Wichita Falls Freezing Takes Me To Muddy Lucy Park Backwoods Jungle

Last night the temperature fell below freezing, to 31 degrees, freezing for the first time since last Winter.

Brrr.

We are forecast to be back in the 70s in about a week.

In the meantime.

Cold.

So, today I covered myself in a comfortable layer of insulative clothing and made my way to Lucy Park.

Hence the view of the Lucy Park suspension bridge over the Wichita River.

I was expecting to see the river running more water than it has, of late, due to the couple days of heavy rain. But the river looked to be at about the same level it was when I last saw it, a week or so ago.

I hiked into the Lucy Park backwoods jungle, til I reached an impassable area, due to mud. 

It seems weird to go from a week ago when the Lucy Park hiking would have me being an overheated sweaty mess, to today, when I did not come close to being an overheated sweaty mess.

I fear we are in for a few months now of cold, really cold cold.

I hope the temperature does not go below zero again, like it did two winters ago, causing a blackout that lasted a couple days...

Really Feeling Freezing At 27 Degrees In Wichita Falls

Seems like only yesterday that I was running the A/C to cool down this overly hot abode, due to the temperature outside being in the high 80s.

Actually, it was not yesterday, but last week, but seems like yesterday.

And now, with wind gusting to 17 mph, the current 34 degrees really feels like 27. 

Yesterday, the day known as Sunday, when venturing into the outer world I was in long pants, long sleeve t-shirt, and a sweater. But was totally under dressed and thus got real cold just walking the short distance from my abode to my vehicle.

I will not repeat that being under dressed mistake today. I have found my plush-lined sweatpants...

Final Sunday Of October Wet & Cold In Wichita Falls

That is the steamed up view out of my bedroom window you see here.

Rain began descending, again, before the sun arrived to do its daily illumination duty on this final Sunday of October.

Currently the outer world is being chilled to 8 degrees above freezing.

With a possible dip to the first freeze since last winter, happening tonight.

This morning my interior space had chilled to 61 degrees. So, for the first time since last winter I turned on the heat, making it currently a balmy 73 degrees.

I need to find my plush lined sweatpants, to help facilitate keeping warm in this frigid climate...

Halloween Spooks In Beverly Hills Of Wichita Falls

No. That is not the White House you see here, sporting a tall skeleton. That is a house on Hamilton Boulevard, across from Hamilton Park, in the neighborhood I refer to as the Beverly Hills of Wichita Falls.

Hamilton Park and the Beverly Hills of Wichita Falls is a short distance from my abode, and so I drove there this final Friday of October to get in my daily bout of high-speed walking, and to take some photos of the Hamilton Boulevard Halloween decorations. 

The above is the biggest of the neighborhood Halloween displays. I could not get all the skeletons in the photo, as they were all over the yard.

This one appears to have a tall ghost on the left, a big black cat in the middle, and yet one more tall skeleton on the right.

I have been seeing multiple Halloween yard displays this year as I drive around town. Way more than I remember seeing previous years. 

Christmas Is Almost Here With MSU Fantasy Of Lights Being Installed

Several days ago I was surprised driving by Midwestern State University to see that the annual MSU Fantasy of Lights installation was underway.

Underway way before Christmas, marking, for me, the start of the dreaded (by me) holiday season.

We are only a couple days from Halloween.

After the trick or treating ends, we zoom quickly to Thanksgiving, followed quickly by Christmas, then New Year's Day, and the start of yet another year, which will seem to fly by at warp speed.

The past couple days my north Texas location has been like a stereotypical Pacific Northwest winter day. A totally gray sky, with hour upon hour of sky drippage.

Today blue sky returned, along with temperatures in the 80s.

So, I drove the short distance to that aforementioned Fantasy of Lights installation underway, to take the photo you see above.

I believe that is Cinderella in the horse drawn carriage, on her way to lose her shoe and find a charming prince.

I have driven by some over the top Halloween themed yards of late. I will try and remember to take a photo of the one I saw yesterday on Hamilton Road, by Hamilton Park.

Day Two Raining Hard In Wichita Falls Necessitates Umbrella Search

Second day in a row with the morning view from my kitchen window being a look out at a raging downpour. Even though thunderstorming has been in the forecast the past three days I have not seen a single bolt of lightning or hear a single thunder clap.

I was planning on driving to the library this morning.

But, that may be contingent on locating where my umbrella is currently hiding.

With the rain pouring down at its current copious rate, one gets totally soaked in less than a minute. I do not like getting soaked.

The warm temperature and all this rain has amped up the humidity. Which has necessitated a return to running the A/C.

The downpour has let up a bit. Maybe I won't need to locate an umbrella...

Hours Of Rain Brings Areal Flooding To Wichita Falls

The weather forecaster's forecast arrived as forecast, but, so far, without the thunderstorm part of the forecast.

I began hearing the pitter patter of raindrops around three in the morning. The pitter pattering has continued ever since.

My abode is currently in surrounded by a moat mode. 

I think I may be able to make it to my vehicle without using the inflatable kayak.

The wet look above is via my kitchen window, coming up on 9 in the morning.

The National Weather Service issued an Areal Flood Warning through tomorrow.

I finally got around to looking up what Areal means. Well. It is the adjective form of area. So, all Areal Flood Warning means is a large area might experience flooding.

So, I am experiencing some Areal Flooding in the form of that aforementioned moat...

Lucy Park Backwoods Jungle Mosquito Bites

With the return to Summer, with the temperature in the 80s, it was back to Lucy Park I ventured today, to walk the Lucy Park backwoods jungle. 

At the exit from the Lucy Park backwoods jungle one looks up a slight incline to see the remains of the Lucy Park Pagoda. Will the Pagoda be restored to its former glory? Or will it remain in its current state?

I got myself a few mosquito bites today.

The West Nile Virus has shown up in this town in mosquitoes.

I am fairly certain none of the biters today gave me that Egyptian virus...

Sikes Lake Coyote Back On Goose Guard Duty

The Sikes Lake coyote was back on guard duty today, scaring off the few ducks and geese who remain at the lake, preventing the birds from making messes at the pavilion by the Wichita Falls Art Museum.

The temperature was back in the 80s today, just when I was getting used to being chilly...

Microsoft OneDrive Civil War Battle Memory With Linda Lou

It has been a few days since I remembered the Microsoft OneDrive Memories of a particular day. But, today, I remember all the memories.

At the upper left we are looking at a Civil War battle re-enactment at a battlefield a few miles west of Granbury, Texas.

I've been to two Civil War battle re-enactment. They were impressive productions.

At the upper right, that would be Linda Lou you see, on our way to the top of South Mountain, in Phoenix, Arizona, back in October of 2018. Below that first Linda Lou photo is another, with Linda Lou now at the top of South Mountain, talking to a little dog.

The photo on the lower left is also at the top of South Mountain, where several Native Americans of, I think, the Apache Tribe, were selling products they'd handcrafted. If I remember correctly, Linda Lou bought a jewelry item of the earring or bracelet sort.

On the lower right that would be the Baker Hotel you are looking at, in Mineral Wells, Texas.

Hard to believe it was five years ago that I had fun driving Linda Lou to various Arizona locations. The drive to Tortilla Flats was another memorable moment. Seems like only yesterday...