Hot Humid Lucy Park Last Day Of May

No, that is not the Lucy Park backwoods jungle zone you see here. The Lucy Park backwoods jungle zone is about a 1/4 mile further north, which is the direction we are looking at in the photo documentation.

Due to this last day of May being HOT and HUMID, I did not want to go into the Lucy Park backwoods jungle, even if it is shadier, and thus cooler, than the non-jungle areas of Lucy Park, because HOT and HUMID gets the cold-blooded critters active.

As in snakes.

The biggest snake I have seen, since I have been in Texas, I saw in the Lucy Park backwoods jungle zone. I have no idea what type snake this was. It was long, and thick, like a boa constrictor.

I know boa constrictors are not native to Texas.

By the time I got my camera turned on that giant snake had slithered out of sight. I then quickly skedaddled in the opposite direction, getting out of the jungle as quickly as possible.

I don't think I have seen a snake since that below deep freeze a couple winters ago. Maybe the slithering monsters did not survive that deep freeze...

Seattle Waterfront Vision Nears Completion With No End In Sight For Fort Worth River Vision

I saw that which you see here this Memorial Day Monday morning, via a Seattle Times Can a new bike path on Seattle’s waterfront work for cyclists and cruise ships? article.

Seeing this brought to mind the fact that I've not heard anything of late about that Fort Worth embarrassment known as the Trinity River Central City Uptown Panther Island District Vision. Or simply, as The Boondoggle.

The only thing I recollect hearing about The Boondoggle, after the completion of those three pitiful little bridges built over dry land, to connect the Fort Worth mainland to an imaginary island, is that Fort Worth finally finagled some funding, via the Biden Infrastructure bill, to help pay for the cement lined ditch that would divert Trinity River water under those three pitiful bridges.

Fort Worth's infamous Boondoggle began boondoggling near the start of the current century. I forget what year it was that construction began on those three pitiful bridges. I do remember it took an astonishing seven years to build those bridges.

Over dry land.

Meanwhile, up in the Pacific Northwest, in Seattle, about the same time Fort Worth had a TNT exploding ceremony to mark the start of the building of those pitiful bridges, Seattle began a massive project to rebuild the Seattle Waterfront.

This Seattle project was not given a pretentious name, like Seattle Waterfront Vision. 

The first part of that project was boring a tunnel under downtown Seattle. When that was completed the Alaskan Way Viaduct was removed, with its traffic now going through the new tunnel.

With the viaduct removed the rebuild of the waterfront could begin. Now nearing completion.

Meanwhile in Fort Worth. Crickets.

How can two American cities be so different? Such began baffling me soon after the move to Texas.

One thing I know for certain is that if Fort Worth's Trinity River Vision is ever something one can see, one will never see HUGE cruise ships docking on the little lake that is part of the vision...

Memorial Day Weekend At Lake Wichita Veterans Memorial Plaza With Space Force

Years in the making, the Lake Wichita Revitalization Project's Veterans Memorial Plaza was scheduled to be complete by the 2023 Memorial Day Weekend. There is still some finishing work to be done, but the Veterans Memorial Plaza is now open, with the construction fence removed.

The Memorial was seeing a lot of visitors this final Sunday of May. The statue you see above is a memorial to those who served during the Vietnam War. The Vietnam War statue part of the Memorial Plaza has been in place for a couple years.

A World War II statue has been added, saluting toward the Vietnam War soldiers.

An homage to Gold Star Families and Relatives.

The backside of the homage to Gold Star Families. Homeland, Family, Patriot. Sacrifice.

Surrounding the homage to Gold Star Families were plaques representing each branch of the armed service. Army, Navy, Air Force, Coast Guard, and one that sort of surprised me.

I had not heard mention made of the Space Force for quite some time. I thought it'd gone the way of much of the Trump nonsense. But, apparently Space Force is still in force.

One would think that the outhouse that had been at the Memorial Plaza location during its construction would have been removed by the opening of the Memorial Plaza.

Instead, the outhouse is laying on its side. The victim of vandals, or, more likely, a strong wind gust.

The parking lot and road to the parking lot remains a rutted, potholed obstacle course. Some time back it was announced that the parking lot and road to the parking lot were to be re-built. One would have thought that that might have taken place by the time the Veterans Memorial Plaza was completed.

Cloudy Lucy Park Jungle Walk With Mini-Alligators

Since I needed to be in downtown Wichita Falls this morning, and was in the neighborhood, it was to Lucy Park I eventually arrived for some cloudy nature communing.

Day after day after day the weather prediction has been predicting thunderstorms and rain. But, hardly any drips have dropped. And I have only heard a couple thunder booms in the past many days.

As you can see via the look at the Lucy Park suspension bridge across the roaring waters of the Wichita River, the foliage of Lucy Park is getting increasingly jungle-like.

Another Lucy Park jungle view.

Today I had a lizard walk with me for about 100 feet. Cute little lizard which looked like a midget alligator.

The little lizard was way too furtive to allow for taking a photo of it.

I have yet to see a snake this year. I hope that trend continues...

United Supermarkets Grand Opening Before Sikes Lake Nature Communing

The photo I took of the entry to United Supermarkets does not give any indication as to how packed the store was with shoppers on the store's grand opening day. The store has a huge parking lot, with most parking spaces occupied.

I will go back later today and do some buying. I saw there is a do it yourself grind peanut butter option. 

This new store is a short distance from my abode. Much closer than Walmart. I could easily walk to this store if I wanted to.

After checking out the new United Supermarkets it was the short distance to Sikes Lake I drove. 

The Sikes Lake Green Lagoon, at the west end of the lake, was looking serene and peaceful today.

No wind rippling the surface.

With no wind chill happening, the temperature, nearing 80, felt HOT.

The bloom of wildflowers you see here is at the north end of the lake.

That structure you see above the wildflowers is known as Priddy Pavilion.

Soon once a week a music event will be taking place at Priddy Pavilion. I do not remember if this happens on Thursday or Saturday. The music events draw a big crowd.

Discovering Neglected Wichita County Eastlawn Memorial Cemetery

This morning I drove north of Wichita Falls, halfway to Oklahoma, to visit a graveyard known as Eastlawn Memorial Cemetery.

A few days ago I was told that this cemetery had become a shameful neglected place in dire need of some care. And that a step towards that end will be happening this coming Saturday.

What I saw today looked like it would take more than one day to fix this mess. 

This cemetery is in Wichita County. I was told that it is the responsibility of the county to attend to the upkeep of the county's cemeteries. I have no way of knowing if that is true.

A forlorn, muddy road, one of several, in the cemetery. I was told there have been incidents of vehicles getting stuck in the mud on these roads.

Headstones, like that above, are expensive. I would think it would aggravate someone to see their loved ones final resting place in such shabby condition.

Headstones sticking up through the grass and weeds. You can see them into the distance.

Here we see Jesus rising above the grass and weeds.

Here we see an angel praying above the grass and weeds.

Another expensive looking headstone, surrounded by that aforementioned grass and weeds.

Clearly this cemetery gets visitors, as evidenced by the multiple instances of flowers.

There are many American flags rising above the grass and weeds of headstones of veterans. The one closest marked the grave of a World War II army soldier.

I thought when one buys a gravesite plot part of what you are paying for is upkeep of the gravesite.

Seems like someone, somewhere, somehow should be held responsible for the current condition of this cemetery...

Sikes Lake Trail Goose Blockade

The Sikes Lake geese were in trail blocking mode on this next to last Monday of May.

One must tread carefully in getting past the goose blockade, lest one gets goosed.

Clouds are still blocking the sun. The cold front which arrived a couple days ago has not yet been replaced by a warm front from the south.

Which is why it was an almost chilly 72 degrees whilst in the outer world this morning.

Rain and thunderstorms are on the weather menu all week long...

Sunday Karen-Free At Chilly Cloudy Lucy Park

It was back to Lucy Park I drove on this morning on this third Sunday of May, to do some nature communing, with zero sun, in the Lucy Park backwoods jungle zone.

What you are looking at above is the remains of the Lucy Park Pagoda. Inside the remains, looking up at the gray sky. 

Someone has pitched a tent near the remains of the Pagoda. No one appeared to be in the tent.

I don't think campsites are one of the amenities offered in Lucy Park.

Deeper in the jungle I saw a young guy with a big backpack. He may have been the tent dweller. The guy with the backpack was off the trail, heading to the edge of the Wichita River.

What you see above I did not see in Lucy Park.

I Googled for a Karen image, and this was the best one I found.

I have decided to take a social media break due to being tired of Facebook Karens, primarily one I call Delores Dakota.

Delores is a humorless troll, adept at misunderstanding what she reads, and then deciding to do some scolding. Delores Dakota was the worst of the Facebook Karens, so I blocked her. 

Rather than block all the lesser Karens I decided just to take a break from Facebook for awhile. This should be peaceful...

Perfectly Chilly Sikes Lake Walk With The Gosling Lawn Mowers

Yesterday, the day known as Friday, it was back to Lucy Park's backwoods jungle I ventured to for some salubrious nature communing via high speed walking whilst being on high alert for slithering snakes in the grass.

Today, the day known as Saturday, the third such day in May, it was back to nearby Sikes Lake I ventured for some high speed walking with no worry about snakes in the grass, just goslings in the grass being not too worrisome.

The above photo is looking east from the west end of Sikes Lake, at one of the two bridges which cross the lake.

Yesterday's predicted severe thunderstorms did not happen. Not even on drop of rain, let alone any loud booming. Today has had a cold front blow in, lowering the temperature to 75 at the time I was lake walking. 

Back when I lived in Washington, 75 degrees seemed hot, almost too hot. Now I am so acclimated to heat that 75 degrees feels chilly. A pleasant type of chilly.

75 degrees is cooler than what I have my A/C set to.

Sikes Lake's biggest gosling flock was pretty much at the same location I saw them at two days ago.

You can see what a good job the geese do at keeping the lawn clipped short... 

Thunderstorms Are On The Weather Menu Along With Collapsing Sikes Lake Dam-Lake Structure

More storming is on the weather menu for this third Friday of May. Currently the outer world is not looking too stormy.

Meanwhile an interesting development at Sikes Lake.

For reasons not known by me there is a dam type structure across the north end of Sikes Lake. The dam which actually makes the lake is at another location. 

A year or two ago I read that Midwestern State University was wanting to get rid of this dam-like structure, but the estimated cost to do so was too high.

And now, it seems Mother Nature is doing the demolition job for free.

A long section of the dam-like structure has collapsed, revealing that the dam-like structure is dirt, covered with concrete slabs. This makes it look like it would not be all that difficult, or expensive, to remove this dam-like structure.

It will be interesting to see what happens next, if anything...