Dead Calm Tuesday Walk Around The Sikes Lake Blue Mirror

On this extremely sunny first Tuesday of the 2026 version of October, it was back to nearby Sikes Lake I ventured for some pleasant nature communing, and the resulting endorphin acquisition, along with throngs of other enjoying the dead calm, with air warmed to barely being in the 70s, as measured by the Fahrenheit method.

The photo documentation is the view, looking north, at the Sikes Lake dam spillway, which I have not seen spilling anything significantly for it seems like years. The water you see below the dam's spillway is from a big pipeline drain, draining water, I assume from the lake.

It seems like it has been quite some time since I have seen a day like today, dead calm, no wind, not a cloud in the sky, the lake, blue, looking like a giant mirror.

We got down to the low 60s last night. The A/C cycled on a couple times yesterday. I have yet to feel the need to switch the climate control from COOL to HEAT.

I suspect it will not be long til I feel the chilly need to switch to HEAT.

Sunday Keeping Dry Nature Communing In Walmart

For a few months, of late, Walmart has been one of my air-conditioned go-to places for my daily nature communing and endorphin acquisition, when the outer world is overheated.

Today, on this first Sunday of the 2026 version of October, Walmart was my go-to place for nature communing, not due to HEAT, but due to rain. Lots of the wet stuff dripping down from a totally overcast sky.

Due to it being Sunday morning, and due to Wichita Falls being in Texas, most people are in church, thus rendering Walmart a sort of ghost town, which you see photo documented above. A couple humans are visible way down the aisle.

So, the nature communing was a bit lacking today. But, I sure did enjoy being in regular pants, along with a long-sleeved sweatshirt. 

Last night I found the need to get undercover soon after I was in bed mode. I think it has been two days since the A/C has activated. But, I have yet to feel the need to switch the interior climate control from "COOL" to "HEAT".  I suspect it won't be too many more days til I feel compelled to switch to "HEAT" mode.

Chilly Drippy Saturday Walk Around Sikes Lake Reflecting Pool

On this cloudy, rainy, first Saturday of the 2026 version of October, it was to nearby Sikes Lake I ventured for some semi-chilly, drippy nature communing and endorphin acquisition.

As you can see, Sikes Lake is no longer in dried up drought mode. Sikes Lake is now in reflecting pool mode.

In the above photo documentation, we are looking south from the middle of the pedestrian bridge which connects the trail from the east side of the lake, to the west side.

The temperature was in the mid 60s when I did my nature communing. Just a few days ago it was more than 40 degrees hotter.

It was chilly enough, yesterday, that for the first time in months, I wore full-sized, complete leg-covering blue jeans to Walmart.

I suspect tonight I will find myself needing to get undercover whilst in bedtime sleep mode. I know those covers are somewhere in the walk-in closet where I keep such things. It ought not be too hard to find.

Flooded Walmart Nature Communing With Pig Heads & Birds

Yesterday a flooding level of rain had been predicted to arrive during daylight hours.

That did not happen.

But, overnight, a copious amount of water arrived, leaving a mini-lake for me to get around to get to my motorized means of motion, to drive to Walmart, for my nature communing, endorphin acquisition and milk purchase, on this first day of the 2026 version of October.

A couple days ago I was surprised to see the frozen foods section at Walmart included a lot of frozen pig heads for sale at 97 cents a pound.

Like something out of the Beverly Hillbillies.

What does one do with a pig head? 

Today I took a photo of the frozen pig heads. It did not look to me like there were any fewer pig heads than the first time I saw them.

Moments after I took the photo of the pig heads I was startled by something that was like being in an Alfred Hitchcock movie.

The Birds.

Multiple blackbirds were having themselves a mighty fine time startling Walmart shoppers.

It was not easy to get a good photo of the Birds. The two you see here, above and below, are the best I got. Above you see a pair at floor level, prior to taking off and flying toward the lady by the cart you see on the right of the photo. She did not find it amusing. Others watching did find it amusing.

Above is a blurry look at one of the Birds in flight mode.

I counted 11 Birds. I doubt I saw all of them. The Birds seemed to favor the food section of Walmart. I did not see any elsewhere in the store.

How did these Birds get into Walmart? And why would they want to be in Walmart? And how is Walmart going to get them out of the store?

Tuesday Nature Communing At Rain Filled Sikes Lake

It was to nearby Sikes Lake I ventured this morning of the final Tuesday of the 2026 version of September, for some salubrious nature communing and its resulting endorphin acquisition. 

I was a little surprised to see, upon seeing Sikes Lake, that yesterday's drenching downpour was of sufficient volume to cover, with water, the part of Sikes Lake which has been a totally dry lakebed for many months.

More rain is expected later today, with hour of rain and thunderstorms and flash floods predicted for tomorrow and several following days.

I think the North Texas drought may be over. For now.

Getting Drenched With A Rainbow On Way To Walmart

Rain was predicted to arrive tomorrow, not today, not on the final Monday of the 2026 version of September.

I was outside my abode when a freak drenching downpour arrived. I was trapped under cover. Eventually I called for an umbrella rescue and thus was able to make it through the downpour to my motorized means of transport to drive to Walmart.

The photo documentation was at a stoplight stopping me a short distance from Walmart, giving me the opportunity to take a photo and hopefully capture the rainbow I was seeing.

The next seven days are predicted to have a lot of rain dripping, along with thunderstorms, flash flooding and hail.

Final September Saturday Hiking Sikes Lake With Music

With rain and thunderstorms on the weather menu for this final Saturday of the 2026 version of September, it was to nearby Sikes Lake I ventured for my daily nature communing, along with a large throng of other nature communers.

I've never seen so many people on the Sikes Lake Trail as I saw today. Some were heading to what I saw as I was crossing the bridge over the lake.

And now we are on that aforementioned bridge, looking west, with a cloudy sky overhead. The next photo is what I saw as I crossed the bridge.

Some sort of music event under the Sikes Lake Pavilion, with the dry lakebed in the foreground.

I do not recollect ever previously hearing beautiful music emanating from this location.

I hope rain does arrive today. The recent days with such a forecast have not seen a single drip. The temperature was an extremely pleasant 75 degrees when I began the Sikes Lake hike today.

Post Summer Sikes Lake Nature Communing

Two days away from the end of Summer, still plenty warm, but not warm enough to require the air-conditioned comfort of Walmart for my daily nature communing and endorphin acquisition.

Yesterday, in the late afternoon, driving to the aforementioned Walmart, a few raindrops hit my windshield, no more than a dozen. Today actual accumulative levels of rain is predicted.

If rain does arrive today, I doubt it will be in a quantity sufficient to take Sikes Lake out of its current low-level state.

It was to Sikes Lake I went this morning for my nature communing. That would be a view (looking south from the north end of the lake) of the current dry state of Sikes Lake you see in the above photo documentation. The dry lakebed looks as if grass is growing on it.

In the center of the above photo you can see, if you look closely, the pedestrian bridge which crosses the dry lake. 

Let's go out on that bridge for another southern look at the dry lake.

This section of the lake is now almost totally dried up. There is still water in the part of Sikes Lake south of the causeway you see at the top of the photo.

Is this the lowest level this lake has ever been? This town does not have a real newspaper which makes note of such things.

First Fall Day Nature Communing At Lake Wichita Park

For this first full day of Fall, also known as Wednesday, it was to Lake Wichita Park I ventured for today's pleasantly temperatured nature communing and endorphin acquisition.

Lake Wichita Park is where one finds the landmark I call Mount Wichita. This park is at the opposite, or western side of the lake, from the Lake Wichita Dam side of the lake.

As you can see, via the above photo, Lake Wichita is a bit low at this end of the lake, but not nearly as noticeable\y low as is the case at the dam side of the lake. The kayak launch dock is still serviceable, with an opening to the lake, carved into the exposed lake bottom.

Lake Wichita Park is where you find the Lake Wichita Veterans Memorial Plaza. A rather well done, multi-featured memorial.

That is Mount Wichita you see between the two memorial statues.

Closer to Mount Wichita it does not look much like a mountain. A sign advises "PLEASE USE CAUTION WHEN CLIMBING HILL."

Hill Wichita does not sound as good as Mount Wichita. 

I heeded the advice and used extreme caution and avoided climbing the hill completely.

It has been a few years since I have hiked to the summit of Mount Wichita. Pre-COVID, I think. 

A Relatively Chilly Sikes Lake Nature Commune With Vultures

With the temperature in the upper 70s, it was to nearby Sikes Lake I ventured for my morning nature communing and endorphin acquisition on this next to last Monday of the 2026 version of September.

None of yesterday's predicted rain precipitated, rendering Sikes Lake at its lowest level yet. Rain is also predicted to precipitate today, but currently the sky is clear blue, with nary a cloud to be seen in any direction.

I do not know why a DO NOT ENTER sign is needed to be attached to that cyclone fence, a fence which would seem to render entering not too doable. There looked to be a couple vultures out on the causeway, or whatever one might call the dike-like structure which crosses Sikes Lake, currently rendering the part of Sikes Lake to the right, or north, of the dike, in the photo, to be totally dry. 

On the left, or south side of the dike, Sikes Lake still looks to have a good supply of water, with a few dry spots.

Today will mark the second day in a row the temperature has not gone to 100 or above, for what seems a long time.

Currently my A/C is working way less than it has had to lately. Last night it was chilly enough that I turned off both my bedroom fans.

I do not remember ever looking forward to winter like I am currently. 

Cloudy Relatively Chilly Sunday Lake Wichita Walk

In the above photo we are heading out to the Lake Wichita Boardwalk.

On this next to last Sunday of the 2026 version of September, just a few days before Fall falls upon us, it was to Lake Wichita and the Lake Wichita Dam I ventured for today's nature communing and endorphin acquisition. 

The last time I was at this location, a couple weeks ago, a strong wind made walking challenging. Today there was no such problem. Dead calm was the condition.

As you can see, via the photo documentation, we no longer have a clear blue sky. Clouds have arrived, with thunderstorming predicted for later today. Along with possible flash flooding.

And now, we are out at the terminal point of the Lake Wichita Boardwalk, looking northeast at the Lake Wichita Dam, upon which the Circle Trail sits. Now we are going get on that Circle Trail and go to the floating dock you can see, sort of in the middle of the photo.

And now we are out on that aforementioned floating dock, looking southwest at the Lake Wichita Boardwalk we had been on a few minutes ago.

On the floating dock, looking back at the dam. We see what looks like what may be a seagull. It's that white speck you see at the center left of the photo. Do seagulls venture this far from actual seas? Let's take a closer look.

Well, this bird looks to have a long beak. I do not remember seagulls having an appendage of that sort. Maybe this is a white egret.

The temperature was in the low 80s when I did my nature communing today. The low 80s is a relatively chilly temperature. My A/C is set at 80. This will be the first day in quite awhile that we won't go over 100. And such is predicted to continue to be the case in the current long-term prediction.

The 100 degrees plus days of Summer have come to an end.

Saturday In Lucy Park Backwoods Jungle Hunting Hidden Treasures

This third Saturday of the 2026 version of September is currently predicted to be the last 100 degree day of the year.

So, with the temperature in the low 80s, this morning it was to Lucy Park I ventured to commune with nature and to get myself some tranquilizing endorphins.

And to Search For The Lucy Park Hidden Secret.

No, that is not the rumored Lucy Park spring fed turquoise colored pond you see photo documented. That is a look at the Wichita River at the entry to what I call the Lucy Park Backwoods Jungle.

A steady breeze made of a little wind chilling making the high-speed hiking easily doable without overheating.

I am looking forward to next week and its promised temperatures well below 100. With rain.

Thursday Nature Communing Around Relatively Cool Sikes Lake

The Wichita Falls outer world natural air-conditioned temperature was pleasant enough this third Thursday morning of the 2026 version of September to negate the need to do my nature communing and endorphin acquisition in Walmart. 

The temperature was in the upper 70s when I exited my abode. I keep my interior space cooled to 80 degrees. So those 70 degrees felt relatively chilly.

As you can see via the photo documentation from the rocky east shore of Sikes Lake the sky is totally blue, totally free of clouds. That should be the case, maybe, til Sunday, the first day in a long time not predicted to go over 100 or above. 

Sikes Lake is in desperate need of having some rain fall, as you can see via the below photo documentation.

That blue in the distance is the part of Sikes Lake you saw in the first photo. The above view is what Sikes Lake looks like from the bridge that crosses this currently dry section of the lake. 

In Wichita Falls Searching For Lucy Park Hidden Secret

That which you see above, showed up on Facebook this morning, purporting to show a quiet hidden secret hiding somewhere in Lucy Park.

I have been all over Lucy Park, including the off-trail section I refer to as the Lucy Park Backwoods Jungle.

I have not seen anything like what you see above.

The text accompanying the photo...

Most people who visit Wichita Falls never make it to the back corner of Lucy Park.

Past the disc golf course and the walking trails, there's a spillway pond fed by a natural spring, tucked beneath limestone ledges and shaded by old cottonwoods. The water runs a strange, clear turquoise that catches everyone off guard the first time they see it, especially given the flat, dry country surrounding the city. It's not swimmable, but it's absolutely worth the short walk just to stand there and look.

And then someone commented, asking the same thing I wondered, but knew could not be.

Ashley Hood---

Wait, is this the duck pond area?

Yes, I agree, seeing this would absolutely be worth the alleged short walk, just to stand and look. If it actually existed.

No Snakes Today Nature Communing In The Lucy Park Backwoods Jungle

With the temperature in the relatively chilly low 80s, it was to Lucy Park I ventured this second Monday of the 2026 version of September, for some salubrious nature communing and endorphin acquisition.

Shade and a strong breeze added to the relatively semi-chilly comfortness.

The above photo, near what I think of as the start of the Lucy Park Backwoods Jungle, years ago, I saw at this location the biggest snake I have ever ssen in the wild. So, I always amp up my watchfulness at this location.

Ironically, if my memory serves me correctly, and sometimes it does, this was the last time I have seen a snake in the wild in Texas.

I used to have snake encounters regularly when hiking the Tandy Hills in Fort Worth. Or the Cedar Hills in Dallas. The Cedar Hills is where I had my one and only rattlesnake encounter in the wild, in Texas. That was on the mountain bike trail in Cedar Hills State Park.

In the above photo documentation, we are deep in the Lucy Park Backwoods Jungle. As you can see, there is plenty of shade, which helped with making this the most pleasant time, outdoors, I have spent in a long time.

I had the Lucy Park Backwoods Jungle all to myself today, which is not unusual, since that is usually the case.

But there were other nature communers walking and biking the paved Lucy Park paved trails.

Currently, only a couple more days are predicted to go over 100 degrees, as measured by the Fahrenheit method. Highs in the 90s, with rain and thunderstorms are predicted, currently, in a few days.

Theo's Garden Triggered Me Remembering My Washington Rooftop Garden

Yesterday my Favorite Theo Nephew sent me photos of his Tacoma garden.

I was impressed. I sure never was any sort of horticulturist when I was 15.

But I was by the time I was 17, sort of, when I was the teacher's aide in an ornamental horticulture class at the location I matriculated high school at, Burlington-Edison High School, in the town of Burlington, in the Skagit zone of Washington state.

Way more things grow in the Skagit zone of Washington state than I see growing in Texas. 

Giant tulip fields come to mind. Along with other flowers.

Strawberry, raspberry and blueberry fields. Pea fields. Bean patches. And other fields of other fruits and vegetables I am not remembering.

Seeing Theo's garden photos caused me to think back to all the greenery I grew at my Mount Vernon, Washington, home location, before moving to Texas.

I knew I had photos of my old home location, on this computer. It took some looking before I found them.

In the photo above you are seeing flowers I kept blooming on the stairs leading up the main entry, the covered patio, and my rooftop garden.

In the next photo we have gone up the stairs, and are standing under the covered patio, with the rooftop garden to the right, with only a little the roof top garden's greenery visible.

I do not remember spending a lot of time watering plants, but I must have.

In the next photo we are out in the rooftop garden.

The rooftop garden and patio was the roof of the carport, plus the roof over the work room, the weight room, and the lower entry hallway. In the above photo we are out in the garden, looking back at the entry and the covered patio. I had a hammock there on which I spent many hours swaying in the breeze. And a barbecue on which I barbecued many chickens and other meat products.

 Above we are under the covered patio, looking out at the rooftop garden.

Growing greenery like I grew in Washington is not possible in Texas. A sad fact my next-door neighbor found out this summer when all the plants she had planted, all withered and died in the nonstop Texas HEAT.

Nephew Theo's Tacoma Garden Photo Documentation

Yesterday, Friday, 9/11, I made mention of my Favorite Theo Nephew's Garden in a blog post titled Semi-Cool 9/11 Nature Communing Around Sikes Lake With David's Birthday & Theo's Garden, in which I indicated I'd been unable to get the Theo garden photos off my phone.

I figured the problem was being caused by Theo's phone being an Apple I-phone, whilst mine is a Google Android phone. And my photo programs have not been updated in a long long long time. And then, late in the afternoon, my elderly brain remembered my Google programs include Google Photos, which I do not use, but which I figured was likely updated with whatever the latest Apple format might be.

And I was right. I was able to get Theo's photos off my phone using Google Photos.

Here is Theo's explanatory text which came in with the photos...

The tomatoes are starting to die, but they have produced so many tomatoes this year. Also, we took out some of the other vegetables and are putting in new Fall vegetables. That's what the sprouts are. Also, we have some pumpkins planted. 

There are many many many things I miss that I used to enjoy in Washington.

One of those things is the fun I had each Spring planting all sorts of plants. Vegetables, flowers and fruit bearing bushes. I had four big blueberry bushes which produced so many blueberries the freezer got overstocked with them.

My main garden was basically a rooftop garden. I wonder if I have photos of that. I shall look, but not right now...

Semi-Cool 9/11 Nature Communing Around Sikes Lake With David's Birthday & Theo's Garden

Today was chilled enough that outdoor nature communing was doable and pleasant. And so it was to Sikes Lake I ventured for the first time in quite a few days, getting my daily endorphin dose whilst breathing in pleasant outdoor air, instead of that air-conditioned Walmart air which causes me to sneeze.

As you can see, via the above photo documentation, the ongoing drought has shriveled Sikes Lake to the lowest level I've seen since I have been in this town. Yesterday's predicted possible rain only produced a couple drops.

Tomorrow, as you can see. via the below screen cap, we are predicted to break a temperature record set way back years before I was born.

Today, September 11, is my Favorite David Nephew's birthday. His is one of the easiest birthdates to remember, sadly.

I texted David a Happy Birthday text, this morning. David is now old enough to vote.

Texting David, I remember I have been intending to text message David's little brother, my Favorite Theo Nephew, to ask for an update on his gardening project.

Almost instantly Theo got back to me with a message, along with three photos of his garden. It's an impressive operation. 

Sadly, I could not get Theo's photos off my phone. I think the Tacoma relative's phones are Apple I-phones. Maybe that is why I can't get them off my phone. I can see Theo's photos on the phone, but when I click to get them off the phone, like what works with photos like the Sikes Lake photo, all I get is a blank black screen. I tried each of the photo programs on my computer, with the same blank black result.

I could easily get Theo's text off the phone, though. Here's is Theo's text message about his gardening operation...

The tomatoes are starting to die, but they have produced so many tomatoes this year. Also, we took out some of the other vegetables and are putting in new Fall vegetables. That's what the sprouts are. Also, we have some pumpkins planted. 

I have not yet given up on successfully getting Theo's photos off the phone...

Unexpected Thursday HEAT Sends Me Back To Walmart Air-Conditioned Comfort

I thought, what with today's second Thursday of the 2026 version of September forecast to get heated to a relatively chilly 95 degrees, for the high, that my regular nature communing time in the morning should be well below 95 degrees.

Well, I was wrong.

When I left my abode, opening the door, I was hit with a blast of HOT. I woke up my phone to see the temperature was 92 degrees. As measured by the Fahrenheit method.

92 degrees. With absolutely no wind blowing to create any sort of windchill effect.

So, it was back to the air-conditioned comfort of Walmart I drove for my nature communing and endorphin acquisition. 

You can see, via the above photo documentation, there was not much wildlife to observe, this morning, in Walmart.

Thunderstorms are still on the weather menu for later today. Along with some possible flash flooding. It does look as if the clouds are rapidly getting more dense.

The next couple days are predicted to be back over 100. And then next week a couple days with the highs being in the 80s. That is almost an air-conditioned temperature. 

Theo & Ruby's First Day Of 10th Grade

What with the temperature heading, once again, past the 100-degree mark I opted, once again, to do my nature communing in the air-conditioned comfort of Walmart. 

I was about 20 minutes into my endorphin acquisition when my phone made its incoming message noise. I woke up the phone, saw the incoming message was from my little sister, Michele. I clicked on the message and soon saw the two photos you see here, above and below, with the following text...

First day, 10th grade. Their friends meet up at our house to walk together to school.

 I do not know if Tacoma has a three- or four-year high school system. If it is a three-year system, that means today is my nephew Theo and niece Ruby's first day of high school.

Since they are walking to school that would seem to indicate to me that their high school is Stadium High School. That is a school made famous in a couple movies.

Of late I have had way too many instances of thinking that time if flying way too fast. Theo and Ruby in high school is yet one more instance of that. Theo and Ruby turn 16 this coming December 17. 

That means Theo and Ruby will soon be getting driver's licenses. 

I have not seen Theo and Ruby since March of 2019. I remember giving Theo a driving lesson at that point in time, with Theo driving grandma's van. My best guess is Theo would have been, maybe 8, at that point in time. Complex math is not an area I am strong in.