Apparently Washington Does Not Care How It's Done In Texas

I saw that which you see above, yesterday, on Facebook, and thought it amusing, partly because it is about my old home state, and makes mentions of Texas, the state I am currently in.

The below text sort of explains the thinking behind the sign...

Washington doesn’t need to explain itself

It has mountains that stop you mid-sentence, evergreen backroads, ferry rides, rainy mornings, and the kind of views that make people move here and immediately start acting like they discovered the place.

Come for the scenery, the coffee, the seafood, and the clean mountain air. Stay for the forests, the coast, the weird little towns, and the feeling that nature is always one turn away.

But if you showed up expecting Washington to trade its identity for somebody else’s version of “better,” you’re probably in the wrong state.

Washington isn’t trying to be Texas. Washington isn’t trying to be Florida. Washington is just being Washington.

So, take in the view, grab some salmon, spend a little money, and let the Pacific Northwest keep doing its thing

Flying Google Earth From Texas To Visit My Old Washington Home Zone

Last night I flew Google Earth from my current home zone to my old home zone of Washington state. It had been a few years since I had flown home via this method.

I first checked out the town I grew up in, Burlington, going down Fairhaven Avenue, that being the main drag through town. Much had changed, including what looked to be a lot of new landscaping at the area train tracks intersect with, I think, Highway 20, that being the rode which takes you to North Cascades National Park.

When I got to my old home, across from Maiben Park, I saw something which clued me as to why I find a certain aspect of Texas to be a bit appalling.

That being the sad state of sidewalks in the Lone Star state.

The sidewalk in front of the house I grew up in is wide, with a grass median between the sidewalk and the road. A feature I rarely, if ever, have seen in Texas. And now a sidewalk has been added on the park side of the street.

The house I grew up in is the one in the middle. Seeing the sidewalk, with the median between sidewalk and road, I understand why I find the Texas sidewalks so appalling.

After several minutes in Burlington I headed south to Mount Vernon. The first thing I checked out in Mount Vernon was the Riverwalk along the Skagit River.

The Mount Vernon Riverwalk was built as part of a flood control project. Previous to this new flood control method sandbags were used to build a walk to keep downtown Mount Vernon from being flooded. Now a temporary wall can be assembled quickly by just a couple wall builders, not the hundreds of volunteers it took to build a sandbag wall.

The Texas town I used to live in, Fort Worth, has been trying to build a new flood control method in an area which has not flooded since the 1950s, because flood control levees already prevent such from happening. Fort Worth's slow-motion project, limping along for most of this century is known as the Trinity River Vision, purported to be a vitally needed flood control and economic development plan.

So vitally needed that, so for, the only major part of that Vision which can be seen is three simple little freeway overpass type bridges, built over dry land, to connect the Fort Worth mainland to an imaginary island.

The river that flows through Fort Worth is the Trinity River. This is not a Skagit River type river. As you can sort of see in the above photo, the Skagit River looks like it is flowing clean, clear water. The Trinity River looks like flowing mud, and in flood mode that flowing mud is covered with litter.

That photo at the top is the house I lived in before moving to Texas. Built in 1985 for only $65,000. Sold in 2002 for $132,000. And recently I saw the house has been sold again for a little under a hall million bucks. 

Such seems so bizarre to me. That anyone would pay that much for that house. Only three bedrooms, two bathrooms. And no walk-in closets. The decks in front and back were rather nice, there is that. I had a great roof top garden in the front patio, with two big blueberry bushes, among many other vegetative things, including a lot of basil.

I'm appalled to see a garage door has been added to the open carport, not matching the look of the rest of the house. I see the stairs leading to the front door have been totally re-done. And why is there what looks to be a big plastic tarp above where my bedroom was?

I guess it really is true, you can't go home again. And expect all to be the same as you remember it...

Ranking Blogger Has Me Comparing Oregon & Washington & Texas

The Microsoft Start page in the Window's Edge browser is a treasure trove of information tidbits. Some a bit dubious, like ranking the best frozen pizzas, or fast food fries.

Or, like the All 50 states ranked from worst to best, according to a 45-year-old blogger who has been to each one multiple times you see screen capped above.

I did a good guess at which states would be in the Top 10 best. I've been to all of them, except Hawaii.

The state I am currently in did not rank nearly as well as the state I was born in, Oregon, or the state I was living in before moving to Texas, Washington.

24. Texas

Abbamonte wasn't charmed by any of Texas' major cities and especially disliked the traffic in Houston.

But he said he loves Big Bend National Park near the border with Mexico.

The Abbamonte blogger did not have a lot to say about Texas. Did he visit Hill Country? Visit in wildflower season? Visit Galveston and the rest of the Gulf Coast? San Antonio and its Riverwalk? Did not like any of the Texas major cities? Dallas has a lot going for it. I liked Dallas upon first meeting the town. Now, if Fort Worth was the only major Texas city the blogger visited, I would get the not being charmed comment.

And then we get to my old home state, which the Abbamonte blogger seems to have liked a lot.

 8. Washington

Abbamonte said Seattle is the "most beautiful city, surely in America and maybe anywhere." In the summer, he added, Mount Rainier can be visible from the city, which is "a stunner."

Besides Seattle, Abbamonte loves how Washington state reminds him of Canada. "You feel like you're in Canada, but you're in America," he said.

How often it rains is the only downside of the state, in Abbamonte's view.

Seattle is a beautiful city, but the most beautiful anywhere? And yes, it does rain a lot in Western Washington, but even in Western Washington there are areas which are in the rain shadow of the Olympic Mountains, hence way less rain. And all you have to do, to be rain-free, is drive over one of the Cascade Mountain passes to Eastern Washington and you are in a sort of desert environment, with a lot of orchards and vineyards.

The blogger liked California best. Also in the top ten where states like Utah, Arizona, Alaska, Colorado, Montana, Nevada.

And Oregon. The blogger like Oregon more than Washington.

I've long liked Oregon, but Washington has way more going for it.

The states share the Columbia Gorge.

Oregon has only one active volcano. Washington has five.

Oregon has only one national park. Washington has three.

Oregon has Portland. Washington has Seattle.

Washington has a much longer coastline, and a much less accessible Pacific coastline than Oregon's scenic coast.

Eastern Washington grows a large percentage of America's apples, cherries, apricots, peaches, grapes and stuff I'm likely not remembering. Eastern Oregon is not an agricultural wonderland like Eastern Washington. Likely due to no big rivers providing irrigation.

Washington has one of the world's largest ferry fleets, taking people across Puget Sound, or to the San Juan Islands. Oregon has no islands in need of a ferry. There is even a ferry in Eastern Washington, to ferry you across Lake Roosevelt, you know, the reservoir formed by Grand Coulee Dam. Oregon has zero dams of the Grand Coulee sort.

The blogger made mention of Canada. Washington shares a border with Canada. It used to be so easy to cross the border and spend the day in Vancouver, or elsewhere. I understand that, post 9/11, that is no longer the case, with cross border traffic not what it used to be. That needs to be fixed.

All this Washington and Oregon talk is making me homesick...

In Washington Saying Humptulips, Lilliwap & Dosewallips Without Giggling

I saw that which you see here, this Saturday afternoon, on Facebook. Three volcanoes. I think the lower volcano is Mount Hood. That is in Oregon, near the border with Washington. Washington has five volcanoes, Mount Rainier, Mount St. Helens, Mount Adams, Mount Baker and Glacier Peak. 

Glacier Peak takes some effort to see it from the ground. It is not visible from the Western Washington lowlands, like Rainier, Baker and Adams are. I may be wrong about Adams.

Anyway, the text that came with this Only in Washington image was amusing, and so true...

YOU KNOW YOU ARE FROM WASHINGTON STATE WHEN:

You know the Vitamin D deficiency struggle is real.

You know how to pronounce Sequim, Puyallup, Sammamish, Enumclaw and Issaquah.

You avoid driving through Seattle at all costs.

You know what a Geoduck is.

You consider swimming an indoor sport.

You see a person carrying an umbrella and instantly think tourist.

Your lawn is mostly moss and you don't really care.

Honking your car horn is for absolute emergencies.

You're EXTREMELY picky about your coffee.

“The mountain is out today", isn't a strange statement.

While out of state you just tell people you're from Seattle since that's the only known city in Washington according to the rest of the world.

You remember Almost Live.

You've eaten in the Space Needle, and while it was delicious, you're never paying $50 for a meal in the sky again.

You rarely wash your car because it's just going to get washed by the rain tomorrow.

You're used to the phrase "No, not DC" when telling out of staters where you're from.

Northface is always in fashion.

You take a warm coat and a hat with you for a day at the beach.

You have mastered the art of doing everything in the rain, because, well, Washington.

You play the "no you go" at four-way stop.

You have had both the thought of how beautiful Mount Rainier is, while simultaneously accepting that it will probably kill you someday.

You get a little twitchy if it's been more than a week since it last rained.

You believe Twilight ruined Forks.

You can say Humptulips, Lilliwap and Dosewallips without giggling.

Washington & Texas Are Mighty Fun States

I saw an amusing MSN article yesterday titled 11 States Americans Say Are the Most Fun which had my old home state of Washington and the #1 most fun state. You can click the 11 States Americans Say Are the Most Fun to see the other fun states, including the fun state I am currently located in.

This is the fun description of Washington...

Washington State was the top-voted most fun state in the United States. It is an exciting destination offering diverse attractions. Its natural beauty encompasses iconic sites like Mount Rainier and Olympic National Park. Seattle’s vibrant culture features the famous Pike Place Market and arts scene. “The food was great, the people were nice, and the weather was to die for,” said one recent visitor.

Outdoor enthusiasts can enjoy hiking, skiing, and kayaking, while wine and craft beer enthusiasts can explore local vineyards and breweries. The state’s cultural diversity, water activities, music scene, and adventure sports provide ample entertainment. National parks, scenic drives, and seasonal events add to the charm, making Washington a fun state for various interests.

And then there is the state I am currently in and its fun description...

Texas offers a diverse range of attractions that make it a fun state to visit. In Austin, the vibrant capital, you can immerse yourself in live music, cultural festivals, and a thriving food scene. Houston boasts world-class museums, the Space Center, and diverse neighborhoods. San Antonio’s historic sites, like the Alamo, blend with the picturesque River Walk.

The Gulf Coast provides sandy beaches and water activities, while the Big Bend National Park showcases stunning desert landscapes. In Dallas, cultural districts, shopping, and renowned barbecue eateries await. Texas’s cowboy heritage comes alive in Fort Worth’s Stockyards National Historic District. The state’s vastness offers opportunities for outdoor adventures, from hiking in the Hill Country to exploring caverns. With its mix of urban experiences, natural wonders, and Texan charm, Texas promises an enjoyable and unforgettable visit.

Some of the 11 fun states seemed a tad dubious, such as Tennessee and North Carolina and Illinois.

As were some omissions of what, to me, are super fun states, like Utah and Oregon and Arizona and Wyoming and Nevada.

Oh, and South Dakota.

Late in the previous century I had myself a mighty fine fun time in South Dakota...

Where In D.C. And/Or Surrounding States Are David, Theo & Ruby?

That was the question I was being asked about seven photos emailed to me last night.

"Where in D.C. and/or surrounding states are David, Theo and Ruby?"

As made mention of previously, the Tacoma Trio, Ruby, Theo and David, are currently in the other Washington, Washington, D.C., where they are taking their parental units on a tour of iconic Washington, D.C. locations, and, apparently, locations, in states surrounding D.C., such as the above visit to Virginia, to the namesake of the town I lived in before moving to Texas, Mount Vernon, George Washington's home.

Above, I believe Ruby, David and Theo are visiting the memorial to our 3rd president, Thomas Jefferson.

And this looks like Mama Michele has joined the Tacoma Trio at the Vietnam War Memorial. 

This one is totally a guess. Are they in the Smithsonian Institute? Looking at some famous piece of jewelry? A Jackie Kennedy pearl necklace? Or some such thing?

The Albert Einstein Memorial Statue. Nice that Einstein got sort of a whimsical tribute for someone so serious, you know, figuring out all sorts of possible things, like atom bombs, among many works of physics, like the Theory of Relativity, and other things I don't understand.

The above is known in Washington, D.C. as the Love Wall, designed by Lisa Marie Thalhammer, located in Blagden Alley.

And now we have headed a bit north and east, to Maryland, and what is known as the National Harbor, with the Ferris wheel known as the Capital Wheel in the distance.

So, how did I do, figuring out where in D.C. and surrounding states, David, Theo and Ruby were?

UPDATE: I missed seeing the following two photos when I first saw the incoming email...

My guess would be that, above, the Tacoma Trio are in the Smithsonian standing by a World War II torpedo.

And, the I Love You sign is likely near that aforementioned Capital Wheel and National Harbor...

You Know You Are From Washington When You Have A Favorite Brand Of Cannabis Mayonnaise

On Facebook this morning I saw a Heinz or Hunts version of mayonnaise which contained cannabis. This later  disappeared from Facebook when I went to find the pot mayonnaise image for blogging purposes.

I thought I would make mention of this and ask anyone who might know, who lives in one of the free American states, like Washington, Oregon, Colorado,  Arizona, Alaska, and others I am not remembering right now, if such a product is now sold in grocery stores.

I Googled looking for the image of the Heinz or Hunts green colored product, to no avail. But, I found others.

Also Googled to learn there are now 16 states which have pretty much decriminalized the use of marijuana. Along with Washington, D.C.

When Washington the state legalized the sale of recreational marijuana products, one of my nephews sent me a package which contained mint chocolates infused with cannabis.

I am fairly sure sending such to one of the backward, repressive states is likely breaking some sort of law.

It is so strange how states can be so different. One state, with the population highly educated, with good schools, resulting in a progressive liberal population, while another state, with the population not so well educated, with the schools not having a good reputation, resulting in a repressive, conservative population.

I remember shortly before moving to Texas, being at a festival in Fremont, in Seattle.

Fremont declared its independence from the U.S. decades ago, claiming then to be the Free Republic of Fremont. I may have the name wrong.

After the collapse of the Soviet Union, Fremont acquired some communist era artifacts, like statues. All in good fun, but of the sort which would have ignorant right wing nut jobs ranting in other parts of America.

Like where I am now.

Anyway, I was at this festival in Fremont, it may have been the Summer Solstice Festival, the one which begins with the big naked bike ride, which I have never seen. So, Wanda and I are wandering around and we see this guy hawking hash brownies for $1. There was a policeman about 10 feet from the hash brownies guy, who had a steady stream of customers, which soon included me and Wanda.

Well, that was one tasty brownie and it made for a much more interesting Fremont Festival experience.

Point being, well before the product was legalized, a permissive tolerance policy was pretty much in play in Washington.

And then I moved to Texas, where the concept of a permissive tolerance policy has just way too many syllables for most Texans to understand.

Speaking of Washington, also on Facebook I saw a semi-amusing item credited to comedian Jeff Foxworthy, who, apparently, now lives somewhere in Washington and who has lived there long enough to make the following observations about living in Washington...

1. If someone in a Lowes/Home Depot store offers you assistance and they don't work there, you live in Washington.

2. If you've worn shorts, flip-flops and a warm-jacket at the same time, you live in Washington.

3. If you've had a lengthy telephone conversation with someone who dialed the wrong number, you live in Washington.

4. If you measure distance in hours, you live in Washington.

5. If you know several people who have hit a deer more than once, you live in Washington.

6. If you have switched from 'heat' to 'A/C' and back again in the same day, you live in Washington. (That is “if” you have “AC”)

7. If you can drive through 2 feet of snow during a raging blizzard without flinching, you live in Eastern Washington. If you live in Western Washington and can’t drive through 2” of snow and are in a ditch or have stalled out in the middle of the road, you are now pissing off all those who migrated from Eastern Washington to Western Washington, who now regret their choice. 

8. If you get your kid's Halloween costumes to fit over 2 layers of clothes or under a raincoat, you live in Washington.

9. If driving is better in the winter because the potholes are filled with leaves, mud or ice, you live in Washington.

10. If you know all 4 seasons: almost winter, winter, still winter, and road construction, you live in Washington.

11. If you feel guilty throwing bottles, cans or paper in the trash, you live in Washington.

12. If you know more than 10 ways to order coffee, you live in Washington.

13. If you know more people who own boats than have air conditioning, you live in Washington.

14. If you stand on a deserted corner in the rain waiting for the "Walk" signal, you live in Washington.

15. If you consider that if it has no snow on it (with the exception of the recently erupted), it’s not a ‘real’ mountain, then you live in Washington.

16. If you can taste the difference between Starbucks, Seattle's Best, and Tullys, you live in Washington.

17. If you know the difference between Chinook, Coho and Sockeye salmon, you live in Washington.

18. If you know how to pronounce Sequim, Puyallup, Issaquah, Snoqualamie, (he misspelled Snoqualmie) Wenatchee , Spokane , Umpqua, Yakima and Willamette, (the Willamette is a river in Oregon. When my mom and dad moved from Washington to Eugene, where I was born, they were giggled at due to mis-pronouncing the name of the river which runs through Eugene as Willa-meetee), you live in Washington.

19. If you consider swimming an indoor sport, you live in Washington.

20. If you can tell the difference between Japanese, Chinese, Korean, Vietnamese and Thai food, you live in Washington.

21. If you go camping with a tarp, scotch guarded cloths and waterproof matches on you, you live in Washington.

22. If you have actually used your mountain bike on a mountain, you live in Washington.

23. If you think people who use umbrellas are either wimps or tourists, you definitely live in Washington.

24. If you buy new sunglasses every single year because you cannot find the old ones after such a long time, then you live in Washington.

25. If you actually understand these jokes and forward them to all your Washington friends, you live or have lived in Washington.

___________________

Now I am off to Amazon to see if I can order some Cannabis Mayonnaise. One would think if such is available it would be on Amazon, what with Amazon being headquartered in Seattle...

Washington Ranked Best State In Union With Texas Ranked 19th Worst

I saw that which you see here this morning on the front page of the online version of the Seattle Times, some Local News that Washington named the best state in the union for the second year in a row.

Clicking the link to see who or what it was which named my old home state as the best in the union brought me to a article titled...

Best States Rankings--Measuring outcomes for citizens using more than 70 metrics

Where it was easily seen that it was US News & World Report which was doing the ranking of the American states, from best to worst.

The first paragraph of this ranking article explains how the ranking was done...

Some states shine in health care. Some soar in education. Some excel in both – or in much more. The Best States ranking of U.S. states draws on thousands of data points to measure how well states are performing for their citizens. In addition to health care and education, the metrics take into account a state’s economy, its roads, bridges, internet and other infrastructure, its public safety, the fiscal stability of state government, and the opportunity it affords its residents.

As one expects with these type rankings the usual suspects are at the top, as well as the bottom.

Texas came in as the 31st Best State, or looked at a different way, the 19th Worst State. 

The first three paragraphs of the Seattle Times Washington named the best state in the union for the second year in a row article amused me due to triggering the memory of something which started bugging me soon after I moved to Texas, that being a tendency of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram to tout this, that or the other perfectly mundane thing as being something which would cause other towns, far and wide, to be green with envy. 

I found the Star-Telegram's green with envy verbiage and its various iterations to be so bizarre. It was several years later when a lifelong Texan explained this type bragging was born of Fort Worth's civic inferiority complex. I don't know if that explained it, or not. 

So, the first three paragraphs of this Seattle Times article about something legitimately brag-worthy...

Everyone knows the Pacific Northwest is the best and Washington is the best of the best, especially compared to other states.

But that seems kind of mean and elitist, so we don’t talk about it too much among our friends from other states, right? Right?

U.S. News & World Report, however, has no such compunction, boldly naming Washington the best state in the union for the second time in a row — the only state to be so named twice — and unapologetically identifying the worst.

Anyway, this extremely comprehensive analysis of the American states sure does explain to me why I experienced such culture shock when first exposed to many things in Texas. I came from progressive liberal Washington, to a state not known for being progressive. Or liberal. Or well educated.

I did not know til reading this US News & World Report that Washington has the fastest growing economy in the nation. I know when I am up in Washington I sure do notice it appears to be way more prosperous than my current location. 

If you listen to right wing nuts jobs, a peculiar breed of which Texas has many, Washington should not be doing too well economically. It has been several years now since Seattle (and many other west coast locations) raised the minimum wage to $15.

Just last week I read in the Seattle Times that 19 new restaurants were opening this month.

During the pandemic slowdown...

You Know You Are From Washington When You Know Linda Lou

This morning when I checked the incoming email I saw among the email notifications from Facebook was one telling me the important notification that Linda Lou had tagged me in a post. That tagging is what you are seeing here, above and below...

YOU KNOW YOU ARE FROM WASHINGTON STATE WHEN:

• You know how to pronounce Sequim, Puyallup, Sammamish, Enumclaw and Issaquah.
• You avoid driving through Seattle at all costs.
• You know what a Geoduck is.
• You consider swimming an indoor sport.
• You see a person carrying an umbrella and instantly think tourist.
• Your lawn is mostly moss and you don't really care.
• Honking your car horn is for absolute emergencies.
• You're EXTREMELY picky about your coffee.
• “The mountain is out today", isn't a strange statement.
• While out of state you just tell people you're from Seattle since that's the only known city in Washington according to the rest of the world.
• You remember Almost Live.
• You've eaten in the Space Needle, and while it was delicious, you're never paying $50 for a meal in the sky again.
• You rarely wash your car because it's just going to get washed by the rain tomorrow.
• You're used to the phrase "No, not DC" when telling out of staters where you're from.
• Northface is always in fashion.
• You take a warm coat and a hat with you for a day at the beach.
• You have mastered the art of doing everything in the rain, because, well, Washington.
• You play the "no you go" at four-way stop.
• You have had both the thought of how beautiful Mount Rainier is, while simultaneously accepting that it will probably kill you someday.
• You get a little twitchy if it's been more than a week since it last rained.
• You believe Twilight ruined Forks.
• You can say Humptulips, Lilliwap and Dosewallips without giggling.

REPOST IF YOU ARE PROUD TO BE FROM WASHINGTON

Wonder Why Washington Is America's Best State Instead Of Texas

A few days ago, or maybe it was last week, I saw an article headline in the Seattle Times which I clicked.

Washington ranked nation’s best state by U.S. News & World Report

Of course I was intrigued regarding by what criteria U.S. News & World Report would rank my former home state as the Best in America, what with that particular news source having a relatively high level of credibility.

Unlike the "news" source, as in an in-house publication of a Washington, D.C. lobbying entity, which named Fort Worth as one of the Ten Most Livable Cities in America (based on a town's use of the Urban Village concept).

Following this earth shattering news, Fort Worth's city government instigated a city wide celebration, including a big event at Gateway Park. Sort of like a homely girl or guy waking up to suddenly find him or herself in the Top Ten of the Miss or Mr. America pageant, giddy with excitement, ignoring feedback from any nearby mirror.

I remember blogging about that particular Fort Worth embarrassment multiple times, but using this blog's search tool I only found three instances, with all three sort of amusing to read again.

The first instance I found was from 2008...

Oh My! Someone in the News has a Texas Connection!

And then again in 2012...

I Have Done Just About All The Holiday Shopping That I Am Going To Do

With the last instance happening in 2014...

Today I Learned Fort Worth Has Been A Model For Other Cities Its Size & Larger

The comments to the above link are particularly amusing, particularly the second one, followed by the third.

I have long been made aware of the fact that my hobby of making fun of the American embarrassment known as Fort Worth is greatly irritating to those caught in the Fort Worth bubble, with little exposure to the rest of America.

Or even Dallas.

Along with the extremists who have not yet figured out that the town's problems are largely a result of the town operating in what is known as the Fort Worth Way.

A Way which has come to be known to savvy observers as being a backward, corrupt, insular, regressive way of running a town, allowing the town, for instance, to permit things like being the world's biggest experiment in urban fracking (yet one more Fort Worth failure) or the town embarrassing itself by having something like Rockin' the River Happy Hour Inner Tube Floats in the regularly polluted with too much e.coli Trinity River.

Searching the blog to see if I can find the earliest instance of blogging about those ridiculous floating beer parties brought up dozens of blog posts, with a particularly amusing J.D. Granger Is A Great Family Man, Faithful Husband & Brilliant Project Manager Rockin' The Trinity River Better Than The San Marcos River one, rendered ironic due to its timeliness, even though it was posted way back in 2011.

Click Rockin the River Happy Hour and you will be seeing a lot of posts about this particular Fort Worth embarrassment. I was surprised to realize this has been going on for so many years now. With no common sense end to the dirty river rockin' yet in sight.

Oh my, my train of thought does go off the rails at times. I'd forgotten this blog post is about my old home state of Washington being ranked the best in the nation.

Going to U.S. News & World Reports Best States Rankings we learn the magazine was "Measuring outcomes for citizens using more than 70 metrics."

And that since U.S. News has been doing this important reporting no state has remained at #1 in subsequent rankings, but there is a state which has managed to rank as the #50th best multiple years in a row.

No, it is not Texas in last place. Last place went to another Southern state, Louisiana.

My old Washington home state has managed to be in the Top Ten whenever U.S. News & World Report has issued one of these Best State in America rankings.

The bottom of the ranking goes mostly to America's southern states, with Alabama nipping at Louisiana's last place finish, coming in at #49. Mississippi is #48, Arkansas #45, Oklahoma #43, Kentucky #40.

With Texas proudly ranking as the #38th Best State in America.

The rest of the South ranks a bit better than Texas, with Tennessee #30, North Carolina #18, Florida #13.

And that old Southern Stronghold of Virginia managing to be in the Top Ten at #7.

Let us end this with the two paragraphs from U.S. News & World Report explaining upon what their Best Rankings were based, which might give us some clue as to what Texas might do to someday manage to be one of the Best States in America (Fixing Fort Worth might be a place to start)...

Some states shine in health care. Some soar in education. Some excel in both – or in much more. The Best States ranking of U.S. states draws on thousands of data points to measure how well states are performing for their citizens. In addition to health care and education, the metrics take into account a state’s economy, its roads, bridges, internet and other infrastructure, its public safety, the fiscal stability of state government, and the opportunity it affords its residents.

More weight was accorded to some state measures than others, based on a survey of what matters most to people. Health care and education were weighted most heavily. Then came state economies, infrastructure, and the opportunity states offer their citizens. Fiscal stability followed closely in weighting, followed by measures of crime & corrections and a state's natural environment.

Sad Washington Departure Leaving David, Theo & Ruby Behind After Blackberry Milkshakes

My week in Washington began with a boisterous arrival greeting from nephews David and Theo and niece Ruby.

On Tuesday my week in Washington ended with a somber departure from David, Theo and Ruby.

Especially Theo, who you see in front of me.

If there are a cuter trio of kids on the planet, I would like to meet them.

Eventually I will return to Texas with a thumbdrive bursting with material from Washington, material in the form of photos. Along with material consisting of my impression of what I was seeing when I was in Washington.

I will likely wait til I am back in Texas with a computer connection to the world, with which I am more familiar, before I blog that aforementioned material.

Suffice to say, though the reason to be there was a sad one, I had the best week I have had in a long long time, this time, in Washington.

On Tuesday, on the way to the airport, David, Theo and Ruby took me to Tacoma's Theo Foss Waterway. An area I will later photo document and refer to as the Tacoma Waterfront Vision (a vision which you can actually see, with no weeds or rusted re-bar or polluted water or drunken inner tubers) unlike another town's vision, which few sane people are seeing. Tacoma's real vision has an actual real signature bridge, built over actual real water. What a concept.

But, I digress.

Back to my last day in Washington.

After we left Tacoma we stopped in Fife at the Pick Quick Burgers Drive-In for burgers and blackberry milkshakes, and views of Mount Rainier.

With the sky finally clear of smoke the Mountain came out spectacularly on my last day in Washington, including a direct overhead view as my flight to Phoenix routed over the Rainier summit. I will save the full mountain view for later. Suffice to say, for the first time ever, I saw the Mount Rainier summit, and could make out markings of some sort at the summit, which you can sort of see below.

I arrived in Phoenix with a thud.

Literally. To use my nephew David's favorite word.

The plane landed with a jolt worthy of a theme park ride. A few people screamed. I was not one of the screamers. But the lady from Terlingua, next to me, was.

I was surprised as I exited the Sky Harbor security zone to suddenly see my mom and sister Jackie, sitting, waiting for me. Mom had walked her walker in from the parking lot, a couple elevator levels below or above. I'm not sure. I was sort of too tired to pay directional attention.

Wednesday morning I went swimming with what remains of the Sun Lakes Ladies Swimming Club. Most have let Arizona, temporarily, for cooler climes. Yesterday, post swim, I drove mom and Jackie to Maricopa to see Penny and to have ourselves a McDonald's feeding.

Today mom and I boxed up a lot of dad's stuff and took it to Goodwill. Then we went on a long drive to Coolidge, a town right next to Casa Grande Ruins National Monument. We did not go see the ruins. I've heard there is not a lot to see. That they are sort of ruined. Which would seem to me what one would want ruins to be.

Eventually we made it back to Sun Lakes, where I left mom, to go to my current location, my sister Jackie's house, which I have all to myself, because Jackie is up north, in Prescott, playing in a Pickle Ball Tournament. Tomorrow mom and I return to my current location, that being sister Jackie's, at six in the morning, to chauffeur Jackie's first husband, Jack, to Dodson Ranch, so he can pick up a ride to Prescott, where he Pickle Balls tomorrow.

I am enjoying Arizona. But this is not the scenic wonderland of natural air conditioning, large bodies of water, and towering mountains, which is the reality in Washington.

Mom and I are making BBQ Ribs tonight. I have never seen three freezers so stocked with frozen stuff as what currently exists at my mom's abode....

Texas Woman Visits Washington And Finds It Astonishing

I was looking for an old email, yesterday, when I saw a blog comment email from Techsas Woman from around three years ago which I did not remember.

My not remembering this email is clearly yet one more indicator of my failing memory function, because not only had I previously read this comment, I had hit the publish button on it and had replied to the comment.

In my memory's defense, I have multiple blogs, with the total number of posts on those blogs being in the thousands, all of which can get commented on.

The comment  from Techsas Woman and my reply.....

Techsas Woman has left a new comment on your post "The Skagit Valley's Big Rock With Spencer Jack's Grandma Cindy & The Nookachamp Star Child Falling From The Sky": 

I was so happy to find your blog, as I have a Texas / Mt. Vernon connection, too, though from the other side. My Texan daughter moved to Mt. Vernon three years ago. My husband and I made our first visit two years ago and found the beauty to be astonishing - the San Juan Islands, Deception Pass, Snoqualmie Falls... breathtaking! (The second thing we found astonishing was the number of ex-patriot Texans we ran into up there.) While I find some of your remarks towards Texas and Texans to be awfully stinging, I'm so pleased to find great travel commentary for the area. We're heading back in late June with hopes to head up towards Mt. Baker and also make a trip to Vancouver. 

Durango Northwest said...
Thanks for the comment, Techas Woman. Did not get "Techas" til I read the comment. I can't remember any stinging remarks directed at Texas or Texans. I have age related memory issues. You are really gonna like Vancouver. Very scenic. And the town's Skytrain & Sea Buses make it easy to get around. If your visit to Mount Baker is to the ski area you are in for some classic mountain driving that might be unsettling if you've not experienced that before. Later in summer hiking up Mount Baker becomes doable from the south side, hiking to the side you can see from Mount Vernon. You might also like driving over Stevens Pass. It being, in my opinion, the most scenic of the Washington mountain passes, with Leavenworth on the east side being Washington's best tourist themed town. The North Cross State Highway is also very scenic with another tourist theme town on the east side, in Winthrop. I miss Washington and its extremely varied topography.

_________________________

I can't imagine to what Techsas Woman refers when she says some of my remarks regarding Texans and Texas are awfully stinging. Anything I have ever remarked has always been reality based. I guess reality can have a bit of a sting if ones view of ones world is through tainted rose-colored glasses....

Texas Is A Large State With Deserts Pine Forests Houston And The Rio Grande

Yesterday I Googled "Texas" for what reason I no longer remember. Upon Googling "Texas" Google, in addition to the myriad Texas links, came up with the above snapshot of Texas, in which we learn...

Texas is a large state in the southern U.S. with deserts, pine forests and the Rio Grande, a river that forms its border with Mexico. In its biggest city, Houston, the Museum of Fine Arts houses works by well-known Impressionist and Renaissance painters, while Space Center Houston offers interactive displays engineered by NASA. Austin, the capital, is known for its eclectic music scene.

Seems a bit Houston centric, to me. though Dallas, San Antonio, Austin and Galveston are mentioned as Destinations. No mention made by Google of Fort Worth. Google must have missed the memo that Fort Worth is a world class city making other towns, far and wide, green with envy.

Seeing what Google did to Texas had me wondering what Google did to my old home state when one Google's "Washington".

Well, we learn that...

Washington is a state in the Pacific Northwest with terrain spanning the snow-capped Cascade Mountains to forested islands in Puget Sound. Its largest city, Seattle, is known for its thriving tech industry, vibrant music scene and celebrated coffeehouses. Its landmarks include the futuristic Space Needle and century-old Pike Place Market. Nearby, hiking trails wind through vast rainforest in Olympic National Park.

Well. Google makes my old home state sound a bit more interesting than the state I am currently sitting in, what with snow capped mountains and forested islands, rainforests and coffeehouses.

And a minimum wage over $2 higher than the Texas minimum wage.

Google thinks the Points of Interest in Texas are the San Antonio Riverwalk, the Alamo, the state capitol and a pair of Six Flags theme parks.

While in Washington Google thinks the Points of Interest are Olympic National Park, the Space Needle, Pike Place Market, and Mount Rainier and North Cascades National Parks.

With Google's Destinations in Washington being Seattle, Forks, Bainbridge Island and again with the state's national parks.

Leaving out the most interesting national park n Washington, that being Mount St. Helens National Monument.

Bainbridge Island? But no mention of the San Juan Islands? Or Whidbey Island? Eastern Washington is totally ignored. Spokane? Grand Coulee Dam? Lake Chelan? Wenatchee? Yakima? Leavenworth? Apple orchards?

As for Texas. No mention of Big Bend National Park? Or South Padre Island? Or Enchanted Rock? Or Marfa?

Or Fort Worth?

How can Google ignore the most important city in Texas? If not the entire world?

Clearly, Google needs to adjust the algorithms used to determine a state's Destinations and Places of Interest....

Talking About The Oso Landslide I Learned My Mom's Washington Memory Is Better Than Mine

A couple days ago my mom called, apparently erroneously thinking I'd not called in a sufficiently recent time frame.

During the course of talking to my mom the subject of the Oso Landslide in our old home state of Washington came up.

At the point in time where my mom and I were talking about the Oso Landslide it was only a couple days old and at the point in time the fatality numbers had not reached the dozen point, nor had the projected number of fatalities reached the current projected number of well over 100.

When I first learned of the Oso Landslide, the day it happened, I thought the name sounded familiar and thought it was one of the small towns one drives through on Highway 2 when one heads over Stevens Pass to Eastern Washington. I was erroneous.

Mom told me she thought Oso was on the Stillaguamish River, upriver from Arlington. I said to mom, isn't the Stillaguamish the river that runs beside Highway 2 on the west side of Stevens Pass? Mom told me she thought that was the Skykomish River. That then had me confused as to whence the Snoqualmie River flows from and to.

I lamented with mom that after 15 years of being away from Washington,  I am losing memory of places and routes and, apparently, rivers. Mom told me it gets worse when one gets older.

After I got off the phone I opened up my Microsoft Map program to quickly learn my mom was right regarding river locations. So, even though mom claims the memory woes get worse as one gets older, mom remembered better than me the river locations in question.

I was more than a little surprised to see where Oso is actually located, as in how close it is to my old abode in Mount Vernon, as in only about 22 miles distant, as you can see via the screen cap above, with the thick black line drawing the route from my house to Oso.

I think the last time I took this particular route was with nephew Joey. We had gone mountain biking at a location the name of which I can not remember, then drove east to Lake Cavanaugh, then over the logging road mountain pass that eventually drops down into the Stillaguamish River Valley and the little town of Oso.

This Oso Landslide is by far the worst natural disaster to hit the Pacific Northwest since Mount St. Helens erupted over 30 years ago. If the worst case scenario turns out to be accurate, the Oso Landslide will result in more fatalities, by far, than the Mount St. Helens eruption.

I need to use Google Earth to do some virtual driving in Washington. I am totally drawing a blank as to the route I would have taken, multiple times, to Granite Falls and the Mountain Loop Highway, with that loop being looped a lot of times, hiking, mountain biking and cross country skiing. And yet I can not remember the route from I-5 to Granite Falls. If I remember right the Mountain Loop Highway loop goes from Darrington back to Arlington via Highway 530, passing Oso a short distance from Darrington.

I need to spend a month in Washington doing some road tripping.....

Anonymous Wants To Know If I Dislike Texas Weather So Much Why Don't I Go Back To Washington?

Last night another storm blew through this part of the planet that I once again slept through.

As you can see, in the picture, this morning is looking a bit stormy, as well.

The weather predictors are predicting more rain and electrical action today.

This morning when the sun came up the wind was blustering so hard it had knocked my swimming suit to ground level. I don't recollect that happening before.

Yesterday, somewhere among the many locations I was reading about the latest Texas Judge Scandal I read one comment that said something like, "God must really love stupid people, because he made so many of them. Like that judge in Texas."

Speaking of stupid people.

Yesterday when I saw that the temperature in Fort Worth and Phoenix were both 95, but with the Real Feel Temperature in Phoenix being higher than Fort Worth, despite Fort Worth's humidity being 9 times higher, I blogged about it, including the temperature at that point in time at my old home zone in Mount Vernon, Washington and the fact that humidity was even higher in Mount Vernon.

I then got the following comment from someone calling him or herself Anonymous...

Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Taking The Temperature In Fort Worth, Phoenix & Mount Vernon": 

If you dislike TX and the weather so much, why don't you go back to Washington? So much criticism from a tourist begins to just sound whiny. 

Whiny? I would not say that I am impervious to whining, but I detected no trace of whining in the post about yesterday's relative temperatures. I certainly said nothing that indicated I wanted to go back to Washington due to the weather being better than Texas.

The fact is I prefer Texas weather to Washington weather, except for the months of July and August, when Western Washington's weather is often perfect.

If I moved back to Washington it'd be because I miss the scenery, saltwater, mountains, skiing, fresh seafood, fresh for the picking fruits and vegetables, better outdoor recreational opportunities, better parks, multiple National Parks, Canada being nearby, Oregon being nearby, the highly educated people, the liberal politics, the activism, the libraries and the coffee.

But, since I like whining so much, Texas is a Mother Lode of whining material, compared to virtually Mother Lode-free Washington, where I don't remember whining about much of anything, except maybe the rain.

A Happy Thanksgiving From A Pair Of Poodles Has Me Homesick For Washington

Ruby, Theo & David With Kristin
Getting Ready To Ski

This morning I saw that Tacoma's best known Adventure Poodles, Blue & Max, had written their annual Happy Thanksgiving blogging.

Apparently, on or about Thanksgiving, Blue & Max sent my nephews, David and Theo and niece, Ruby, up somewhere in the Cascade Mountains with their secondary caretakers, Michele & Kristin, for some fun in the snow.

It looks like the snow location may be the Snoqualmie Pass summit zone. There are several ski areas in this location. The Snoqualmie Pass summit zone is a fairly short distance east of Seattle and Tacoma, on Interstate 90.

Among the things I miss about Washington, that I don't have in Texas, is the extremely varied topography within very short distances.

In my current location the topography is pretty much the same in any direction for 100s of miles. There are no snow covered mountains in this parched part of the planet.

Where I lived in Washington, in the Skagit Valley town of Mount Vernon, I could drive about 10 miles to the east and be up in the mountains. Or go 10 miles to the west and be on a Puget Sound beach. Or in the tourist town of La Conner.

In Washington I could get up on a Saturday morning in November and choose to go cross country skiing, or go have a weenie roast picnic on a beach, or hop a ferry 20 miles from my abode, in Anacortes, and head out to the San Juan Islands, which is in the rain shadow of the Olympic Mountains, and thus is a reliable escape from rain, if you feel in need of escaping the gray dripping.

View From My Bedroom Window Of My
Van & Car Covered By Snow

The Puget Sound lowlands do not get a lot of snow. Some winters pass with no snow. There was one snow storm in the 1990s that was the deepest snow I ever saw in the Puget Sound lowland zone. I was pretty much trapped in my house for a week. I could not drive anywhere, but I could cross country ski to the grocery store.

When the thaw finally came I had all sorts of problems. Water was backing up on the flat roofs. Two drain pipes broke off. It was a mess.

Go here to visit me in Washington. Scroll down and you will come to more photos of the most snow I ever saw piled up in my location in Mount Vernon.

In Western Washington when you want a really major change of scenery you can drive one of the passes over the Cascade Mountains to a starkly different type of topography than the evergreen western side of the mountains. East of the mountains the hills have no trees growing on them, except for the 1000s of acres of fruit orchards.

In Eastern Washington you have a climate much more like Texas. Very HOT in the summer.

There is a big river than runs through Eastern Washington, called the Columbia, with several big dams, like Grand Coulee. Because of the big river and the reservoirs behind the dams, much of the desert of Eastern Washington has been turned into land upon which all sorts of things grow. One of the side benefits of Grand Coulee Dam was the appearance of lakes in various coulees (Washington Indian-speak for canyons), like Sun Lake. Sun Lake State Park was one of my favorite places to go in summer in my younger years.

Dry Falls, by Sun Lake, is the location of what at one point in time was the biggest waterfall the world has ever known. The melting of the last Ice Age and its massive flooding is what made the coulees of Eastern Washington.

Can you tell I'm feeling a bit homesick for Washington? It has been over 3 years since I've been back. That is the longest I've been away from Washington in my long life. I'm thinking I will likely be going to Arizona and Washington soon.

Going To Birch Bay In Washington With My Nephew Spencer Jack

Spencer Jack's Sand Castle At Birch Bay

Today I have seen a thing or two that has me a bit homesick for Washington.

One homesickness inducer was reading a Facebook tale, with photos, of hiking last week from Lake Ozette to the Pacific Ocean on the Washington Coast.

I have only done this hike once. Much of it takes place on cedar planks through a cedar forest. It reminded me of where the Ewoks lived in the Empire Strikes Back. I think that is the correct Star Wars movie.

Lake Ozette is near the town of Forks. Forks has become a bigger tourist attraction, in addition to its pre-existing tourist attraction attributes, due to the town now being known as the town where the Twilight movies take place. You know, those vampire/werewolf movies that are inexplicably, to me, popular, with people way younger than me.

The other Washington thing I saw today, that made me homesick for Washington, was my Grand Nephew, Spencer Jack, with a sand castle at Birch Bay.

Birch Bay is a very shallow bay up near the Canadian border, in Whatcom County. In summer the tide goes out, the sun heats up the sand, and then, when the tide comes in, the water gets heated by the HOT sand. Resulting in an awful lot of people having fun in the water.

Birch Bay is a humongous tourist attraction, the likes of which I've not seen since I've been in Texas. I suspect, maybe, the beaches of Galveston may come close on a nice summer day. And maybe South Padre Island.

With Birch Bay you get a lot of Canadians. I don't think you get a lot of Canadians in Galveston. Or South Padre Island.

I like Canadians. They can be a tad annoying, but, for the most part, not. If only they could learn to not end every sentence with "eh". Like they doubt every single thing that comes out of their mouths.

Going to Birch Bay goes back as far as my memory goes. As a kid, more summer weekends were spent at Birch Bay than anywhere else. In my very early years my Grandma Vera had a cabin at Birch Bay. I can vaguely remember one very young birthday at that cabin.

Seeing pictures of Spencer Jack playing in the sand at Birch Bay induced instant melancholy in me.

I actually can not remember the last time I was at Birch Bay. I know I currently have relatives who have moved there since I moved to Texas. I vaguely remember driving up to Birch Bay to meet up with someone a year or two before I moved to Texas.

Birch Bay Driftwood

In all my decades of memory of Birch Bay there is a big piece of driftwood on the beach by Birch Bay State Park that haunts me in dreams. I used to have so much fun climbing on that big chunk of wood.

I must see if I can Google for an image of Birch Bay driftwood.

I think I may have found it. This picture is definitely from the state park part of the south end of Birch Bay.

Right now, at this current point in time, I really am in the mood to move back to Washington. I miss the diversity. And the scenery. And the saltwater.

The weather? Not so much.

Thinking About Hiking In A Washington Rain Forest While In The Tandy Hills Jungle

No, in the picture I am not in a Washington Rain Forest, walking somewhere in Olympic National Park.

I wish that was where I was, but I'm not.

The greenery in the picture is in the Rain Forest of the Tandy Hills Jungle. In Texas. Around noon today.

Right about now a throng of humanity is descending upon a locale in Washington known as the Neff Ranch.

I had expected to be among that throng, but multiple issues caused that not to happen.

One issue, for me, was the surprisingly early date of this event. I assumed these particular festivities would take place later in summer, after Mother Nature had a chance to warm up the Puget Sound zone.

Right now, at the Neff Ranch, it is 63 degrees. At my current location, right now, it is 96 degrees. I shivered for almost an entire month the last time I was in Washington, from July 20 to August 20, 2008.

Yes, I know I could have come prepared with long johns and gloves. Acclimating to cold is much more difficult than acclimating to heat, in my experience.

And then there is the fact that I don't really need a reunion to see the people I want to see when I am back in Washington. These days with email and Facebook and free long distance calling, it is easy to keep in touch with people you want to keep touching.

A few weeks ago when I'd reached the point in time where I had to make up my mind to book a flight north, or not, I found out that several people who were people who I would have liked to see, would not be seeable, today, due to a variety of reasons.

I still could have made a last minute dash north, as late as Friday. But on Thursday I talked to Carlotta Camano and after that conversation I decided I would not be flying north this week.

I may make a trek north in August.

It Is 52 Degrees This Morning In Washington With Free Food For Me At The Fidalgo Drive-In

As you can see, via one of my viewing portals on the world, the last Saturday of June of 2011 has dawned with a few clouds.

This afternoon, up in Washington, there is a reunion I am expected to attend. The logistics of making that happen become more daunting with each passing hour.

This morning when I flipped open my phone there were two text messages from my nephew Joey asking how things were in Texas and that he'd heard it is hot here.

I figured Joey had been tasked with the job of finding out where I was.

Then this morning there was an email from my sister in Phoenix that confirmed Joey had been tasked with finding out where I was. Below is that email....

Whoever you are playing with in Washington has now confused one of your nephews. CJ received a text tonight asking him to call/text you and ask when you will be getting there. Whoever it is did not say who they were so CJ was confused/worried and called me to ask what he should do. I told him to ignore it becuz of what I've read on your blog. I figured it must have been Jason or Joe cuz I don't know who else would have his phone number!

Then there was a comment to a blogging yesterday regarding Joey's brother's restaurant in Anacortes...

Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Creating The Illusion Of Hiking The Tandy Hills In...": Fidalgo Drive In weekend special: 'Free food for all out of state visiting relatives.'

Right now in Texas it is 77 degrees, heading to a high of 95.

Right now in Washington it is 52, heading to a high of 63.

Right now, if I am in Washington, I hope I remembered to bring long pants and a sweater, or two.

Right now, I am going swimming. I don't think it is in a motel pool.

Creating The Illusion Of Hiking The Tandy Hills In Texas While Possibly Being In Washington

90 degrees with 30% humidity when I hit the Tandy Hills today around noon.

I saw something today on Martel Avenue, on the way to the top of Mount Tandy, that I had not seen before.

Martel Avenue runs north and south on the east side of the Tandy Hills.

Today the Barnett Shale seismic testers were out in force on Martel Avenue. Complete with police protection.

And a lot of high tech equipment. Several trucks had generators running, at least that is what I assume was making the noise. Under the trucks were metal disks about 4 feet in diameter.

My co-hiker know-it-all informed me that those disks sent out a high frequency vibration into the underground formations, then other devices collected the info that bounced back.

There were more high tech seismic testing trucks on the road that leads to the top of Mount Tandy. Way too much activity going on in my usually peaceful sanatorium.

It has been days since we got as hot as 100 in my location. Currently it is only 93. Meanwhile, right now, up in my old location in Washington it is 61 degrees.

Speaking of Washington. I have gotten feedback from a few people who for some reason are assuming I am up in Washington right now.

It occurs to me that it would be easy to be up in Washington, right now, while creating the blogging illusion that I am still in Texas hiking the Tandy Hills.

If I were up in Washington, surreptitiously, right now, it would not be the first time. In August of 2001 I drove, solo, to Washington for my mom and dad's 50th Anniversary party. Mom and dad's anniversary is August 6, Hiroshima Day, the party was August 11, my birthday.

Only my two oldest nephews knew I was going to make it to mom and dad's 50th. If I remember right I took off for Washington on August 1, making it to Seattle on August 3.

I remember there had been a high school reunion a week prior to my departure. I've no memory of why I did not drive up a week earlier to attend that reunion.

My nephews kept the secret of me being in Washington. I arrived at the location of the anniversary party, my sister's house in Kent, a couple hours late. When I arrived at my sister's I called to make a happy anniversary call as I walked to my sister's front door. As I was talking to my mom, my dad suspected I was there and and opened the front door just as I rang the doorbell.

It was a special moment.

So, yeah, I guess I have a history of going north to Washington whilst creating the illusion I am in Texas.