Final August Day Walking With Sikes Lake Coyote Pack

On this final day of August, the day known as Saturday, with the temperature in the 80s, with the humidity high, I ventured to Sikes Lake for a sultry walk in the natural sauna steambath.

Walking with me was the growing pack of Sikes Lake Coyote Goose Guards.

The Sikes Lake Coyote Goose Guards seem to have accomplished their humane goal, making geese feel unwelcome, and safe from another mass extermination by the local goose haters.
 
Ducks must not be as easily intimidated by coyotes as their goose relatives are. One still sees several flocks of ducks milling about around and on Sikes Lake.

I hope there are no local duck haters currently plotting the mass extermination of those cute quackers.

Welcome rain is dripping this afternoon. Not copiously, but enough drippage to provide some cooling...

Semi-Chilly Return To Wichita Bluff Nature Area With No Rattlesnakes

With the temperature in the relatively chilly 80s, but with high humidity and little wind, I opted to drive to the Wichita Bluff Nature Area this final Friday of August, for the first time in many months, for some semi-hilly endorphin inducing aerobic activity.

In the photo documentation we are at the location of the highest picnic spot in Wichita Falls, looking east towards the skyline of beautiful downtown Wichita Falls.

I have avoided the Wichita Bluff Nature Area since some point in time, last Spring, after the Lucy Park entity we refer to as The Blue Man, made mention of the fact that he had encountered two rattlesnakes curled up on the Wichita Bluff Nature Area paved trail.

The fact that one might come upon rattlesnakes, and the fact that the Wichita Bluff Nature Area provides little shade from the blistering sun, it seemed a good idea to avoid this location til cooler temperatures made the bluffs more pleasant and cold-blooded creatures less mobile.

So, I saw no shade or snakes today whilst enjoying some salubrious bluff hiking.

I suspect in the coming months returning to the Wichita Bluff Nature Area will be a frequent go to location. 

Meanwhile, thunderstorming is on the weather menu for today and tomorrow....

Early Christmas Present From Uncle Mooch Turns Into Vaporware

Amusing super early Christmas present last night from Uncle Mooch and Aunt Jane. Quickly rescinded.

Message announcing the possible incoming Christmas present..

Uncle Mooch wants to know if you'd like this for Christmas. Aunt Jane says, “It's Christmas, not Trumpmas.”

I replied in the affirmative indicating I would very much like this for Christmas, with the following exchange, which left this particular Christmas present vaporized...

Durango Jones

Oh yes, very much. Now I can look forward to Christmas way more than I usually do....

Jane Slotemaker

Durango Jones: Oh, it’s all sold out. Sorry.

Durango Jones

Jane Slotemaker: ---Well now, I guess I now have yet one more dreary Christmas to not look forward to. Eventually my disappointment over not getting a Trump Christmas tree may fade...

______________________

I wonder if those beautiful gold plated Trump shoes are still available for grift giving...

Know The Right Wing Nutjob Warning Signs

It is not much of a secret that I have a strong aversion to what I refer to as "right wing nutjobs".

Or "far right extremists".

Upon first meeting someone, talking to them, and suddenly words spew out which I find impossible to relate to, due to perplexedly thinking, what can one say? Where does one start?

When someone makes clear they are being a bit ignorant, does one assume this is a teachable moment?

Usually, I say nothing.

I wait for more evidence to come before deciding this is not ignorance which I am dealing with here, it is stupidity.

An ignorant person can be wised up. This is not possible, I have found, with a stupid person.

One of the unsettling things about our modern world is the phenomenon of social media. For the first time in human history the dumb among us have a means to share their ignorance. Over and over again.

I see this phenomenon on Facebook.

For example.

The Facebook postings of an individual who was in my high school class. But, never graduated, due to not successfully completing enough classes. This individual is so totally sure of himself, despite failing, totally, at that being educated thing, even at the relatively simple high school level.

Let's look at some of this right wing nutjobs recent snippets gleaned from Facebook...

Anyone who doesnt know by now that the whole attack at White House was arranged by Pelosi’…..is a total Fool ‘no debate just truth’!

if you do not work and pay your own way in this life you will rote in hell ‘ and will not see heaven’

someone needs to tell these indians the creator created the land for man ‘ not just them !’

i love everyone even the confused but i’m not going to lie to God & self ‘and tell a transgender, queer or gay that it’s all fine or write ‘ be cause it’s all ‘ morally wrong ‘

the Barbra Striseands  ,the Chers, the Whoopi’s,the Opras. Madonnas, etc. are some of the main reasons for the Calipornia mess  !

Biden,Pelosi,Kamala,Soros etc. have been trying to destroy this country ‘ they should all be in prison ‘

Unions destroy economy & playing field for everyone ‘ but themselves’

__________________

So, this nutjob thinks Pelosi arranged an attack on the White House. And if you do not know that, you are a total fool. See what I mean? What can one say to someone who thinks it was the White House which was attacked, not the Capitol? And that Nancy Pelosi was behind the attack.

If you don't pay your own way in life you will 'rote' in hell? I assume the word intended is 'rot'. How compassionate. I forgot to mention this individual regularly posts comments reflecting his strong imaginary Christian faith.

Indians need to be told this individual's imaginary sky friend created the land for man, not just Indians. How does one explain to this person that Indians are also men, creations of the imaginary sky friend.

This person loves everyone, but is not going to lie to his imaginary sky friend and tell humans who are transgender, queer or gay that it is all "write". Because it is morally wrong. One can not help but wonder what would Jesus do when talking to a right wing nutjob like this person?

Calipornia? How clever? Streisand, Cher, Whoopi, Oprah, Madonna, and their ilk have made a mess of California? Has this nutjob ever been to California to witness the fact that the state is not a mess?

Biden, Pelosi, Kamala and Soros have been trying to destroy this country? And should be in prison? This is an example of the type thing the nutjobs say which leaves one baffled as to what to say. Do you ask for examples of the country being destroyed by these people? No. The answer would only be stupider. 

Unions destroy the economy? For everyone? As indicated by number 5 in the above illustration, the right wing nutjobs have little to no understanding of economics. Or the role unions have had during America's history in improving worker's lives and the American economy.

There is more than one reason I have little interest in attending a high school reunion...

Found On Page 60 Of Burlington-Edison High School Yearbook

That which you see here showed up in my email this morning, via something called Classmates.com, with the message in the email saying this...

You've been spotted in the 1980 Burlington-Edison High School yearbook. Is that you on page 60?

1980? I think the year is wrong, but that is definitely me, on the left, in my Junior year yearbook.

Right next to me, in the yearbook, is the entity who used to be known as Small, before she joined some sort of cult and began calling herself McNutt.

It has been a few years since I have attended a high school class reunion. I think the 20th one is the last I have been to. Even then I recollect the experience being a tad unsettling, wondering to myself, how can all these old people be the same age as me?

Starting in 2021 my high school class has been having a reunion every year, usually on the last Saturday of July. I have not felt an urge to attend any of these. I feel like I get plenty of high school reconnecting via Facebook, and other means.

And now my high school class has begun having monthly reunions, on the first Monday of the month, at a place in Burlington called Coconut Kenny's.

So, clearly. there must be some who enjoy the high school reunion thing.

I sort of remember the high school years fondly.

I remember other things more fondly. I do not go to many reunions of those other things either...

Lucy Park Post Library Nature Communing On Final Monday Of August

During my regularly scheduled nature communing, trying to acquire endorphins via high-speed walking, I did so in the outer world for the first time in a week or two.

Lowe's, Home Depot and Walmart have been my air-conditioned walking venues of late.

On this final Monday of the 2024 version of August the outer world temperature was not over 100 degrees during my regular walking time. The temperature was a relatively cool 92.

And so, this morning I drove to the library to get a fresh supply of reading material, and then, since I was nearby, it was to Lucy Park I drove for a high humidity walk in the Lucy Park backwoods jungle.

That humidity and the lack of wind made those 90 some degrees feel like they were well over 100.

Next week September arrives, and with the new month the current weather prediction is for day after day after day in the 80s and 90s. No mention of anything over 100 degrees...

Wet Bulb Conditions Force Hell's Gate Closing At Wichita Falls Hotter 'N Hell 100

Due to the outer world being dangerously way too HOT, the Hotter 'N Hell Hundred Medical Director has shut down the full 100-mile race, shortening the race to 100K 

Something called "Wet Bulb" conditions made doing something strenuous for a long period of time to be too dangerous.

The outer world temperature is over 100. The humidity is high.

Earlier this month when the temperature during the final weeks of August was predicted to be under 100 I was planning on going to the MPEC (Multi-Purpose Event Center), where the race ends, and have fun being surrounded by all the hoopla.

But, with the temperature well over 100, when the days of the event arrived, I opted to stay in air-conditioned comfort.

Since I have been in Wichita Falls I have only been to the race finale once. On that day the temperature was warm, in the low 90s, but it was cloudy. It was still way too HOT. 

Remembering Mountain Biking DORBA Trail In Cedar Hills State Park In Dallas

A Microsoft OneDrive Memory from this Day, which I do not remember when this memory actually happened, as in what date.

But, I do remember that that is Lake Joe Pool, behind me, with me on the DORBA Trail in Cedar Hills State Park in South Dallas.

The mountain bike trails in Cedar Hills State Park were one of my most frequent mountain biking locations. After a strenuous bout of biking I'd pump up my kayak to paddle out on the lake before jumping overboard to cool off.

I do not engage in this type behavior at my current location. Due to the fact there are no nearby hilly mountain bike trails, adjacent to swimmable lakes.

That and I currently do not have a mountain bike worthy of mountain biking.

I may soon find myself with a new mountain bike worthy of mountain biking. Finding a hilly trail location with a swimmable lake will be a bit more challenging...

Remembering Mount Rainier Hiking With David, Theo & Ruby's Grandma

What you see here is not one of my instances of a photo of Mount Rainier which has been telephotoed to look closer and bigger than it actually is.

What you see here is a photo of Mount Rainier as it looks when you are in Mount Rainier National Park on a hiking trail which leads to the base of the volcano.

That would be, standing next to me, in front of Mount Rainier, the Tacoma Trio of David, Theo and Ruby's, Grandma Janet, the mama of Mama Kristin.

Microsoft OneDrive Memories of this Day think this memory happened within the past five years, on this date in August.

But, I know exactly when this particular memory happened. August 11, 2008. On that date I drove Kristin, Janet and myself to Mount Rainier.

Ironically, this was only the second time I was in Mount Rainier National Park. All my years living in Washington I only visited that mountain, up close, once.

Where I lived in Washington, Mount Rainier was about 100 miles to the south. If I wanted to go hiking in the Cascade Mountains I had way closer venues. That and Mount Rainier National Park is super crowded with tourists, whilst there are many areas, equally scenic, where that is not the case.

Where I lived in Washington there were two volcanoes way closer than Mount Rainier. Those being Mount Baker and Glacier Peak.

Glacier Peak is the most illusive of the Washington volcanoes. You do not see Glacier Peak from the Western Washington lowlands. You have to drive up into the mountains to see Glacier Peak.

I only hiked to the base of Glacier Peak once. It was an almost 20-mile roundtrip hike. The route to the volcano takes you past Kennedy Hot Springs. I remember misjudging the timing of the hike, which had the final couple miles in scary darkness, using a flashlight to keep the trail visible.

I wonder how well I would handle a 20-mile hike nowadays. I suspect such would be a bit of a challenge...

Microsoft OneDrive Memory Of Haslet Horses Backyard Invasions

A Microsoft OneDrive Memory from this Day, that I remember, though I do not remember if this memory was from a day in August.

What we see here is the backyard of my first Texas abode. It was a multi-acre ranch in the hamlet of Haslet, a little suburb at the north end of sprawling Fort Worth.

The ranch had some farm critters. Three horses and a couple cows.

The horses were devilish demons. They figured out how to unlatch the gate that blocked them from their pasture and the backyard.

One of their times breaking into the backyard they ended up in the pool. That was a mighty fine fun time getting three horses out of a pool.

The horses liked Big Ed, I think because he often brought them goodies, like carrots and apples. 

In the above photo documentation, we see the three horses looking to be in begging for a treat mode. I don't think Big Ed had any thing to give the beggars. 

Of course, each of the horses had a name. But I only remember the name of one.

Caution.

I only got on one of the horses, once, July 4 of the year 2000. It did not go well. In my version of what happened, I claim the horse tried to kill me. I doubt I shall ever get onboard a horse ever again...

Closeup Mount Rainier Look From Texas By Chris & Sheila

If I remember correctly, and sometimes I do, a time or two or three, previously, I have made mention of the fact, with photo documentation, that I find some photos of Washington's Mount Rainier volcano to be a bit misrepresentative.

As in photos zoomed in on the Mountain, making the volcano look like it was bigger and way closer to Seattle than it actually looks in real life, in person.

Now, that photo of Mount Rainier you see here is not representative of those exaggerated Mount Rainier photos.

This photo of Mount Rainier was taken yesterday from the backyard viewing venue of two of my favorite Washingtonians, the young ladies known as Chris and Sheila.

Up til fairly recently Chris and Sheila's view of Mount Rainier was from their location a few miles south and east of Seattle, in the Kent highlands. The Mountain was not viewable from their then home, but came into view when leaving their home zone and driving towards Lake Meridian.

The Misses Chris and Sheila have relocated from Kent, to a new home in Lacey, a suburb of Olympia, much closer to Mount Rainier.

I do not know if the new Chris and Sheila location is in the Mount Rainier Eruption Evacuation Route area, such as I know exists a few miles to the east. I have seen the Volcano Evacuation Route signs between Puyallup and Tacoma.

What I do know for certain is there are no Volcano Evacuation Route signs anywhere within many many miles of my current Texas location...

Super HOT Wichita Falls Sunday

I took the above photo as quickly as I could after igniting my vehicle and getting my photo out of the pocket in which it resides when I am in transit. 128 degrees is getting into a Death Valley level of HOT.

With this third Sunday of August predicted to be the HOTTEST, so far, this HOT time of the year, I opted to stay in air-conditioned comfort, inside my abode, waiting til the HOTTEST time of the day, to exit, and take a short, HOT, drive to Walmart, to walk in air-conditioned comfort for several minutes, before braving the blazing sun, again, to make my way to the air-conditioned comfort of my motorized means of motion to drive back to the air-conditioned comfort of my cool abode.

I wonder if someone somewhere has a contest seeking to find the best example of a long run-on sentence. I think the above paragraph is an excellent run-on sentence example.

I thought the last Sunday before the start of the new school year might make for some interesting anthropological observations in Walmart.

But.

I think the heat keeps the super-hefty from entering the outer world if they can avoid it.

I know I tend to somewhat avoid the heat, when I can, and I am only semi-hefty...

Sizzling Saturday At 109 Degrees In HOT Wichita Falls

This third Saturday of August is scheduled to be the HOTTEST yet during this way too HOT time of the year.

I suspect I shall be getting my daily endorphin dose acquired via high speed walking in an indoor venue today.

Usually that venue is one of my nearby Walmarts. But, the most recent indoor venue was Lowe's.

Lowe's made for a pleasant walking venue.

Maybe will opt for Home Depot today.

September is rapidly approaching. We are past the Ides of August. When September arrives one can have some hope the outer world will begin to cool down.

Taking A North Cascades Nap On A Granite Slab Overlooking A Hidden Lake

There are many things I miss about the Pacific Northwest.

Things such as having four distinct seasons.

Along with plentiful fruits and vegetables, often growing wild, free for the picking, like blackberries and mountain blueberries. Freshly picked corn bought from a roadside vendor selling the corn 10 ears for a buck, on the honor system.

Streets with sidewalks with a grassy median separation from the road.

Politicians who are not national embarrassments.

Public works projects the public actually approves of, via voting, which then actually come to fruition. What a concept.

Way fewer balloon people. Way more people who look like they have had the air let out of them.

And, the scenery.

Mountains in every direction. Saltwater beaches. Real islands.

The Washington scenery came to mind via today's Microsoft OneDrive Memories from this Day.

One of the photos was of me laying on my back, taking a nap, on a slab of granite, overlooking Hidden Lake, in North Cascades National Park.

I have no idea what the total number of hiking trails is in Washington. Thousands?

Hiking trails in the lowlands, in the foothills, in the Cascades and Olympics. Thousands of miles of hiking trails.

Just within a few miles of where I lived in Washington, in Mount Vernon, in the Skagit Valley. Hiking and mountain bike trails on Little Mountain in Mount Vernon. The hike to the top of Big Rock in east Mount Vernon. More trails a few miles further to the east. Heading to the west multi trails in Washington Park and Deception Pass State Park, and others. 

All within about a 30-mile radius of my abode.

Why did I move from this paradise on earth I do wonder every once in a while...

Attending Senior Day In Burlington's Maiben Park With Little Brother Jake

Incoming email from FNJ (Favorite Nephew Jason).

Text accompanying photo...

Via Go Skagit I saw vintage cars displayed in front of 1027 Washington for Senior Day at the park. I know your brother attended.  Thought you'd enjoy the photo.

Go Skagit is a news website associated with the Skagit Valley Herald. The Go Skagit link does not go to the article to which Jason referred. The link goes to the Go Skagit home page.

The park to which Jason refers is Burlington's Maiben Park, the park from which I grew up across the street. That grayish looking house you see above is the house I grew up in, 1027 Washington Avenue.

That looks like it might be brother Jake, also known as Jason's dad, in the middle of that cluster of people you see in the photo.

My memory of this location includes a row of trees where those cars are parked. I think those trees were removed after I no longer lived there.

Remembering Pick Quick Blackberry Milkshakes With David, Theo & Ruby

 Arriving a few minutes ago, in my incoming email, today's Microsoft One Drive Memories from this Day.

And today, for the first time, I think, this photo did happen on August 15. Though the day was a Tuesday, not a Thursday. 

And the year was 2017.

Left to right, that is nephews Theo and David, me, and niece Ruby, at Pick Quick Burgers, in Fife, a little town between Tacoma and Seattle.

Theo, David, Ruby and their parental units were taking me to Sea-Tac, to put my on a plane, to fly to Arizona to see their grandma, also known as my mom.

In addition to Pick Quick burgers we also had, except for Ruby, blackberry milkshakes. 

If I remember right, and sometimes I do, I have previously shared this photo, what with it being one of my favorites.

That was one fun, poignant week in Washington, that week in August of 2017.

Also, in today's memories, is one of me being dropped off at the airport, after lunch at Pick Quick.

Theo is looking a bit sad at saying goodbye to his uncle. I was a bit sad too, wondering when next I was going to see these three I'd come to feel so fondly about in such a short time.

It would be almost two years before I would see David, Theo and Ruby again, in March of 2019, when they flew to Phoenix for a week of fun with their uncle, grandmas, grandpa and cousins...

Remembering Birch Bay Sandcastling With Theo & Ruby

Continuing on with this week's Microsoft OneDrive Memories from this Day, which I remember, from a week in August, way back in 2017, several days of which were spent at Birch Bay, a few miles south of Washington's border with British Columbia, Canada.

Whilst the tide was still way out, Theo, Ruby and I started building a sandcastle.

In the above photo, I cannot tell if that is Ruby or Theo shoring up the sandcastle as the tide starts to threaten the wall of our castle.

The Birch Bay tide eventually breeched our wall defenses, after a long, valiant effort.

The morning after sandcastling Theo and I elevatored to the roof of the place in which we were staying.

Theo was quite pleased to see that we could make out the remains of our sandcastle, still visible, after an incoming and now outgoing tide.

You can see those sandcastle remains pretty much at the dead center of the photo documentation.

That week up in Washington, back in 2017, was one of the best times I had had in a long time. From the moment I exited security, at Sea-Tac, to see David, Theo and Ruby, for the first time, and the days which followed, getting to be uncle to kids was something I thought was history, but almost instantly, upon meeting the Tacoma Trio, I found myself in full uncle mode.

I have not seen the Tacoma Trio, or their parental units, since March of 2019, which was another fun week, in Arizona. And then in 2020, COVID hit.

I do not think I have had a mighty fine fun week since COVID, that I remember...

Fondly Remembering Birch Bay Driftwood & Other Things Like Slotemaker Road

Apparently, this week's Microsoft OneDrive Memories from this Day are going to be ones I actually remember, due to the fact these photo memories are from a memorable week in August, back in 2017.

It was Saturday, August 12, 2017, when the Tacoma Trio of David, Theo & Ruby, their parental units, mama's Kristin and sister Michele, and little brother Jake, were staying in a large condo type place located near the middle of Birch Bay.

Birch Bay is a super popular touristy location located a few miles south of the border with Canada.

Growing up in Washington, with many relatives located in Whatcom County, where Birch Bay is located, going to The Bay was a frequent occurrence.

Often camping at the state park located at the south end of Birch Bay.

Birch Bay is shallow. When the tide goes low a large expanse of sand is exposed. That sand heats up, then when the tide rolls in the water gets heated, making Birch Bay, when the conditions are right, almost a tropical-like swimming venue.

As kids we would spend hours playing on the Birch Bay beach. At the state park part of the beach there was a big chunk of driftwood which we would climb on, over and over again.

That Saturday, back in 2017, we were scheduled to be in Lynden, at the Monumenta Cemetery, that afternoon. Brother Jake was my ride to Lynden that day. We decided to leave Birch Bay early so as to try and see some of the locations which were such a big part of our lives as kids.

Starting with me asking brother Jake if he thought that big driftwood still existed at the state park part of the beach.

There is one way to find out, said my little brother.

And so, we drove to the south end of Birch Bay to find ourselves pleased to see that all these years later that chunk of driftwood was still there. 

But, somehow, all those years later, it looked way smaller than it seemed when we were little kids.

That is the driftwood you see photo documented above, in the photo I took that day.

After leaving the driftwood we continued on to find a location we simply called the Van's. A farm we frequented frequently, with the Van's being our cousins. We often camped and vacationed together with the Van's. I remember the Van relatives relatively fondly.

Continuing on we made it to Lynden, to Grandma Vera's house. Grandma Vera was my mom's mom. The house seemed HUGE when we were kids. Did not seem so huge in 2017.  And then it was a block to the north, to Grandma Slotemaker's house, the one we most associated with that grandma, though there were several others. It was at Grandma Slotemaker's I first learned of The Beatles and saw them on the Ed Sullivan Show.

Then Jake and I tried to find our way to Slotemaker Road, the location where our ancestors first settled in Washington. We gave up after a while.

Later, will a couple hours later, when Jake and I verbalized our inability to find Slotemaker Road we were told its location, and how easy it is to find, barely out of town.

Eventually Jake and I ended up following David, Theo, Ruby and their parental units to the Slotemaker Road location.

And here we see Ruby Slotemaker, on top of me, almost reaching the top of the Slotemaker Road sign.

Ruby's cousins, Jason and Joey, somehow managed to come into possession of the Slotemaker Road sign, a time, or two.

At my ripe old age, I sometimes wonder if I shall ever see Whatcom County and Slotemaker Road, again.

That and Birch Bay....

Once Again Remembering Pedaling A Tacoma Cab With David, Theo, Ruby, Kristin & Michele

In the incoming email this morning, more photos from a week way back in August of 2017.

In Tacoma.

Touring the Tacoma waterfront, from Point Ruston, via a pedal cab, with Kristin, Ruby and Michele in the driver's seat, while Theo, David and me are backseat drivers.

I think I have opined before that the town I am currently in, Wichita Falls, Texas, needs a pedal cab franchise so people can have themselves a mighty fine time pedal cabbing along the Circle Trail.

I do not remember if the Tacoma pedal cab had a braking system, or simply relied on ceasing to pedal to cause the cab to stop.

If there are no brakes, pedal cabs of the sort I pedaled in Tacoma would be problematic if the pedal cab franchise was located at the MPEC (Multi-Purpose Event Center) due to the fact that the Circle Trail near that location has a couple semi-steep hill sections, of the sort where I could see it might be a bit problematic pedaling up the hills, that, and speeding out of control going down the hills, if the pedal cab had no braking method.

But, a pedal cab franchise located at Lucy Park would work just fine, what with the Circle Trail circling around Lucy Park being pretty much flat.

If you pedal cabbed out of Lucy Park, on the Circle Trail, heading to the Wichita Falls artificial waterfall installation, there is a slight elevation change of the going up and down a hill sort. But, not too drastic an ascent, or descent.

A pedal cab in this, at times, HOT town, might not be too popular during the blistering summer months, but the cooler other times of the year, getting too HOT does not happen too often...

Microsoft OneDrive Remembering Me, Theo & Ruby At Point Ruston

Today marks a rare occurrence of the daily Microsoft Memories from this Day actually being a memory that easily did happen on August 11.

The year was 2017. I flew to Washington on, I think, August 8 or 9. One of the days following my arrival, prior to driving north to Birch Bay, the Tacoma Trio of David, Theo & Ruby, and their parental units, took me to Tacoma's Point Ruston.

If you are ever in Tacoma, drive the Tacoma waterfront north til you reach Point Ruston and Point Defiance. You won't be disappointed by what you will find there.

It seems to my memory that I recently shared the above photo which showed up in my email today. That is me between Theo & Ruby in a Point Ruston ice cream parlor.

This is one of my all time favorite photos.

Where in the World are the Theos?

On the right, that is Ruby's twin brother, my Favorite Nephew Theo, known in Tacoma as Theo S. Next to Theo S is Theo's best friend, known in Tacoma as Theo C.

The two Theos are currently in Spain. I know this because a couple weeks ago Theo S's mom, my little sister, Michele, told me Theo was going to Spain with Theo C, with Theo's C's mom, to visit Theo C's sister, who is attending a university in Spain.

Now, I think the answer to that where in the world are the Theos question is fairly easy.

I believe the two Theos are in Casa Botin, founded in 1725, determined by the Guiness Book of Records to be the oldest restaurant in the world.

The restaurant's specialties are suckling pig and lamb roasted in the Castilian style.

If I find out what the Theos had to eat at this restaurant, I shall let you know...

Happy Birthday From Toothy Great Nephew Cade

Incoming text message from young Mr. Cade Weston, this second Sunday morning of August.

The text message accompanying the photo of Cade....

Happy Birthday Great Uncle Durango! Grandma told me to show you my teeth for your birthday!! Happy Birthday!!

Great Nephew Cade looks like his papa, my Favorite Nephew Christopher. Christopher was always such a smiley kid when he was a young one.

Fort Worth Is Not One Of America's Nature Lovers Cities

I saw that which you see here via a Microsoft New photo gallery of the 15 Best American Cities For Nature Lovers.

I do not know if the link will work in all browsers.

Most of the towns on the list were the usual nature suspects, Denver, San Francisco, Salt Lake City, Santa Fe and Seattle.

Some of the towns on this list just seemed odd, nature lover-wise. Indianapolis, Columbus, Cleveland, Boston and Atlanta.

How are both of America's Portlands not on this list, particularly the Portland in Oregon?

And, no nature loving towns in Texas? Shocking. Not even Fort Worth, with its nature loving inner tube floating in the polluted Trinity River? 

This nature loving article's description of Seattle seemed totally accurate to me...

In Seattle you’ll already feel like you’re in nature, even in the midst of skyscrapers. But despite the natural surroundings, including forests, water and mountains, there’s still a distinctly urban feel to the city with its innovative tech scene, a walkable waterfront full of shops and restaurants, and plenty of attractions. One highlight is the Seattle Center, where you’ll find the distinctive Space Needle and Museum of Pop Culture.

I wonder if Fort Worth's Trinity River Vision ever becomes something one can see, if upbeat verbiage might result about that sad sack of a town's imaginary waterfront, verbiage of the sort used to describe Seattle.

But, other than all that, what actually struck my eye about this Nature Loving Cities article was the photo of the Seattle skyline.

A time of two I have opined that I am not a fan of the distorted, zoomed photos of Seattle, showing Mount Rainier looking way closer and bigger than it actually is, sort of misrepresenting the view tourists might see if a cloud-free sky allowed such, as in, a view of Mount Rainier in the distance.

This photo, the one you see above, that photo actually looks like what Mount Rainier actually looks like, from Seattle.

Still totally impressive, and the likes of nothing I see on the horizon at my current Texas location...

Big Chill Brings Wichita Falls Relief From Being Way Too HOT

On this second Friday of August we are scheduled to get a chilling relief from being heated to well over 100 degrees HOT.

Currently there is some clouding happening, doing some sun blocking.

I suspect in a couple hours I shall venture out to an outdoor venue for some much-needed salubrious endorphin acquisition acquired via walking fast.

Currently we are chilled to only 78 degrees, well below the predicted high today of 92. It is so chilly I have not heard the A/C come on yet this morning.

I do not recollect ever looking forward to winter as much as I currently do...

Birth Certificate Searching Finds Mom & Dad Getting Married

A couple days ago I made note of the fact that that day, August 6, was the date my mom and dad got married, long long ago.

This morning, I was searching through a box of photos and documents, searching for my long missing birth certificate, when I came upon what I assume is a photo taken on the day mom and dad got married.

Dad was in the Army, soon to be stationed in France. Or was it Germany? Or both? 

Mom and dad look so young. Because they were. It was a couple years after this photo that I arrived, in Eugene, Oregon...

Already Hotter 'N Hell In Wichita Falls

Yesterday, the first Wednesday of August, the temperature was nearing 100 at the time of my regularly scheduled communing with nature via fast walking somewhere outdoors.

But, with the outer world being so HOT, I opted to drive to Walmart for my nature communing and anthropological observations.

Then, yesterday, around 5 in the afternoon, I decided to get HOT again, via driving to ALDI.

As you can see via the photo documentation, above, the temperature, as measured by my vehicle's temperature measurer, was way over 100 degrees HOT.

124 degrees.

That is a Death Valley level of HOT.

The biggest Wichita Falls event of the year, the Hotter 'N Hell 100, takes place the last week of this month. This is a big event. People come from all over the world to ride their bikes 100 miles in super HOT conditions.

Last year the weather did not cooperate, with the temperature being lower than 100 degrees.

This year I suspect the weather will be cooperating.

And it will be HOT.

I have not attended the Hotter 'N Hell event at the MPEC (Multi Purpose Event Center) since before COVID. It is quite entertaining, with multiple things to see, and a lot of people.

Just the triage tent where all the injured bike riders get treated. 

There are dozens of vendors vending various products. Others giving out free samples of this that and some other thing. Bike related artworks. Music. A HUGE beer garden.

And, I suspect there may be a political component this year, what with it being election season...

Microsoft OneDrive Remembering Nephew Jeremy Driving & Mount Rainier

The memory photos from today's Microsoft OneDrive Memories from this Day could have been from August of 2017.

I'd flown to Washington early in August of that year, which would make the next photo one I took of Mount Rainier whilst flying over that currently dormant volcano.

In that first photo memory that is my Favorite Nephew Jeremy, driving. That August of 2017, I spent a week in Washington, and then flew to Arizona for a week with my mom.

On Mondays, like clockwork, Jeremy would show up at my mom's to take mom on their weekly dinner date to one of the many fast-food joints in Chandler, Arizona.

I suspect that that is what is happening in the Jeremy driving photo, driving mom and me to the weekly fast-food dinner.

Jeremy, like his mother, is a good driver. There are some people whose driving always makes me nervous. Jeremy and his mom are among those who do not make me nervous when they are behind a vehicular wheel.

Another example of this some people's driving making me nervous thing is the Goober Twins. One of the Goober Twins, Wally, has never made me nervous when he is behind the wheel, whilst his twin, Big Ed, tends to make anyone riding, with him driving, to be nervous.

I remember a roadtrip, back in the early 1990s. We'd rented a Cadillac to drive to Reno and Yosemite, and points in between. In the Cadillac were the Goober Twins, me and a guy named Dale.

Wally did all the driving til we got to Yosemite.

I had no problem with Wally's driving, none at all. However, when it came time to leave Yosemite, Dale took me aside and sort of begged me to take over the driving due to, apparently, Wally's driving making Dale nervous. Wally is a bit of a speeder.

The Cadillac had an onboard computer calculating gas mileage. Soon after me taking over the driving, due to usually driving below the speed limit, the gas mileage quickly improved, soon getting over 20 miles to the gallon in that big gas guzzling Cadillac...

August 6 At Hot Sikes Lake Takes Me To Mom & Dad's Wedding Anniversary & Hiroshima

It was to nearby bucolic Sikes Lake I ventured on this first Tuesday of August to do some nature communing in the natural sauna steam bath.

The temperature was only 95 degrees, with the humidity making those 95 degrees really feel like 103 degrees.

I was what is known as a sweaty mess by the time I made it back to the air-conditioned comfort of my motorized motion device.

Looking at that peaceful looking Sikes Lake photo documentation, you see above, it does not look like it is blisteringly HOT.

It looks refreshingly cool. 

As is so often the case, looks can be deceiving.

Due to the day after day after day after day of high temperatures and no rain, the humidity has gotten less humid, and the biting bug population seems to have diminished, at least so it seems since I am no longer suffering multiple bug bites every time I enter the outer world.

If my math is correct, and it sometimes is, today we would be celebrating my mom and dad's 73rd Wedding Anniversary, if mom and dad were still able to celebrate such.

The last time I went to one of my mom and dad's Wedding Anniversary parties, it was on Saturday, August 11, 2001. Mom and dad's actual anniversary date is August 6, the same date in 1945 that a big, bad bomb was exploded over Hiroshima, Japan.

Some Like It HOT In Lucy Park On First August Monday

On this first Monday of August, for the first time in a week, give or take a day or two, I communed with nature in a non-air conditioned venue, walking the backwoods jungle of Lucy Park.

Which would make that the Lucy Park suspension bridge over the Wichita River you see in the photo documentation.

The foliage is managing to remain green, despite the day after day after day of getting baked over 100 degrees.

Today's Lucy Park nature communing was not too HOT, at a degree under 100, with a nice breeze blowing, with occasional gusts.

The only wildlife I saw today, other than humans, was a few cute lizards scurrying on the trail ahead of me, seeming playful, like they thought it to be fun thinking I was chasing them.

The lizard type reptile does not bother me in the way I am repulsed by their snake relatives. 

I have not seen a single snake this year. One would think one would, if there are any to be seen, what with the cold-blooded monsters liking when it is HOT.

Maybe that sub-zero deep freeze of a couple Februarys ago killed off the snake population, with the lizards somehow surviving.

The biggest snake I have seen since being in Texas was seen in Lucy Park the first summer I was in Wichita Falls. It was HUGE. Moving slow. But HUGE. No clue what type slithering monster it was. Fairly certain it was not a boa constrictor or python. But, size-wise, that's what it looked like.

Being HOT is on the weather menu for the next many days. How did people live in this climate before the invention of air-conditioning?

July 22, 2002 In Lynden Washington With The Slotemaker-Jones

Microsoft's OneDrive Memory from this Day is off by about a week. It was on July 27, 2002 the photo you see here was taken.

I know this because I remember the actual date, that, and I have a coffee cup which immortalizes this event at the Northwest Washington Fairgrounds, in Lynden Washington. 

I shall take a photo of that coffee cup for documentation purposes...

The photo could not quite capture the Jones part of the Slotemaker-Jones coffee cup.

This was a family reunion, the first one of the Slotemaker-Jones family in many years. And the largest ever.

The reunion sort of came about due to that feeling us Americans were having post the shocking 9/11 attacks.

At least that was how my part of it came to be. I was in Washington the month before 9/11, having driven myself solo from Texas to be a surprise arrival at my mom and dad's 50th Anniversary party.

At that party I came into possession of a big box of family photos, and other memorabilia. Much of which I had not seen before, some of which had text explaining what I was seeing in the photo.

Back in Texas I began scanning the photos, rendering them into being digital photos. I then began building a Slotemaker-Jones website. That quickly became the most complex website I'd made up to that point in time. 

I don't quite remember all the details, but at some point in time, after the publishing of the Slotemaker-Jones website the idea of a family reunion was suggested. Within less than a year that suggestion came to fruition.

I was in Washington for only a week for that reunion in 2002. All my times back in Washington I had never been so happy to get back to Texas as I was that time. We need not go into details why...

The Slotemaker-Jones website

Much of the Slotemaker-Jones website no longer works due to Shockwave animations no longer being supported in the format used way back then. I see auto-scrolling text also no longer works. But, the gist of it is still there, for the most part.

In Seattle Looking Too Close To Mount Rainier

If I remember correctly, and sometimes I do, I have previously made mention of the fact that I find the frequent instances of misleading photos of Mount Rainier to be a bit worrisome.

What with tourists arriving in Washington expecting to see Mount Rainier being a gigantic presence looming nearby.

This morning's Seattle Times online had the best example yet of this. The Seattle Space Needle peeking above Queen Anne Hill, with Mount Rainier looking like a nearby monster.

Now, when the Mountain is out, it is an impressive sight, naturally, as seen via one's eyes. When one is in Tacoma the Mountain looms way larger, and closer, than it does in Seattle. But not nearly like that which you see in the above photo.

On a clear day, from the vantage point of the Skagit Flats, a little over 100 miles north of Mount Rainier, one can see the Mountain, looking like a big white pimple on the horizon.

I know a lifelong Texan, here in Wichita Falls, who had never been to the west coast til a couple years ago when she flew to Seattle to visit some friends. She'd never seen mountains before. She told me it was mesmerizing, no matter which way she looked, west, east, north or south, she saw mountains. 

I do not know if she had a pre-conceived notion about how large Mount Rainier loomed on the skyline. But, I do know that her friends had a cabin near Enumclaw, the town thought of as the Gateway to Mount Rainier, and that she was overwhelmed looking at that Mountain, so big and white, so close.

She did not know, til I told her, that there are four more volcanoes in Washington. She knew of Mount St. Helens, but not the other three.

Mount Baker, the volcano I lived near when I lived in the Skagit Valley, also gets the distorted zoomed photo treatment. Mount Baker, like Rainier, is also totally impressive in its natural state, without any photo enhancement.

It has been years since I have seen a real mountain, other than the artificial mountain, Mount Wichita, that is located in the town in which I currently reside...

Back In Tacoma Pedaling With David, Theo & Ruby

That which you see here showed up this morning in my email, from Microsoft. a OneDrive Memory from this Day.

The day was in August, but not the first day of August. The year was 2017. I was in Texas the first day of August in 2017. 

A few days later, well, over a week later, I left Texas and flew to Washington where I met my nephews David and Theo, and my one and only niece, Ruby for the first time.

A few days after arriving in Tacoma, David, Theo and Ruby directed me and their parental units to Tacoma's Point Ruston, where we soon found ourselves driving along the Tacoma waterfront, a pedal powered motion device.

In the above photo Theo is in the driver's seat, with Ruby next to him, with David next to Ruby, keeping an eye on the rearview mirror.

The pedal powered motion device was a lot of fun. Someone should bring these to the town I am currently in. Methinks people would enjoy renting one to pedal themselves along the Circle Trail.

Way back in August of 2017 I blog posted about the day we pedaled a surrey with a fringe on top, in a blogging titled Point Ruston Ruby, Theo & David Surrey Survey Of Tacoma's New Waterfront Development.

Point Ruston is an impressive development on the Tacoma waterfront, transforming an industrial wasteland into a huge complex of residential towers, restaurants, and other attractions, like the aforementioned pedal powered surreys.

Point Ruston came to be a bustling success during the same time frame the Texas town named Fort Worth has struggled to reclaim an industrial wasteland on the north side of the town's downtown. Point Ruston is a bigger project than Fort Worth's proposed, stalled, project, which has limped along since this century began.

Point Ruston is the site America's biggest Superfund cleanup, mitigating the pollution left behind by the long-gone Asarco copper smelting operation. After the cleanup billions of bucks of private funding showed up to transform the cleaned-up land.

Fort Worth has not yet reached the point where the EPA determines the former industrial wasteland is safe for development.

It is so strange how two towns in the same country can be so different. One dynamic, the other not.

Perplexing...