Stormy Good Friday Walk Around Sikes Lake

 It was to Sikes Lake I ventured on this third Friday of the 2025 version of April. A day also known as Good Friday.

As you can see, via the photo documentation, our regular North Texas clear blue sky has been obliterated by a thick cloud cover.

That thick cloud cover dripped some big drops of rain whilst I was nature communing, but nowhere near being copious enough to wet the landscape, or me.

The weather forecast for today, tomorrow and Easter is for rain, hail, thunderstorms, strong wind, and possible tornadoes.

Thunder is not scheduled to begin booming til later this afternoon and then continuing through the night. 

I strongly suspect this is going to turn into a major storm. It has been awhile such has occurred at my current location. The creek which runs by my abode has been dry for a couple years now.

Below is what my nearby creek looks like when it is not dry. The name of the creek is Holliday Creek. Yes, spelled with two l's. This photo showed up this morning in the daily Microsoft OneDrive Memories from this Day....

I like the sound of roaring rapids. It is a soothing sound I hope to hear later today, or tomorrow...

Wednesday Considering Sikes Lake Fishing Before Easter Weekend Storms

It was back to Sikes Lake I ventured on this day after the Ides of April, also known as the 16th day and third Wednesday of the fourth month of 2025, for some nature communing under a clear blue sky, with the air heated pleasantly into the 70-degree zone, as measured via the Fahrenheit temperature measuring method.

My nature communing did not include catching fish. The sign you see photo documented, above, showed up a week or two ago, attached to a fence which blocked access to the lake, at that point, making fishing not possible.

The signs informs one of the type fish one may catch in Sikes Lake, and warns that one must be properly licensed to do any angling.

I have seen a few poles hovering over Sikes Lake, over the years. I have never seen anyone catch a fish, of any sort.

I do know that periodically Sikes Lake is stocked with fish. Of which variety I have no clue.

Tomorrow may be the last pleasant day, weather-wise, for a few days.

Currently the Easter weekend weather forecast for my North Texas location is for heavy rain, hail, thunderstorms and tornado conditions, beginning Good Friday, and lasting through Easter Sunday.

These dire weather conditions likely will wreak havoc with any possible plans I might come up with to attend any Easter morning sunrise services....

Looking For A Visitor From Somewhere Called Boardman

The blog you are looking at right now has what is known as a gadget. This gadget tracks the blog's Live Traffic Feed. 

Somewhat accurately.

The Live Traffic Feed does not compile a comprehensive listing of all blog traffic. I have another means by which I can see a comprehensive listing of the blog's traffic.

The screencap I made of the Live Traffic Feed I made early this morning, thus the many hours since the last noted traffic. As in, not much blog traffic, from America, during the past midnight hours.

So, the past couple weeks I have noticed that there have been multiple blog visits from a blog visitor located somewhere in America called Boardman.

Googling I found there is a Boardman, Oregon, and a Boardman Township, in Ohio.

Boardman, Oregon is a town on the Columbia Gorge, in the part of Oregon east of Mount Hood, known as Eastern Oregon.

The population of the Boardman in Ohio is way larger than the Oregon version.

Do I know someone in either Boardman? Not that I know of. I have relatives in the Amish zone of Ohio, a town called Sugarcreek. Sugarcreek is not close to Boardman Township.

Anyway, maybe making mention of this Boardman mystery will cause some sort of feedback from one of the Boardmans...

Windy Sikes Lake Monday With Evening Primroses

On this second Monday of the 2025 version of April, it was to Sikes Lake I ventured for a windy lake walk under a clear blue sky.

As you can see, via the photo documentation, it is that time of the year when the Texas landscape turns colorful, with wildflowers, with the most prominent wildflower, seen in my North Texas zone of the Lone Star State, being the pink bloom known, for reasons unknown to me, as Evening Primroses.

I remember way back late in the previous century, in April of, I think 1998, driving to Texas to test the feasibility of moving there, and being surprised by all the flowers we were seeing between Amarillo and the Dallas/Fort Worth zone.

In April of, I think, 2001, I ventured south to what is known as Texas Hill Country, to hike up Enchanted Rock and visit Fredericksburg. This was to be my one- and only-time seeing Texas wildflowers in all their glory. 

The wildflowers of Texas Hill Country were not quite as colorful as the tulip fields of my old Skagit Valley home zone. But, being natural, not a cultivated agricultural product, made the Texas Hill Country wildflowers as impressive, if not more so, than the Skagit tulips.

Let me see if I can find a photo I took that day, early this century, of Texas Hill Country wildflowers...

The above scene was seen a few miles north of Enchanted Rock. As you can see, wildflowers far into the horizon. Except for the model in the foreground...

Sweltering 96 Texas Degrees

It seems like only a couple days ago big balls of hail pummeled my location, which was chilled to below freezing, with frost frosting the rooftops and a few snowflakes making it to ground level.

It seems like that because that is what happened a couple days ago.

And now, on this second Saturday of the fourth month of 2025, I got in my vehicle this afternoon, to drive to ALDI, to find my vehicle's temperature monitoring device situated on the rearview mirror, was telling me the temperature was 96 degrees.

The outer world felt HOTTER than 96 degrees due to the fact that there was no wind blowing, thus no wind chill happening.

Soon cold water coming out of the tap will no longer be cold. That makes for refreshing showers, with no need to add any HOT water to the mix.

This coming summer I should be feeling cooler than last summer, due to the fact I have lost weight, and thus have less of an insulative layer of adipose tissue. 

I see some of the plus-sized people at my current Texas location and wonder how they manage it, in the HEAT, with such a well-developed thick layer of insulative adipose tissue...

Finding Nephews Jason & Joey At Lake Grapevine With Significant Others

A couple days ago in a blog post titled Microsoft OneDrive Remembers Nephews Jason & Joey In Texas I made mention of the fact that I was unable to find, among the hundreds of photo folders folded on my computer, a photo I remembered taking that day, way back in 2005, when I went to D/FW International Airport to find my nephews, Jason and Joey, and their girlfriends.

That photo I was unable to find a couple days ago, I found last night whilst looking for a photo of myself and my siblings, for International Siblings Day purposes.

Above, that would be me in the middle, with nephew Joey to my right, with Joey's girlfriend between he and me. I do not remember that particular girlfriend's name. That would be nephew Jason on my left. I do remember that particular girlfriend's name. She is Spencer Jack's mom, Jenny.

Behind us, that is Lake Grapevine. I'd driven the kids across the Lake Grapevine Dam to the park which was the trailhead location of my favorite D/FW mountain bike trail.

The above photo pre-dated the taking of photos using one's phone. That photo would have been taken with my now long-gone Olympus digital camera.

I do not remember the means by which one had that camera automatically take a photo. I do sort of remember one could set the number of seconds before the photo was taken.

I find it unsettling to realize the above photo was taken over two decades ago. Yet seems so recent in my memory...

KOMO Takes Us To Beaver Marsh Road Roozengarde Skagit Valley Tulip Festival Tulips

I saw that which you see above, on Facebook, this morning. A photo collage from Seattle's KOMO ABC TV, showing some of the Roozengarde tulips currently blooming on the Skagit Flats in the Skagit Valley Tulip Festival.

Various locations on the Skagit Flats are designated Tulip festival centers, such as the Roozengarde complex, and Tulip Town, and more.

Roozengarde is on Beaver Marsh Road. 

The Slotemaker-Jones Family Complex is also on Beaver Marsh Road. That is where my Great Nephew, Hank Frank, Hank Frank's dad, my Nephew Joey, his first wife Monique, and my little brother, Hank Frank's Grandpa Jake, reside.

I have not heard any complaints from the Hank Frankers regarding being jammed by Tulip Traffic.

I remember way back in the last century, when the Skagit Tulip Festival first began, I was living in West Mount Vernon. I did not even know a new festival had begun. What I did know was the first weekend of it I found traffic stalled crossing the Skagit River bridge between west and east Mount Vernon and continuing to be stalled, or moving slow, as the line of cars moved west.

Such is no longer the case as, over the years, measures went into place directing traffic off I-5 to all the various exits which lead to the tulip fields.

The Skagit Valley Tulip Festival goes on the entire month of April. By the year 2025 the festival, and the tulips, have become world renowned, showing up on various lists listing things like the world's best festivals, or America's most scenic landscapes.

I have seen a tulip or two blooming since I have been in Texas. And I have seen wildflowers adding color to the usually drab Texas landscape, but I have never seen anything coloring up the Texas landscape to the degree done by the Skagit Valley tulips...

Microsoft OneDrive Remembers Nephews Jason & Joey In Texas

Sometimes these emails from Microsoft billing themselves as Microsoft OneDrive Memories From This Day are a bit unsettling. 

Such as is the case today.

I am assuming it is correct that these memories are from a day in April. I am also assuming that the year is 2005.

20 years ago.

As in two decades ago.

Two of my favorite nephews, Jason and Joey, and their girlfriends, at that point in time, had been on a cruise, sailing out of Florida, if I am remembering correctly.

If I am additionally remembering correctly, and sometimes I do, Jason and Joey's mother, she being my favorite ex-sister-in-law, Cindy, had let me know when the boys would be landing at D/FW. And that she'd told the boys that she was letting their uncle know they'd be landing.

So, I made it to park at whatever terminal the landing was taking place, somehow found my way to the right gate. Which I know sounds like no big deal. But you would only think that if you've never been to Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport.

It is HUGE.

I have thrice gotten lost just trying to find where I'd parked in a D/FW parking garage.

Anyway, I stood at what I hoped was the right location, and after a few minutes my nephews showed up. I coaxed them out of the gate, which I did not expect to succeed at, but I did.

I then drove the boys and their girlfriends to Lake Grapevine, crossing the dam, going into the park which was the location of the trailhead of my favorite mountain bike trail.

At Lake Grapevine Jason and Jenny had a big announcement.

 I was told I was the first to know, but later learned I was not, that being that Jason had proposed, and Jenny had accepted. 

And little did I know, that day at Lake Grapevine, that a year later I'd be heading north for a wedding, and two years after that I would be flying up to Washington again, this time getting to meet Jason and Jenny's Spencer Jack offspring.

Now, I must leave you for a moment to see if I can find the photo at Lake Grapevine I took that day two decades ago.

No luck. But the search had me seeing hundreds of photos I had not seen in a long time.

Back To Sikes Lake Under A Clear Blue Cloud-Free Sky

A cloud-free, clear blue sky has returned to my Wichita Falls location in Texas. After several days in a row, overcast, cold, windy and raining.

As you can see, via today's look at Sikes Lake, the lack of wind rendering waves has turned the lake into a giant mirror.

Methinks today was the most pleasant outdoor day yet this year. Multiple others were enjoying the return of the blue-sky norm.

Last night, as warned, the temperature dipped below freezing, as evidenced by the frost covering roofs for a short while after the sun arrived for its daily heating duty.

There is no apparent damage done by last night's likely extremely short freeze, which was barely below 32 degrees, as measured by the Fahrenheit method.

I would think it highly likely that last night marks the last time the outer world freezes at my location, til the exit of Summer's chilly arrival of Fall.

It felt good to be outside endorphin-ing today, after several days of wandering Walmart being my aerobic outlet.

I think I may be addicted to endorphins and suffer withdrawal symptoms when I do not get my adequate daily dose...

Wichita Falls Saturday Anti-Trump Rally With New Stoplight

This Monday morning's Wichita Falls Times Record News, that being this town's one and only local newspaper, of sorts, a newspaper which mainly focuses on local sports, crime and the weather, had an article, with photo documentation, of Saturday's downtown Wichita Falls anti-Trump protest.

This was not much of an article of the reporting variety, reporting what was said, in speeches, or any interviewing of attendees. 

In the photo I screen capped from the front page we see no umbrellas. Other photos showed most attendees under cover of umbrellas. I opted not to participate due to the cold temperature, strong wind, and off and on rain.

I suspect Saturday's will not be the last of anti-Trump rallies. I likely will get other opportunities to participate. 

And on another note, making note of an example of what is deemed newsworthy in the local Wichita Falls newspaper, on the front page there was headline link to another article, with the headline of that article being...

New stoplight installed in downtown Wichita Falls

April Freezing Snow Weather Prediction For Wichita Falls

This morning of the first Sunday of the fourth month of 2025, it was to ALDI I ventured under a stormy sky.

Which you can see, photo documented above, looking north from the ALDI parking lot.

We have been dripping, downpouring, blowing hard, booming loud and experiencing way too low natural air-conditioning the past couple days.

As in I have had to switch my climate control system from COOL, back to HEAT.

And, as I arrived at the ALDI parking lot my radio informed me that tonight's "Freeze Warning" has been upgraded to "Chance of Snow".

In April.

In Texas.

I remember snow showing up late in March, in the lowlands of Western Washington, during the many years I lived there, but I do not remember snow ever showing up in the Washington lowlands in April.

Yesterday, Interstate 40, west of Amarillo, both lanes, east and west, had to be closed, due to snow.

I doubt anything that dire will be happening at my location, approximately 220 miles southeast of Amarillo.

But, with weather everywhere, of late, seeming a bit abnormal, I guess I should be ready to be snowbound...

April Showers Bring Wichita Falls Flowers Whilst Washington's Skagit Valley Floods With Tulips

I saw that which you see, above, this first Saturday morning of the 2025 version of April. A photo purporting to show May flowers brought about by the April showers we have been getting dripped on since this new month began.

Is that a field of Bluebonnets which are being photo documented representing May flowers? I don't know. I have not seen any bluebonnets, yet, this year, with my own eyes.

Meanwhile, on April 1, in my old home zone of the Skagit Valley, the month-long annual Tulip Festival has begun.

The Skagit Valley is just a bit more scenic, color-wise, and other-wise, than my current mostly flat, mountain free zone of Texas.

 Above and below are examples of what the Skagit Valley Flats look like this time of year.

I have not been up north in Washington, in April, since 2006. I do not recollect that we, at that point in time, ventured out onto the Skagit Flats to see the tulips.

Seeing the Skagit Valley tulips can be a bit challenging, particularly on weekends. There is a lot of traffic control, and attempts to manage the traffic, to some limited success.

There is no need to manage the traffic caused by those seeking to see the May flowers wrought by April Showers, at my current location.

I think the above photo, with the Mount Baker volcano looming on the horizon, is from a location near Beaver Marsh Road, near the Jones Family Compound, where Hank Frank, his dad, also known as my nephew Joey, Hank Frank's mom, also known as Joey's wife, Monique, and my little brother, Hank Frank's Grandpa Jake, have taken up residence.

Whatever Blluebonnets have managed to go into blooming mode likely suffered some damage last night when all hail broke loose. A loud thunderstorm began booming about two in the morning, lasting a couple hours, with one super burst of ultra noisy hail.

By morning it was plain to see the hail had knocked a lot of the leaves out of the trees.

This April 5 Saturday is being windy, rainy and cold. I think I shall forego going downtown this afternoon for the "Hands Off Our Democracy" protest...

Saturday We the People Want Hands Off Our Democracy In Downtown Wichita Falls

I previously made mention of wondering if Wichita Falls will join this coming Saturday's worldwide protests against the Trump Lunacy, in a blog post titled Final 2025 March Saturday At Sikes Lake.

Well, we now know there will be a protest in Wichita Falls on Saturday, with the theme being “We the People Want Hands Off Our Democracy.”

The protest Saturday will take place from 1 til 3 in the afternoon, at the park across the street from the building known as Big Blue, at the intersection of Scott Avenue and 8th Street.

I have not yet decided if I will be joining the protest...

No April Fooling Getting Wind Blown At Lake Wichita Park

It was to Lake Wichita Park I ventured on this first day of the fourth month of 2025.

The first day of April is being blustery at my North Texas location, with a cloud cover growing thicker, heading to predicted strong thunderstorms to begin booming later today.

I was not long out of my vehicle before quickly returning to remove the hat from atop my head, before a gust of wind could perform that service for me.

The Lake Wichita Park Veterans Memorial seemed sad to me, today, what with all the un-American nonsense going on. Arresting people without due process. Shipping the arrested out of the country to what amounts to being a concentration camp in El Salvador.

And as I was walking past the Veterans Memorial, listening to news on NPR, I heard a woman had been arrested in Georgia for not reporting a miscarriage. When will this insanity end?

 It has been quite some time since I have hiked to the summit of Mount Wichita. I had no moment of considering doing such today, what with it being hard to stay vertical whilst getting hit by wind gusts.

I suspect we are going to be having an exceptional stormy Spring, in multiple ways....

Marching Around Sikes Lake On Final Day Of March

On this final day of the third month of 2025, it was back to nearby Sikes Lake I ventured for a pleasantly temperatured walk around the lake.

Which would make that the Bluish Lagoon of Sikes Lake you see above, looking west from the west end of the lake.

Today the outer world is not scheduled to get too warm, only heating into the low 70s, as measured via the Fahrenheit temperature measuring method. 

A couple days ago the outer world turned HOT enough to cause me to switch my interior space's climate control from HEAT to COOL for the first time this year.

I have the A/C set to COOL to 80 degrees, which feels plenty COOL. The A/C has not turned itself on since that one HOT day, a couple days ago, due to the temporary return of natural air conditioning.

Ironically, well, maybe it is not ironic, more weird than ironic, maybe, but 80 degrees is also the temperature I set the climate control to when I want my interior space warmed up.

It will be a few months in the future, most likely, before I feel the need to warm up my interior space...

Final 2025 March Saturday At Sikes Lake

I have not much been in the mood to commune with nature the past couple days. Mostly due to being distracted by distractions during the time frame I usually do my nature communing.

But, on this final Saturday of the third month of 2025 I made my way to Sikes Lake to join the throngs enjoying the current heat wave, with the temperature today getting into the 90s, as measured by the Fahrenheit method.

After the sun sets today a strong thunderstorm is on the weather menu.

I forgot to make mention of the foliage photo documented today at Sikes Lake. That is a Prickly Pear patch of cactus, getting near to being in bloom mode.

Subject change.

Years ago, on January 21, 2017, I drove to Sikes Lake, which, that day, was the launch location of the biggest protest march I have ever marched in.

I blogged about this in Wichita Falls January 21 Women's March.

Today, on Facebook, I read a post from Robert Reich, the former Secretary of Labor, advising those who want to take action, doing something in protest of the current state of America, to enter "April 5 demonstration near me" into whatever search engine you use.

So, I Googled "April 5 demonstration near me" and did not come up with any info about a demonstration in Wichita Falls, or near Wichita Falls. There were multiple websites about the April 5 demonstration, but nothing telling me where one near me might be.

Well, we have a week til the date of these world-wide demonstrations. I suspect something will come up, locally, before next Saturday...

Dodging Lightning Bolts & Big Raindrops To Get Wind Chilled At Lucy Park

It was to Lucy Park I ventured this final Wednesday of the third month of 2025, to commune with nature, after dodging lightning bolts and big raindrops, on the drive north.

As you can see, via the photo documentation of the Lucy Park suspension bridge over the Wichita River, the sky no longer looked menacing by the time I got parked at the park.

This morning, when the sun arrived, the temperature was 81 degrees as measured by the Fahrenheit method. By the time I got to Lucy Park, a half hour before noon, the temperature had dropped to 70, again as measured by the Fahrenheit method.

That drop in temperature came with a strong chilling breeze.

Spring is noticeably springing green copiously, grass no longer brown, the leaf population rapidly growing.

I have yet to switch my interior space climate control from heat mode to cool mode. I almost switched yesterday when the outer world reached over 90 degrees for the first time this year, at my North Texas location.

But, the ceiling fans brought a sufficient chill, so no switch, yet to cool mode...

Sunday Not Swimming In Windy Sikes Lake With Snakes

On this next to last Sunday of the third month of 2025, it was to nearby Sikes Lake I ventured, joining the throngs enjoying trying to walk in a strong breeze blowing in from the Northeast.

So far, Sunday's wind does not seem to be generating dust clouds, leaving a mostly blue sky covered only by a little wispy clouding.

I know I have made note of it before, but today I was freshly struck by the seeming absurdity of signage forbidding swimming in Sikes Lake, along with advising that university approval is needed for any Sikes Lake boating, canoeing or kayaking.

I have been walking around Sikes Lake for years now and have never seen anything but birds and litter floating on the lake. Does this mean university approval is never granted, or that no one has any desire to float a boat on Sikes Lake?

I suspect the lack of boating is due to no one thinking it to be something anyone would want to do. What with the lake being shallow, and there being no boat launch locations. That and Lake Wichita is only a couple miles distant and has multiple boat launching locations.

 As for swimming. I can't imagine anyone would think that to be a good idea. Shallow Sikes Lake looks murky on a good day, and downright muddy after rain drains into the lake.

I have not gone swimming in a Texas lake since early this century, when I took a dip in Lake Grapevine, after mountain biking the Horseshoe Trail. That lake dip ended my Texas lake swimming due to an incident with what I thought was a water moccasin. All I saw was the head and that set me swimming fast to shore, where I looked out on the water to see I had been chased by a turtle, not a snake.

At that point in time a couple elderly gents were fishing from the dock I had jumped into the lake from. I told them I thought I was being chased by a snake, not a turtle. One of the elderly gents then told me that earlier that day they saw two water moccasins slither out from under the dock.

And thus, that ended me ever again swimming in a Texas lake...

Lucy Park Spring Sprung Green Vernal Equinox Nature Communing

The Big Blow which began hurricaning last week, with one short break being like the eye of a hurricane, finally quit blowing today, the day known as Thursday, the third such day of the third month of 2025.

So, after seeing my drug dealer to pick up some prescribed pharmaceuticals, I ventured on to nearby Lucy Park for some wind-free, dust-free, smoke-free, semi-warm nature communing.

Since my last Lucy Park visit, a week ago, give or take a day, the dominant color is no longer brown.

Green is taking over. On the ground, and in the trees, with some trees beginning to sprout leaves.

Seeing all this green had me wondering when Spring gets sprung, this year.

So, back at my computer I Googled "when does Spring begin in Wichita Falls Texas" and got the following information...

Spring officially begins near Wichita Falls, TX on March 20th, 2025 with the vernal equinox, marking the start of the season. 

Time: Spring begins at 4:01 a.m. Central Time (CT). 

So, that was one nice Spring walk around the increasingly green Lucy Park backwoods jungle today...

Arizona Escape From Texas On Smooth Roads

Few things are more relaxing than my Favorite Sister Jackie chauffeuring me on the beautiful, smooth streets of Chandler, Arizona, and the other towns in the Phoenix metro zone.

Above Jackie is driving us north on Chandler Boulevard, which looks like an actual boulevard, unlike the Texas boulevard, as in Taft Boulevard, that being the pseudo boulevard, my abode is addressed on.

Every time I return from being in either Texas or Washington, getting picked up at the airport, either DFW International, or the local to me now, Wichita Falls Regional Airport, I take over driving duty and instantly think something is wrong with the vehicle, as in, thinking the suspension is broken, or tires partly flat.

And then I remember, I am back driving on a Texas road, where one learns to dodge potholes, and a variety of other detriments to a smooth driving surface, like all the manhole covers that make for big bumps, on the section of Taft Boulevard, north of MSU (Midwestern State University).

Here in Wichita Falls, every time I have left the airport and arrived at the entry ramp to the freeway, unlit, in the dark, it is always a bit disturbing, how beat up that entry ramp is, thinking such to be appalling, what with it being visitor's first experience with getting on a Texas freeway.

I have more than once verbally wondered what a Texan thinks when they get out of Texas to a state like Arizona, with most roads being not like bumpy Texas roads...

Another HOT Wichita Falls Red Flag Warning Day In Texas

If today's third Tuesday of the third month of 2025 temperature, as measured by the Fahrenheit method, reaches its currently predicted high, today will be the HOTTEST day so far this year.

Which likely means today will be the first time in 2025 that I will activate my interior space's air-conditioning mechanism. 

It has already been HOT enough that I have utilized my motorized means of motion's air-conditioning mechanism.

That and my interior space has already become HOT enough this year to the point where I have activated my computer room's ceiling fan for a brief period of spinning.

I was hoping that this year, by the time of year when it gets way too HOT, that I would have reduced my insulative layer of adipose tissue to a degree which rendered me feeling cooler. 

That and being able to fit into a pair of Levi corduroy jeans which have vexed me for way too long.

Along with today's HEAT, we are also under a RED FLAG WARNING, which is a warning which warns that strong winds may spawn wildfires and dust storms.

Wildfires and dust storms have wreaked a lot of havoc in Texas and Oklahoma in recent days...

Sunday Dust-Free Cloud-Free Sikes Lake Walkaround

Yesterday, the day known as Saturday, also known as the Ides of March, also known as the third Saturday of the 2025 version of March, some rain precipitated.

That precipitation seems to have wiped the sky clear of Friday's excessive dust, rendering Sunday's outer world, at my location, once again with a cloud-free blue sky, as you can see via the photo documentation from today's walk around Sikes Lake.

The outer world dropped a lot of degrees during the Dust Storm, with the cool continuing today, with the outer world chilled to barely 50 degrees, as measured via the Fahrenheit method.

Tomorrow, the day known as St. Patrick's Day, heat is scheduled to return, as in a high in the 80s, or higher...

Is A 2025 Dust Bowl Blowing Into Wichita Falls?

All day long, this March 14 day before the Ides of March, wind has blown, non-stop, at times with hurricane strength blows.

Around 5 this afternoon of the second Friday of the third month of 2025, tired of being housebound, I ventured out into the wind to check the mailbox, and then, if not being too vexed by the gusting wind and the dusty air, continuing on to Walmart.

In the photo documentation we are heading east on Southwest Parkway. As you can see, the outer world looks foggy.

But that is not fog. It is dust. Dirty dust blowing in from who knows where, carrying who knows what. What I do know, is the short time I was out in it was enough time to manage to irritate my eyes, causing excessive blinking.

On the way to Walmart the wind was pushing me from behind. On the way from Walmart I was heading into the wind, which at times made for some unsettling vehicle movements.

I thought, at first, I was having a vehicle malfunction, til I realized the unsettling vehicle movements were being caused by those hurricane strength gusts blowing over 70 miles per hour.

We have another day of this scheduled for tomorrow's Ides of March. 

Is this how the infamous Dust Bowl of the 1920s began?

Pre Ides Of March Wichita Falls Windy Dust Storm

That which you see above is the view from one of my kitchen windows, looking south, with nary a cloud in the sky. The reason the cloud-less sky is not blue is because predicted strong winds have blown clouds of dust skyward.

You can see the windy Ides of March forecast below.

Wind gusts of 71 mph? Isn't that bordering on hurricane strength? With the super strong wind, along with way too much dust, methinks I shall not be doing my regular daily outdoor nature communing today. 

Unless I do my nature communing at Walmart, which seems unlikely at this particular point in time.

Suddenly, as I look out my computer room window, the dusty sky has taken on a light reddish color.

I battened down all my hatches, this morning, upon learning of the incoming big blow. But, so far the big blow is coming from the south, and so my patio furniture is in no danger of getting zapped.

I just realized, today is March 14. Isn't the Ides of March, March 15? This morning, I saw someone on Facebook opine something along the line of hoping a modern-day Brutus gets inspired to create a modern-day Ides of March.

Googling, I see I was right, tomorrow is the Ides of March...

The "Ides of March" refers to March 15th, a date infamous for the assassination of Julius Caesar in 44 BCE, a moment immortalized by Shakespeare's play, "Julius Caesar," and the phrase "Beware the Ides of March".

The Ides of March (tomorrow) in Wichita Falls is also predicted to be windy and dusty...

With COVID Over Is It Time To Build A Sandcastle With Theo?

I almost lost something valuable, to me, today, returning books to the library.

I almost forgot to retrieve that which I use as a bookmark, before sliding the book into the "RETURN" slot.

My bookmark is getting a bit threadbare. It has been in use since early on in the time of COVID.

I do not remember the reason, Birthday, Christmas, Halloween, or what, but an envelope arrived in my mailbox. And in that envelope, among whatever else was in that envelope, there was a note from my Favorite Nephew Theo, also known as my Favorite Theo Nephew.

The note said...

When COVID 19

is over I want

you to come

over to build

a sand castle

Theo

Just a sec, I shall go find a photo which shows why Theo was thinking of sandcastle building with his Favorite Uncle.

In August of 2017 I spent several days at Birch Bay with Theo, his big brother, David, twin sister Ruby, parental units, Michele and Kristen, and Theo, David and Ruby's other favorite uncle, my little brother, Jake.

On one of those days at Birch Bay, when the tide was low, exposing a lot of sand, Theo, Ruby and I had a mighty fine time building a sandcastle. 

In the photo documentation above, Theo has not yet given up in the battle to stop the incoming tide from breeching the castle's walls.

The next morning, I discovered the elevator, accessed near the door to the rooms we were staying in, went up a few flights, to a rooftop deck, with a view. I elevatored back to get Theo to take him to the view from the rooftop deck.

From whence the remains of our sandcastle could be seen, in the center of the sandbar, to the left of Theo.

Now, just looking at this photo of Theo, you can tell this is one fun kid. 

Hard to believe it has been 8 years since I have been in Washington. Since COVID I have only been out of Texas once. And that was just to go across the border to Oklahoma.

Time flies by way too fast.

Just yesterday something caused me to calculate how old my Jason nephew is. The last time Jason and Spencer Jack went to Disneyland, Jason told me he now gets why I said it wore me out the last time I did Disneyland.

Well.

Yesterday I figured out Jason is now five years older than I was the last time I did Disneyland, Christmas Day of 1995. I stayed til Disneyland closed that Christmas Day. It was fun, but exhausting, even with a mid-day break back at the motel...

Remembering Rolling Mom In Arizona With Green Chile Relleno Quiche For Lunch

Ever since I have been again receiving Microsoft OneDrive Memories of this Day, via email, it has been Memories from way back in March of 2019.

Among today's Memories is the one you see above. My niece, Ruby, leading a parade down Buena Vista Drive, the road in Chandler, Arizona on which Ruby's Aunt Jackie resides. 

Ruby was leading us to a park. Neither Aunt Jackie nor Mama Kristen is in the photo, which would seem to indicate one of them was the photographer.

In the photo I am wheeling mom, brother Jake is in blue on the left, with Jake's (and my) nephew Christopher with a leashed dog, then redhead nephew David between the dog and me. Right behind me is the mom of two of the kids in the photo, friends of Ruby's who had moved from Tacoma to Maricopa, Arizona. Next to the Maricopa mom is my niece-in-law, Christopher's first wife, Carissa (that may be spelled Carrisa), with nephew Theo holding a basketball in front of my littlest sister, Mama Michele.

That was one fun day, that day in March, way back in 2019. So much has happened since then.

Now, let's go from the past to today, the second Tuesday of the third month of 2025, and check out what's for lunch.

A few days ago, Florence Jean Halbert's mom posted, on Facebook, a photo of something which looked tasty.

I then commented "Recipe Please."

Soon thereafter, Florence's dad Facebook messaged me the recipe.

I altered the recipe a bit. Instead of roasted green chiles I air-fried three poblano peppers. Instead of a cup of heavy cream I used a cup of non-fat yogurt. Instead of a pie crust I stuck a 12 inch whole wheat tortilla in a cast iron skillet, instead of a pie plate.

The result was tasty, though the plated result may not look all that tasty, what with that big glob of salsa covered refried beans and spinach plopped haphazardly on the plate.

I'll make this again, maybe doubling the number of poblanos the next time...

Microsoft OneDrive McDonalds Memories Of Horse Riding Pool Mesa Parks With David, Theo, Ruby & Mom

Til a couple days ago, when a Microsoft OneDrive Memory from this Day arrived in my email, I had not realized I'd not been receiving the OneDrive Memory emails for quite some time.

When I saw these current memories, I thought these can't be from this day, as in a day in March.

And then I remembered, these memories did happen in March. In 2019.

That March was the most recent time I have seen my Tacoma nephews and niece, David, Theo and Ruby. Or their parental units, Michele and Kristen.

That March was also the last time all my siblings, but one, and all the nephews and nieces, but two, plus my mom, were all together at the same location. As in, we were all in Arizona.

After a short search I found I made a blog post of David, Theo and Ruby on a horse riding expedition into the desert at a Dude Ranch in west Chandler, Arizona, with additional photos, in addition to the one above.

That was one super fun day.

After the horse riding, we went to a nearby McDonalds, where Uncle Jack had arranged a special tour for David, Theo and Ruby. Along with an all you can eat McDonalds lunch for all of us.

That would be my mom, with three of her grandkids, and their Happy Meals. After this we headed north, to the town of Mesa, to have fun in the two best city parks I have ever experienced.

The OneDrive Memories included photos of the Mesa parks. I shall see if I can find the blog post I made of that day and those parks.

Found the Mesa Parks blog post...

David, Theo & Ruby In Mesa's Riverview & Pioneer Park

The photos in that blog post give one a good idea why I thought these to be great city parks.

And then, this morning's OneDrive Memories from this day were memories from a day following the day of the horse riding, McDonalds and Mesa city parks.

There were multiple pool pics, including this one of me hoisting Nephew David.

This was in Aunt Jackie's backyard pool. Prior to the party Jackie thought the water would be too cool to pool. I thought otherwise. The kids all agreed.

I must have made a blog post of this, and the parade to a nearby park which followed.

 Be right back.

Yes, found the pool party and park blog post. Forgot it includes an amusing video of Theo driving grandma's van...

Cool Arizona Pool With Theo Driving Ruby On Handlebars

That concludes our look at Microsoft OneDrive Memories, for today...

Chilly Sunny Sunday Wichita Falls Walk Around Sikes Lake

The sky has begun to clear over North Texas, as evidenced by the view you see here of the Blue Lagoon of Sikes Lake, looking westward.

Yesterday's day long deluge of rain was the first such has happened at my Wichita Falls location for quite some time.

Along with some thunderstorming.

I do not know if last night's predicted snowflakes materialized. There was zero evidence of such when the sun began its daily illumination duty, an hour late, due to that annoying switch to Daylight Savings Time.

Hiking around Sikes Lake was cold, real cold, on this second Sunday of the third month of 2025. This required insulated sweatpants, hooded sweatshirt, and gloves. I thought we were done with this type chill for a few months.

On the plus side of the weather, we are forecast to get into the 80s in a couple days. 

Today I thought the Sikes Lake waterfall would be falling a lot of water due to the copious amount of rain which deluged the last 24 hours.

But, such was not the case.

There was a litle water falling over the dam, making for the only waterfall in Wichita Falls, due to, I learned this morning, the fact that the official Wichita Falls waterfall is currently turned off. 

The official Wichita Falls waterfall is an artificial waterfall which gets its water to fall by sucking it from the Wichita River. A river which currently is running too low to make it easy for the artificial waterfall to suck up enough water to fall. That and the low river level has caused debris to clog up the water intake.

I have opined previously that it might behoove Wichita Falls to send some sort of task force to Chandler, Arizona to make note of that town's multiple artificial waterfall water features, finding out how such was funded, then replicate it by installing multiple artificial waterfalls all around Wichita Falls.

I have no clue how the current one and only Wichita Falls artificial waterfall came to be, only that it happened in the 1980s.

Slava Ukraine Via Watercolor From Washington

That which you see here is the work of a Pacific Northwest artistic creative sort, whom I have known for decades, showing support for Ukraine, via a water color, painted, and then installed in a window, for all passersby to see.

All across America, and the world, similar shows of support for Ukraine are showing up.

"Slava Ukraine" is a Ukrainian phrase that means "Glory to Ukraine". It is a national salute and battle cry that symbolizes Ukrainian sovereignty and resistance to aggression. 

A day or two ago on my Washington blog I made mention of Seattle's example of support for Ukraine.

I wish I had the talent, of some sort, to show support for Ukraine...

March Roars In Like A Thunderstorming Snowy Lion One Week Late In Wichita Falls

It was only a couple days ago I looked at the long-range forecast for my North Texas location and was pleased to see nothing but warm days ahead, well into Spring.

Yesterday, day 7 of the third month of 2025, the outer world was heated well into the 80s.

Last night, around three in the morning, a thunderstorm boomed into town, downpouring copious amounts of precipitation.

And now, today's forecast for tonight.

SNOW!

With the temperature predicted to be a low of 37 degrees, as measured via the Fahrenheit method, I don't understand how precipitation can be falling in the form of snow. Unless that wind chill factor making those 37 degrees really feel like 26 degrees, as indicated via the forecast, can somehow freeze the falling rain into snowflakes.

What I do know, for certain, is I will not be engaging in any outer world nature communing today, unless one counts going to Walmart as nature communing, which I often do, what with such being a bit of an anthropological expedition observing multiple examples of human extremes, such as excessive tattooings, piercings and odd clothing choices, such as Walmarting in one pajamas...

Chilly Windy Wichita Falls Return To Lucy Park Reminder Of Columbus Day Storm & Great Depression

Today, for the first time this third month of 2025, day 5, also known as Wednesday, it was back to Lucy Park I ventured for some semi-chilly, windy nature communing.

As you can see, via the view looking at the Lucy Park suspension bridge over the Wichita River, there is nary a cloud clouding the clear blue sky.

Yesterday was one of the windiest days I have ever experienced.

My memory may have to go back many decades, to remember stronger wind, to what is known as the Columbus Day Storm, a storm which pummeled the Pacific Northwest with hurricane strength wind. Hurricane strength of the Category 5 level of strong.

My mom let my little brother and me go outside and play in the Columbus Day storm. I remember pushing our bikes west on Washington Avenue, several blocks, to Anacortes Avenue.

And then getting on our bikes, letting the wind push us back home. That did not go well. By the time we reached our block, we were being pushed so fast, braking did not slow us. We both ended our windy ride by crashing into Maiben Park.

Yesterday's Wichita Falls wind blew all day long. I drove to Walmart around five in the afternoon. It was not easy walking into the store, dodging projectiles, holding onto my hat.

Apparently, the wind was worse in the Dallas/Fort Worth Metroplex zone, with a dust storm coloring the sky red.

A dust storm, a cratering stock market, idiotic tariffs. Almost like history repeating itself replicating 1929/1930, when the Great Depression was getting increasingly depressing, with the Dust Bowl destroying farming, the Smoot-Hartley Tariff Act disrupting international commerce, the Stock Market crashing, with a Republican president, thought to be a successful businessman, who turning out to be inept at being President.

Big difference, though, way back then Herbert Hoover was not a stooge for Joesph Stalin...

Stormy Windy Rain Result With Wichita Falls Sikes Lake Waterfall

Last night a storm arrived, around 3 in the morning, dropping copious amounts of water, along with some of that water in the frozen form of hail. 

The D/FW Dallas Fort Worth Metroplex zone got hit with hurricane level wind gusts last night, knocking out power to many.

Such was not the case at my location about 130 miles northwest of D/FW.

By morning my abode was almost surrounded by a moat, but I was able to successfully make my way to my motorized means of motion, to drive to Sikes Lake for some nature communing, which is an activity I have not indulged in for a couple days, due to distractions distracting me from such.

The forecast for today forecast winds gusting near 50 mph. As I walked around Sikes Lake the persistent gusting made walking a bit unstable at times. And felt to be in excess of 50 mph.

As you can see, via the photo documentation, the wind was making some whitecapping waves on the lake. 

The overnight rain rendered Sikes Lake a muddy brown, instead of its usual blue hue. The threatening sky may have exacerbated that brown muddy lake color scheme.

It has been a while since I've seen a waterfall falling water in Wichita Falls. A month ago, when I walked to the main manmade Wichita Falls waterfall it was in dry falls mode.

Other than that main manmade Wichita Falls waterfall, the other manmade Wichita Falls waterfall which falls water somewhat regularly, when precipitation is at a normal level, is the waterfall falling over the Sikes Lake dam.

Today, as I got closer, the roar of falling water indicated to me that the Sikes Lake dam's spillway was in waterfall mode, as you can see, but not hear, via the photo documentation.

Due to the wind and low humidity, we are under what is known as a Red Flag warning, indicating wildfire conditions. What with that rain, last night, I don't see how it can be that humidity is low, or that conditions are still dry enough to easily start a fire.

Currently, looking out my computer room window, the outer world looks stormy, gray and menacing, a local visual metaphor for America's current status in the world...

Lamb-Like First Day Of March Hiking With Wichita Bluff Nature Area Roadrunner

On this first day of the third month of 2025, it was to the Wichita Bluff Nature Area I ventured to join the throngs enjoying March not roaring in like a lion, but instead bellowing in like a windy lamb, under a blue sky, with the temperature feeling balmy, in the 70s, as measured by the Fahrenheit method.

I suspect the reason there were so many nature lovers out loving nature is the fact that last weekend, and the weekend before that, the outer world was rather cold, at times feeling as if the temperature was below zero.

It was not just humans (and their dogs) I saw enjoying the enjoyable weather conditions.

I had barely entered the Wichita Bluff Nature Area zone when I saw a bird I have seen a time or two, whilst hiking the bluffs.

A roadrunner.

My previous encounters with roadrunners have had the bird acting like I was a coyote, taking off at high speed to get away from me, thus rendering photo documentation impossible.

But, today's roadrunner seemed fearless, and almost vain, the way it was so cooperative posing for photos, of which I took around a dozen, choosing the one you see above as the best.

What with Spring-like pleasant weather having arrived, methinks I shall amp up my outdoor activity level, attempting to get in good enough shape to enjoy being more adventurous...

Another Family Photo Mystery From Nephew Jason

The photo you see here arrived last night in my incoming email, sent by my Favorite Nephew Jason, who has been sending me photos, of late, which strain my memory trying to remember the details of what I am seeing in the photo.

The text from Jason accompanying the photo...

Being the custodian of records of my father's one fifth of the family visual records, I believe I have stumbled on perhaps the last known picture of the Jack Slotemaker Jones family together in their formal wear.

Do you know why the back of the photo had the date of October 4, 1970 written on it with each child's respective age?  If it helps you recollect the answer, the internet tells me that it was a Sunday.

I don't know the answer, but have a guess...Was Michele baptized that day? That does look like a piano bench that you and brother Jake are sitting on. Churches often have piano benches.

I could text this to my father, who of late has proven to have a better memory than my elderly Texas uncle.  But you tend to tell the story a little better.

And PS - Has anyone ever told you how much you look like your father?    

Yes, I have had it mentioned, a time or two, that I look like my dad.

In the photo, in the back row, that is my dad, Jack, on the left, with mom, Shirley, holding little baby sister, Michele, next to big sister, Nancy. In front of the back row, we have middle sister, Jackie, with big brother, me, sitting next to little brother, Jake, on that aforementioned bench.

I have no recollection of Michele getting baptized. Nor do I have any recollection of this photo being taken, or who the photographer was.

Regarding Jason suggesting this photo being the last known picture of the Jack Slotemaker Jones family together in their formal wear, I must point out that this suggestion is erroneous.

The last known such photo was taken on my birthdate, August 11, 2001, one month before that date which will live in infamy, 9/11. On that August 11 of that year, I had driven, solo, from Texas to Washington, to arrive unexpected at my mom and dad's 50th Wedding Anniversary party, held on Saturday, August 11, because their actual anniversary was five days prior, a weekday, and thus not a convenient party day.

Now, in this actual last known family photo we are not in 20th century style formal wear, we are in 21st century style formal wear.

In the back row, on the left, that would be me, next to brother Jake, sisters Nancy, Jackie and Michele, with dad, mom and grandma Vera, sitting in front of us.

Due to, uh, scheduling conflicts, nephews Jason and Joey did not attend this party, which may be why Jason has no memory of this final formal family photo.

Mom and dad's two youngest grandchildren, nephews Christopher and Jeremy, did attend this party. Why they are not in this final formal family photo, I do not remember.