Ferry Through San Juan Islands Takes Me To Fort Worth

Saw the photo you see above, on Facebook, yesterday. Motivated me to blog about it on my Washington blog. Did so in Ferry Friday Harbor to Anacortes Looking at Mount Baker. 

For Texans reading this, let me explain what you are looking at. That big white thing is a volcano. Its name is Mount Baker. Mount Baker is part of what is known as the Cascade Mountain Range.

Those little mountains surrounded by water are what are known as islands. In this case, the San Juan Islands, an archipelago of a lot of islands, most small, but several large enough for habitation, and needing a ferry dock.

That little white thing you see in the water, is actually not small at all. It is a Washington State Ferry, photographed soon after leaving Friday Harbor on San Juan Island, on its way back to Anacortes on the mainland. 

When I saw this photo of the San Juan Islands yesterday it brought to mind a conversation I had had the day before, when someone asked me if I knew what the current status was of Fort Worth's Trinity River Vision.

I replied that as far as I knew Fort Worth's supposedly vitally needed flood control and economic development scheme is still stuck with only three little freeway overpass type bridges, built over dry land, in anticipation of one day a cement lined ditch being dug under the bridges, with Trinity River water diverted into the ditch, creating an imaginary island, to be known as Panther Island.

Fort Worth's vitally needed project, sold as such by its incompetent advocates, has been limping along since this century began.

Just one fact alone has bugged me from the start. As in, what sane city would name something an island, when the creation of such is due to a cement lined ditch diverting river water? Having grown up in a state which has oodles of actual islands, this was a hard bit of nonsense to try and swallow.

During the same time frame, as in, during the years of this century, whilst Fort Worth has not managed to see hardly anything of its embarrassing Trinity River Vision, other parts of America have seen all sorts of things.

The town I moved to Texas from, Mount Vernon, Washington, has built an actual vitally needed flood control development. Which turned a stretch of the Skagit River, as it passes by downtown Mount Vernon, into what basically is a mini-Riverwalk.

This century Seattle has built two downtown ballparks, re-built its waterfront, built a tunnel to replace a waterfront viaduct, and more, like, well, the entire Amazon complex.

All over America, other than Fort Worth, major projects have been proposed and come to fruition, during the same time frame in which Fort Worth has been unable to get water to flow under those three bridges built over dry land.

Los Angeles built its huge So-Fi Stadium.

Arlington built the new Dallas Cowboys Stadium.

New York City re-built the site of the Twin Towers. 

Fort Worth began to perplex me soon upon my arrival in Texas. There were so many things that just were not right. And now, all these years later, still the same.

Why? It is perplexing....

Cool Sikes Lake Museum of Art Nature Communing With Vinculum

An almost totally blue sky has returned to my North Texas location on this final Friday of the 2025 version of May.

The clouds were blown away by a cold front which blew in yesterday, dropping the temperature into the 60s, as measured via the Fahrenheit method. It was so chilly I wore long pants, for the first time in a long time, when I ventured to Walmart after the cold front blew in.

The temperature had climbed out of the 60s, into the 70s, when I ventured to Sikes Lake, an hour before noon, for some nature communing, endorphin acquisition and art appreciation.

My current Sikes Lake walking route takes me through the Wichita Falls Museum of Art's Sculpture Garden.

That is one of the works of sculpture art you see above.

Inset is the signage telling you that you are looking at something called "Vinculum".

And that Vinculum was created by Jonathan Hils, in 2009, by welding with powder coated steel. 

In the inset photo of the signage, you can see Vinculum in the background. Obviously, I got closer for the close-up photo documentation.

Perhaps I shall remember to do a blog post of all the works of art in the Wichita Falls Museum of Art's Sculpture Garden...

Flooding Lucy Park Tuesday Nature Communing

Back to Lucy Park on this final Tuesday of the 2025 version of May. The outer world was pleasantly temperatured today, making for an extremely pleasant Lucy Park salubrious nature communing walk. 

As you can see, via the above photo documentation, and below, the Wichita River is running high from the recent rains.

The Lucy Park backwoods jungle is totally flooded, again, rendering it not a pleasant location to wade through.

 As you can see, the river has almost reached being high enough to flood over the bridge.

I did not walk too far onto the bridge, due to the fact that the running high, fast moving river, combined with the swinging suspension bridge, renders me dizzy.

I sort of miss walking the Lucy Park backwoods jungle. It has long been my favorite local hiking location.

The jungle likely will not dry out to a walking level for a month or two, that is, if no more flooding rain arrives...

Hot Humid Lucy Park Sunday Catfishing

With the temperature hitting into the 80s, well before noon, on this final Sunday of the 2025 version of May, it was back to Lucy Park I trekked for some ultra-humid nature communing.

No that is not me sitting in the shade by the Lucy Park bridge over the Wichita River. I was a bit startled to see someone sitting there as I walked onto the bridge. 

Turns out the guy had a somewhat good reason to be sitting in that shade. Can you make out the fishing pole at a diagonal from his right elbow?

Wondering what type fish one was hoping to catch in this ultra-muddy river, I asked the fisherman what he was fishing for.

Catfish.

Yesterday he'd caught five.

So far, today, no luck.

The fisherman told me the five he caught yesterday were three different type catfish. The only name I remember was blue catfish. He said this was the most desirable catfish to catch in this river. Three of yesterday's five were blue catfish.

One of the five was a bottom feeder. I think the name was shovel catfish. All I remember for sure was he said this type catfish is the type with the muddy tasting reputation.

I have had catfish a couple times. I like most any type seafood.

Cod, crab, clams, oysters, shrimp, salmon, scallops, pollack, tuna.

But I have never partaken of any catfish which made me think it was tasty.

Anyway, I had myself a mighty fine time today getting some endorphins whilst nature communing in nature's natural sauna.

A thunderstorm is on the menu for later today. With flash flooding, strong winds and tornado conditions. Last night a thunderstorm woke me up at 2 in the morning. It lasted about an hour...

Dead Calm Sikes Lake Nature Communing After Last Night's Storms

Yesterday I did no nature communing, due to the weather not being pleasantly conducive to such an endeavor.

I did get some aerobic activity yesterday afternoon, dodging raindrops falling on the Walmart parking lot.

This morning, it being the next to last Friday morning of the current year's version of May, when dawn dawned the illumination revealed a thick fog had rolled in overnight, the type weather phenomenon one sees often when living near an ocean, but which rarely happens at my current location, hundreds of miles from any large bodies of water.

Around 7 last night a lightning strike struck close to my abode, with the resulting thunder being the loudest thunderclap boom I have ever experienced. My building shook like it was in rock and roll mode.

Around half past 10 this morning I ventured to Sikes Lake for some much-needed nature communing and its resulting endorphin acquisition.

As you can see, via the photo documentation at the top, looking west from the rocky beach on the east side of Sikes Lake, the weather conditions are currently totally calm, as in, dead calm, nary a ripple on the lake, rendering the lake's surface into mirror-like condition.

This current calm weather is predicted to end later today with the arrival of fresh thunderstorms.

Thursday Thunderstorming Getting Soaked At Walmart

Rain was dripping slightly a half hour before 5, this Thursday afternoon, when I left my abode to drive to Walmart.

Arriving at the Walmart parking lot rain was still dripping, but not copiously. I saw no reason to bring my umbrella into the store with me.

And then, about ten minutes into the store, a downpour began pouring down, copiously.

With hail.

Along with thunder booming.

The sound inside Walmart was like what it would likely be like to be inside a snare drum, when someone is pounding the drum.

As I self-checkout-ed the few items I'd collected, the noise grew significantly louder. The effect seemed sort of concussive.

By the time I got to the exit a crowd had gathered, waiting for the downpour to abate. I waited with them for about five minutes and then made a run for it.

Halfway to my vehicle I was soaked. But, the rain was warm, and hail had ceased pummeling, so getting totally soaked was not too miserable.

The photo documentation at the top is the view through my windshield after successfully making it back to my vehicle. 

Rain was still downpouring when I got back under my carport. The umbrella I wish I'd taken into Walmart with me, made the wet trek to my abode not another soaker. 

Trying To Keep Air-Conditioned With Strong Thursday Thunderstorms

Methinks I shall forego outdoor nature communing on this 4th Thursday of May.

Two hours before noon, and you can see, via the screencap, the outer world is already heated to 78 degrees, as measured by the Fahrenheit method.

Thunder is predicted to begin booming later today and continue to boom for several of the following days.

Today's predicted high is a relatively cool 86 degrees. That is only 8 degrees above what I have my interior space's air-cooling device set to.

That aforementioned interior space air-cooling device turned on right after I hit the period on the previous sentence. 

Before the temperature gets any HOTTER I need to get my morning Yoga routine over with...

Back Nature Communing At Sikes Lake With Wildflowers

With the temperature in the low 80s, as measured by the Fahrenheit method, on this third Wednesday of May, it was to Sikes Lake I ventured under an almost totally clear blue sky, to commune with nature, along with throngs of fellow nature communers communing with nature in various ways.

As you can see via the photo documentation, the April showers, plus the showers of May, have made for a bumper crop of wildflowers, this colorful, for Texas, time of the year.

I have no idea what brand of wildflower we are seeing here. It sort of looks like a sunflower, mixed with a daisy.

Today is the last day, for awhile, with no thunderstorming in the weather prediction.

Dizzy Suspense On Lucy Park Wichita River Suspension Bridge

Under a clear blue, free of clouds, sky, it was back to Lucy Park I ventured on this third Tuesday of May, for some nature communing and high-speed walking and the resulting endorphin acquisition.

When last I was at Lucy Park the suspension bridge over the Wichita River was closed, due to the flood.

The river is still running high, but the suspension bridge is back open.

Walking across the bridge was a bit unsettling, with the river up so high, and flowing fast. The swaying of the bridge, above the fast-flowing river had a dizzying effect I did not find too enjoyable.

But, I found the rest of today's walking, once I got off the bridge, to be totally enjoyable, partly due to the perfectly pleasant temperature being in the mid-70s.

Mostly Sunny Wichita Falls Monday With Possible Flooding Downpours, Hail & Tornadoes

For several days the weather predictors for my location have been predicting stormy weather, flooding downpours, hail, strong wind gusts.

And tornadoes.

But, those dire predictions have not become reality at my North Texas Wichita Falls location. Other than yesterday one short, as in less than ten minutes, bout of some rain falling.

So far today, as in Monday, May 19, the only part of today's weather prediction which has come to pass is there have been some extreme wind gusts. 

Currently the sky is gray, nothing blue to be seen. Some of the clouds look to be thunderstorm worthy. 

My only experience with clouds which produced some tornado action has been where the sky takes on ominous dark gray greenish hue. So far I am seeing nothing of that sort.

What with today being Monday, the tornado sirens should erupt in their weekly test mode around noon, a little over an hour from now.

Tornado sirens are extremely loud. Quite jarring if you are close to one when it goes off...  

Tomorrow It Will Be 45 Years Since Mount St. Helens Erupted

Tomorrow it will be 45 years since a big, loud bang boomed all over the Pacific Northwest, when Mount St. Helens erupted after week after week after week of rumbling and spewing steam.

I was soaking in a bathtub that morning, at my abode in Mount Vernon, about 160 miles north of the volcano, as a bird flies, when I heard three loud, concussive booms. Minutes later the next-door neighbor came over to inform us that the mountain had blown. 

That news that the mountain had blown was the start of a long day of non-stop news, on TV, on the radio, followed by many days of worry about possible ash issues.

By the time the mountain calmed down the Skagit Valley had not been showered with any significant ash, while other locations in Washington, mostly Eastern Washington, as in the east side of the Cascade Mountain range, got covered with a thick layer of volcanic ash.

Mount St. Helens came back to my attention this morning, via emails from my Favorite Nephew Jason, the first of which only consisted of the infamous video about the Mount St. Helens eruption, with the video featuring Harry Truman, who became famous in the Northwest due to his refusal to leave his Spirit Lake location in the shadow of the volcano.

Jason was only 11 months old when the mountain exploded. I replied to Jason's email with a link to one of my blog posts about Mount St. Helens, which included the Harry Truman video.

That blog post was titled Today's 34th Anniversary Of The Mount St. Helens Eruption Has Me Feeling Homesick.

I have flown over Mount St. Helens a few times flying back and forth from Texas to Washington.

I drove to the restricted zone weeks before the eruption. I could not get close enough to see the mountain.

It was not til the early 1990s that I drove back to the volcano. At that point in time one could access the blast zone from the north, via logging roads. It was so eerie, suddenly being in the blast zone with the forest of trees all knocked down, with the landscape void of any green vegetation of any sort. Eventually you got to a sort of overlook, looking down at the log choked remains of Spirit Lake.

The log choked remains of Spirit Lake is what we are looking down on in the photo documentation. I do not recollect if we got a good look at the actual volcano from this location.

The photo at the top was taken shortly before the move to Texas, late Summer of 1998, if I am remembering correctly. By then the Spirit Lake Memorial Highway had been built, with multiple visitor centers to visit on the way to the final visitor center, a large complex with an up-close look at the volcano.

I remember it as being closer than it looks in the photo documentation. I remember there was a well-done film telling the story of the eruption, with the finale of the film having the screen disappear revealing a huge window looking right at the crater. 

At least that is how I remember it. I really do not trust my memory, at times. I remember that as being a tiring day, a day which started at Seaside, Oregon.

Microsoft Sibling Memory From Over Half Century Ago

This totally delightful photo showed up this morning in my email, from Microsoft's OneDrive Memories from this Day.

The day in this photo is from so long ago I have no idea what day it actually may have been when this photo was taken. Or what year, other than being able to say, without remotely possibly being erroneous, that the photo was taken over half a century ago.

At that point in time, I only had two siblings, the one in the middle, my then little sister, Nancy, with my one and only little brother, Jake, on the right.

This particular photo is one of the few in which sister Nancy can be seen in some sort of dress garment. In later years pants became Nancy's signature leg covering garment.

I am also almost certain this photo was taken at the house, in Mount Vernon, Washington, we moved to, from Eugene, Oregon.

The house was located on what is now known as College Way, across the street from where Skagit Valley College is now located.

I have no idea where Microsoft found this photo. Is it on my computer? I do not know....

Thursday's Wichita Falls Cold Front Arrives On Schedule

 As mentioned in yesterday's, Wednesday, Wichita Falls temperature report, reporting that my vehicle was reporting 110 degrees of excessive warmth, with the sweltering predicted to be short-lived, with a cold front blowing in Thursday, also known as today.

Well, the prediction was accurate, as you can see via the photo documentation, I photo documented, when I started up my motorized means of motion to drive to an appointment.

78 degrees.

Brrrr.

That is two degrees colder than I have my interior space's air-conditioner set to.

Long pants and a long-sleeved shirt kept the chill under control.

This return to natural air-conditioning is not predicted to last too long, so I shall enjoy it while it is here...

Sweltering At 110 Degrees In Wichita Falls

Yesterday, when I left the air-conditioned comfort of my abode, to drive to Walmart, my vehicle's temperature monitor indicated the temperature was 106 degrees.

Today, that being the day known as Wednesday, I left the air-conditioned comfort of my abode at about the same time, driving to ALDI, not Walmart.

Today my vehicle's temperature monitor indicated the temperature was 110 degrees. As you can see via the photo documentation.

I've not experienced this level of HOT since getting scorched in Arizona.

Relief is scheduled to arrive tomorrow, with a cold front blowing in, dropping the temperature into the relatively chilly 80s.

I am totally prepared for tomorrow's Big Chill, with sweatpants and sweatshirt washed and ready...

HOT Wednesday Walking With Sikes Lake's May Flowers

With the outer world heated to 91 degrees Fahrenheit, heading to a predicted high of 99 this second Wednesday of May, today it was to Sikes Lake I ventured for some HOT nature communing and endorphin acquisition via high-speed walking.

As you can clearly see, via the photo documentation, the April Showers (and additional showers the current month) has produced a plethora of flowers. Most of the pink evening primrose sort, though I did see a couple patches of yellowish-orangish wildflowers today. 

The yellowish-orangish wildflowers were not located in a location making for easy photo documentation, or I would have photo documented them.

The current HEAT wave ends today, with a chilling cold front arriving tomorrow, dropping tomorrow's predicted high to a relatively chilly 86 degrees.

All the local lakes, including Sikes Lake, are at full pool for the first time in years. Such may not last long with the coming, likely extremely HOT, Summer....

HOT 106 Second May Tuesday In Wichita Falls

 As per the temperature prediction I made mention of earlier today, with the temperature prediction predicting the temperature would get to 99 degrees, HOT HEAT was clearly the case when I exited my abode around 5 this afternoon, getting hit with a blast of HEAT which felt as if I was back in Arizona.

The HOT temperature was mechanically validated when I ignited my motorized means of motion and saw its temperature monitoring device indicating the temperature was 106 degrees, as measured via the Fahrenheit method.

The vehicle sits under a carport cover. Does that increase the HEAT level? I don't know. Does the vehicle's temperature measuring device measure the outside temperature? Or is it the inside the vehicle temperature?

The fact that inside the vehicle it did not feel anywhere near 106 degrees would seem to indicate it is the outside temperature being measured, which is likely made HOTTER by the carport's metal roof.

Soon upon putting the vehicle in motion the temperature began to drop, eventually stopping dropping when it reached 99. Which was one of the predicted temperatures for today's high. With the other prediction predicting a high of 98.

Anyway, methinks this portends for a miserably HOT coming Summer...

99 Degree Possible Record-Breaking Heatwave Wondering Why Beto O'Rourke Was Speaking In Wichita Falls

The above screen cap is from this morning's Wichita Falls Times Record News AccuWeather weather page.

Today and tomorrow predicted to hit 99 degrees as measured by the Fahrenheit method of measuring the temperature.

Also, from this morning's Wichita Falls Times Record News...

Wichita Falls will flirt with record heat on Wednesday. The National Weather Service predicts a high of 98 degrees that day, which is perilously close to the record for the date of 100 degrees set in 1952.

So, apparently the National Weather Service prediction predicts one degree cooler than the AccuWeather temperature prediction.

Also, apparently, if we do hit 99, or 98, degrees tomorrow, this will almost break the 100 degrees temperature record set way back in 1952.

This morning's Wichita Falls Times Record News is not the first time I have made note of the fact that this town's newspaper can be a bit sloppy. 

An example of such, for weeks now the Times Record News has had on its list of Top Headlines, on its front page, a link to an article asking, "Why did Beto O'Rourke speak in Wichita Falls?"

Below is a screen cap illustrating this...

You click on the link and below is a screen cap of the entire article, which clearly does not answer the question posed in the Top Headlines...

It is instances such as this Beto O'Rourke non-article which have caused me to wonder if the Wichita Falls Times News Record has any humans involved in its publication. Wondering if it may be some computer created production.

Ironically, the below appears right below the list of Top Headlines...

Methinks perhaps whoever is doing this alleged working, needs to work a bit harder. 

I know I would like to read a news story explaining what happened to the completion of the Circle Trail link from Lucy Park to the new section of the Circle Trail, which was completed a couple years ago, that being the section which includes the Wichita Bluff Nature Area. 

Also, regarding the Circle Trail, an article explaining what has stalled another missing Circle Trail link, that being the continuation of the trail where it now terminates at the new section west of Lake Wichita Park, which was completed a couple years ago.

And, how about an article explaining what is going on with that creek project one has watched happening slowly for a couple years now, that being the creek that goes under Maplewood, between Kemp and Midwestern Boulevard. 

And, just last week, what was the deal with that big carnival which appeared on the Sikes Senter mall parking lot? Was there some sort of festival or celebration happening that brought this carnival to town?

There you go, I have let those supposedly working to improve my newspaper reading experience know what I think. I'm sure it will make a big difference...

Hot May Day Board Walking Lake Wichita Dam

On this second Monday of the 2025 version of May, it was a short distance to the south, I ventured, to Lake Wichita Dam, to do some well-heated nature communing.

As you can see, via the view through the cyclone fence atop Lake Wichita Dam, water is still spilling over the dam's spillway, well over a week since North Texas got drenched with a lot of rain.

In the above view we are on the Lake Wichita Boardwalk, looking across the Boardwalk towards the dam's spillway we were at in the previous photo.

Still on the Lake Wichita Boardwalk, now looking Northwest, across Lake Wichita, with Mount Wichita making a slight poke to the sky, on the horizon.

Now we are back on top of the Lake Wichita Dam, looking north at a trio of bikers riding off the dam. This paved trail atop the dam is part of the Circle Trail which trails around most of Wichita Falls.

Now we are once again looking Northwest, across the Lake Wichita floating fishing dock, with Mount Wichita again being a slight poke on the horizon.

It has been a few months since I have done my daily nature communing at today's location. The temperature bordered on being HOT today. With virtually no wind blowing, there was no wind chill factor mitigating the HOT.

Walking this location, which I have walked frequently over my years of living in the Wichita Falls location, for some reason a recent email came to mind.

That being an email from a person who had been reading my blog posts and felt she needed to share with me that she was greatly enjoying her new living location, and the bedroom she had turned into an office where she spent hours reading, writing and drawing.

Whilst, she opined, I appeared to be doing the same thing, day after day. But that was okay if I enjoyed it.

For some reason I found this, what seemed to be a totally pointless judgmental comment, to be off putting. Particularly since it was coming from what I had come to see as a bloviated bore, doing basically nothing, day after day after day.

But, of course, polite gentleman that I am, I never shared that opinion. Til, now...

Happy Mother's Day With Mom At Arizona's Tortilla Flat

Incoming Mother's Day related emails from my Favorite Nephew Jason, aka FNJ.

The compiled text of the three emails...

FUD- 

Happy Mother's Day 2025.  I asked your brother last night if he was going to drive up to Lynden and bring your mother flowers. His response indicated that there is a slim chance of that happening. I myself am going into the restaurant to supervise, as Mother's Day is typically the busiest restaurant day of the year.   

Thought I'd share a photo with related mothers in it that I dug out this morning. 

But, I find searching for pictures of your mother is nearly an impossible task, as there are so few.  But I did find one of me pictured with some of your other favorite mothers.   I'm not sure of the occasion, but your sister Nancy appears to be lighting a birthday candle.  Grandma Vera is looking annoyed and perhaps isn't enjoying herself and probably just wants to go home, or to BINGO.  My best guess is that this was taken circa 2000.  By then I think you had left the state.

-FNJ

Mother's Day 2025 Addendum

And I forgot to tell you, that if you ever truly miss your mother, I have a fix for that. I can arrange for you to spend time with Shirley 2.0.

I have no clue where Jason is in the above photo, with his Great-Grandma Vera, and a pair of his aunts. Nancy, aka Shirley 2.0, on the left, with Jackie, in blue, next to Nancy, who Jason suggests is lighting a candle.

Saying I have no clue where Jason is in the above photo, I was referring to the location where the photo was taken. I know where Jason is in the photo. That is him, next to his Great-Grandma.

As for Jason suggesting Nancy is lighting a candle, okay, looking at the photo, at full-size, before I shrunk it for blogging purposes, I can see that it looks like Nancy is lighting what may be a candle, with matches in her left hand. Here is the zoomed view...

As for Jason having a shortage of photos of my mom, also known as his Grandma. I do not suffer that same problem. I have a lot of photos, with many taken in the years 2017-2019, including the photo at the top, taken at Tortilla Flat, on the Apache Trail in Arizona. 

That is me behind mom, with Linda Lou on the left and Big Ed on the right.

Renders me a tad melancholy, seeing that photo of mom at Tortilla Flat, and realizing that at that point in time, there would not be many more days like that. Wish I could live that day's Apache Trail drive to Tortilla Flat over again...

Flooding Recedes Re-Opening Muddy Lucy Park

On this second Saturday of the 2025 version of May, I ventured back to Lucy Park, just like I did last Saturday.

Last Saturday I found Lucy Park flooded and closed.

A week later, as in today, the flooding has mostly receded, with walking in parts of the park possible, with a lot of dried-up river mud to walk over.

And, apparently, it is doable to be fishing in the still running high, Wichita River.

The Lucy Park suspension bridge over the Wichita River remains closed.

I could tell the river had flooded above the bridge deck, due to chunks of wood remaining, waiting to be removed. As you can see, the river currently remains almost as high as the bridge deck.

 My favorite area to hike in Lucy Park is the area I refer to as the Lucy Park Backwoods Jungle.

The Jungle remains deeply flooded, as you can see via the photo documentation. It will likely be a couple months before the Backwoods Jungle dries out.

And there you have it, your look today at the Wichita Falls zone of Texas in which I currently reside...

Wichita Falls Friday Holliday Creek Hail & Rain Deluge With Egrets

Earlier on this second Friday of the 2025 version of May, I found myself driving north on Kemp Boulevard, a route which took me by Lake Wichita's dam spillway. Which I saw was still spilling a lot of water, after having been spilling no water for several years.

The water which spills over the Lake Wichita dam spillway spills into Holliday Creek.

Yes, that is spelled correctly. This particular version of that word has two l's, one more than the one l one is used to.

Holliday Creek eventually makes it way to the Wichita River, flowing by my abode on its way. The Circle Trail trails beside Holliday Creek, for a few miles, including by my abode.

And so, late this afternoon I took a rare late afternoon walk along the Circle Trail, hoping to get a good photo of Holliday Creek in its current state of flowing a lot of water, after having been dry for several years.

As you can see, via the above photo documentation, I was able to get a photograph of Holliday Creek, with a small white bird posing for me. I think this may be an Egret, maybe.

Soon after taking the photo, I began being hit by big drops of rain, plopping quite vigorously. 

And then some balls of hail were added to the mix.

I was only a couple hundred feet from getting under the cover of my carport. I made it there to wait out the deluge.

After about 10 minutes of waiting, I got bored and opted to make fast tracks back to my hail and rain-free interior space.

And now, a half hour later, no rain is falling, the sun is shining bright. And the A/C just turned on...

Favorite Nephew Jason's Current Plot To Get His Favorite Uncle Back To Washington

Shocking news today from my Favorite Nephew Jason. The house I built in 1985, that I sold after I moved to Texas, is for sale again.

Jason sent me the Zillow listing, which had around 40 photos of the current condition of the house I left in excellent condition. I barely recognized it.

I did like the totally re-built deck out back. It looked way bigger, though not multi-level. But, it now has a big hot tub.

I hate what they've done to the carport. Closed it off with a tacky garage door. The stairs to the main floor have been totally re-done. The glass-roofed atrium on the rooftop deck is gone.

As is the big rhododendron which was to the right of the stairs. Why would someone remove that?

It looks like all the landscaping has been removed, except for the trees which were there before the house was.

Jason's final message of the day regarding my old house....

So, all I would need to do is buy it, renovate it to be as nice as when you left it, and then your long Texas Exodus would be over with?   Sound like a good plan?

Yes, that does sound like a good plan....

Finding Mom & Dad & Spencer Jack At Bay View State Park In 2008 With Hortense

Of late, a time or two, or three, I will come upon something whilst looking for something, a photo, usually, which renders me melancholy upon seeing that which I have come upon.

Last night I was looking for photos of Mount Rainier. I knew I should have plenty, including many from my most recent up-close visit to Washington's biggest volcano, back in August of 2008.

Some time back I realized that the archived photos I have on this computer are not actually stored on this computer, but are in the Cloud, stored via Microsoft OneDrive. Hence why I have trouble, sometimes, finding a photo I know I should be able to find.

Well, when I got the computer I am currently using, a few years back, I remember being quite impressed that once I logged into my Microsoft account my computer was mostly restored to what was on the previous computer. Things like saved bookmarks in the browser. Photos. Saved text in Notepad. And more.

I do not remember when it was I realized much of what I thought was on my computer, was actually in what is known as the Cloud.

So, last night, for some reason, it occurred to me to plug in a USB drive I'd long ago copied files on to. I remember doing that because I wanted to make sure I had some things, like the install files for Image Composer. 

Well.

On the USB drive there is a folder called photos. And in that folder are the photos that are now in the Cloud. Along with photos which are not in the Cloud, which I had feared to be lost, like the Mount Rainier photos. Or the photos of the first time I met my great grand nephew, Spencer Jack, back in August of 2008.

Some of the photos you see in this blog post are from that day, way back then, when a large group of my relatives assembled at Bay View State Park, in my old home zone of the Skagit Valley.

On that day, my mom and dad and I got to meet Spencer Jack for the first time. That is mom and dad, above, with Spencer Jack held by his mom, Jenny.

Spencer Jack is now 18. Hence the feeling melancholy. Time flies. And mom and dad are no longer with us. Seems so recent mom and dad were functioning fine.

Above we see Spencer Jack meet Blue and Max, the Tacoma poodles who lived with my sister and sister-in-law, prior to the arrival of David, Theo and Ruby a few years later. Blue and Max are also no longer with us.

One of the reasons I was in Washington, at that point in time, in addition to meeting Spencer Jack, was to babysit Blue and Max, whilst their parental units went to Washington, D.C. for a few days.

Leaving Bay View State Park, that day, for reasons I do not remember, we drove by my house in Mount Vernon, which was my abode prior to moving to Texas. Maybe sister-in-law, Kristin, wanted to see it. I know I really did not much want to, knowing seeing it would made me feel, well, melancholy. 

As you can see, this was a rather unique house, surrounded by trees. The roof deck garden above the carport is something I suppose I miss most. I grew a lot of things. Blueberries, basil, strawberries, tomatoes, lots of flowers.

The back of the house had another deck, multi-level, entered from the kitchen, overlooking a ravine and creek. 

My multiple Texas abodes have never been anywhere near what I was enjoying living in, in Washington, neither the abodes, nor the locations of the abodes, scenery-wise. I could see the Mount Baker volcano, hovering in the distance, from my living room windows.

Now, I am off to find photos I am sure exist which I took up close of Mt. St. Helens, way back in the 1990s.

Well, I found the Mt. St. Helens photos. And also found photos of my Mount Vernon, Pawnee Lane, abode, rendering a fresh melancholy bout.

Below are two of those Mount Vernon house photos...

Above we are on the deck above the carport. Most of the garden part of the deck is behind me. That is one of the blueberry bushes on the right. A large section of the deck had a glass-roofed awning above it. You can see that above the BBQ grill and the small table. There was also a hammock under that awning, which I spent many a fine hour on.

I have no daylight photos of the living room, from whence one could see the Mount Baker volcano, on a clear day. 

My morning ritual, back then, was to read the morning paper, as in the Seattle Post-Intelligencer, whilst laying on the floor, drinking coffee, with my cat, Hortense, reading with me.

I miss having a real newspaper to read. Online versions are just really not the same thing.

Hortense made the move to Texas, arriving in the Lone Star State a couple months before I did. Hortense made the journey, sedated, in a special carrier device, made for flying felines.

Hortense did a lot of crying and hiding when she first arrived at her new Texas abode. To calm her, Hortense's temporary caretaker would call me so I could talk to Hortense. Just my voice calmed the nervous girl.

Hortense was noticeably happy to see me when I finally arrived in Texas. She lasted for a couple years, before suffering a fatal stroke. Hortense is buried in a horse pasture that was part of my first Texas abode, in the small hamlet of Haslet, at the far north side of Fort Worth.

And now I must do something aerobic to break me free from this current melancholy mood...

Tuesday May Morning Cool Rain Flash Flooding Thunderstorm

This first Tuesday of the 2025 version of May is being wildly stormy at my North Texas location of Wichita Falls.

Rain is falling copiously in loud downpour mode.

Lightning bolts strike, thunder booms.

So far, no tornado sirens.

But wind is blowing in gust mode.

I suspect I shall not be getting my daily endorphin dose gained via aerobic stimulation from fast walking in an outdoor venue. Walmart likely will be my exercise location, if I deem it doable to make it around the moat between me and my vehicle.

Below is the current view from my kitchen window...

Two hours later the downpouring has not abated. The downpouring has accelerated. And is noisy. Below is the latest photo documentation of such...

May The 4th Be With You This First Sikes Lake Sunday Of May

 "May the 4th Be with You..."

I heard the above bit of pseudo cleverness on the radio whilst walking around Sikes Lake on this first Sunday of the 2025 version of May.

As you can see, via the photo documentation, this particular Sunday in this particular part of North Texas is being an extremely sunny Sunday.

Sunny and pleasantly warm.

A welcome break from all the recent excessive storminess.

Excessive storminess is back on the weather menu for a couple days this coming week.

This morning's Wichita Falls Times Record News warned that the recent bout of day after day of rain will be bringing a plague of mosquitoes.

The usual Spring plague of biting bugs usually does not abate until the HOT heat of Summer dries up the biting pests.

I must remember to buy bug spray the next time I am in Walmart...

Saturday Library Visit Takes Me Back To Lucy Park Flood

On this first Saturday of the fifth month of 2025, I found I had exhausted my supply of reading materials.

So, it was to downtown Wichita Falls I rolled my wheels this morning to do some checking out of books.

I read this morning, in the online version of the Wichita Falls Times Record News, that the Wichita River was expected to crest today.

And so, after the library visit, it was back to Lucy Park to find that the flood had risen substantially since yesterday.

I was not the only looky-loo looking today.

That sign you see above the flood water is pointing you to The Falls.

It is the Circle Trail which takes one to The Falls. As you can see, the Circle Trail is currently not providing a path to walk on. Perhaps a kayak could provide a ride to The Falls.

As you can see via the photo documentation, clouds are no longer blocking the sun. A totally clear blue sky has returned to my North Texas location.

The current forecast is for a few weather drama-free days, and then a return to some thunderstorming...

Friday Return To Flooded Lucy Park Under Stormy Sky

On this first Friday of the 5th month of 2025, also known as May, it was back to Lucy Park I ventured, since I was in the neighborhood, and was curious to see how much more of Lucy Park has flooded since checking in yesterday.

Well. the Wichita River has added several more feet, since yesterday, totally covering the road, as you can clearly see via the photo documentation.

And rain continues to fall, despite the weather prediction not predicting the drips to be falling for multiple hours today.

I had planned to return to the Wichita Bluff Nature Area, for a repeat of yesterday's flood viewing.

But, by the time I got to the Wichita Bluff Nature Area rain was dripping copiously, lightning bolts were striking. And the clouds had that dark look I have seen before, with a tornado soon to start twisting.

So, it did not seem a wise idea to hike the bluffs under umbrella cover, with the umbrella making for a possible lightning strike target.

Thus, it was to Walmart I retreated for my high-speed walking and its resultant endorphin acquisition and anthropological observations.

It is now noon. The sky has ceased dripping. There are some breaks in the clouds, allowing some sunlight to break through.

The birds are sounding celebratory...

Taking A Look At The Wichita River Flood & Jungle

On the way to the Wichita Bluff Nature Area's west entrance, I detoured to Lucy Park to see how much of the park the flooding Wichita River has covered with reddish-brown water.

I was expecting the flood waters to have reached a level higher than I saw several years ago, what with the prediction for this flood event being for it to exceed the flood of 2007.

Well, the water is still rising, so maximum flood level is yet to be reached. And more rain is on the weather menu for later on this first day of May.

But, already, Wichita River water has flooded over the road which takes you to the Lucy Park pool and log cabin, as you can see via the below photo documentation.

I thought when I reached the high points of the Circle Trail in the Wichita Bluff Nature Area that I would be seeing big expanses of flatland flooded.

Instead, what I saw was the Wichita River looking way bigger than its norm.

I have had feedback of late from non-Texans surprised at how some of my photos make it look like the Texas foliage appears to be almost jungle-like.

The above photo, looking east towards downtown Wichita Falls, is a good such jungle example, with the Wichita River being almost Amazon-like, if one stretches one's imagination...