Final August Day Walking With Sikes Lake Coyote Pack

On this final day of August, the day known as Saturday, with the temperature in the 80s, with the humidity high, I ventured to Sikes Lake for a sultry walk in the natural sauna steambath.

Walking with me was the growing pack of Sikes Lake Coyote Goose Guards.

The Sikes Lake Coyote Goose Guards seem to have accomplished their humane goal, making geese feel unwelcome, and safe from another mass extermination by the local goose haters.
 
Ducks must not be as easily intimidated by coyotes as their goose relatives are. One still sees several flocks of ducks milling about around and on Sikes Lake.

I hope there are no local duck haters currently plotting the mass extermination of those cute quackers.

Welcome rain is dripping this afternoon. Not copiously, but enough drippage to provide some cooling...

Semi-Chilly Return To Wichita Bluff Nature Area With No Rattlesnakes

With the temperature in the relatively chilly 80s, but with high humidity and little wind, I opted to drive to the Wichita Bluff Nature Area this final Friday of August, for the first time in many months, for some semi-hilly endorphin inducing aerobic activity.

In the photo documentation we are at the location of the highest picnic spot in Wichita Falls, looking east towards the skyline of beautiful downtown Wichita Falls.

I have avoided the Wichita Bluff Nature Area since some point in time, last Spring, after the Lucy Park entity we refer to as The Blue Man, made mention of the fact that he had encountered two rattlesnakes curled up on the Wichita Bluff Nature Area paved trail.

The fact that one might come upon rattlesnakes, and the fact that the Wichita Bluff Nature Area provides little shade from the blistering sun, it seemed a good idea to avoid this location til cooler temperatures made the bluffs more pleasant and cold-blooded creatures less mobile.

So, I saw no shade or snakes today whilst enjoying some salubrious bluff hiking.

I suspect in the coming months returning to the Wichita Bluff Nature Area will be a frequent go to location. 

Meanwhile, thunderstorming is on the weather menu for today and tomorrow....

Early Christmas Present From Uncle Mooch Turns Into Vaporware

Amusing super early Christmas present last night from Uncle Mooch and Aunt Jane. Quickly rescinded.

Message announcing the possible incoming Christmas present..

Uncle Mooch wants to know if you'd like this for Christmas. Aunt Jane says, “It's Christmas, not Trumpmas.”

I replied in the affirmative indicating I would very much like this for Christmas, with the following exchange, which left this particular Christmas present vaporized...

Durango Jones

Oh yes, very much. Now I can look forward to Christmas way more than I usually do....

Jane Slotemaker

Durango Jones: Oh, it’s all sold out. Sorry.

Durango Jones

Jane Slotemaker: ---Well now, I guess I now have yet one more dreary Christmas to not look forward to. Eventually my disappointment over not getting a Trump Christmas tree may fade...

______________________

I wonder if those beautiful gold plated Trump shoes are still available for grift giving...

Know The Right Wing Nutjob Warning Signs

It is not much of a secret that I have a strong aversion to what I refer to as "right wing nutjobs".

Or "far right extremists".

Upon first meeting someone, talking to them, and suddenly words spew out which I find impossible to relate to, due to perplexedly thinking, what can one say? Where does one start?

When someone makes clear they are being a bit ignorant, does one assume this is a teachable moment?

Usually, I say nothing.

I wait for more evidence to come before deciding this is not ignorance which I am dealing with here, it is stupidity.

An ignorant person can be wised up. This is not possible, I have found, with a stupid person.

One of the unsettling things about our modern world is the phenomenon of social media. For the first time in human history the dumb among us have a means to share their ignorance. Over and over again.

I see this phenomenon on Facebook.

For example.

The Facebook postings of an individual who was in my high school class. But, never graduated, due to not successfully completing enough classes. This individual is so totally sure of himself, despite failing, totally, at that being educated thing, even at the relatively simple high school level.

Let's look at some of this right wing nutjobs recent snippets gleaned from Facebook...

Anyone who doesnt know by now that the whole attack at White House was arranged by Pelosi’…..is a total Fool ‘no debate just truth’!

if you do not work and pay your own way in this life you will rote in hell ‘ and will not see heaven’

someone needs to tell these indians the creator created the land for man ‘ not just them !’

i love everyone even the confused but i’m not going to lie to God & self ‘and tell a transgender, queer or gay that it’s all fine or write ‘ be cause it’s all ‘ morally wrong ‘

the Barbra Striseands  ,the Chers, the Whoopi’s,the Opras. Madonnas, etc. are some of the main reasons for the Calipornia mess  !

Biden,Pelosi,Kamala,Soros etc. have been trying to destroy this country ‘ they should all be in prison ‘

Unions destroy economy & playing field for everyone ‘ but themselves’

__________________

So, this nutjob thinks Pelosi arranged an attack on the White House. And if you do not know that, you are a total fool. See what I mean? What can one say to someone who thinks it was the White House which was attacked, not the Capitol? And that Nancy Pelosi was behind the attack.

If you don't pay your own way in life you will 'rote' in hell? I assume the word intended is 'rot'. How compassionate. I forgot to mention this individual regularly posts comments reflecting his strong imaginary Christian faith.

Indians need to be told this individual's imaginary sky friend created the land for man, not just Indians. How does one explain to this person that Indians are also men, creations of the imaginary sky friend.

This person loves everyone, but is not going to lie to his imaginary sky friend and tell humans who are transgender, queer or gay that it is all "write". Because it is morally wrong. One can not help but wonder what would Jesus do when talking to a right wing nutjob like this person?

Calipornia? How clever? Streisand, Cher, Whoopi, Oprah, Madonna, and their ilk have made a mess of California? Has this nutjob ever been to California to witness the fact that the state is not a mess?

Biden, Pelosi, Kamala and Soros have been trying to destroy this country? And should be in prison? This is an example of the type thing the nutjobs say which leaves one baffled as to what to say. Do you ask for examples of the country being destroyed by these people? No. The answer would only be stupider. 

Unions destroy the economy? For everyone? As indicated by number 5 in the above illustration, the right wing nutjobs have little to no understanding of economics. Or the role unions have had during America's history in improving worker's lives and the American economy.

There is more than one reason I have little interest in attending a high school reunion...

Found On Page 60 Of Burlington-Edison High School Yearbook

That which you see here showed up in my email this morning, via something called Classmates.com, with the message in the email saying this...

You've been spotted in the 1980 Burlington-Edison High School yearbook. Is that you on page 60?

1980? I think the year is wrong, but that is definitely me, on the left, in my Junior year yearbook.

Right next to me, in the yearbook, is the entity who used to be known as Small, before she joined some sort of cult and began calling herself McNutt.

It has been a few years since I have attended a high school class reunion. I think the 20th one is the last I have been to. Even then I recollect the experience being a tad unsettling, wondering to myself, how can all these old people be the same age as me?

Starting in 2021 my high school class has been having a reunion every year, usually on the last Saturday of July. I have not felt an urge to attend any of these. I feel like I get plenty of high school reconnecting via Facebook, and other means.

And now my high school class has begun having monthly reunions, on the first Monday of the month, at a place in Burlington called Coconut Kenny's.

So, clearly. there must be some who enjoy the high school reunion thing.

I sort of remember the high school years fondly.

I remember other things more fondly. I do not go to many reunions of those other things either...

Lucy Park Post Library Nature Communing On Final Monday Of August

During my regularly scheduled nature communing, trying to acquire endorphins via high-speed walking, I did so in the outer world for the first time in a week or two.

Lowe's, Home Depot and Walmart have been my air-conditioned walking venues of late.

On this final Monday of the 2024 version of August the outer world temperature was not over 100 degrees during my regular walking time. The temperature was a relatively cool 92.

And so, this morning I drove to the library to get a fresh supply of reading material, and then, since I was nearby, it was to Lucy Park I drove for a high humidity walk in the Lucy Park backwoods jungle.

That humidity and the lack of wind made those 90 some degrees feel like they were well over 100.

Next week September arrives, and with the new month the current weather prediction is for day after day after day in the 80s and 90s. No mention of anything over 100 degrees...

Wet Bulb Conditions Force Hell's Gate Closing At Wichita Falls Hotter 'N Hell 100

Due to the outer world being dangerously way too HOT, the Hotter 'N Hell Hundred Medical Director has shut down the full 100-mile race, shortening the race to 100K 

Something called "Wet Bulb" conditions made doing something strenuous for a long period of time to be too dangerous.

The outer world temperature is over 100. The humidity is high.

Earlier this month when the temperature during the final weeks of August was predicted to be under 100 I was planning on going to the MPEC (Multi-Purpose Event Center), where the race ends, and have fun being surrounded by all the hoopla.

But, with the temperature well over 100, when the days of the event arrived, I opted to stay in air-conditioned comfort.

Since I have been in Wichita Falls I have only been to the race finale once. On that day the temperature was warm, in the low 90s, but it was cloudy. It was still way too HOT. 

Remembering Mountain Biking DORBA Trail In Cedar Hills State Park In Dallas

A Microsoft OneDrive Memory from this Day, which I do not remember when this memory actually happened, as in what date.

But, I do remember that that is Lake Joe Pool, behind me, with me on the DORBA Trail in Cedar Hills State Park in South Dallas.

The mountain bike trails in Cedar Hills State Park were one of my most frequent mountain biking locations. After a strenuous bout of biking I'd pump up my kayak to paddle out on the lake before jumping overboard to cool off.

I do not engage in this type behavior at my current location. Due to the fact there are no nearby hilly mountain bike trails, adjacent to swimmable lakes.

That and I currently do not have a mountain bike worthy of mountain biking.

I may soon find myself with a new mountain bike worthy of mountain biking. Finding a hilly trail location with a swimmable lake will be a bit more challenging...

Remembering Mount Rainier Hiking With David, Theo & Ruby's Grandma

What you see here is not one of my instances of a photo of Mount Rainier which has been telephotoed to look closer and bigger than it actually is.

What you see here is a photo of Mount Rainier as it looks when you are in Mount Rainier National Park on a hiking trail which leads to the base of the volcano.

That would be, standing next to me, in front of Mount Rainier, the Tacoma Trio of David, Theo and Ruby's, Grandma Janet, the mama of Mama Kristin.

Microsoft OneDrive Memories of this Day think this memory happened within the past five years, on this date in August.

But, I know exactly when this particular memory happened. August 11, 2008. On that date I drove Kristin, Janet and myself to Mount Rainier.

Ironically, this was only the second time I was in Mount Rainier National Park. All my years living in Washington I only visited that mountain, up close, once.

Where I lived in Washington, Mount Rainier was about 100 miles to the south. If I wanted to go hiking in the Cascade Mountains I had way closer venues. That and Mount Rainier National Park is super crowded with tourists, whilst there are many areas, equally scenic, where that is not the case.

Where I lived in Washington there were two volcanoes way closer than Mount Rainier. Those being Mount Baker and Glacier Peak.

Glacier Peak is the most illusive of the Washington volcanoes. You do not see Glacier Peak from the Western Washington lowlands. You have to drive up into the mountains to see Glacier Peak.

I only hiked to the base of Glacier Peak once. It was an almost 20-mile roundtrip hike. The route to the volcano takes you past Kennedy Hot Springs. I remember misjudging the timing of the hike, which had the final couple miles in scary darkness, using a flashlight to keep the trail visible.

I wonder how well I would handle a 20-mile hike nowadays. I suspect such would be a bit of a challenge...

Microsoft OneDrive Memory Of Haslet Horses Backyard Invasions

A Microsoft OneDrive Memory from this Day, that I remember, though I do not remember if this memory was from a day in August.

What we see here is the backyard of my first Texas abode. It was a multi-acre ranch in the hamlet of Haslet, a little suburb at the north end of sprawling Fort Worth.

The ranch had some farm critters. Three horses and a couple cows.

The horses were devilish demons. They figured out how to unlatch the gate that blocked them from their pasture and the backyard.

One of their times breaking into the backyard they ended up in the pool. That was a mighty fine fun time getting three horses out of a pool.

The horses liked Big Ed, I think because he often brought them goodies, like carrots and apples. 

In the above photo documentation, we see the three horses looking to be in begging for a treat mode. I don't think Big Ed had any thing to give the beggars. 

Of course, each of the horses had a name. But I only remember the name of one.

Caution.

I only got on one of the horses, once, July 4 of the year 2000. It did not go well. In my version of what happened, I claim the horse tried to kill me. I doubt I shall ever get onboard a horse ever again...