Another Dark Stormy Night Followed By Lush Lucy Park Jungle Walk

A strong storm last night, in the middle of the night, dropped a lot of water, along with close, loud, lightning strikes.

Power was knocked out for a short duration.

By morning the sky was back being bright blue.

With the outer world temperature in the pleasant 70s, it was to Lucy Park I ventured for some salubrious endorphin acquisition via fast walking.

As you can see via the view looking across the Lucy Park suspension bridge, the Wichita River is running much higher than its norm, almost reaching the bridge deck.

All the rain has the Lucy Park jungle looking particularly lush this Spring season.

I continue to be plagued by bug bites, despite anti-bug bite countermeasures. I was talking to a fellow Lucy Park walker today and he said he is being plagued this year by bug bites, and, like me, has been trying to thwart them with various counter measures.

We need a good solid over 100 degrees day after day heat wave to kill off all the biting bugs.

I hope that happens soon...

Faulty Family Reunion Memory

Yesterday's email included one of those Microsoft OneDrive Memories from this Day, that I do not remember.

I knew this photo had to be on my computer for it to end up on Microsoft's cloud. This morning I found the photo file and saw it was named "Reunion76". 

Indicating, it would seem, that this reunion took place in 1976.

After seeing this photo, yesterday, I emailed it to my little sister, the sibling with the best memory. She identified one person as possibly being herself. The only ones in the photo I sort of recognized were Grandma Slotemaker, Uncle Mel and Aunt Judy.

This morning it was speculated that the one holding a baby is Aunt Jane, holding baby Amy. Aunt Jane, Uncle Mooch, the now grown up Amy and son Quan, currently in the Boston area, will be in Washington in a few weeks.

My little sister thinks one of those in the photo looks like me. I don't think so. I don't think I was at this reunion.

Methinks the only entities still on this mortal coil who might remember this reunion are the aforementioned Aunt Judy, Aunt Jane, and maybe, Uncle Mooch.

Sikes Lake Waterfall Roaring Without Bug Bites

We have had some rain falling this past week, with more scheduled to arrive today.

I do not recollect previously seeing so much water spilling over the Wichita Falls Sikes Lake Dam Spillway's waterfall as you see via the photo documentation.

I like the roaring sound of a good waterfall.

Since I have been using Nurse Linda Lou's prescribed anti-bug ankle and wrist bracelets, combined with Cutter anti-bug spray, I have not made note of any new bug bites.

The existing bug bites are slowly healing, with each day me looking less like an acne infested teenager.

I'm hoping my bug bite infestation is all cleared up before I get on a plane to fly to a family reunion type thing in July....

Microsoft OneDrive Remembers The Ennis National Polka Festival

That which you see here showed up in my email this morning, a Microsoft OneDrive Memory from this Day that I clearly remember.

I do not remember if this took place in May. I do remember it was a warm day, so likely May. That photo is of a float in the Ennis National Polka Festival Parade.

The Ennis National Polka Festival Parade was one of the best parades I have ever eye witnessed.

Parades are one thing I have experienced which Texas does quite well.

Like the Arlington 4th of July Parade. All the town's high school bands, pep clubs and cheerleaders participate. Unlike parades in my old Skagit Valley home zone.

Granbury's 4th of July Parade is another incredibly well done one, again with the town's schools participating, including the high school football team. I remember that was one extra HOT parade to watch.

I've experienced Fort Worth's Stock Show Parade a couple times. It is billed as the world's biggest non-mechanized parade, as in no motorized vehicles. The Stock Show Parade is the best thing I ever saw Fort Worth do. Highly entertaining.

The Texas town I am currently in, Wichita Falls, has an annual 4th of July Parade which serves up oodles of small-town charm. I've watched this parade four times. The parade was cancelled during COVID. Last July the parade returned. I did not attend. I likely will this coming July.

Check out the blog posts about the Wichita Falls 4th of July Parades and you shall see what I mean by small town charm...

2015 Wichita Falls 4th Of July Parade With Uncle Sam

2017 Wichita Falls 4th of July Parade

2018 Wichita Falls 4th of July Parade Extravaganza

Super Sweet 2019 Wichita Falls 4th Of July Parade

Now, that is enough memories for today....

Imminent Severe Weather Alert Arrived Early Before Thunder Storming Came To Town

Yesterday, early in the evening, whilst the sun still shined, with the sky clear of clouds and brightly blue, my phone loudly erupted with the dire weather warning you see here.

The warning repeated four times during a half hour period.

The sun soon set, with no clouds seen before the end of the day's solar illumination.

I assumed the National Weather Service made a mistake with the weather warning accidentally going to areas not in dire danger of baseball size hail.

And then in the middle of the night, around three in the morning, all hell broke loose.

And continues to break loose, well after the sun's resumption of illumination duty. 

It looks like I can not make it to the carport without going through the moat which looks to be surrounding my abode.

Below is a screen cap of today's weather prediction from the Wichita Falls Times Record News.

I have not seen any baseball sized hail. Soon after last night's storming began I did hear several loud thumps which I assumed were hail.

Memorial Day Memory Remembering My Old Home Zone In Mount Vernon Washington

A Memorial Day Microsoft OneDrive Memory from this Day that I actually remember, unlike so many of those Microsoft memories.

What we are looking at here is part of the front of my house at my former home zone of Mount Vernon in the great state of Washington.

There were two front entries, one from the carport on the left, and the other at the top of the stairs.

Above the carport I had a rooftop patio garden growing all sorts of good things.

Blueberries, strawberries, various herbs, tomatoes, a lot of flowers and I forget what else.

I do not try to grow anything at my Texas location.

Trying such would likely be frustrating. Way too many things can go wrong here.

Golf ball size hail pummeling the plants. Various critters, like locusts, feasting on the plants. 70 mph gusts of wind. A flooding downpour. Temperatures way too HOT.

Speaking of which, it is another HOT one this Memorial Day. Not predicted to hit 100, but neither was yesterday, when my vehicle's thermometer hit 102. 

I think I will dose myself with anti-bug spray, and arm myself with my anti-bug bracelets, and have a mighty fine walk around Sikes Lake in about an hour...


 

Final May Sunday In Texas Over 100 Degrees

On this final Sunday of May of 2024, I was able to hike the Lucy Park Backwoods Jungle trail, with absolutely no mud, even though rain downpoured Saturday afternoon. A slight breeze blew through Lucy Park, the leafy trees provided some shade, the temperature was in the 80s.

And then, later this final Sunday of May of 2024, I drove to Walmart around 5 in the afternoon. When I parked and started to turn off the ignition, I looked up at the rear-view mirror's temperature and direction information to see the temperature over 100 degrees for the first time this year.

This bodes ill for the coming Summer. I suspect a record-breaking heat wave will be happening soon.

Today on Facebook I found myself in a conversation about taking a roadtrip, due north around 700 miles, to South Dakota, to see Dignity.

It is likely cooler in South Dakota than it is in Texas.

There is no Dignity to be seen in Texas, no matter where I drive...

Texas Cold Water Is Almost Hot Water

Saw that which you see here this morning, on Facebook. Just yesterday I was lamenting that the cold water option is no longer anywhere near being cold.

Currently cold water is warmer than lukewarm.

Just had myself a not refreshing not cold water shower. 

I suspect in a month I will be emptying the freezer of ice cubes into my bathtub in an attempt to have a nice cooling soak.

I may need to buy big bags of ice from Walmart...

It Is Not Even Summer & I Am Already HOT

We are still about a month out from the arrival of the 2024 version of Summer.

I saw that which you see above, on Facebook, this morning, accurately expressing my current sentiment.

This HOT time of the year is the earliest I remember losing cold water. Rendering there being no such thing as a refreshing cold shower. The former cold water is now warmer than lukewarm.

The cold water is already overheated and we have yet to go over 100 degrees. What happens to the formerly cold water when we have a couple dozen days in a row over 100?

I suspect I shall soon find out.

The new heat pump system so far is managing to keep my interior space a pleasantly cool temperature.

We are being told the Texas grid is stronger now than when it totally collapsed a couple Winters ago, with the outer world below zero. I had to escape to one of the few motels that still had power. 

If the Texas grid collapses this Summer my escape plan is to head north, to Oklahoma, and hope to find a room available at one of the casino hotels.

And if that fails, continue heading north, all the way to Washington if need be....

Fort Worth Is Not The Most Laid-Back City In America

Yet one more sort of goofy item on the Microsoft News page I see via my Windows Edge browser.

Titled "This Is The Most Laid-Back US City"

I do not know if the above link works on all platforms, or just on the Edge browser.

Anyway, this was a gallery one scrolled through, listing the 50 most laid-back cities in America. By what criteria? I have no idea.

Several Texas cities showed up on the Laid-Back list. With Houston being in last place, at 50. San Antonio is #47, followed by Dallas as the 46th most laid-back city. Continuing on, expecting to see laid-back lazy Fort Worth show up, I came to the last Texas entry, Austin is the 29th most laid-back city.

And, the most laid-back city in America? Why, it is the big city in America about which I am most familiar.

Seattle.

Like I said, I do not know by what criteria it was decided a city's level of laid-backness is. As I have experienced Seattle, the town is way too bustling to be considered laid-back. The downtown area of Seattle has throngs of people bustling about. If a couple cruise ships are docked, with the cruisers off the boat, the Seattle waterfront is bustling, not remotely laid back.

The most laid-back city I have experienced, by my idea of what laid-back is, is Fort Worth, Texas, with the deadest big city downtown I have ever been in. A ghost town on the busiest shopping day of the year, Black Friday, the day after Thanksgiving.

Fort Worth never shows up on these type lists. On the rare occasion something about Fort Worth is made note of, a big fuss ensues. Like the time a Washington, D.C. lobbying group, who were advocates of the Urban Village concept, had Fort Worth as one of the Top Ten American Cities with Urban Villages.

You likely will not believe this, but Fort Worth actually had a city-wide celebration celebrating showing up on this list.

I was in Tacoma a short time after this, talking to the guy who was Tacoma's Deputy Mayor at the time.

Tacoma was also on this list of cities and their urban villages. I asked the Deputy Mayor if Tacoma had a city-wide celebration after getting this esteemed honor. He laughed, and said, no, we just politely sent them a thank you message.

I then told the Deputy Mayor that Fort Worth had a city-wide celebration over this esteemed honor. You have to be joking, was his replay. Nope, not joking, said I.

I think the rarity of Fort Worth being the recipient of any sort of accolade is a big contributor to what seems like the town's civic inferiority complex. Part of that complex is caused by being linked to Dallas in a large metropolitan area known locally as the Metroplex. Dallas is the well-known, handsome big brother, whilst Fort Worth is sort of the homely sister, to use a metaphor.

My early years in Texas, living in Fort Worth, reading the local newspaper called the Star-Telegram, I made frequent note of the inferiority complex as manifested by what I called Green With Envy Syndrome, where that newspaper would opine that some perfectly ordinary thing would be causing towns far and wide to be green with envy.

Again, I am not making this up.

Years ago I made a webpage making note of multiple instances of Fort Worth's Green With Envy Syndrome.

I have been told that the Star-Telegram has dropped its Green With Envy nonsense. I know it has been years since I have seen an instance of the syndrome...