He laughed and said, no, we politely thanked them and that was it. Why do you ask, the Deputy Mayor asked?

Because Fort Worth had a citywide celebration when they got the same esteemed honor, I told him.

You are kidding, said the Deputy Mayor. Nope, really happened, said I.

Fort Worth has long had a history of what one might characterize as delusions of grandeur, manifesting in multiple ways.

Like the time a sporting goods store opened in Fort Worth called Cabela's. With Fort Worth touting the belief this store would give Fort Worth the #1 tourist attraction in Texas. Not occurring to anyone, apparently, that suggesting such seemed to indicate Texas was a tad weak in the tourist attraction area, which is definitely not the case.

Texas has many attractive tourist attractions, way more attractive than a sporting goods store. San Antonio's Riverwalk comes to mind, as does Galveston, and Big Bend, and much more.

Within a year the Fort Worth Cabela's was no longer the only Cabela's in Texas. One opened in Buda, down south by Austin. And then another Cabela's opened in the D/FW Metroplex. 

The Fort Worth Star-Telegram has never fessed up to being party to the bizarre top tourist attraction in Texas con job.

When I see one of these type lists, listing towns by some criteria, with Fort Worth never being on the list, I can not help but wonder how a long time Fort Worth native, subjected to the local hype and propaganda explains it to themselves.

Fort Worth needs to fix a few problems before it can have any hope of ever being on a list of the best cities on the globe.

Such as, fix Fort Worth's downtown, currently a ghost town on the busiest shopping day of the year, on Black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving, a ghost town due to the fact that downtown Fort Worth has no stores of the sort one might do their Christmas shopping in.

Knock of calling a multi-block area of the Fort Worth downtown, Sundance Square. There is no square there. Years after spouting there being something called Sundance Square, a couple parking lots were turned into a sort of square type location, then called Sundance Square Plaza.

This type thing is not the type thing a town wearing its Big City Pants does.

There are two semi-unique attractions in downtown Fort Worth. The Watergardens at the south end of downtown. And Heritage Park at the north end of downtown.

Elsie Hotpepper recently confirmed for me that Heritage Park is still a boarded-up eyesore, a status it has had for over a decade. Which is sort of an adequate metaphor for Fort Worth. A park purporting to celebrate Fort Worth's heritage, doing so by being a messed up eyesore.

And then there is what that Heritage Park eyesore overlooks. Another thing which makes Fort Worth a laughingstock, not worthy of being on any Best Cities listing.

Fort Worth is now in its third decade of a pseudo public works project, originally known as the Trinity River Vision, before morphing, over the years, into the Trinity River Central City Uptown Panther Island District Vision.

This Vision purported to see an area in danger of being flooded, even though such had not happened in over half a century, due to flood control levees preventing such. The Vision claimed this to be a vitally needed flood control and economic development scheme, which is so vital it is now limping along in its third decade.

Cities worthy of being considered best in the world do not have these type dawdling, ill-conceived, ineptly implemented projects.

A failed project, currently, after all this time, basically only seeing three little bridges, built over dry land, to connect the Fort Worth mainland to an imaginary island, awaiting a cement lined ditch to go under the bridges carrying diverted Trinity River water.

We could go on with more details regarding Fort Worth's Trinity River Vision Boondoggle, but we won't.

Because it is lunch time...

Return To Endorphins Via The Wichita Bluff Nature Area

The outer world the past couple days has been cloudy and cold.

Real cold.

As in, for instance, yesterday a strong wind had the temperature of 39 feeling like 31.

One degree below freezing.

So, yesterday, weather wimp that I be, I did not venture into the outer world for my regular endorphin inducing aerobic activity.

Til today.

A clear blue sky, and zero wind, had today's hiking time temperature of 54 degrees really feeling like 57 degrees.

Relatively balmy, compared to yesterday.

The photo documentation you see above is a look, looking northwest, soon after entering the Wichita Bluff Nature Area, via the Circle Trail, from the Wichita Bluff Nature Area western entry.

The next few days are forecast to be similar to today. This alleviates, for now, my SAD Seasonally Affected Disorder...

Microsoft Takes Me Back To An Enchanted Rock

The chilly photo you see here showed up this Sunday morning in my email, a Microsoft OneDrive Memory from this Day.

That which you see behind me, in the photo, is known as Enchanted Rock. One of the most scenic locations in Texas.

Enchanted Rock is located in Texas Hill Country, a few miles north of Fredericksburg.

I do not remember what winter month it was I first visited Enchanted Rock. It may have been in December. I do remember my second visit, a couple years later, was over Easter weekend, with Enchanted Rock being quite crowded.

Enchanted Rock is in a Texas state park known as Enchanted Rock State Natural Area. 

Natives residing in the Enchanted Rock zone, back when undocumented aliens began invading the area, thought the rock to be enchanted by spooky spirits. Thought thusly because of the weird noises the rock made. 

Modern science of the geology sort came along many years later to explain that the weird noises were made by contracting and expanding granite fissures in the rock, occurring during extreme heating and cooling events.

I have been on Enchanted Rock when it was cold and when it was not cold and have not heard any weird noises.

The hike to the summit of Enchanted Rock is not too difficult. There is no trail taking you to the top. You just sort of make you own route.

I would like to make that trek to the top of Enchanted Rock a third time. It is only a few hundred miles to the south of my current location...

Do Not Let Your Texas Deviance Thrash Pecan Trees

I saw the sign you see here, yesterday, in Hamilton Park, across the street from the area I refer to as the Beverly Hills of Wichita Falls.

I have seen many a pecan picker picking pecans off the ground, in both Lucy Park and at Sikes Lake.

I have not seen any pecan pickers picking at Hamilton Park.

I do not go to Hamilton Park too often, which is likely why I have seen no pecan pickers picking there.

Hamilton Park does not have many trees. I assume some of the few must be pecan trees.

It seems like a lot of bother to gather up pecans, from the ground, then process them by whatever means one must. Shelling the pecans, then roasting them, I presume.

The result of the effort must be worth it, judging by all the pecan pickers I have seen picking.

As for this prohibition against thrashing a pecan tree, I do not know what that means. Shaking the tree to shake loose pecans? Pecan trees are not small. It would seem to be not too easy to shake a pecan tree.

And why does the sign, at the upper right, say, TEXAS DEVIANCE?

Possible Wichita Falls Great Christmas Light Fight Contender

Last year Wichita Falls was the location of the winner of a contest known as The Great Christmas Light Fight. If I remember right, the first-place prize was $50,000.

No, above you are not looking at this year's version of last year's Great Christmas Light Fight. 

The Great Christmas Display you are seeing here is located on Hamilton Road, across the street from Hamilton Park, in the neighborhood I refer to as the Beverly Hills of Wichita Falls.

I do not know if this Christmas Light display on Hamilton Road is accompanied with music, like last year's winner was.

I suspect if this house on Hamilton Road enters this year's Great Christmas Light Fight it will be in the running for the top prize.

I need to point out that my photo documentation was only able to capture a fraction of this entire Christmas display...

Day Three Wichita Bluff High Speed Hill Hiking Calorie Burning

Day three, on this fourth day of December, back on the Wichita Bluffs, hiking the Circle Trail into the Wichita Bluff Nature Area from the west.

As you can see, via the view from the Wichita Bluff summit, looking east at the stunning skyline of beautiful downtown Wichita Falls, clouds have obliterated the clear blue sky which had been the norm for several days.

My regimen of amping up the burning of calories, via high-speed hill hiking, seems to be working. I have made note of some shrinkage of the poundage gained from excessive Thanksgiving food consumption, consumption which went on for more days than just the Thanksgiving Thursday.

A lot of people seem to be currently enjoying getting exercise on the Bluffs, which is made much more pleasant when the temperature is not in the 100-degree zone, which happens way too often during the period of time known as Summer...

Back Burning Calories On The Wichita Bluffs

It was back to the Wichita Bluff Nature Area I ventured on this third day of December.

Yesterday I accessed the Bluffs from the west, today I accessed the Bluffs from the east.

Accessing the Bluffs from the east, the Circle Trail follows the Wichita River, til it doesn't.

Which would make that the Wichita River you see beyond the stand of giant weeds.

Hiking the Bluffs two days in a row is part of a campaign to shed the poundage gained by excessive calorie consumption during the Thanksgiving period of excessive calorie consumption.

Along with burning calories the high-speed aerobic Bluff hiking causes a lot of endorphins to get released, which is always a pleasant thing to experience.

I have about three weeks to shrink enough to fit into a tuxedo type suit. I do not know if I can make that happen. But, I shall try my best...

Perfect December Hiking Weather On The Wichita Bluffs

It was to the Wichita Bluff Nature Area I ventured on this second day of December, to hike the Circle Trail to the Bluff Summit's Picnic Pavilion.

As you can see there is nary a cloud blotting the clear blue sky.

Upon arrival at the Bluff I realized I was overdressed, as the outer world was not feeling as cold as I thought it to be before exiting my climate controlled zone. 

So, I shed the gloves and hooded sweatshirt and found the temperature to be totally pleasant with only a t-shirt being my upper outerwear.

As I sit here typing I have been hearing the tornado sirens blaring. It has been a while since I have heard the regular Monday tornado siren test. Why? I do not know. The sirens are too loud not to notice.

Due to the recent overnight below freezing temperatures many more of the leaves in the trees have gone into color change mode than prior to the freezing. Such as the tree you see above, located near the Bluff's summit.

Along with the changing color the fall falling of the leaves has begun, leaving the ground carpeted with leaves, at some locations, something I experienced a lot a couple days ago hiking the Lucy Park backwoods jungle.

Leaves falling to the ground is different in Texas than what I used to experience in Western Washington.

In Texas the leaves dry up and disintegrate. In Western Washington the leaves would slowly decompose, turning slippery and messy. 

The annual leaf cleanup at my Washington abode was not a pleasant task. But, had to be done, or the roof drains would get clogged...

2024 Texas Christmas Decorations Complete

It took a lot of tiring effort, but, eventually, on this first day of December, I got my Christmas decorations fully installed.

As has been the case for a long time, a brown ceramic cactus is my Christmas tree. 

The Christmas Camel came from my Grandma Vera.

The Christmas Stocking, hanging off the Christmas Camel, was a crocheted production of my Grandma Slotemaker.

I suspect it would please both my Grandmas to know their crafty works are my Christmas decorations, well into the 21st century.

I do not remember, for sure, where I got the Christmas Cactus. My best guess is it came from Wall Drug Store in South Dakota. I bought a lot of stuff at Wall Drug Store.

Brother Jake's Cool Mount Baker Volcano Thanksgiving

I am a couple days late sharing that which you see here, which arrived Thanksgiving morning, from my little brother who goes by the name of Jake, even though that name is not on his birth certificate.

The above photo illustrated Jake's Thanksgiving phone text message of "Happy Thanksgiving from the currently cool Pacific Northwest."

That would be the Thanksgiving morning view from my little brother's viewing venue at the Slotemaker-Jones Compound located on the Skagit Flats, near the tulip ground zero viewing location of Roozengarde.

That mountain covered in white snow is the Mount Baker volcano. That band of blue in front of the volcano is known as Cascade mountain foothills.

I replied to my little brother's Thanksgiving message wishing him a Happy Thanksgiving, adding that it is also currently cool in Texas, but from my vantage point I see no mountains no matter which direction I look.

I do not know how many miles I would currently need to drive to see a mountain, any mountain, doesn't have to be a volcano.

As far as I know the only American volcanoes are in the Cascade Mountains, with five volcanoes in Washington, one in Oregon and a couple in California.

Now that you are causing me to think about it, Oregon may have two volcanoes, if one counts dormant Mount Mazama, location of Crater Lake, as a volcano, along with Oregon's Mount Hood.

I just Googled Mount Mazama and learned it is still considered a volcano even though it has not erupted for almost three thousand years before Jesus was born.

At my current old age I at times wonder if I will ever again see an actual mountain...

First Wichita Falls Freeze Of The Freezing Season Arrives On Schedule

The first freeze of this freezing time of the year arrived as predicted, this day after Thanksgiving morning.

The outer world air is predicted to get warmed to somewhere in the 40 degree zone during my regular outdoor endorphin inducing activity time.

Before I do that outdoor endorphin inducing I am going to Walmart to be part of the Black Friday mob. This is usually reliably entertaining.

Walmart may provide all the endorphin inducing I need for the day...

Happy Texas Mexican Thanksgiving With Icicles

Well. Thanksgiving, food-wise, is now history. The 2024 version of my Thanksgiving was a basic traditional Thanksgiving meal of the Mexican food sort.

Burritos, taquitos, soft tacos, refried beans, rice, salsa, other stuff.

And no cranberries.

The tortilla plate was to the left of the plate you see photo documented. The tortilla plate was used for the soft taco assembly.

No exterior endorphin inducing activity is taking place today.

Too cold.

Yesterday, around noon, I drove to ALDI and Walmart. The temperature was in the 80-degree zone. By mid-afternoon a strong wind arrived, dropping the temperature drastically, along with a wind burst which blew up my patio furniture.

Tonight we are scheduled to dip below freezing for the first time this cold time of the year.

Being somewhat elderly I find I am not a fan of winter with its wanton chilliness and frozen water of various sorts...

Chilly Pre-Thanksgiving Walk With Sikes Lake Ducks In The Blue Lagoon

On this final Tuesday of the 2024 version of November, it was to Sikes Lake I ventured this chilly day for a walk around the lake, which would make that the Blue Lagoon of Sikes Lake you see above, with a flock of ducks quacking in the sunshine as they paddle through the lagoon.

The temperature dipped to one degree above freezing last night. It is just a bit jarring to go from one day hitting the 80s and the next day almost freezing.

Such may explain why I seem to be suffering random bouts of sneezing.

The sneezing is either caused by the chill, or the mountain cedar pollen that apparently is causing an allergic reaction in some unfortunate souls, like, possibly, myself.

I am totally prepared for Thanksgiving. There will be no turkey involved in the festivities. Thanksgiving is going to be Mexican cuisine themed, with tacos being the center piece. 

The current weather prediction for Thursday is that that day will see the first freeze of this freezing season.

There is no prediction of frozen precipitation in the current forecast for Thanksgiving...

Balmy Colorful Final Sunday Of November Lucy Park Jungle Walk

On this final Sunday of 2024's November, it was to Lucy Park I ventured, with one week to go til December, for some nature communing, via the Lucy Park backwoods jungle.

Before I ventured into the jungle I ventured to the middle of the Lucy Park suspension bridge across the Wichita River for the look north, you see above.

You can also see that the trees are finally beginning to colorfully lose their green, turning yellow and orange.

The first freeze of this, supposed to be, cold time of the year is scheduled to arrive on Thanksgiving, with the temperature predicted to dip below freezing.

Yesterday the morning was cold enough to cause me to turn the climate control from COOL to HEAT for the first time in a long time. Today we are back on COOL, with a blue sky and a temperature nearing 80, mid-afternoon.

Something about the current climate condition has been causing me to sneeze. I do not like it when that happens...

Remembering Aunt Ruth Brings Up A Lot Of Other Memories

Yesterday I made mention of being At Wichita Bluff Nature Area Summit Learning Sad News About Aunt Ruth regarding the passing of my Aunt Ruth. I made mention of the fact that Aunt Ruth and Uncle Hank, and their three kids spent many years in Australia. I also made mention of the fact that I did not remember when last I saw Aunt Ruth, Uncle Hank and their kids.

I think the year was 1995. My dad had retired. That summer they took their long planned cross country roadtrip in their RV. Including visiting Sugarcreek, Ohio, where Hank and Ruth located after Australia.

That is what we are seeing in the above photo documentation. That is my dad in the center. To dad's left, that is Aunt Ruth, next to Uncle Hank. I also recognize Australian cousin Carol, to the right of dad, and Aunt Judy, with Judy's first husband, Uncle Mel, between Judy and Carol. I think Carol's big brother, Danny is in the back between Ruth and Hank. I do not see the third Aussie cousin, Steve. That is Aunt Jane on the far right, holding a baby. I see Aunt Jane's first husband, Uncle Mooch, to the left of Mooch's brother Mel. I do not know where my mom is hiding in this photo.

And then we go back 34 years, to 1967, to Lynden, Washington to see some of the same people.

That'd be, from the left, Uncle Hank, Aunt Ruth, Grandma Slotemaker, dad, mom, Aunt Judy, Uncle Mel and Aunt Arlene. I think Uncle Mooch may have been out of the country via the Air Force at this point in time and had not yet met his first wife, Aunt Jane.

Another photo from Sugarcreek, Ohio. My dad and his siblings, Uncle Mel, Aunt Ruth, Aunt Arlene and Uncle Mooch. Only Uncle Mooch remains vertical.

If I remember right it was during this mom and dad roadtrip that we somehow coordinated them showing up in Las Vegas whilst I was there over Thanksgiving weekend in the year, I think, 1995.

I was staying at what was then called Treasure Island, took mom and dad out for lunch at the Luxor. Talked them into going on the Luxor simulator rides, which mom surprisingly enjoyed.

This time in Vegas was when the Infamous BIG BOX Incident took place. At lunch, at Luxor, mom casually mentions they have a box of Christmas presents they want me to take north with me to deliver. I can't do that, says I. I'm on a plane. You don't take big boxes on a plane.

But, mom would not take no for an answer.

I waved mom and dad goodbye and schlepped the BIG BOX to my room.

One of my travel companions had a fit upon seeing the BIG BOX. She insisted there was no way we could take that on the place.

What happened next I have never understood. She tells me she'll take care of it, gets a handcart to wheel the BIG BOX down to a Treasure Island service desk.

They said, no problem, we can ship that for you, just write down your address, so, I do so, writing down the Mount Vernon address on Pawnee Lane. They did not weigh the box, did not ask for money. And a week later the box showed up at my front door, delivered by UPS. 

That this happened perplexes me to this day. Just realized, we are coming up on Thanksgiving weekend of 2024. The BIG BOX Incident happened almost three decades ago, yet remains a vivid memory...

At Wichita Bluff Nature Area Summit Learning Sad News About Aunt Ruth

On this picture perfect totally blue-sky 3rd Thursday of November, it was to the Wichita Bluff Nature Area I ventured for some salubrious nature communing and the resulting endorphins, via fast walking the Circle Trail

Shortly before reaching the highest spot on the bluffs my phone made its incoming text message noise. Upon sitting at one of the tables under the covered pavilion at the bluff summit I woke up my phone and saw the following message from my little sister, Michele...

Just got this from Aunt Jane. Passing it along in case you haven't heard.

www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/name/mathilda-hershberger-obituary?id=56822354

I was fairly certain Mathilda Hershberger was known to me as Aunt Ruth. This was confirmed when I went to the link.

Aunt Ruth was my dad's second oldest sister. A couple years ago I recollect asking my sister Jackie if she'd received the annual Christmas newsletter from Aunt Ruth. She had not. In the last Christmas newsletter from Aunt Ruth she made mention of the fact that Uncle Hank was about to turn 100. Reading Aunt Ruth's obituary, I learned Uncle Hank died back in 2023, so, I am guessing he made it to 100.

Uncle Hank and Aunt Ruth were Wycliffe Bible Translators. The bible translating took place in Australia, which is where their three kids were born, Danny, Carol and Steve. 

I recollect is as being a real big deal when Uncle Hank and Aunt Ruth first went to Australia. It was via an ocean liner, sailing out of Vancouver, British Columbia. The whole family went to Canada to see them float away. I remember it being a big crowd, on shore and onboard. And a lot of tears flowing.

This would have been during the 1960s. 

I also remember it being a real big deal to return to Vancouver one of the early times the Hershbergers returned to America for a visit. I remember me and my siblings being really excited to spot Hank & Ruth waving at us from the ship.

I do not remember when it was we first met our new Australian cousins. I know it was not via meeting them getting off a ship. I do remember we thought those new cousins were quite exotic with their Aussie accents. 

I think it was during the 1990s, or maybe 1980s, that the Hershbergers moved their bible translating operation back to the United States. I do not think I have seen any Hershbergers this century. None were at the big Slotemaker-Jones Family Reunion in Lynden back in 2002.

I do recollect emailing Cousin Carol at her missionary location somewhere in Africa. That would have been in the 1990s and maybe earlier in this current century.

My relative numbers keep dwindling. Aunt Jane's first husband, Uncle Mooch, known to some as Uncle Gerry, is the last of my dad's siblings. 

On my dad's relative side of the family Uncle Mooch is know the oldest, cousin Linda the second oldest, me the third oldest.

On my mom's relative side of the family I am the oldest remaining relative. Clearly my days are dwindling...

Police Brutality Disrupts Dallas Cowboy Football Game

 I thought this outrageous incident of police brutality was amusing, in addition to being outrageous...

Won't Make It To Mount Baker Ski Season Open Whilst in Texas

I saw that which you see here, this morning, via the online version of the Seattle Times. I had a multi-reaction. One was, well, this is yet one more thing I see in news from my old Washington home zone which I would never, could never, see in a Texas newspaper about a similar scene in Texas.

I think the Ruidoso zone of New Mexico is the closest location from my current location, where I would find a ski area. Maybe Colorado is closer, but, I suspect, without checking a map, that New Mexico's ski areas are closer.

Seeing mention made of Mount Baker, and ski season, also triggered that usually dormant homesick feeling. I used to look out my living room windows and see Mount Baker in the distance.

That actually is not Mount Baker you see in the photo. It is called the Mount Baker ski area, but Mount Shuksan is the mountain you are near whilst skiing the Mount Baker ski area. The actual Mount Baker volcano is a short distance to the south, or to the right, in the photo.

I do not remember when last I was at the Mount Baker ski area. It may have been the time, in the 1990s, when nephews Christopher and Jeremy took me hiking up Tabletop Mountain, a hiking venue south of the Mount Baker ski area, north of Mount Baker.

I brought my cross country skis with me to Texas. I recollect only skiing on them once, in Texas. A time when sufficient snow accumulated enabling skiing on the slopes in Arlington's Veterans Park. Doing such drew some attention from kids who had never seen skis skiing in person before.

I stored my cross country skis in an outdoor storage closet, which was not air-conditioned. At some point I discovered that the extreme heat of summer had caused the skis to delaminate, rendering them worthless.

Almost every winter since I have been in Wichita Falls there has been a short period with sufficient snow on the ground which would have made cross country skiing the Circle Trail a fun thing to do. Particularly the Circle Trail in the Wichita Bluff Nature Area section, which has some good up and down grades.

I wonder if ever again I will slide on skis, roll on roller blades, or pedal a bike? I suspect, of those three, pedaling a bike is the most likely...

Cloudy Sunday Stroll at Lake Wichita Park Without Kayaking

It was to Lake Wichita Park, and what would have been the shadow of Mount Wichita, had this 3rd Sunday of November not been totally overcast with clouds preparing to drip some rain.

The rain deluges earlier this month have raised the Lake Wichita water level, rendering the new kayak launching dock in total float mode for the first time which I have eye witnessed.

Though overcast, the sun was still able to provide enough warming rays to bring the temperature into the 60s, making for an extremely pleasant Sunday stroll.

Seeing that kayak launch today had me trying to remember what became of my inflatable kayak. I do not recollect it malfunctioning, and thus getting tossed. I do not remember the kayak making the move to Wichita Falls.

If Lake Wichita developed into regularly having enough water in it to float a boat, it might be fun to get a kayak again.

Ides of November Shadow of the Lucy Park Thin Man

On this 15th Ides of November Day of 2024, it was to Lucy Park the Shadow of the Thin Man ventured today, in shorts and t-shirt, due to the temporary return of summer-like weather.

I was pleased to find that the Lucy Park backwoods jungle has mostly dried up from last week's series of drenching deluges.

Lucy Park was having itself a lot of action today, with multiples enjoying various forms of recreation, with the majority being disc golfers. A sport about which I fail to see the attraction.

Temperatures dipping below freezing are on the weather menu, scheduled to arrive before the arrival of Thanksgiving.

I am in no mood to get super cold. I hope to get through winter with no ice storms, no snow, no sub-zero temperatures, no nothing slippery and cold.

I have adopted the age-appropriate weather attitude of an elderly person...

Fall Is Starting To Show Up At Sikes Lake

Almost halfway through November, today, whilst walking around Sikes Lake I saw the first sign, this Fall season, of leaves losing their green color, transitioning to yellow, on their way to orange, before turning brown and falling to the ground.

The first freeze of the current cooler time of the year is scheduled to happen later this month, a few days before Thanksgiving.

I do not previously remember it being this late in the year without switching the interior climate control to heat mode.

Though the climate control system is still in air conditioning mode, the A/C has not needed to do its cooling task for quite few days.

Seeing Ma Joad, Flubbo the Gut & Madame McNutty Took Me to WinCo

This Microsoft OneDrive Memory from this Day is totally baffling to me.

Is it part of a stage production of The Grapes of Wrath? I have never seen a stage production of The Grapes of Wrath.

Is that Ma Joad in the center? Did I alter the image of Ma Joad with the head of either the entity I refer to as Flubbo the Gut or the entity I refer to as Madame McNutty? 

The Ma Joad likeness sort of looks like both of those entities, frumpy, elderly and plump.

Changing the subject from Ma Joad to Wichita Falls.

Via the Texoma Homepage today I learned WinCo is going ahead with opening a store in in Wichita Falls. Construction to begin in December, completion by summer or early fall. WinCo has agreed to pay for a boulevard upgrade, an agreement which hastened approval of the project.

A WinCo in this town is going to change many people's grocery shopping habits. As in, for me, it will put an end to buying groceries at Walmart. WinCo makes the best bagels I have ever been blessed to consume, among many other good things.

The new WinCo will be a short distance from ALDI. 

Veteran's Day Sikes Lake Walk Around Wichita Falls Waterfall

On this Veteran's Day, second Monday of November of 2024, it was to Sikes Lake I ventured for a walk around the lake, stopping at one of Wichita Falls' falls, falling a little water over the Sikes Lake Dam, for the first time in a long time. 

A dam which was fall-free for a long time due to the long drought, which somewhat abated last week from a few days of deluges.

The moat surrounding my abode has evaporated enough to allow my usual access to my motorized means of motion.

But, more rain is scheduled in a few days.

I suspect we are in for several months of excessive dripping, hopefully without that dripping arriving frozen.

I am in no mood to deal with an ice storm, sub-zero temperatures, or snow, or any combo of such.

Sunday In Lucy Park Flooded With Nuts

It was back to Lucy Park I ventured on this second Sunday of the next to last month of 2024, to join throngs of other nature communers enjoying the return to a clear blue sky after several days of deluges and thunderstorms.

The Wichita River was running slightly higher than it was the previous visit, a couple days ago. The added water was causing the river to flow faster. 

That parental unit and kid you see at the north end of the Lucy Park Suspension Bridge was venturing onto the bridge quite tenuously. So, I opted not to walk further out on the bridge, due to knowing doing so would cause the bridge to move, likely unsettling the already nervous kid.

There was other evidence in the park of the recent bout of deluges.

The flooded area you see here is near the Lucy Park Log Cabin and swimming pool parking lot.

The leaves in the trees are still green, and still stuck to the limbs. 

There is one item falling from some of the trees, other than leaves.

Pecans.

One sees a lot of pecan pickers scouring the ground under pecan trees, looking for the highly valued nuts.

Such seems like way too much bother to me.

Stormy Rainstorm Thunder Booming Friday In Wichita Falls

You are looking out my kitchen window, through a wall of rain, copiously coating the outer world with a thick layer of wet.

And surrounding my abode with a moat requiring a careful crossing to get to my motorized means of motion, to drive to Walmart to dodge roof leaks and get some endorphins via aerobic stimulation whilst enjoying the Walmart anthropological displays.

Rain has been falling, off and on, with varying intensity, since before midnight, last night. Along with some loud thunder booms.

So far, no tornado or hail action.

The dire change of weather at my location the past week bodes ill for the coming winter. It is already seeming like winter.

I do find the sound of raindrops dripping fast to be relaxing, though a bit loud, at times, like right now.

I Could Not Approve Of Wichita Falls Minimum Wage Initiative

I saw that which you see here, this morning, via the online version of the Seattle Times. Everett is a city at the north end of the Seattle-Tacoma-Everett Metropolitan Area.

On ballots in Washington, in addition to political positions, there are multiple initiatives, propositions, referendums and bond issues.

In Washington a citizen can take the initiative to get enough signatures to put an initiative on the ballot, be it on the city, county or state level.

From the first time I voted, in Texas, til the most recent time voting in Texas, it has been quite noticeable there are way fewer things to vote on, in Texas, than I was used to in Washington.

California and Oregon are the same as Washington. Multiple measures to vote on. Why such a difference between the west coast and my location in the South? I have no idea why there is such a difference. 

The west coast states seem to be a much more participatory democracy than Texas is. Does it have something to do with the west coast population being much better educated? 

Anyway, such differences are perplexing...

COVID Is Over So Time To Build A Sand Castle With Theo

That which you see here I have used, for years, as a bookmark, marking what page I am on in a book being currently read.

This 'bookmark' was part of a folding card, which, yesterday, after years of use, split into two pieces.

I'd long forgotten the message on the card sent by my Favorite Nephew Theo...

"When COVID is over I want you to come over to build a sand castle.

Theo"

It was way back in August of 2017, at Birch Bay, in Washington's Whatcom County, that I had myself a mighty fine time making a sand castle with Theo and his twin sister, Ruby.

I think the exact date of the sand castle building was August 13, 2017, a Sunday.

I can remember the date because two days prior was my birthday, with that day starting off with the Tacoma Trio of David, Theo & Ruby singing me happy birthday, in Tacoma, before the long, laborious, traffic-jam ridden ride north to Birch Bay, where that night, at a restaurant next to our lodging location, happy birthday was again sung to me, along with a cupcake with a candle lit up in the middle of the cupcake. 

The morning after the sand castle building, I took the elevator to the roof of the lodging location, from whence I could see the remains of the sand castle which Theo and I made the day before. So, I elevatored down to the lodging location's floor to get Theo to take the photo you see below.

Theo was six or seven when we were at Birch Bay. I am fairly certain Theo is now a teenager. I have not seen David, Theo, Ruby and their parental units since March of 2019, in Arizona.

The COVID nightmare has mostly faded into history...