Easter Memory Remembering Hiking To Delicate Arch In Arches National Park

Microsoft's OneDrive's Memories from this Day seems to be a gift which keeps on giving. Causing me to remember memories I've not remembered for a while. 

Two of my all-time photos showed up in the Memories from this Day email, on this final day of the 2024 version of March, also known, this year, as Easter.

The photos were taken with my long gone Casio digital camera with its unique selfie taking feature, years before phones made the selfie thing a common occurrence.

These two photos were taken in Arches National Park. That would be one of the state symbols of Utah in the background, known as Delicate Arch.

Staring at the camera lens, with me, that would be Wanda. 

The hike to Delicate Arch is one of the most scenic hikes I have ever hiked. There is some elevation gain, but not too strenuous an elevation gain. 

You do not need a ranger to guide you on the Delicate Arch hike, like you do on Arches National Park's Fiery Furnace hike.

Memories of trails from years past makes me wonder if I will ever once again see myself on a scenic trail in a scenic wonderland...

Passing Deception About Terrifying Bridges In The U.S. & Beyond

The Windows Edge browser has this Microsoft Start page which is a sort of aggregator of all sorts of information. With many various scroll through galleries on various subjects.

Such as what you see screen capped above.

"25 Terrifying Bridges in the US and Beyond"

I saw that which you see above and thought that this looked like Deception Pass Bridge in my old home zone of Washington.

I thought, this must be a Deception Pass Bridge look-alike, that Deception Pass Bridge can't be one of 25 terrifying bridges in the US and beyond.

So, I scrolled through the gallery, and, sure enough, I got to #23 and saw it was Deception Pass Bridge which was supposedly terrifying.

The text explaining why Deception Pass Bridge is supposedly terrifying....

23. Deception Pass Bridge — Oak Harbor, Washington

This gem of the Pacific Northwest looks like a pretty standard commuter bridge but it’s like something out of a horror movie. First off, there’s the name, which brings to mind urban legends about the ghosts of reckless drivers who may have plunged over its railings. 

Then, there’s the constant barrage of fog and mist that cover your windshield and make the crossing a white-knuckle experience for many. Deception Pass Bridge just gives off an eerie vibe all the way around.

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Deception Pass Bridge connects Fidalgo Island to Whidbey Island. The bridge is way closer to the Fidalgo Island town of Anacortes than it is to the Whidbey Island town of Oak Harbor.

Over the course of my time on planet Earth, I have driven, and walked across Deception Pass Bridge dozens upon dozens of times. I have never experienced the bridge barraged in fog and mist, making the crossing a white-knuckle experience. 

As for the Deception Pass name bringing to mind urban legends of ghosts of reckless drivers plunging off the bridge. I do not recollect such ever happening. Yes, there has been a suicide jump a time or two or three. 

The actual reason for the name is explorer George Vancouver gave it the name "Deception" because it had misled him into thinking Whidbey Island was a peninsula. 

The only time Deception Pass might be thought to be scary is when there is a big tide differential causing the water in the Pass to look like extreme rapids. That is a sight to behold.

Remembering Moab Fiery Furnace Gemini Bridges Porcupine Rim Slick Rock

Yesterday I found myself lamenting about how long it has been since I have been in Utah.

It was a photo of Bryce Canyon that had me realizing I've not been in Utah this century. There was a period back in the last century where I found myself in Utah once a year. Usually including a multi-day stay in Moab, the Mountain Biking Capital of the World.

In the Moab area there are miles upon miles of mountain bike trails. That would be the Slick Rock Trail you see above. Me on the left, Big Ed on the right. If I remember correctly, Wanda took the photo.

I did not complete the entire Slick Rock Trail. My mountain biking skills were not up to it. But, I did manage to bike the entire Gemini Bridges Trail. The Gemini Bridges part of the trail was a bit scary. To bike this trail required one vehicle to be left at the end of the trail, so as to drive back to the trailhead where the vehicle which delivered the bikes to the trail was left. 

That same mountain biking week in Moab that I biked the Gemini Bridges Trail I also biked the Porcupine Rim Trail. This turned out to be the most difficult bike ride I have ever been on. This trail also involved multiple vehicles. My van was left at the end of the trail. I forget the precise logistics. I was so exhausted by the end all I wanted to know was where was my van parked.

The Porcupine Rim Trail starts with an ascent of a couple thousand feet, eventually reaching Porcupine Rim, a steep drop off to the valley below. From that point to the end it was mostly a strenuous downhill coast. I do not ever remember being so exhausted as I was by this bike ride.

Moab is also near to two of Utah's National Parks. Arches National Park and Canyonlands National Park.

In Arches National Park you will find the Fiery Furnace Hike. This is a ranger guided hike, requiring registering at the ranger station at the entry to Arches, and paying a hiking fee. It was 10 bucks when I last hiked the Fiery Furnace, back in the late 1990s.

The reason the Fiery Furnace hike requires a ranger to lead is because the hike is a maze of slot canyons in which it is easy to get disoriented and lost. It can get way too HOT. The Fiery Furnace has seen some fatalities over the years.

In the above photo that is Big Ed helping his sister, Lydia, cross a deep chasm.

Deep into the Fiery Furnace the ranger calls for a rest stop. During this period the ranger regales the hikers with tales about the Fiery Furnace.

I am fairly certain I will never mountain bike any of the Moab area trails again. But, I sure would enjoy hiking the Fiery Furnace trail again, that and all the other trails in Arches National Park.

It was the view from Islands in the Sky, in Canyonlands National Park, back on New Year's Day of 1995, that I saw mountain bikers way below, thinking to myself, that looks fun. So, upon returning to Washington I bought my first mountain bike, and by the next Spring I returned to Moab and had myself a mighty fine time mountain biking.

I forgot to mention that after lamenting to myself yesterday about it being so long since I've been in Utah, this morning's email's Microsoft OneDrive Memories from this Day, included the photos you have seen in this blog posting. 

However, these photos were taken in October, not March....

Acquiring Endorphins At Sikes Lake With A Terrible Tuesday Tornado Memorial Sidetrip

The past couple days I have not acquired my required dose of endorphins via aerobic stimulation, due to not wanting to be in the outer world with it being wet and cold.

Pushing a shopping cart for a half hour, in Walmart, really does not suffice in the endorphin acquisition department.

Without my endorphin fix I start to get grumpy. I assume this to be like the withdrawal misery a drug addict experiences when a drug fix is not to be had. I also assume endorphin withdrawal is likely much milder than withdrawal symptoms from something more potent.

So, today, on this final Thursday of the 2024 version of March, with the outer world back being warm, I ventured to nearby Sikes Lake for some high-speed endorphin acquisition.

Along with a lot of other people enjoying the return to non-winter-like conditions.

Today I exited the Sikes Lake trail at the west end to enter the Wood Memorial Park.

There is a monument in Wood Memorial Park. That is what you see photo documented above.

This memorial memorializes those who died in the 1979 Red River Valley tornado outbreak.

Known in Wichita Falls as Terrible Tuesday.

This memorial is located in the path of the deadly tornado. The Red River Valley tornadoes broke out on April 10, 1979, killing 58 people, injuring 1,927 more.

I have experienced three tornadoes since I have been in Texas. I have never seen the stereotypical twister. All I have seen is a dark, greenish wall cloud, with the tornado somewhere behind the wall.

Microsoft OneDrive Takes Me To Dinosaur Valley With Wanda & Mrs. Lee

Today's Microsoft OneDrive Memories from this Day had one I'd just as soon not remember.

The photo was taken with my now long-gone Casio digital camera, with its selfie taking function, functioning well before taking selfies became something someone does using their phone.

On my left shoulder, in sunglasses, that would be Wanda, first wife of Wally, from Seattle, having flown to Texas about four months after my arrival in the Lone Star State.

On my other shoulder, that would be Mrs. Lee, first name Cathy. Now deceased. The accursed nurse who caused me to think it a good idea to move to Texas.

I am just about 100% certain this photo was taken in Dinosaur Valley State Park. That being my favorite Texas state park. Miles of fun, treacherous mountain bike trails, easy to get lost on...

Windy Monday Lake Wichita Walk With No Rain

Due to wind and rain, yesterday's nature communing took place in the dry confines of Walmart. 

Today, on this final Monday of the 2024 version of March, blue sky has returned, but the strong wind remains blowing.

So, it was to Lake Wichita Park I drove today for some windy nature communing. Which would make that Mount Wichita behind the soldier saluting on Wichita Falls Veterans Memorial.

The rain the past couple days rendered walking on the grass to be a bit muddy. My shoes were caked with mud before I realized I was walking over terrain not conducive to mud-free walking.

Tomorrow there we be some sort of dedication ceremony celebrating the completion of the new entry road and parking lot at this location. I do not recollect ever hearing of a parking lot dedication ceremony before.

I likely will not be in attendance at this ceremony....

Saturday Sikes Lake Coyote Walk

It was to Sikes Lake I ventured on this next to last Saturday of the 2024 version of March, to get me some endorphins via high-speed walking.

The temperature during walking time was in the low 50s. I wish we would return the HOT balmy days of the final weeks of Winter.

In the past couple weeks Sikes Lake has seen the installation of multiple coyotes, serving the same purpose as scarecrows. In this instance the scare coyotes are being tasked with terrorizing the Sikes Lake geese and duck flocks.

Since the scare coyotes have arrived there are noticeably fewer birds flocking around the lake.

Using scare coyotes to cause the geese and ducks to fly to a different location seems much more humane than the mass murder of 387 geese, last year.

A mass murder which generated a lot of protesting.

Apparently, someone is tasked with moving the scare coyotes to new locations, so the geese and ducks never get wise to the fact that these are not real coyotes.

Wichita Falls Pharmacy Visit With Bloody Sideshow

I had myself some police action excitement today. I was taking an elderly man to his pharmacy to pick up some prescriptions. 

Franklin Pharmacy, on Brook Avenue, to be precise. Upon seeing the Franklin Pharmacy parking lot, from a distance, I could see the parking lot was busy. Getting closer I saw that the parking lot was busy due to there being six Wichita Falls Police cars helter skelter on the parking lot.

Upon driving onto the Franklin Pharmacy parking lot I saw a man with a bloodied head, sitting on the parking lot, handcuffed.

I found a space to park next to the police car you see photo documented. The elderly man then went inside the pharmacy to get his meds.

After sitting for about a minute I was suddenly totally startled to find the handcuffed bloodied man outside my window, looking at me and screaming "Take me to the hospital." As a policeman grabbed the bloodied man from behind the bloodied man hollered at me "You're dead!"

A couple policemen then struggled to get the bloodied man into the backseat of the police car.

The bloodied man continued yelling, things like I don't fit in here. The policeman kindly told the bloodied man to just lie down.

After about another minute the policeman opened the door and, I think, removed the handcuffs due to the bloodied man yelling they hurt him.

Eventually the police cars began to leave, and the elderly man returned to the vehicle. I asked if he'd found out what this was about. He was told the bloodied man had been inside the pharmacy, making a scene, when he refused to leave the police were called.

No clue how the man ended up bloodied. To my eyes the police were all acting totally calm, reasonable and professional, like they were well-trained to deal with these type incidents.

Wichita Falls To Be Almost Totally Eclipsed On April 8

This morning's Wichita Falls Times-Record-New has an article about the upcoming, April 8, eclipse.

The article had an interactive feature where you enter your zip code to be shown how close to the total eclipse you are located.

My location is that orange spot you see on the map.

Apparently in Wichita Falls we will experience 95% of the total eclipse. 

The eclipse begins during the afternoon of April 8. I do not know at what time that afternoon I can expect darkness to arrive for a few minutes.

Third Day Of Spring Thunderous Storm Arrives In Wichita Falls As Predicted

Arriving right on time, as scheduled by the National Weather Service. An epic thunderstorm, dropping a downpour of rain, hail and lightning strikes. With a lot of loud booming.

The view you see here is what I saw upon opening my front door. Impossible to get to ground level without getting drenched and pummeled with hail pellets.

Right now the storm seems to be abating as quickly as it arrived. 

If I make it to ground level I don't know if currently a moat is making it difficult to get to my means of motorized motion.

I shall soon see. Maybe...

Remembering Driving Chandler Boulevard In Arizona

Melancholy Microsoft OneDrive Memories from the Day, in my email this morning. This memory is from March. I do not remember what day in March. But, I do remember the year.

2019.

So much has happened since March of 2019. Covid. Becoming an orphan, Sister Jackie, who is driving mom's vehicle, with me in the backseat, and mom riding shotgun, is now a grandma, heading north, on Chandler Boulevard (I think) in the bustling Arizona town of Chandler.

Grandma Jackie's grandson Cade, is the newest member of the family.

Baby Cade is now around a half year old, I think.

From July of 2017 and July of 2019 I visited Arizona multiple times. Usually for a month. Doing a lot of driving, on Arizona's excellent smooth roads.

Every time I'd return to Texas, and get back in my Texas driver's seat, I was jarred, thinking something was wrong with the vehicle, due to the ultra-bumpy ride. Then I remember, I am back in Texas, where the roads are in bad shape in places. Such as the entry to the freeway one comes to when leaving the Wichita Falls airport.

I have found most Texas highways of the state highway sort, to be roads in real good condition. The roads in some Texas towns, such as Fort Worth and Wichita Falls, not so much.

Wichita Falls still has some city streets which are made of brick. Driving over a brick road is extremely bumpy...

Perplexing Survey Experience With Walmart

Perplexing email this morning from Walmart. The email asks that I confirm I visited the Greenbriar Road Walmart on March 12, 2024 to begin a survey about my Walmart shopping experience to get a chance to win a $1,000 gift card.

I never win anything, ever, that I can remember, so I clicked to Begin Survey.

After answering several questions that seemed totally easy to answer, the survey suddenly took a perplexing turn which I can not figure out.

The survey mentioned several items I bought that day and asked me to rank them.

How does Walmart know what I bought that day and thus able to link that information to my email address?

The only identifying element is I do use a debit card. And that debit card does have my name on it. 

But how could that debit card lead Walmart to my email address?

If this survey was from Amazon it would not be at all perplexing. Amazon knows my email address, as it is linked to my Amazon account.

I have no Walmart account. 

Even if I did have a Walmart account that still would not explain how Walmart linked my purchases that day, to me, and my email address.

There likely is a simple explanation which I am too simple to figure out...

Last Week Of Winter Wichita Bluff Nature Area Nature Communing

On this third Monday of the 2024 version of March, it was back to the Wichita Bluff Nature Area I ventured today, for some hilly nature communing.

As you can see the sky is a bright clear blue, except some white exhaust spewed from a Sheppard Air Force Base jet.

The temperature was in the mid 50s zone, not quite back to chilly winter-like, but nowhere near being in the HOT summer-like zone of the past couple weeks.

Spring is scheduled to arrive later this week.

I hiked to the highest point on the bluffs, looking east at the stunning skyline of beautiful downtown Wichita Falls on the horizon.

It has been several months since I went hiking the bluffs. It was quite invigorating. The distance to the Wichita Bluff Nature Area, from my abode, is the furthest distance of any of my local hiking destinations.

Tomorrow, weather permitting, methinks I shall be back at Sikes Lake. I was there yesterday. Several goose spooking coyotes have been installed around the lake...

Microsoft OneDrive Memory Remembering Biking Lover's Leap In Waco

Another Microsoft OneDrive Memory from this Day that I remember, sort of.

I know that is me looking at the lens of my antique, long gone, Casio digital camera, with its taking a selfie feature, well before such became a common thing.

And that is my long gone Schwinn Moab mountain bike behind me. That bike died five bikes ago, with the aluminum frame braking whilst I was having a fine time on the Horseshoe Trail in Grapevine.

I am fairly certain, in this photo, my bike and I are in Cameron Park in Waco. That park has some of the best mountain trails I have pedaled on. The trails have names and markers indicating their difficulty level. If I remember correctly, and sometimes I do, one diamond meant easy trail, two diamonds meant less easy, on up to five diamonds, which indicated difficult, for expert riders only.

I remember finding the one and two diamond trails treacherous enough for me. I did not attempt any of the three, four or five diamond trails.

There is a cliff in Cameron Park, called Lover's Leap. The leap is into the Brazos River, far below. If I remember correctly one of the five diamond trails took off from Lover's Leap...

Lovely Linda Lou Takes Us To Daffodils & Mount Rainier

 A couple days ago I posted a blog post titled Seeing Real Islands From Summit Of Washington's Mount Erie in which I made mention of the fact that a time or two I had been surprised to see Mount Rainier, to the south, from the Skagit Flats.

And then yesterday, the Skagit Valley's lovely Linda Lou, text messaged me the photo you see above.

The Skagit Flats ablaze with the yellow of thousands of daffodils, with the Mount Rainier volcano hovering in the distance.

I surely do miss living in a zone of multiple scenic wonders...

Seeing Mount Baker Takes Me To Fir Island & Fort Worth's Imaginary Panther Island

I never tire of seeing photos from my old home zone, especially photos of Mount Baker, a volcano I used to be able to see from my living room windows in Mount Vernon.

I saw the instance you see here, this morning, on Facebook. The view is either from some location on the Skagit Flats, or from Fir Island.

Fir Island is a real island, not an imaginary island, such as one day the town of Fort Worth, Texas hopes to see.

Fort Worth's imaginary island will be claiming to be such after a cement lined ditch is dug, with Trinity River water diverted into that ditch.

Ironically, Fir Island also is created by being surrounded by river water. At Fir Island the Skagit River splits into two forks, the North and South Forks of the Skagit River.

Wikipedia has an article about Fir Island. The article makes mention of the worst natural disaster I have witnessed up close. In the early 1990s a Pineapple Express brought extreme flooding to Western Washington.

The flooding was so extreme that the flood level was predicted to inundate downtown Mount Vernon. So, hundreds of people helped build a sandbag wall to try and hold back the flood. I was watching the 11 o'clock news when it went live to Mount Vernon, showing the feverish activity, filling sandbags, including sailors from the Navy base on Whidbey Island.

By midnight I was in downtown Mount Vernon, helping to build the sandbag wall. The wall was complete around 3 in the morning.

The flood crest was expected to hit Mount Vernon around 11 in the morning. At that point of time I joined the huge crowd, waiting on high ground for the crest to happen. You could see the river was about to go over the sandbag wall, when, suddenly, the river level dropped a couple feet.

No one knew what had happened. Soon, there were sirens blaring. At one point I remember seeing a helicopter with a cow strapped in below it. I do not remember how long it was til we learned the dike at Fir Island had failed, flooding the island.

There is currently no Wikipedia about Fort Worth's imaginary Panther Island. I doubt there ever will be...

Hiking The Lucy Park Jungle With Nephew Jason In Hawaii

With the National Weather Service issuing a dire warning about possible extreme downpours, flash flooding, strong wind, hail, thunderstorms and possible tornadoes it was to Lucy Park I ventured today, under a semi-cloudy sky, for some high-speed endorphin acquisition, hiking the Lucy Park backwoods jungle.

You can see via the photo documentation that the Lucy Park backwoods jungle is in jungle restoration mode, with the ground solidly green, and with leaves slowly returning to the trees.

Hot today, in the 80s, but saw no slithering reptiles. Not even a lizard.

Meanwhile, in tropical Hawaii.

Email from my Favorite Nephew Jason, this morning, currently way closer to the equator than his regular location in Washington

I do not believe Spencer Jack is with his dad, this time, in Honolulu. Spencer Jack's dad confirmed what Spencer Jack's grandma told me a couple days ago, that being that Spencer Jack turned 17 about a week ago.

Seems like only yesterday I met Spencer Jack for the first time. In August of 2008, at Bay View State Park, in Skagit County, in Washington. Spencer was around two years old at that point in time.

I next saw Spencer Jack in March of 2012, in Arizona. Spencer was around six years old at that point in time.

My most recent Spencer Jack sighting was in August of 2017, at Birch Bay, slightly south of the border with Canada. Spencer was around 12 at that point in time.

The older I get the faster times seems to fly by. I do not like it, not at all...

Lake Wichita Park's Mount Wichita New Parking Lot Finally Open For Business

At my old age it does not take much to please me. Way back before Thanksgiving of 2023 a paving project began in Lake Wichita Park, installing a new entry road and parking lot.

The project was estimated to take around five weeks to complete.

And now, several months later than five weeks, the project is complete, and the new parking lot is open, giving close access to the towering monolith known as Mount Wichita.

I was at this location just two days ago, and found the entry still blocked, so, it was pleasing to return today to find the parking lot open, with a lot of others also enjoying finding the parking lot open.

I know a new parking lot seems like no big deal. But, this location has been annoying since I first discovered it soon upon moving to Wichita Falls. Prior to its current brand new condition, the road and parking lot was a pothole infested, dirty, dusty, rocky mess, requiring going real slow and carefully navigating around the worst of the potholes.

Extremely windy today, with the temperature in the 80s. I had a mighty fine long walk, acquiring oodles of endorphins via the aerobic stimulation...

Seeing Real Islands From Summit Of Washington's Mount Erie

Saw that which you see here, yesterday, on Facebook. The view from the summit of Mount Erie, looking south. Mount Erie is public park land owned and managed by the city of Anacortes.

Mount Erie is on an island. Fidalgo Island to be precise. 

Seeing this photo put me in mind of a town in Texas called Fort Worth. Fort Worth has been trying real hard to have itself an island, where no body of island-providing water exists.

This attempt to make Fort Worth, what would amount to being an imaginary island, has been going on for over two decades.

During those over two decades the main progress towards having that imaginary island has been the building of three simple little freeway overpass type bridges, built over an astonishing seven-year time span, over dry land, intending, eventually, hopefully, to connect Fort Worth's mainland to that imaginary island.

I have long opined that apparently most people in Fort Worth have zero clue as to what an island is. Yes, it is a chunk of land, surrounded by water, but an island is not a chunk of land, rendered to be an island, due to digging a cement-lined ditch and diverting river water into that ditch.

In the above photo you see several real islands, in addition to the one the people in the photo are standing on. They are looking down on Lake Campbell, with that lake having an actual island at its center.

That island on Lake Campbell is an island on an island. 

Looking south from the top of Mount Erie ones sees several other islands. Those islands are in Puget Sound, located to the east of Deception Pass. Deception Pass is to the right of the photo, with that big chunk of land towards the upper right being Whidbey Island. That being another actual real island. A really big actual real island.

Wikipedia has an article about Mount Erie, which I found interesting. A blurb from that article...

On a clear day, Mount Baker, about 43 miles (69 km) to the northeast, and Mount Rainier, about 117 miles (188 km) to the southeast, can be seen from the summit.

I have been at the summit of Mount Erie countless times. I do not recollect seeing Mount Rainier and Mount Baker from the summit. I likely do no recollect seeing those two volcanoes, from that vantage point, because it was not unusual to see those two volcanoes from various Washington vantage points.

The one sighting of Mount Rainier that I do remember as unusual was seeing that volcano whilst on the Skagit Flats, with the mountain being a distant white pimple on the horizon.

If you ever get to travel to Washington, and to Fidalgo Island, you'll want to visit Anacortes and the famous Fidalgo Drive-In, operated by my nephew Jason and his first born, Spencer Jack. After having a cheeseburger and blackberry milkshake, make your way to Mount Erie. It is a fun twist and turning drive to the summit, where you'll find a maze of trails and bridges across chasms. 

Mount Erie was one of my favorite go to places when I lived in the neighborhood...

Microsoft OneDrive Remembers Lake Powell Houseboating

Today's email from Microsoft's OneDrive had another Memory from this Day that I actually remember. 

Well, more precisely, I remember what I am seeing in this photo, but it definitely was not a memory from this day in March.

Back in the 1990s I houseboated twice on Lake Powell, in Utah. Both times the houseboating took place in October, not March. The clickable link goes to multiple webpages from the first time I houseboated on Lake Powell.

Since I houseboated on Lake Powell the houseboats have been upgraded to include satellite TV, and, I think, microwaves. The peace and quiet on Lake Powell is so pleasant it seems criminal to add the noise of TVs.

The clearest night sky I have ever been under was the first Lake Powell float. The second October float was under clouds. And rain. Which was somewhat fun, what with it making for a wild ride hitting waves generated by the wind. And waterfalls falling down the cliffs.

Last I heard the water level had fallen so much that boats are not on the lake. 

Pleased To Use Caution Today At Mount Wichita

It has been a few days since I acquired myself some endorphins via outdoor aerobic activity, due to the return of semi-winter-like weather. Chilly, windy, overcast, with some drippage and thunderstorming.

But, today, on this second Monday of the third month of 2024, with ten days til the arrival of Spring, it was back to Lake Wichita Park I ventured, for a long walk around Mount Wichita.

I was not the only one out having themselves a mighty fine time today under the clear blue sky.

I saw a kid and his dog make their way to the summit of Mount Wichita. The kid's mom made it about halfway before giving up.

Hiking to the summit of Mount Wichita looks like it should be easy.

It is not easy.

Ascending gets the heart beating fast, descending is treacherous, way too easy to twist an ankle or take a tumble.

Hence the multiple signs advising to PLEASE USE CAUSTION WHEN CLIMBING HILL.

I do not know why the only thing slightly resembling a mountain, for miles in any direction, is referred to as a HILL. 

Microsoft Remembers Ruby Leading Grandma Miss Daisy Down An Arizona Street

Another day where I remember some of the Microsoft OneDrive Memories from this Day.

What you see here happened in March of 2019. I do not remember exactly what day in March.

Just realized, I likely blogged about this day. Just a sec, I shall see if that is the case.

Yes, on Monday, March 11, 2019 I posted a blog post about that which you see here, with the actual day this happened being two days prior, on Saturday, March 9, 2019

The blog post title was Cool Arizona Pool With Theo Driving Ruby On Handlebars.

My sister, Jackie was a bit surprised when suddenly all the kids, and me, got in her pool. Jackie thought it too cool to pool. I was used to getting in a cool pool in Texas. 

The photo above happened after having fun in the cool pool. Ruby led the way to a nearby park, with me wheeling Ruby's grandma, also known as Miss Daisy. This day was the last time my mom had all her kids, but the one none of us get along with, at the same place at the same time.

This was a fun day.

That would be me lifting nephew David out of the pool. This was five years ago. I do not think I could manage to lift the current version of David.

I also probably could not lift the current version of David's little brother and sister, Theo and David. The kids have grown a lot since I last saw them, five years ago.

I probably could lift the newest members of the Slotemaker Jones family, Hank Frank and Cade...

Microsoft's OneDrive Remembers Me Holding Newborn Spencer Jack In Texas

One of today's Microsoft OneDrive Memories from this Day totally perplexed me. A photo of me holding a baby.

I can tell this was taken in Texas, at my location in Fort Worth, due to the wall behind me and the fact that a cowboy hat sits on my head.

I have never had a cowboy hat on my head outside of Texas.

And I have never held a baby in Texas.

I clicked on the OneDrive Memories link to see all the memories from this day and soon figured out who the baby is which I am holding.

Spencer Jack.

There were multiple photos of multiple people holding the baby I was holding. When I saw the baby being held by Spencer Jack's mom, Jenny, I knew who the baby was that I was holding.

So, how did newborn baby Spencer Jack, in Washington, get held by me in Washington? The next photo answers that troubling question. Well, sort of answers it.

That would be my Favorite Nephew Joey, holding his Favorite Nephew Spencer Jack, in what looks to be the exact same way I was holding Spencer Jack.

Apparently, I did some photo altering, so as to make myself one of those taking a turn holding Spencer Jack. I suspect I must have blogged about my newest relative and included multiple photos of multiple people in Washington holding Spencer Jack, along with the faked photo of me holding Spencer Jack. 

I would go find that long ago blog post, but that would seem to likely be way too time consuming.

Just looked anyway, and it was not too time consuming to figure out the birth of Spencer Jack predates, by about a year, the birth of this blog...

Forters Living In The Unexpected City With The Imaginary Island

An amusing comment today, from someone named Anonymous, about a blog post yesterday about Fort Worth's imaginary island and the latest vision of the imaginary island, which is remarkably close to the original vision which was first seen over two decades ago.

The new vision sees a one-of-a-kind waterfront. Which, one must assume, means it will not be a waterfront of the sort which has piers jutting out into the water, with big boats, like cruise ships and ferry boats, docking at the piers.

Here is the comment from Anonymous....

Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Fort Worth's One Of A Kind Waterfront On An Imaginary Island":

Muckrack.com ranks the Fort Worth Star-Telegram's circulation as the 26th biggest in the state of Texas. The 13th biggest city(Fort Worth) in the US has only the 26th biggest newspaper in Texas. The unexpected city! C'mon, Forters, you can do better. Let's get that collective effervescence going! Let's go, go, go. LFG!

Muckrack, by the way, is trusted by companies like Google, NPR, The New York Times, VISA, FedEx and many other top flight organizations.

Forters, by the way, is the latest and greatest demonym for people living in Fort Worth the unexpected city.

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I have zero clue as to why Fort Worth is the unexpected city. But, I have heard that said previously, more than once...

Fort Worth's One Of A Kind Waterfront On An Imaginary Island

That which you see here is a screencap from the Fort Worth Star-Telegram's Thursday March 7, 2024 online edition.

I was unable to read the Star-Telegram's article about this supposed new vision of the Trinity River Vision.

But I was able to read all about the new vision in the Fort Worth Report, it being a more journalistically elevated local news source than the Star-Telegram.

The Fort Worth Report article is titled Fort Worth leaders reveal new roadmap for developing Panther Island. Where does it lead?

Reading the article, I was not really able to glean where this new roadmap is leading. 

This supposed new vision seems to be pretty much like the previous vision. An imaginary island, with multiple parks, residential developments, commercial development, hoping to entice a corporation to move its corporate headquarters to the imaginary island.

This new vision reads as a bit hyperbolic, just like the old vision did, with its quarterly propaganda mailings touting the slow progress and the wonders to come with the slow-moving Boondoggle.

"One of a kind waterfront' is an example of the new vision's hyperbolic propaganda.

Waterfront? Have these people not been to a town with an actual waterfront, you know, of the sort where ferry boats and cruise ships and other boats arrive and depart.

Towns like Galveston, Corpus Christi, to name a couple Texas examples.

I do not think San Antonio ever describes its iconic Riverwalk as a waterfront.

See that little bridge in the screencap from the Star-Telegram. That is one of three little bridges which took an astonishing seven years to build. Over dry land. Awaiting a cement-lined ditch to be dug under the bridges, with Trinity River water diverted into the ditch, creating the imaginary island, with the three bridges connecting the Fort Worth mainland to the imaginary island.

It is hard to believe this nonsense has been going on now for well over two decades, with no end in sight...

Taking My Facebook Aggravation To Windy Lake Wichita Park

The view you see here is looking southeast at a backwoods vantage point in Lake Wichita Park. My destination this morning, after spending a few minutes being aggravated by Facebook malfunctioning.

That water you see is not Lake Wichita. It is a large pond which currently is mostly dried up.

The temperature has cooled from yesterday's balmy 80s.

In the 60s today with a strong wind blowing.

Fast walking got me sufficient endorphins to end the bad mood Facebook had put me in.

And now Facebook is back behaving properly...

New Improved Vision Of Fort Worth's Imaginary Island Boondoggle

I saw that which you see here in the Saturday edition of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram.

Just the headline got my head shaking and eyes rolling.

Over two decades ago a big headline on the front page of the print version of the Star-Telegram screamed "Trinity Uptown to Turn Fort Worth into Vancouver of the South".

I remember seeing that and wondering what fresh absurd ridiculousness is this? Who could have guessed the absurdity would get so ridiculous, and last so long.

Soon the name morphed into the Trinity River Vision.

Because Fort Worth does not operate like a big city wearing its big boy pants, the public was not asked to approve this project and fund it.

The project was touted as a vitally needed flood control and economic development scheme. So vitally needed nothing much has come of the scheme, despite millions of dollars spent over the past couple decades.

Oh, there are the three freeway overpass type bridges, built over dry land, to connect the Fort Worth mainland to an imaginary island, awaiting a cement lined ditch to be dug under the bridges and filled with diverted Trinity River water.

Those three simple little bridges took an astonishing seven years to build.

And, almost forgot to mention, this vitally needed flood control project is in an area which has not flooded for well over half a century, due to levees installed way back in the 1950s by the Army Corps of Engineers.

Due to the fact that the citizens of Fort Worth were not asked to approve of this project via a bond issue it was determined that federal funds might be acquired. To that end, J.D. Granger was hired to be the director of this public works project, a job for which he had zero credentials or experience, a fact which soon became evident as various malapropisms and public embarrassments ensued.

Why hire J.D. Granger?

Well, his mother, Kay Granger, was the congresswoman representing the district of what became known as the Trinity River Central City Uptown Panther Island District Vision. It was thought giving her son a high paying job directing the Trinity River Vision would motivate his mother to secure federal funds.

When Trump came along Kay tried and failed to secure federal funds. And then gerrymandering moved Kay's district out of the Trinity River Vision zone, causing J.D. to lose his cushy job.

But not before hiring him, after firing him, for six months at $12,000 a month, allegedly so J.D. could share his vast knowledge of the stumbling project with the new people directing it.

And then Biden's Infrastructure bill passed. And suddenly there were federal funds available for Fort Worth's ridiculous Boondoggle, to the tune of around a half billion bucks.

And now we have this latest The new and improved vision for Fort Worth’s Panther Island is about to be unveiled article in the Star-Telegram.

The article contains several Star-Telegram doozies.

Such as...

The presentation comes more than two decades after the first strategic plans for the island were developed and eight years after the last update to Fort Worth’s Panther Island zoning codes. 

More than two decades after the first strategic plans for the island were developed. Uh, the imaginary island did not become part of the nonsense til several years into the Boondoggle.

And then this...

The island is a byproduct of the 1.5-mile channel being built by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. The channel will connect two sections of the Trinity River north of downtown as a way to improve the city’s flood protection. 

Does no one in Fort Worth know what an island actually is? The channel will connect two sections of the river as a way to improve the city's flood protection? Like we already said, there has been no flood in that area since levees were installed to prevent such. 

Meanwhile, there are other areas of Fort Worth and Tarrant County in dire need of flood mitigation. Such as the Trinity River in East Fort Worth, which floods anytime the river runs high. Or deadly creeks which go into flash flood mode due to poorly planned development.

And this paragraph mentioning Kay's attempt at getting funding, without mentioning Kay...

Congress approved $526 million in 2016, but disagreements with the Trump administration over the project’s feasibility held up funding until the November 2021 passage of Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act enabled the Army Corps to allocate $403 million toward the project in January 2022. 

And then there is this...

The initial plans for the island’s development focused on dense residential buildings with some commercial spaces. However, a preliminary report from HR&A in August 2023 called for the district to be a mix of residential, entertainment and recreation with the potential to attract companies and talent to the city. 

Was this not what the supposed vision was always seeing, from the start? A mix of residential, entertainment and recreation. But, claiming this might have potential to attract companies and talent to Fort Worth? Well, the town does not have much luck with either, and I doubt the imaginary island will change that.

And, finally, this...

It’s expected to address potential impacts to nearby neighborhoods like the north side where residents have expressed concerns about the island’s impact on the area’s unique culture. HR&A’s August 2023 report said the island should have a distinct culture while at the same time complementing and connecting its surrounding neighborhoods.

Yes, that is totally believable. Residents expressing concern over the imaginary island's impact on the area's unique culture? What culture are we talking about here? The Fort Worth Stockyards? How could the imaginary island impact Fort Worth's one and only legit tourist attraction?

Aren't the people of Fort Worth tired of this Boondoggle? Driving over those three bridges over nothing. Seeing that absurd roundabout with the million-dollar piece of supposed sculptural art which J.D. Granger somehow foisted on the Boondoggle.

Does that massive installation of Trinity River Vision propaganda billboards still exist at Gateway Park, by the Fort Woof Dog Park? Touting all the wonders to come from the Trinity River Vision.

The Boondoggle continues to be so perplexing. Over two decades of being perplexing...

Long Ago Microsoft OneDrive Memory Of Me & My Siblings

The photo you see here showed up this Sunday morning in my email, in the daily Microsoft OneDrive Memories from this Day.

I do not actually remember this memory. As in why the photo was taken. But, I do remember where the photo was taken. And who is in the photo.

From the left, that is Genora Olson, then my eldest sister, Nancy, then my little brother, Jake, then my little sister, Jackie, then me, being bigger than all of them at that point in time.

Which is no longer the case.

The photo was taken in our front yard, in Burlington, Washington. Our house was at the north side of Burlington's Maiben Park. The Olson's house was at the south side of the park.

I think the last time I saw Genora Olson was way back in the 1990s. In the Mount Vernon Post Office. I remember that incident of seeing Genora because she made some remark about how broad my shoulders are.

A remark I thought a tad odd, as I did not think of myself as having broad shoulders. I'm not actually sure I know what is meant by 'broad shoulders'...

Spring-Like Saturday In Lucy Park

Yesterday, the first day of the third month of 2024, Summer-like weather returned, heating the outer world into the high70s. 

Getting heated that HOT felt real good after the multi-day return to frigid Winter-like weather had North Texas freezing when you take the wind chill factor into account.

And now, on this second day, and first Saturday of the third month of 2024, the temperature is soaring into the 80s. This made for a mighty fine return to Lucy Park, for some nature communing and fast-paced walking.

There were a lot of fellow sun worshipers out and about at Lucy Park today. Most people, and dogs, I have seen in quite some time.

The sky is bright blue, no smoky haze, no smoky smell. The wind switched directions, currently blowing north, instead of south, which brought hazy smoke to town.

I suspect Winter weather is gone for now, not to return til next Winter