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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Looking At America's Most Beautiful Sites & Colorful Tulips

I saw that which you see here via Microsoft/s Windows Edge browser's Start Page, a photo gallery purporting to be America's Most Beautiful Sites And Destinations.

The text explaining this collection of beautiful American sites...

America the beautiful

America is home to some of the most beautiful sights on the planet, from teetering skyscrapers to wildflower meadows and glacier-filled national parks. Here we take a virtual tour of the USA's most stunning places and attractions to inspire your next stateside trip.

I do not know if the America's Most Beautiful Sites And Destinations link will work in all types of browsers and mobile devices.

The above screen cap is page 1 of this gallery. Upon seeing it I thought it looked to be a tulip field in my old home zone of the Skagit Valley.

Upon reaching Beautiful Site #22 I had confirmation this was a photo of a tulip field in my old home zone of the Skagit Valley.

The text accompanying the photo...

Skagit Valley, Washington

In the northwest corner of Washington state lies a valley that could have been plucked straight from the Netherlands. Come spring, millions of kaleidoscopic tulips, irises, and daffodils spread out in neat ribbons, brightening over 1,000 acres in Skagit Valley. It's one of the best floral displays in the western States.

There were three other beautiful American sites in my old home zone of Washington state. Mount Rainier and the mountain's wildflowers, the Hoh Rain Forest in Olympic National Park, and the hills of the Palouse in Eastern Washington.

My current home zone of Texas has three of America's most beautiful sites. The bluebonnets of Texas Hill Country, the Hamilton Pool Preserve, and Caddo Lake.

Of the Texas beautiful sites I have only been to one, that being the bluebonnets of Texas Hill Country. The bluebonnets, along with other wildflowers, really are a beautiful site to see..

Madame McNutty, Linda Lou & Brother Jake With Skagit Tulips

What you see here was posted on Facebook, yesterday, by the entity known as Madame McNutty. A tulip field scene from our old home zone of the Skagit Valley, with the Mount Baker volcano hovering above.

This Facebook post led to a dialogue between my little brother, Jake, who recently moved back to the Skagit Valley from Arizona, Linda Lou, and the aforementioned Madame McNutty.

In that dialogue we learn who lives in that house you see on the right, above the tulips...

Jake Jones--That's where I'm living now.

Madame McNutty--I’m green with envy!!!

Linda Lou--hi Jake!

Jake Jones--Hello Linda Lou!

Linda Lou--I have been out to see the fields during weekdays. (less traffic) I will see if I spot your house when I journey that way again.

Jake Jones--And when I say, "that's where I'm living now." I'm now living in the house in the photo.

___________________

The last time I was in the Skagit Valley in April was way back in the year 2006. I did not see any tulips at that point in time, due to the fact I did not make it out to the Skagit Flats, where the tulips bloom...

Once Again Homesick For Skagit Tulips With A Fidalgo Drive-In Blackberry Milkshake

It has been a day or two since I have seen something somewhere which has made me feel somewhat homesick for my long ago location of the Puget Sound region of Washington state. 

Specifically, the Skagit Valley.

What you see above was seen this final Friday morning of the 2021 version of April, on Facebook, via a posting on the "You know you're from Anacortes when..." page.

Anacortes is a town on Fidalgo Island, west of the Skagit Valley, and the location of my Favorite Nephew Jason and Spencer Jack's Fidalgo Drive-In, home of the best hamburgers and blackberry milkshakes in Washington.

But, if you are in the Seattle zone, around 60 miles south of the one and only Fidalgo Drive-In, a Dick's Deluxe from one of the Dick's Drive-Ins would suffice as another best hamburger in Washington.

But, you can not get a blackberry milkshake at Dick's. Only vanilla, chocolate or strawberry.

A while back I was in ALDI talking to one of the ALDI regulars. She being a lifelong Texan and longtime Wichita Falls resident. She had recently flown to Seattle for her first time visit to the west coast. She told me it was..."just mesmerizing, no matter which direction she looked there were mountains."

"Living here," she said, "you get to thinking the entire world is flat, never seeing anything on the horizon."

So true. When I go a few years before a return to the west coast, being acclimated to scenery sparse Texas, it is a bit overwhelming being back where most everywhere you look what you see is aesthetically pleasing.

Except for the jarring part of Seattle. As in the bizarre homeless situation, with tent encampments lining I-5 as you drive through downtown Seattle.

Sister Jackie, recently returned to Arizona from a Washington visit, told me it has gotten much worse in Seattle with the homeless situation.

The weather at my current location has improved. Perhaps enough so that a bike ride might be possible. Maybe I'll roll my wheels to the one and only local mountain, the mound of dirt known as Mount Wichita...

Today It Is MMG Making Me Homesick For Skagit Tulips While Grilling Russian Salmon

Today's make me homesick moment once again comes from Facebook. This time via an entity currently calling herself Margaret Mikota Grants who shared a collection of photos of the Skagit Valley tulips, currently in their annual bloom and color the valley mode.

Miss Margaret, also known as MMG, is currently planning a reunion of the class with whom I graduated from high school.

MMG is doing this reunion planning from her Minnesota location a couple thousand miles distant from the Skagit Valley location of the place at which we attended high school.

MMG is currently taking a break from reunion planning and is instead here in Texas not visiting me.

Instead of visiting me MMG is fishing at a venue called Fork Lake whilst staying in a town called Alba. Neither of which I had heard of and had to Google to find they are located a few miles east of Dallas.

When I lived in Washington I had a fairly regular supply of fresh salmon, among other types of fresh seafood, such as dungeness crab, oysters and clams.

For lunch today the smokeless grill in my kitchen is grilling pink salmon filets. From Russia, processed in China, bought by me in Walmart.

Such a thing should make me homesick, but for some likely irrational reason, it isn't...