Chilly Day After Thanksgiving At Lucy Park

It was back to Lucy Park I ventured on this day after Thanksgiving, for some nature communing along with burning some of the excessive calories gained from yesterday's Thanksgiving buffet.

As you can see via the photo documentation, the deciduous trees have lost all their leaves. The evergreen trees remain green, because that is how they are programmed.

Whilst walking a strong wind was blowing. The temperature was chilled into the low 50s, with that strong wind making it feel real cold. 

A few days ago I was at Lucy Park in shorts and tank top. And I overheated. Today I was in sweatpants, hooded sweatshirt, wool hat. And I did not overheat. Instead I got cold.

Winter is less than a month away. Not looking forward to freezing temperatures and snow. 

Sunday Lucy Park Duck Pond Nature Communing

On this next to last Sunday of the 2025 version of November, with winter less than a month away, it was back to Lucy Park I ventured on this sunny day, to commune with nature.

I usually park at the Lucy Park log cabin parking lot when doing Lucy Park nature communing. Today I opted to break that repetitive pattern and instead parked at the Lucy Park duck pond parking lot.

Which would make that, in the photo above, a look at one section of the scenic Lucy Park duck pond, currently populated by more geese than ducks.

With more than two-thirds of fall already gone, the leaves in the trees have mostly fallen, rendering the landscape much less green than just a short time ago. Now yellows and browns are the predominate color screen, though we do see some green in the above photo documentation.

The temperature was barely in the 50s when I was in nature communing mode. But, I did not feel at all chilly, even though I did not have on cold weather outerwear, just my regular nature communing attire of shorts and a tank top. 

Rain and thunderstorms are on the weather menu for later today, and tomorrow. 

Sunday Blown Cold Off Wichita Bluff Nature Area To Lucy Park

The leaves in the trees at my North Texas location have finally received the memo telling them it is time to change the color of the leaves from green to eye pleasing shades of golden yellow.

Even the Wichita River, as seen in the above photo documentation, is matching the new leaf colors, viewed this second Sunday of 2025's November, in Lucy Park.

A bit before 11 this morning I drove to the west entry to the Wichita Bluffs Nature Area for my nature communing. The temperature was barely in the 50s. A strong wind was busy blowing. I exited my vehicle and re-entered it a few seconds later, deciding it was too cold, and that nearby Lucy Park, would not be as exposed to the gusting wind.

Tonight the temperature is again predicted to dip below freezing, into the 20s. The past few days there have been freeze warnings, but no freezing has happened. I suspect such will no longer be the case by tomorrow morning.

Will tomorrow be that dreaded day where I switch my climate control from air-conditioning cooling, to heat mode? I hope not....

Sunday Lucy Park Backwoods Jungle Hike With Tyrannosaurus Rex

 On this first Sunday of 2025's November, it was to Lucy Park I ventured for some salubrious nature communing gained via joining the throngs, well, three other people, hiking the Lucy Park Backwoods Jungle.

Before entering the Backwoods Jungle I stopped to admire and photo document the Lucy Park archeological site.

No signage informs the observer which creature's remains the observer is observing.

Methinks it looks like it may be the remains of a T-rex.

Let's see if I can spell the full name without getting red flagged.

Tyrannosaurus Rex.

Spelled correctly on almost the first try. I was missing an 'n'.

Continuing on from the Lucy Park archeological site I soon entered the Lucy Park Backwoods Jungle.

The Wichita River is looking peaceful and serene as it flows through the jungle. This location is near where I encountered the biggest snake I have ever come across whilst in the outer world. That was several years ago.

Currently it is too cold for snakes to be slithering. A few weeks ago, when the outer world was heated closer to 100 than freezing I would have been vigilantly on the lookout for snakes as I made my way through the dense jungle.

Returning to Standard Time has caused me some confusion. Every six months I have trouble remembering how to change the time on some of my devices. I am grateful for the devices which can change the time without any input from me, like my phone, the TV, and the computer.

It is almost noon, Standard Time. My stomach is still on Daylight Savings Time, thus hungry. This calls for an early lunch today...

Strong Wind Blows Me To Lucy Park For Chilly Nature Communing

At my Texas location on the planet the wind has been busy blowing hard the last two days, with gusts nearing 50 miles per hour.

I am just about 100% this particular wind gusting has nothing to do with that super powerful Melissa Hurricane which is wreaking havoc a few miles to the east and south of my location.

It was to Lucy Park I opted to venture for some nature communing and endorphin acquisition and dodging blowing debris.

As you can see via the photo documentation of the Lucy Park suspension bridge over the Wichita River, the leaves have only barely began to lose their green color. That green color may start rapidly departing after tonight, as the first freeze of the freezing season is predicted for the next couple nights.

The wind chill today had me out of shorts and in sweatpants and a long sleeve shirt for the first time in many months. Seems weird to go so rapidly from being in the 90s a couple days ago, to freezing tonight.

The route to Lucy Park takes me by MSU (Midwestern State University). I was shocked, shocked I tell you, to see the annual MSU Christmas display is already arriving. I forget the formal name of this HUGE installation. I think it is Burns something or other.

We have not even arrived at Halloween yet. Why is Christmas arriving so soon?

Windy Shadow of The Lucy Park Thin Man Hiking Backwoods Jungle

 

It was to Lucy Park I ventured this next to last Monday of the 2025 version of October, for some extremely breezy nature communing, with wind gusts nearing 50 mph at times.

You can sort of see my shorts are being wind whipped, via the above photo documentation of the Shadow of the Lucy Park Thin Man.

For many months now I have not been able to hike the trail around the Lucy Park Backwoods Jungle, because the last time the Wichita River went into flood mode it left behind a big log jam on top of the trail, with extremely tall grass preventing walking around the log jam.

One does not make their way through extremely tall grass in a place where one has seen extremely big snakes.

Today, when I saw the tall grass had been mowed, I was optimistic the log jam had been removed. But, as you can see via the photo below, the log jam is still jamming the original Lucy Park Backwoods Jungle trail.

But, what you cannot see in the photo of the log jam is that a new trail has been blazed, around the log jam. 

So, for the first time in a long time I was able to hike the entire Lucy Park Backwoods Jungle. This pleased me greatly.

I can tell I acquired a lot of endorphins today....

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....

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.

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...

Chilly Sunny Sunday Lucy Park Nature Communing Walk

With the outer world chilled down to the low 80s, it was to Lucy Park I ventured this fine Sunday August morning, to get myself some much-needed endorphins acquired from aerobic stimulation.

As you can see, the Wichita River, flowing below the Lucy Park suspension bridge, is starting to run low. 

As you can also see, well into August we are still seeing green foliage, creating a jungle-like effect.

Usually, by now, if my memory is serving me accurately, by now, most of the outer world sports little green, instead, mostly various shades of brown.

Someone has chalked messages on the Circle Trail as it trails through Lucy Park.

 The Good Morning Sunshine message was particularly cheering.

This morning, I found myself unexpectedly experiencing a bad case of a wanton display of self-centered prudish superciliousness.

My initial reaction was that the supercilious person was joking, thinking no one can actually be this brittle.

Well, I was wrong.

Such is why, as best I can, I tend to avoid what are known as Karen types....

HOT Lucy Park Walk With Pink Wildflowers

With the outer world warmed to a temperature in the 90s, it was to Lucy Park I ventured on this final Monday of the 2025 version of July for my daily naturing communing at the only one of my nature communing locations which provides some good sun blocking shade trees.

Even so, it was still a little too HOT to comfortably acquire my daily endorphins, but, I persisted and got my much-needed dopamine fix.

Tomorrow is scheduled to be HOTTER than today. Methinks I shall be getting my endorphin dopamine fix in an indoor nature communing location on the final Tuesday of July.

Even though the outer world is being a little HOT, at my North Texas location, that does not seem to cause any wilting action of the Lucy Park pink wildflowers you see photo documented above.

I assume these are wildflowers. I may be erroneous in that assumption.

Another bit of photo documentation from today's shady Lucy Park nature communing.

As you can see, the Wichita River is running a bit low under the Lucy Park suspension bridge. You can also see, via the photo documentation, some of that shady action I mentioned.

I do not recollect the outer world remaining so green, this late into Summer, at my current Texas location, previous Summers. Such is a result, I assume, of higher-than-average rainfall during 2025.

I thought, what with all that rain, that this Summer was going to be a nightmare, bug bite-wise. Last Summer I was constantly getting bug bit, was bug spraying myself before entering the outer world.

This Summer I have not been bug bitten a single time. Not even a mosquito bite. Perplexing...

Saturday Lucy Park Backwoods Jungle Log Jamming Again

On this third Saturday of the 2025 version of July it was back to shady Lucy Park I drove for some salubrious nature communing at a location where the leaves of trees provide some sun blockage and a slight cooling result.

Looking at today's long-range weather prediction for my Wichita Falls, Texas location, I see it has changed from yesterday, when the prediction was we'd get a break from 100-degree days, with a cold snap dropping the August 4 high to 99 degrees.

Yesterday's prediction had that one day cold snap followed by day after day over 100, in August.

But, today's changed prediction has the temperature dropping well below 100 on August 2 and continuing below 100 for most of the following August days.

A couple days ago I hiked the trail through the Lucy Park Backwoods Jungle, til I came to a big trail blocking log jam.

Today I hiked the Lucy Park Backwoods Jungle trail from the other entry, til I reached the trail blocking log jam.

The trail blocking log jam looks bigger from this side than it did from the other side. When I was on the other side I contemplated climbing over the log jam, but opted not to, thinking snakes and who knows what other critters might be lurking.

Seeing the log jam today, from the other side, I could see there is no way one would want to, or could, climb over it.

I hope a bulldozer arrives soon to clear out the Lucy Park Backwoods Jungle's log jam. That trail is my favorite hot weather hiking location, when it is log jam-free...

HOT Lucy Park Backwoods Jungle Obstruction

Today, the third Thursday of the 2025 version of July, the outer world is predicted to get heated to a degree shy of 100 degrees, as measured by the Fahrenheit method.

The long-range current temperature prediction, day after day, starting tomorrow, is we will be being heated to over 100 degrees. Some days nearing 110 real degrees, feeling even hotter due to the humidity.

So, to enjoy this last semi-cool day before the heat waves hit, I opted to drive to Lucy Park, intending to hike the Lucy Park Backwoods Jungle for the first time in months. I have stayed out of the jungle due to rain making the trail muddy, and then a flood making even a worse muddy mess.

I do not recollect the Lucy Park Backwoods Jungle being so lushly overgrown, previously, as is currently the case. At some locations the vegetation made the trail so narrow one could not avoid being slapped by grass.

A few years ago I saw a huge snake near the location you see photo documented above. So, the excess vegetation had me being hyper vigilant looking out for snakes.

Once I got to where the trail was wider, with no blowing grass slapping me, I enjoyed hiking the jungle.

 I was about 3/4 of the way through the jungle when the trail ahead looked possibly problematic. You can sort of see the problem in the photo. We'll get a closer look.

A log jam blocking the trail. With no way around the blockage. Tall grass on the left and right. It did not look doable to climb over the log jam. This log jam must have developed during the flood a couple months ago. One would think this would have been cleared by now.

So, I had to backtrack, making for a way longer hike than I'd intended. It was fun though. I'd missed getting my endorphins the past couple days...

Thursday Back HOT At Lucy Park Roller Blading

On this second Thursday of the 2025 version of July, it was back to shady Lucy Park I ventured, as evidenced by the photo documentation of the Lucy Park Suspension Bridge over the low flowing, slow moving Wichita River, for some much-needed nature communing and that behavior's endorphin acquisition result.

Upon arrival at Lucy Park my phone's temperature monitoring application indicated the temperature, as measured by the Fahrenheit method, was 90 degrees, with the humidity making it really feel like 99 degrees. There was no sufficient wind blowing to provide any cooling wind chill factor.

Today at Lucy Park I saw something I do not recollect seeing, previously, in Wichita Falls.

A roller blader.

A young female roller blader, rolling along fast, making doing so look easy.

Seeing such caused me to think that maybe taking up roller blading again might be fun.

The paved trails in this town, along with the mostly flat topography, would make for some fun rolling.

My old roller blades broke the first time I attempted to use them after moving to this town. I threw them away. I do not remember if I kept the roller blade elbow, knee and hand pads. 

Thunderstorms are on the local weather menu for the next several coming days. I hope with no flooding downpours...

Humid Hot Lucy Park 5th of July Walk

Saturday, the day after 2025's 4th of July, it was to Lucy Park I ventured for some much-needed nature communing and endorphin acquisition.

You can almost see, via the photo documentation, how steamy HOT the outer world is being at my location.

The weather forecast indicated thunderstorming was likely to be encountered during my time today in the outer world. Along with possible flash flooding.

However, though clouds blotted out the clear blue sky, I saw no lightning striking, heard no thunder booming, felt no rain dripping, whilst I had me a mighty fine time overheating in the ultra-humidity.

That ultra-humidity had me sort of overheating for the first time this HOT time of the year. So much so I overcame my usual bashful modesty and removed my shirt to avail myself of some potential cooling.

This worked a little.

But, I never truly felt cool til back in the air-conditioned comfort of my mechanized means of motion.

Yesterday, on Facebook, I replied to someone's posting about the lack of hearing any firecrackers cracking in the Fort Worth zone. This was during the day. The poster wondered if such was due to the population feeling a bit subdued, patriotic fever-wise, due to, well, you know.

I commented that Wichita Falls was also being firecracker-free, along with the 4th of July Parade being cancelled.

Well.

Last night, about an hour before midnight, firecrackers began exploding. This continued, at various levels of loudness, for a couple hours.

I hope by the time next year's 4th of July arrives America is feeling happier than the current sad state....

Friday Lucy Park Humid Aerobics

On this final Friday of the 2025 version of June, it was back to super shady Lucy Park I ventured for some much-needed salubrious aerobic stimulation in the outer world.

When the sun arrived this morning to begin its daily illumination duty, I was surprised, when I looked out my bedroom window, to see water drops dripping from the sky. I did not think such was in the weather forecast for today.

The drippage did not last long enough to cause any annoying puddling.

As you can see via the look across the Lucy Park suspension bridge, the Wichita River is still running high.

Fast and high.

Obviously, you cannot see the water flowing fast in a photo.

If the river is still running high on my next Lucy Park visit I shall try to remember to take video. That should make me extremely dizzy, trying to shoot video whilst walking across the swaying bridge with water moving fast below me.

It may have rained harder at the Lucy Park location than it did in my home zone, this morning, which would explain all the Lucy Park puddling I saw today.

The dose of rain amped up today's humidity, making the 88 degrees as measured by the Fahrenheit method, really feel like 93 degrees, according to my phone's temperature monitoring.

A week from today is the 4th of July.

Have not decided if I'm going to go downtown on that day to watch the parade. It's a fun parade. I think it's been a couple years since I've watched it.

Tuesday Wichita Falls Public Library Visit Leads Me To Ultra Green Lucy Park

On this cloudy second Tuesday of the 2025 version of June I found myself needing to drive to downtown Wichita Falls, to the library, to replenish my supply of reading materials.

And, since it was nearby, and I was in need of some salubrious outdoor aerobic activity, to replenish my endorphin supply, leaving the library I headed west to Lucy Park.

I do not remember the outer world at my current North Texas location previously looking so lushly green as it currently looks. The past several years Wichita Falls, and the surrounding area, have been in dry drought mode. Resulting in a landscape shaded more towards brown, than green.

The above green view is looking north at the area of Lucy Park I call the Lucy Park Backwoods Jungle. Currently looking more jungle-like than I ever remember it looking.

Due to the jungle recently being flooded, mud remains, even though the flood has receded.

Hence, walking the Backwoods Jungle is not yet doable.

Continuing on I walked the Circle Trail, which runs parallel to the Wichita River at this location. The green landscape almost looks over saturated, almost not natural.

The river level has dropped significantly since my last Lucy Park visit. So, I was able to walk out on the Lucy Park Suspension Bridge without fast moving river water, below the swaying bridge, making me dizzy.

The bridge deck's wooden planks look to have been rendered a bit warped from being submerged under river water. Though the warped deck boards look a little dangerous, I carefully stepped on a couple warped planks and found them to be safely solid.

First June Day Back To Lucy Park Not Getting Dizzy On Swaying Suspension Bridge

On this first day, and first Sunday, of the 2025 version of June, it was back to Lucy Park I ventured for some nature communing with the outer world pleasantly temperatured into the upper 70s, with a cooling breeze blowing.

As you can see, via the photo documentation of the Lucy Park Suspension Bridge over the Wichita River, the river is still running high. What you cannot see, in a still photograph, is that that high water is flowing fast.

I did not walk out onto the bridge today. I learned a couple weeks ago, with the river high and moving fast, the swaying of the bridge causes me to get dizzy, like being on a bad carnival ride. The younger version of me likely would have enjoyed this sensation. But, elderly me does not enjoy any sort of vertigo sensation.

Today Lucy Park was having the most visitor action I have seen so far this year. I suspect this being the first day of June, coupled with being borderline perfect weather conditions, made it appealing to visit the best park in Wichita Falls.

May zipped by fast. I suspect the same for June. The 4th of July will soon arrive. I think I shall go to the downtown 4th of July Parade. Have not done so for a few years. It is an entertaining parade.

Flooding Lucy Park Tuesday Nature Communing

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Hot Humid Lucy Park Sunday Catfishing

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

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

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

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

Catfish.

Yesterday he'd caught five.

So far, today, no luck.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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