Final September Saturday Keeping Cool At Sikes Lake

On this final Saturday of the 2025 version of September it was to Sikes Lake I ventured for some much-needed endorphin acquisition and the corresponding calorie consumption.

In the photo documentation you are standing on the rocky eastern shore of Sikes Lake, looking in a southwest direction.

The outer world air at my North Texas location is cooled to an extremely pleasant temperature today.

That seems to have resulted in a far larger than the norm number of people out enjoying being under the sun without feeling like you are being broiled.

The arrival of fall, with its predictable drop in temperature, comes at an opportune time for me, enabling me to ramp up my physical activity, so as to burn more calories, and lose some weight.

About 20 pounds.

An event is coming up which will require me to be in outerwear of the uncomfortable suit type, with the dress slacks part of the suit requiring me to shrink. That or go slacks shopping. Which is an activity I prefer to avoid.

Being 20 pounds lighter will make being stuck in an airplane seat feel less sardine can-like. I remember way back in August of 2008, weighing 20 pounds less than I do now, flying from Love Field, in Dallas, to Seattle, on Southwest. Most comfortable flying experience ever.

I think part of that extra comfort may have been due to being on a Southwest plane, instead of an American Airlines plane, which is what I am stuck with, flying out of Wichita Falls...

Happy Birthday, Brother Jake, With Microsoft's False Tulip Memories

The photo you see here arrived a couple minutes ago, via email from Microsoft's Memories from this Day.

This instance is one of the times I know for certain this memory could not have happened on this day, late in the month of September.

In the photo we are located on what is known as the Skagit Flats. A vast agricultural zone which in the spring (not fall) sprouts huge fields of flowers. 

Mostly tulips, which is what you see in the photo.

The Skagit Valley Tulip Festival month is a HUGE tourist attraction, drawing throngs to the valley from all over the world.

In the photo we are looking east, at the Cascade Mountain foothills. The Mount Baker volcano is to the left, with seeing that mountain blocked by Mount Vernon's Little Mountain.

My little brother, Jake, he being Spencer Jack and Hank Frank's grandpa, and the pa of my nephews, Jason and Joey. lives near the location of the tulip field you see in the photo.

Today is my little brother's birthday. A few minutes ago I texted him a Happy Birthday message.

No matter what particular day in the year it is at my North Texas location, no matter which direction I look, I will see no mountains. Or vast fields of colorful flowers.

Currently I do see a vast field of goats when I look in the right direction. The hundreds of goats have become quite the local tourist attraction, but, as far as I know, not drawing throngs from all over the world...

Today Finding Risky Instability Over The Wichita River In Lucy Park

On this final Thursday of the 2025 version of September it was back to Lucy Park I ventured for some pleasantly temperatured salubrious endorphin acquisition gained via high-speed walking.

After one of my earlier visits to Lucy Park, this month, I recollect mentioning that I found the Lucy Park suspension bridge over the Wichita River to be causing a dizzying sensation, due to swaying more than it had in the past, and some of the bridge planks being a bit warped.

Please note the signage seen in today's photo documentation, making note of a new sign which has been added since my last visit. 

A close up look at that new sign...

Now, it seems just a bit odd to have one sign, the one which has been there ever since I first saw this suspension bridge, years ago, advising "CAUTION MAXIMUM LOADING 20 PERSONS", whilst adding a new sign indicating the bridge is unstable and risky to cross.

Would the city not face some sort of serious liability if someone was to cross this bridge, seeing only the original sign, not seeing the new, small, highly suspended sign, and then suffer a serious injury of some sort?

Seems to me if the city is thinking the bridge is unstable and risky to cross, that maybe closing access to the risky bridge would be the wise course to take and then proceed to restore the bridge to its former un-risky, stable glory....

Nephew Jason Takes Me Virtually Home To Mount Vernon

A year or so ago my Favorite Jason Nephew sent me a link to a real estate listing for 1114 Pawnee Lane in Mount Vernon, Washington.

The house was a disaster. Apparently, the roof failed, pretty much ruining the entire interior, all three floors, along with ruining the rooftop garden and other damage.

Even so, the house was listed for just under half a million bucks.

Which seemed totally bizarre, what with that house having been built in 1985 for around $65,000, and sold in 2002 for around $135,000.

And now, this third or fourth day since the fall of fall, incoming email from the aforementioned Favorite Jason Nephew.

Text in the email, "Went for a nice fall drive this morning.  Fall leaf foliage is nearly in its peak. We are in a pattern of cool crisp mornings with afternoon sunshine.  Snapped a shot of this Pawnee Lane home.  I see new windows have been installed."

The large image is the photo Jason included, of what the Pawnee Lane house looks now, in 2025. Inset at the lower left is one of the few photos I have of that house, taken soon before I moved from that house to Texas.

That house looked real nice when I left it. It has been tackied up in the years since. An ugly garage door added to the carport. The stairs to the second floor entry oddly rebuilt. Ugly windows. The glassed awning at the second floor entry, covering part of the rooftop garden atop the carport, has been replaced with what looks like a sloping, solid structure.

I spent many hours on many days swinging in a hammock under that glass-roofed awning, taking breaks from tending to my garden of tomatoes, blueberries, flowers, strawberries and various herbs.

I should have more photos of that house. Maybe I have hard copy, non-digital, old-fashioned type photos in one of my many photo albums which I've not looked at in years.

Or maybe there are photos in one of the picture folders on this computer. Though a quick look only found a few....

Jimmy Kimmel Live Tonight In Wichita Falls But Not Seattle

I was surprised this morning when I got to the Seattle Times part of my regular morning perusal of online news sources, to see an article headline saying, "KOMO won't air return of Jimmy Kimmel's show in Seattle, owner says".

The owner of Seattle's KOMO ABC affiliate is the Sinclair Broadcast Group. Sinclair was founded by a right wing conservative nutjob.

At the time of learning of Seattle's continued Kimmel ban I did not know if my local, Wichita Falls, Texas ABC affiliate was owned by Sinclair, or if the show was airing tonight, no matter who the owner might be.

Well.

I got around to turning on my TV, scrolled to KFDX-TV, that being the local ABC affiliate, broadcast from a tower in Lawton, Oklahoma, about 30 miles north of my Texas location to see tonight's listing shows the Jimmy Kimmel Show.

So, my DVR is now set to record tonight's likely highly viewed return to the air of one of America's funniest and best comedians and truth tellers.

Last night I posted the following meme on Facebook. By this morning there were a few comments generated by Seattle's continued Kimmel ban.

Janice Burwash--I’m waiting to see if the Seattle ABC affiliate will air it. “Beginning Tuesday night, Sinclair will be preempting Jimmy Kimmel Live! across our ABC affiliate stations and replacing it with news programming,' the company said. 'Discussions with ABC' are ongoing as we evaluate the show's potential return.” This includes Seattle.

Bruce Forrester---I believe it will be on Hulu the next day.

Durango Jones---Janice Burwash I was just getting ready to blog about the extreme irony of progressive, liberal Seattle's ABC affiliate not airing the Kimmel return due to being owned by a right wing nutjob named Sinclair. Meanwhile, at my non-progressive, non-liberal Texas location the ABC affiliate is not owned by a right wing nutjob. and, as far as I know, tonight's returned will be aired. I have yet to turn on my TV to make sure, and set my DVR to record it, as late night talk shows are way past my bedtime....

Stuart Langley---Bruce and Janice- I certainly hope that citizens in your Market raise a stink. It would be great to see Sinclair have to change attitudes. As you likely both remember, Sinclair, owned by a right-wing billionaire who bought a large portion of the local TV markets in America a few years ago. Their purpose was to manage news. You may remember the fuss at the time.

Janice Burwash---Stuart, I’ve got my TV set to record Kimmel’s return tonight. When I check tomorrow morning I’ll see what happened. I may need to send an unhappy customer message to Sinclair.

Bruce Forrester---We will probably have access to the shows content around 8:30 - 9:00pm pacific time as it will be airing on the east coast.

Durango Jones---Stuart Langley, I thought Sinclair was the name of the right wing nutjob. Had to Google Sinclair to find out I was wrong...

Sinclair, Inc., doing business as Sinclair Broadcast Group, is a publicly traded American telecommunications conglomerate that is controlled by the descendants of company founder Julian Sinclair Smith. Headquartered in the Baltimore suburb of Cockeysville, Maryland, the company is the second-largest television station operator in the United States by number of stations after Nexstar Media Group, owning or operating 193 stations across the country in over 100 markets, covering 40% of American households.                  

September Sunday Morning Extreme Wichita Falls Thunderstorm With Flash Flooding

A totally un-forecast storm is being a wild, loud ride, this next to last September Sunday, in the 2025 year. 

A chance of thunderstorming was forecast for late yesterday afternoon. That did slightly happen, along with a few raindrops.

Then, about 4 this morning I began seeing lightning flashes. Soon the flashes were close enough that I heard the thunder.

The flashing and thunder booming has gone on now for hours.

We are coming up on 10 in the morning.

About an hour ago the rain switched to extreme downpour mode, which caused the Weather Service to issue multiple Extreme Flash Flooding Warnings.

Some of that flash flooding is what I photo documented, above. The view from one of my windows which faces west, across Taft Boulevard, which is currently in flooded mode.

If the rain lets up enough I may try to make it to my carport, to maybe drive to Walmart, and to check on the goat herd. Do goats do okay in heavy rain with bright lightning flashes and loud thunder booms?

Friday Morning Look At My Neighborhood Goatscaping

This morning, before the sun arrived to do its daily illumination duty, I read an article in Texoma's Homepage about my new neighbors, a big flock of vegetation chewing goats.

After reading the article I updated yesterday's My Wichita Falls Neighborhood Invaded By 100s Of Goats blog post about the goats.

When the sun finally arrived this morning, I looked out my bedroom window and saw no goats.

But, I had just read that the goat flock would be spending their nights penned in on Holliday Creek. So, I assumed they were on the side of the creek not visible to me from my window vantage point.

That the goats were there was confirmed when I saw people walking and biking on the Circle Trail, stopping to get their phones out to take photos of what I assumed had to be the goats I could not see.

So, I attired myself sufficiently for outdoor exposure and went to check on the goats.

This morning, I opted to photo document the warning sign advising CAUTION! due to an ELECTRIC FENCE.

I do not see how that fence could possibly be electrified. What's the power source? Where is the insulation keeping the wire from being grounded? Having been electrified by an electric fence, more than once, during my childhood years, I did not opt to touch the fence to test my theory that the fence was not actually electrified. 

 And here you see some of the goat flock, vertical and chewing the scenery after a good night's slumber.

In this morning's Texoma's Homepage goat article I learned that the Goatscaping scenery chewing is going to go on for several weeks.

My Wichita Falls Neighborhood Invaded By 100s Of Goats

This September Friday afternoon, around 4, I looked out my kitchen window and found myself surprised to be seeing goats. 

Six or seven goats.

Weeks ago, or was it months, I recollect reading that some local goat herder was going to be herding a few goats on the slopes of Holliday Creek to cut down the excess vegetation in an environmentally friendly way.

But, no goats showed up, til today.

The Circle Trail runs adjacent to Holliday Creek, at my location. My vehicle is parked adjacent to the Circle Trail.

In other words, it was a short walk to get a close up look at the goats.

Well.

Imagine my surprise when the full scope of the size of the goat herd came into view.

Not six or seven goats, but what looked to be maybe a couple hundred goats, on both sides of the creek.

The goat version of barking is a pleasant sound when it is dozens of the barkers doing the bleating. The goats seemed to be having a mighty fine time.

A temporary electric fence, well, what the signage claimed to be was an electric fence, with a warning not to touch, or try to pet the goats, kept the goat herd from venturing on to the Circle Trail seeking greener pastures.

Above you can see the temporary electric fence crossing Holliday Creek, blocking the goats from heading north

Traffic over the Holliday Creek Southwest Boulevard bridge was being affected by the surprising spectacle.

The crowd of goat lookers continues to grow.

In a town a tad shy of interesting tourist attractions, this goat herd should provide one for its duration.

If only the town had an actual local news covering newspaper that would let the locals know there is something to take the kids to see at Weeks Park. Lots of parking at that park, easy to find, accessed off Southwest Boulevard, just drive past the fire station. 

Are the goats staying overnight? There was no visible goat hauling vehicle to be seen. It must have required multiple such vehicles to haul so many goats.

UPDATE:

Local NBC TV, KFDX, also has an online version, Texoma's Homepage, which is actually what amounts to being a good local news source, unlike the online version of Wichita Falls only print version of a newspaper, known as the Wichita Falls Times Record News.

This Friday morning Texoma's Homepage has an article, and video, about my neighborhood goat invasion...

City of Wichita Falls deploys goats to tackle tall grass

The article, in its entirety (minus the video)...

WICHITA FALLS (KFDX/KJTL) — The City of Wichita Falls welcomed lots of little landscapers to help combat tall grass Thursday morning.

On Thursday, September 18, about 500 goats and some sheep were set loose along the shore of Holliday Creek near Weeks Park to enjoy an acre-sized buffet of tall grass.

City of Wichita Falls public information officer, Chris Horgen, said ‘Goatscaping’ is a viable option to get into places mowers can’t. The goats will be grazing around-the-clock for two to three weeks, and Horgen said the benefits go beyond being eco-friendly.

“It’ll reduce wildfire. You know, it’s a wildfire mitigation tool because we’re gonna get some of this high grass that’s fuel for wildfires in the winter to come down, with this, because they’ll eat these to the roots,” Horgen said. “This will be everything that’s behind us that these goats and sheep are eating will go to the roots of the ground.”

Horgen said an electric fence and a shepherd dog are on hand to keep the four-legged grass munchers from getting into trouble.

Officials ask residents to keep their distance and to keep pets away from the goats and sheep. The goats are corralled in a one-acre area at a time and will be visiting for a few weeks.

Almost An End Of Summer HOT Walk Around Sikes Lake

In the photo documentation you are looking southwest from the rocky east shore of Sikes Lake, on the final Tuesday of the 2025 version of summer.

Fall falls in less than a week.

We seem to have zoomed past halfway through September, way too fast.

I am beginning to become no fan of how time seems to be accelerating, the older I get.

Even though this is almost the end of summer, the outer world, at my North Texas location, managed to be HOT, under that totally clear blue sky you see above.

A high in the mid 90s, today, as measured by the Fahrenheit method which only one or two nations use to measure the temperature.

My air-conditioner is currently trying to get my interior temperature down to 78. I forgot to activate it when I exited my abode to go to Sikes Lake. The cold air blowing on me feels good.

In about a month I suspect it will be heated air blowing on me which will be feeling good, after a chilly walk around Sikes Lake, or some other local hiking venue...

Dizzy Sunday Vertigo Suspended In Lucy Park

I took a break from nature communing yesterday.

So, today, on the second Sunday of the 2025 version of September, I ventured to Lucy Park to join the throngs busily nature communing.

I had not walked across the Lucy Park suspension bridge over the Wichita River for quite some time, til today.

By the time I got to the middle of the bridge I was regretting it. Recent flooding has warped many of the bridge deck planks. The bridge swayed way more than previously, just from one person walking on it.

The swaying, gaps in the warped deck, river flowing beneath, all contributed to making me a bit dizzy.

Getting my camera phone out of my pocket for photo taking purposes was problematic, as was turning on the phone, trying to see the screen to aim the camera was also problematic.

I took two photos and then hurried off the bridge.

Back on dry land I looked at the two photos and saw one of my fingers had gotten in the way of the lens, ruining both photos.

I was not going to go out on that bridge to take another photo, so I took the one you see above, whilst standing on land which was not noticeably moving.

In addition to the photo documentation showing the vertigo inducing bridge, you can also see, even as the start of fall rapidly approaches, we are still in lush, green jungle-like mode at my usually brown, this time of year, location in North Texas.

My Miserable Memory Barely Remembers Burlington-Edison High School

What you see photo documented above is my old high school building before being demolished so a more modern structure could replace it.

I saw this photo when I info-searched for images of my high school, Burlington-Edison. I was doing this because I could not remember what the new version of the high school looked like.

That is when I saw the above photo.

And found myself surprised to see that, ironically, I was the source for that photo, as it appeared on a blog post on my Washington blog, blogged way back in 2011, with the blog post titled Wikipedia Has An Article About Burlington-Edison High School.

Prior to seeing that photo I was also surprised to see there was a link to a Wikipedia article about my high school. With it being additionally ironic to go from thinking maybe I'd blog about that, and the interesting tidbits in the Wikipedia article, to see that I already blogged about that Wikipedia article 14 years ago.

Yet one more indication my memory function is faltering...

Finding Flags Flying Half-Mast On 9/11 Anniversary

Hard to believe it was 24 years ago, the morning of September 11, 2001, that I got a call from someone in Dallas, telling me the World Trade Center had been hit by a plane. I erroneously thought, since the person was in Dallas, that he was talking about the Dallas World Trade Center.

I then turned on my TV to instantly find myself shocked seeing the second plane strike the second World Trade Center tower.

It being just a little past 6 in the morning, I began calling people on the west coast to tell them to turn on their TVs. And to tell my little sister that it might be a good idea to stay home today instead of going to her downtown Seattle office tower.

Diverting slightly from the 9/11 subject, an hour or so before noon, on my way to make a bank deposit, I was surprised to see a couple churches with multiple flags stuck in the ground in front of the churches. And then I saw a Whataburger with a flag at half mast. Then another. And another. 

I knew our Dear Leader had ordered federal flags to be at half-mast, to the consternation of many, because of the Kirk killing.

And then I got to the bank, next to the post office, which was not flying a flag, half-mast, or otherwise.

But, the bank's flag was at half-mast.

So, sort of appalled that the bank would be paying homage to Charlie Kirk, I asked why the flag was at half-mast.

Because it is the Anniversary of 9/11, came the answer, which should have already occurred to me. Which explained the flags in front of the churches.

I don't know about Whataburger. I have never consumed a Whataburger burger. If that flag is still at half-mast tomorrow, I for sure will never consume a Whataburger burger.

Leaving the bank, it was on to Lake Wichita Park for some nature communing. Which is where I took the above photo of the flag at half-mast, at the Lake Wichita Park Veterans Memorial, with Mount Wichita hovering in the background.

Microsoft Memory Remembering Mount Rainier

Pleasant memories from Microsoft's OneDrive Memories of this Day, today. Usually, I do not remember the actual date of these Microsoft Memories, but these memories, I do remember the date.

August 11, 2008

Mu sister-in-law, Kristin, and her mom, Janet, let me drive them to Mount Rainier National Park, where we parked at Paradise and joined the throngs hiking to the base of the volcano.

That would me, photo documented by Kristin, with Mount Rainier behind me. I think the object in my right hand is likely my long-gone Casio camcorder. Maybe not, now that I am thinking about it. I can't remember if I have videos I made from this day. Maybe it is my Canon digital camera that I no longer use, aimed at Kristin and her mom.

I seldom make videos anymore. 

My old-fashioned means of taking photos and shooting video have been replaced by my phone. 

Microsoft discontinued its super easy to use Windows Moviemaker, with me never successfully finding a replacement which renders video as easy to edit as Moviemaker.

I wonder if I will ever experience Mount Rainier, up close, again.

Ironically, when I lived in Washington I only visited Mount Rainier National Park once. I lived closer to other volcanoes, which I frequented frequently, like Mount Baker, which I could see from my living room windows.

Pondering Perplexing Prissy Prude

Yesterday I found myself in a conversation during which the subject of a distant acquaintance surfaced. I described my recent experience with this distant acquaintance, which then had the party with whom I was conversing saying to me, "She has always been known as an over-the-top prissy prude."

To which I replied something like, "Well, I really did not know her at all."

Then I found myself Googling "Prissy Prude" to see if the information gleaned via that means matched my experience with the individual described as an over-the-top prissy prude.

From Google...

"Prissy prude" is a redundant, informal phrase used to describe someone who is excessively prim, proper, and prudish in their behavior, speech, or dress, often to an exaggerated or finicky degree. Both "prissy" and "prude" describe a person who is overly concerned with being modest and correct. 

Well, that Google definition sort of matches what I experienced.

I do not think my personality type is meant to deal with prissy prudish types, thus best avoided...

Being Disrespected For Allegedly Being Disrespectful While Being Un-Funny

A few days ago I saw what I thought was a semi-amusing item on Facebook.

I copied said semi-amusing item on Facebook to my favorite photo editing application.

I then replaced the semi-amusing item's faces with the faces of a couple of the female gender from my high school class.

I then posted the altered semi-amusing item on Facebook with the following text...

It is nice to see a couple of the young ladies from my high school class, decades later, discussing how to be happier....

I was surprised the following morning to find the following message, from one of the faces, in my Facebook Messenger mailbox...

"What did I do to deserve that picture and remark? I detest the "F" word and wish it could be deleted from the universe. Could you put somebody else's face in there besides mine or just remove it please."

Picture and remark? I did not install someone else's face, or remove it, as per the urgent request. I instead put a circle over the offendee's face. And today I added a similar circle to the other face.

After receiving the urgent removal request I commented with....

Who would have thunk that someone might recognize one of these two pictured as themselves, and leave a comment?

Yesterday the primary offendee had her regularly scheduled monthly reunion with a few with whom I was in school, many decades ago. I assume at that reunion the offendee shared her highly developed sense of being offended, because a few hours later a new Facebook comment arrived from one of the monthly reunion attendees....

I recognized both….right away….very disrespectful…..Not funny…crossed a line, IMO…

To which I replied....

Yeah, any right-minded person would find such as this totally scandalous, shocking, really. The perpetrator should be totally ashamed of himself for perpetrating such an outrage. And crossing such a clearly marked obvious line. And what sort of miscreant would find such as this as even being remotely funny? Truly perplexing...

There you go. The most recent example of why I have made it clear, when asked, if I am ever going to attend one of these high school reunions with people I have not seen in decades, with the answer being I have zero interest in doing so.

I regularly hear from those I actually knew well, along with some I really did not know in high school, plus seeing some in person. 

As for the original offendee, and her fellow offendee, who was totally offput by my alleged wanton display of disrespect, I have done something I've never before done. I un-Friended both from Facebook, thus sparing them any possible additional emotional pain and suffering.

I'll happily provide the same service to anyone else feeling pain from my alleged disrespect and sadly lacking sense of humor....

Seeking Sikes Lake Cherry Blossom at Wichita Falls Museum of Art

 
Under a cloudy September sky, a Monday, the second such day in the 2025 version of this particular month, I once again ventured to nearby Sikes Lake to commune with nature whilst acquiring much needed endorphins, along with other benefits one gains when one communes with nature.

Today, in addition to my regular route, when I walked around the Wichita Falls Museum of Art I opted to add a walk around the Museum's Sculpture Garden to gander at the many wonderful works of art.

Such as the work of sculptured art you see photo documented above.

Looking at this creation, the work's name is obviously obvious to even the most casual of art lovers.

But, I shall type the art work's name in case someone is somehow not able to easily glean it.

Cherry Blossom & Astronomy

Now, don't you feel foolish if you didn't realize the name without having it spelled out for you?

Recovering From The Attack Of The Karen

If you are so lucky as to never having had the experience of experiencing the wrath of what is commonly known as a "Karen", or in my old Skagit Valley home zone, as a "Carol", consider yourself blessed.

The Karen types are programmed different from the bulk of humanity.

The life energy of the Karen type seems to be devoted to finding something to be upset about.

Upset about something which the bulk of humanity would not react to with upset, anger and irrational vitriol.

When one is the focus of a Karen it is difficult to know how to respond. 

Not responding is probably the best strategy.

But, it is just too tempting to flip the Karen's nonsense back at her. But, wising up of a Karen is never the result. It only amps up the Karen-ness.

For today's Karen photo documentation, I morphed the Karen with whom I dealt today, with the most infamous of the breed, that being the Central Park Karen.

And now I look forward to the rest of September, and the rest of 2025, and beyond, being totally Karen-free...

Fun Friday Night Football At My B-EHS Alma Mater

Attending a Friday night football game at my alma mater, Burlington-Edion High School, in Burlington, Washington, in the beautiful Skagit Valley.

Attending an event I never thought I would ever find myself ever again attending.

You get older and everything looks smaller.

The football field grandstands look way smaller than I remembered.

Burlington Hill looks way smaller.

The people look way way smaller than the large number of bloated blimps I see all the time at my Texas locations.

I do not remember the football field grandstands being painted in the gold and blue color scheme. Or the cheerleader outfits being so garishly blue and gold.

Anyway, it is fun being back home, if only vicariously....

Saturday Return To Sikes Lake Getting Chilled With Multiple Communists

On this first Saturday of 2025's September, it was back to Sikes Lake I ventured for a healthy bout of nature communing, along with oodles of other communists communing with nature.

Methinks the reason for the size of the number of nature communers is due to the outer world being chilled to 15 degrees cooler than my usual air-conditioning setting of 78 degrees.

I will do the math for you.

The temperature was a chilly 63 degrees, as measured by the Fahrenheit method, whilst I was getting myself some good feeling endorphins.

Unlike yesterday, today I remembered to photo document my nature communing, before I got back to my motorized means of motion.

Which would make that above view looking west across Sikes Lake from the lake's rocky east shore.

Yesterday's predicted thunderstorm did not happen. But rain did pour down, but not in downpour mode, for a short duration.

Possible rain is on the weather menu for today. 

Yesterday my air-conditioner did not cycle on for the first time in many months.

Last night, sleeping in my regular mode, in the buff, atop my bedding, I was almost chilly enough to get up and walk into the closet to get a throw blanket. This morning, anticipating tonight being colder than last night, my bed is already equipped with that previously closeted throw blanket.

I wonder if the currently early in the chilly season chill is a harbinger of an extremely cold upcoming winter. I hope not...

Friday Sikes Lake Nature Communing

Since Labor Day, til today, the 5th day of the 2025 version of September, also known as Friday, I have not felt like nature communing in the outer world, due to a combo of factors making the outer world way too humid for me to enjoy subjecting myself to it.

But, today clouds are mostly blocking the sun, the resulting temperature in the low 80s, a nice cooling breeze blowing, so I drove myself to nearby Sikes Lake to do some of that aforementioned nature communing.

Even with the outer world conditions improved, I managed to get a bit overheated.

On the weather menu for later today we have some thunderstorming to look forward to, with strong wind gusts and possible flash flooding.

When I got back to my motorized means of motion I realized I'd forgotten to photo document my nature communing.

Since the phone was in hand, due to checking how many Google Move Minutes I'd accumulated, I switched to camera mode, aimed the phone at the windshield and shot the above photo documentation of the parked view in the Sikes Lake parking lot.

As you can see, the outer world is already looking a bit stormy....

Microsoft Remembers Trekking To Mount Wichita Summit

Only two photos showed up today in the daily Microsoft OneDrive Memories from this Day email. Both photos were of the same subject.

Mount Wichita.

The only mountain to be found for miles and miles and miles at my current Wichita Falls location.

Mount Wichita is a manmade mountain, made from the silt dredged from Sikes Lake, back in, I think, the 1990s.

Sikes Lake is once again in dire need of being dredged. It would be a real good thing to add a companion mountain peak to the currently solo Mount Wichita.

Mount Wichita is located a couple miles from Sikes Lake but is only a few feet from Lake Wichita.

Lake Wichita is also a manmade lake which is in dire need of dredging.

Lake Wichita is much bigger than Sikes Lake. I suspect several mountains could be made from the dredging of Lake Wichita.

This could amount to being a small mountain range. The Wichita Mountain Range.

Could be a possible tourist attraction.

It has been several years since I have made the trek to the summit of Mount Wichita. That last time I did so, the trail seemed too treacherous. That, and I was attacked by a swarm of biting insects.

Labor Day Lucy Park Jungle Nature Communing

 On this first day of the 2025 version of September, also known as Labor Day, it was to Lucy Park I ventured for some much-needed salubrious endorphin acquisition.

As you can see, via the photo documentation, the outer world at my North Texas location remains lushly green.

Previous years the color scheme would have been multiple shades of brown by now.

My intention today was to hike the Lucy Park Backwoods Jungle for the first time in a long time. Figuring that surely by now the pile of flood delivered debris would have been cleared out.

I figured wrong.

Above you see the flood debris obstruction which blocked going any further into the Lucy Park Jungle.

I would think all this dried out dead wood would be presenting a bit of a fire hazard.

The temperature was only 75 degrees, as measured by the Fahrenheit method, when I did my nature communing. But, it felt a lot warmer than 75 degrees.

I think humidity was involved in causing the air to seem hotter than the thermometer indicated.

It being Labor Day I am scheduled to go to a Labor Day Picnic Party later today. That should be interesting. I hope...