Visiting Hank Frank's Jones Family Compound With Spencer Jack & Jason

 

Yesterday whilst blogging about Driving By The Skagit Tulip Festival Daffodils With Miss Lori I made mention of the fact that my Favorite Nephew Joey's house and the Hank Frank Orchard are on the Skagit Flats, on Beaver Marsh Road, near world famous Roozengarde.

This morning Hank Frank's Uncle Jason emailed me two emails with one photo in each email, along with text.

The text which accompanied the photo above was "Just read your blog.  The acres next to FNJoey has a home built for Spencer and I.  I think I have additional photos of this.  The Jones compound is one block south of Roozengarde.  It’s a gorgeous place to live."

Roozengarde is a Dutch name, as is Slotemaker, which translates to Jones in its adulterated English form. The Dutch pair in Hank Frank's yard with the Slotemaker sign came from my mom and dad's yard in Arizona.

And then we have the second photo from today's email.

The text with the above email said, "Here is one Spencer took the other day of me out standing in my field with the home pictured in the distance.  I can’t wait for you to visit."

It is unclear to me if the home referenced is the Hank Frank house or the one Jason said was a home built for him and Spencer. 

In the above photo I believe we are looking west at the setting sun. I think this to be the case because there are no mountains on the horizon. If that were a sun rising from the east it would be popping out over a range of mountains called Cascades.

I have not yet seen the design plans for Jason and Joey's Jones Family Compound. I assume such will soon be forthcoming...

Driving By The Skagit Tulip Festival Daffodils With Miss Lori

Facebook continues its daily duty of making me a bit homesick for my old home zone of the Skagit Valley. The above was from this morning's Facebook, on this, the final Sunday of the 2021 version of March.

Below was also on Facebook this morning, via someone who lives closer to the Skagit Valley than I do, and so can easily return when feeling the need.

I do not remember when last I drove on the Skagit Flats during the blooming time of the year. I do remember that at some point in time during the 1990s mom and dad talked me into going with them to the Roozengarde Easter Sunday Sunrise Service. That turned out to be a memorable experience.

Let me see if I can find a Roozengarde website.

Well, that was easy. And Roozengarde managed to get the tulips.com domain name for their website. Click the link and you'll see some colorful photos.

From their website I see Roozengarde is on Beaver Marsh Road. The same road my Favorite Nephew Joey bought a house on. I recollect being told Joey's house and the Hank Frank Orchard was close to Roozengarde.

Joey's big brother, my Favorite Nephew Jason, bought 7 acres adjacent to Joey, on which the future Jones Family Compound may one day be built.

I am guessing that living near the center of the Skagit Tulip Festival gets to be a bit tiresome for Joey, Monique and Hank Frank. I remember finding the throngs and traffic jams to be a bit tiresome years ago, near when the Skagit Tulip Festival became an annual event, when I lived in West Mount Vernon, one block from the traffic clogged Memorial Highway.

Balmy Second Saturday Of Spring At Mount Wichita

This final Saturday of the 2021 version of March is the first time in a long time, perhaps the first time this year, that I rode my bike south on the Circle Trail all the way to Mount Wichita.

It seems like only weeks ago Mount Wichita was covered with snow and freezing with a temperature below zero, because such was the case only weeks ago.

And now, today, that which was recently cold and white has turned warm and green.

As in a temperature in the mid 70s today.

Feeling balmy.

I turned on my computer room ceiling fan for the first time this year.

But, so far I have not felt the need to turn on the air conditioning.

You see no humans in the photo documentation of the formerly snow covered Mount Wichita.

But, there were a lot of people today enjoying the perfect weather. Some floating in boats, fishing. Other fishing from the Lake Wichita floating dock. Others fishing from the Lake Wichita Boardwalk. And many more fishing from shore.

I do not know if there are many fish to catch living in Lake Wichita. There must be, even though I've never seen one caught, because there is usually at least one person fishing. 

I have seen a lot of fish reeled in at nearby Sikes Lake.

In addition to all the people trying to reel in fish I encountered many bikers, hikers, joggers, walkers, baby carriages and dogs.

An excellent second Saturday of Spring....

Spring Sprungs White Tree Blossoms

Spring has been doing some major springing at my location as we near the end of March, as documented by the trees you see above, sporting white blossoms.

These white flowering trees are landscaping the Circle Trail, about a block north of my abode.

I saw other flowering trees and some wildflowers blooming on the ground on this morning's bike ride.

I have no recollection of any sort of fruit eventually appearing on these white flowering trees.

I do recollect that at some point the white blossoms fall from the trees creating what looks sort of like snow covering the ground, with the wind blowing the white blossoms into drifts.

Speaking of drifting.

It begins to look a little unlikely that I will be venturing north in a couple months. But that could change.

I have learned details of a high school reunion which some have opined I should attend this summer whilst I am in Washington. The details of that reunion make it unlikely I will be there, with one of the details being this reunion is happening earlier than when I planned on being in Washington.

Wall Calendar Triggers Grand Canyon Of COVID Torments

 

That which you see here is on the wall of my computer room.

Which would make that which you see here a wall calendar.

It has now been over a year since I have travelled further than 40 miles from my abode. 

I have not even been to the Dallas/Fort Worth Metromess for over a year. 

And this National Park themed wall calendar regularly torments me with reminders of scenic places I have been. 

For March it is Grand Canyon National Park.

I first saw Grand Canyon when I was 19. I had been to Yellowstone, and seeing the Grand Canyon of the Yellowstone, and thinking it quite impressive, I suggested heading south a few hundred miles to see the more famous Grand Canyon.

Before getting to Grand Canyon we visited Bryce Canyon and Zion Canyon, vowing to return, soon, with proper hiking gear.

After Bryce and Zion it was on to Grand Canyon. The North Rim. This truly was one of the more overwhelming shockingly scenic things I had ever seen. I was already in scenic wonder overload due to Bryce and Zion.

Ironically, it was just a brief visit to several of the North Rim overlooks, and then on to Las Vegas, then Los Angeles and Disneyland, vowing to return, soon, to Bryce, Zion and Grand Canyon.

It was just a few years later, in, I think, 1979, that I drove the longest roadtrip I ever drove, visiting places like Colorado and New Mexico and Texas for the first time. Just a little bit of Texas, after caving at Carlsbad Caverns National Park. 

Eventually made it to the South Rim of the Grand Canyon, and hiked the Bright Angel Trail all the way to the Colorado. Going down was easy, going back to the top was brutal, and did not make it there til an hour after dark.

I don't remember for sure what came after Grand Canyon, that time. Probably Vegas and then on to Los Angeles. I think this was the time I stayed in San Diego for a few days and went to both the San Diego Zoo and the San Diego Wild Animal Park, or whatever it was called. I recollect going to a Sir George's buffet in a suburb of San Diego and driving around in Tijuana for a few miles. 

I did not make it back to Zion National Park til 1992, also visiting the North Rim of the Grand Canyon, before heading to Vegas. I never have managed to hike the Angel's Landing trail in Zion which I vowed to hike some day, after seeing a Ranger presentation in the Zion campground on that first visit to Zion.

I was back at the South Rim of the Grand Canyon the last day of 1993, staying overnight in Flagstaff. There was snow at the top of the canyon and the trails were ice covered at that elevation, so no hiking.

But, that same trip had me seeing this cool looking location on the San Juan River, north of Monument Valley. The San Juan Inn in Mexican Hat, Utah.

That following year I organized a group roadtrip, from which my Internet nickname came. As I made various reservations I would mail out itinerary info to my fellow roadtrippers, calling the mailing "Durango Dean's Wild West Adventure Tour" or something like that.

This trip began with four days of houseboating on Lake Powell, cruising all the way to Rainbow Bridge National Monument, then off the houseboat to the treacherous descent down the Moki Dugway, to the aforementioned town of Mexican Hat to stay at the San Juan Inn. Which had a wonderful restaurant, owned and operated by Navajo, where I learned I like Indian fry bread.

After Mexican Hat it was on to Monument Valley and the North Rim of the Grand Canyon, where I had booked us log cabins. This was in mid October of that year. During the night a blizzard blew in. By morning we were trapped, awaiting snow plows to clear the road. It was wonderful, one of my favorite experiences ever.

When we were able to leave it was on to Zion where we had rooms booked in the National Park lodge. We did a lot of hiking at Zion, but still no hike to Angel's Landing. After Zion it was on to Vegas for four days, then an overnight stay in cabins at Stovepipe Wells in Death Valley. That was also one special night. Best swimming pool ever.

I got a flat tire in Death Valley. That turned out to be added fun. After Death Valley it was time to head north, towards home, with a night in Mammoth Lakes, a quick detour into Yosemite, an overnight in Redding, and then home.

That was one fun roadtrip, slightly repeated five years later with a different cast of characters, though some were the same. Did not enjoy the houseboat so much that time. But the Moki Dugway and Mexican Hat were again fun. As was staying several days in Moab, mountain biking. After Moab part of the group headed back to Washington, whilst two vehicles, including mine, headed to Durango, then overnighting in the Imperial Hotel ( I think that was the name ) in Silverton. The high elevation was taxing. Enjoyed it immensely, particularly imbibing in the hotel's saloon. The next day the other vehicle, after heading north on the Million Dollar Highway, began its return to Washington, while I continued on through Colorado, eventually coming to the headwaters of the Rio Grande.

Overnighted that night in Taos. I want to go back to Taos. And would have by now if it were not for the COVID intervention which mucked up a Taos visit plan. After Taos it was south to Alamogordo, overnight. An event there at the National Space Museum turned highly entertaining. 

After Alamogordo is was on to White Sands National Monument, eventually overnighting in a scary border town called Douglas, across the border from Agua Preita in Mexico. Next day discovered Bisbee. Loved it. Then happened upon Tombstone when they were having their annual Hellorado Days Celebration. Weirdest parade I have ever seen. Loved it.

After Tombstone it was on to Yuma, a couple years before my mom and dad moved there. Had a mighty fine time crossing the border to Algadones, Mexico. And then it was time to head north, to Vegas, again, then Tonopah, then Reno, then back to Washington.

I miss taking a good long roadtrip. Some days I get feeling doing such things will never happen again.

I probably should take that wall calendar off the wall, what with its reminders of places seen and in need of being seen. So far, though only in March, I've been to the National Parks on the calendar. those being January was Grand Tetons National Park, February was Sequoia National Park.

Let me sneak a peak at April.

Yosemite National Park. 

I've only been to Yosemite three times. And have only overnighted there once, staying three days in a cabin at Camp Curry. Would love to do that again. Maybe not Camp Curry, but the National Park lodge instead. I forget its name, but it's a famous one, Ahwahnee, that's it...

Paragliding From Erie Mountain To Real Island On A Real Island

Saw that which you see above this morning via the You Know You're From Anacortes When...Facebook page.

In the center of the photo that is a paraglider gliding from Mount Erie. Anacortes is a few miles to the northwest of this location. The Skagit Valley and my old home zone of Mount Vernon is a few miles to the east, or left, in the photo.

For someone from Fort Worth, unfamiliar with such, those chunks of land surrounded by water are what are known as actual islands. Not imaginary islands created by digging a cement lined ditch and diverting polluted river water into the ditch. 

The water you see in the distance is saltwater, part of the north end of Puget Sound. The water you see with an island in it is Lake Campbell. A freshwater lake. Lake Campbell is on Fidalgo Island, which makes that island in Lake Campbell a rare instance of an island on an island.

That body of land you see in the upper right of the photo is Whidbey Island, accessed via the nearby Deception Pass Bridge, or via ferry boat at two locations further south on Whidbey Island.

Fort Worth's imaginary island, if it ever sees that cement lined ditch successfully dug, will not need a ferry to access it. Access will be via three pitiful bridges, built over dry land, which have been stuck in slow motion construction mode, with an ever shifting project timeline, ever since 2014, with an, even then, astonishing four year project timeline.

That aforementioned Deception Pass Bridge, built almost a century ago, over actual deep, fast moving water, was built in less than a year. An actual feat of difficult engineering resulting in an actual iconic signature bridge.

Way back in October of 2014, about the time Fort Worth has itself a TNT exploding ceremony to mark the start of construction of its three little bridges being built over dry land, we blogged Washington's Deception Pass Bridge Took A Deceptively Short Time To Build. 

Who would have thought, way back then, in 2014, that in 2021 we would still be talking about those unfinished Fort Worth bridges being built over dry land? And that those responsible for this fiasco have not lost their jobs...

Rock & Rolling The Circle Trail

I was back in the Wichita Bluff Nature Area area today, parking on the parking lot at Loop 11 and the Circle Trail. That location is east of the actual Wichita Bluff Nature Area, but is in the area of the Nature Area, about a half mile east of the arch one passes under to enter the actual Nature Area.

I got myself a music playing device yesterday. It's been years since I last had radio headphones which kept me entertained whilst mountain biking. When those old radio headphones broke I was unable to find a suitable replacement, as such devices had fallen out of favor, replaced by pods and earbuds.

And then yesterday whilst perusing electronic devices at Walmart, I saw a newfangled version of my old radio headphones, with this newfangled version being a little thing attached to a cord with earbuds at its end. This new device was easy to program with dozens of preset stations, both AM and FM.

And so today I rock and rolled while walking on the Circle Trail.

That photo you see at the top was taken near that aforementioned parking lot at Loop 11 and the Circle Trail. I think the tall grass makes for interesting foliage.

 Before I headed west on the Circle Trail, I headed east to check out the current state of the Circle Trail extension which soon, hopefully, will extend all the way to Lucy Park. Much progress has occurred since I was at this location a couple weeks ago.

I was slightly overdressed for today's hiking. Yesterday I had the opposite problem. It is hard to determine what level of layering is needed when factoring in the chilling effect of a constant wind with blustery gusts.

Yesterday the wind made for a chilly outdoor experience. Today, the same temperature, with no wind, made for overheating due to being overdressed without the chilling wind.

If it warms up enough I think I will take my new music playing device on a bike ride later today. I need to amp up the exercise in order to get rid of the COVID poundage before I venture north in a couple months...

Return Of The Headache Free Shadow Of The Wichita Bluff Thin Man

An almost cloud free sky made for a well lit shadow of the Wichita Bluff Nature Area Thin Man today.

I had camera, well, phone, in hand, having removed it from its storage location on my cargo shorts, hoping to be able to get a photo of the roadrunner which had run across the Circle Trail about 50 feet ahead of me.

But, the illusive bird was not seen again once I had the phone ready to take a picture.

So, when I saw my shadow looking so dark I switched from looking for the roadrunner, to taking a picture of the Shadow of the Thin Man.

I look as if I have lost an arm. 

I think the winds which have been blowing strong from the west have blown away the allergens which were causing me to be in constant sinus headache mode.

Being in constant sinus headache mode is extremely tiresome. Even after taking a medication which lessened the severity of the misery, there was still a constant dull ache.

That is now gone.

Today I hiked as far as the highest point in the Wichita Bluff Nature Area before turning around.

At the highest point on the Wichita Bluffs there is a covered picnic pavilion with two picnic tables. 

In the view above we are looking east at the Wichita River and the stunning skyline of beautiful downtown Wichita Falls in the distance.

There were a lot of people enjoying the Nature Area today, having fun with the strong gusts which seemed to make it a challenge at times to remain vertical. 

I had planned on going on an early evening bike ride today, what with pleasant temperatures and extra daylight, but the sky has clouded up in the last hour, and possible thunderstorms are now on the weather menu.

Tiptoe With Me Through The Skagit Valley Daffodils

I saw that which you see screen capped above this morning on Facebook, via the "You Know You're From Anacortes When..." Facebook page.

The caption says "Daffodils are beginning to pop up around Skagit County. This is a field located across from Christianson's Nursery in Mount Vernon".

To which someone commented saying, "That's what I miss the most since I moved away..."

The Mount Vernon town referenced is the town I live in before moving to Texas. For Flatlander Texans reading this, that big wall of blue in the distance, behind the daffodils, are what are known as foothills. In this case, foothills of the Cascade Mountains.

Anacortes is not part of the Skagit Valley, but the town is in Skagit County. Anacortes is on Fidalgo Island, and is the location of my nephew Jason's Fidalgo Drive-In.

The flowers blooming in the Skagit Valley every spring is not what I miss most since I moved away. I think fresh produce, readily available, along with fresh seafood, also readily available, I miss more than seeing fields of colorful flowers.

This century I have been back in the Skagit Valley only one time during the tulip blooming time of the year. That being April of 2006, when I was in the valley to go to the aforementioned Nephew Jason's first wedding. That time I was in the valley for only part of one day, and during that day we did not drive out to the Skagit Flats, where the flowers bloom.

When I lived in Mount Vernon, particularly when I lived in West Mount Vernon, before moving across the river to East Mount Vernon, I was not all that fond of the tulips and the throngs of visitors the flowers brought, from all over the world, to the Skagit Valley.

The month long Skagit Valley Tulip Festival is an extremely well done operation. The festival began several decades ago, and created massive traffic problems from the start. Which is why I was not all that fond of this event, whilst living in West Mount Vernon.

But over the years multiple fixes have greatly exacerbated the traffic congestion. Things like directional signage, alternative freeway exits to keep Mount Vernon from getting clogged up by people exiting via the Mount Vernon exits. Tour buses were added, where people could park at one of the valley's mall's parking lots and ride a bus to tour the tulips. And venues were added, like Tulip Town, to spread the visitors all over the Skagit Flats.

The Skagit Valley is pretty much one BIG tourist attraction. It's the gateway to North Cascades National Park. La Conner is the valley's top tourist town. Anacortes is where you find the gateway to the San Juan Islands, via ferry boats, which will also take you to Victoria, British Columbia.

Where I currently am located, in Texas, there is not a single tourist attraction, remotely tourist worthy, for hundreds of miles in any direction you choose to go. No foothills or mountains. No ocean waves waving within hundreds of miles. No tourist towns.

However, this month something starts to happen in Texas which I never saw happening in Washington. That being wildflowers appearing and coloring up the landscape. It really is sort of spectacular to see, particularly down in Texas Hill Country.

Just a sec, I shall see if I can find the link to the webpage I made years ago of the Texas Wildflowers.

Found the link to that wildflower webpage, which is what you see via clicking the last two words in the paragraph above...

Balmy Bluff Bench Sitting With Minimalist Sinus Headache

Today is Day Five of having a constant headache, to varying degrees of aching.

Yesterday I learned this was a sinus headache. And so suitable medication was acquired and so now the constant headache only throbs distantly, barely noticeable.

Feeling better I thought getting some natural medicine, via aerobic activity generating endorphins, was a good idea. My best go to place for such, other than riding my bike, is to hike the hills in the Wichita Bluff Nature Area.

The second Saturday of the 2021 version of March at my location is a relatively balmy temperature in the 70s. Clouds are beginning to build for the predicted possibly severe thunderstorms later today.

A constant wind was blowing whilst I was on the Bluffs, with gusts causing me to repeatedly grab my hat to prevent it from flying away.

I stopped for a bit of a linger on the bench at the location you see in the above photo documentation. The view is slightly to the northwest.

I made note of that house you see across the ravine from my first time seeing it from the Bluffs. It looks to be in the same style as my old home in Mount Vernon, Washington. Sort of. 

A couple times I have tried to find the road which leads to that house, to no avail. I think it is at the end of a long driveway, with a gate blocking access from the main road.

It is now time for a late lunch, and to take my sinus headache medication...