Thelma McNutty Learning To Surfboard In Florida

Yesterday I learned via photo documentation on Facebook, and an on the scene observer, that Madame Thelma McNutty is taking surfing lessons at a school which teaches that skill, whilst Thelma waits out her exile on Florida's Treasure Island.

Earlier on her stay on Treasure Island the McNutty one said she and her caretaker, Ben, were going to go swimming with Manatees at a location on or near Treasure Island which provides the adventure of swimming with those loveable sea creatures.

I have seen no photo documentation of a McNutty swim with the Manatees.

I do not know the name of the surfboard position Thelma is demonstrating above. I am pretty sure it is not what is known as Hanging Ten. 

Windblown Gusty Walk To Circle Trail's End With Fly Hats

With the outer world temperature barely into the 60s, with a steady breeze blowing at 30 mph, with gusts predicted to be blowing as high as 46 mph, I layered on the outerwear and drove to the east parking lot access to the Wichita Bluff Nature Area to walk in the direction opposite the Nature Area, to head east to the current termination point of the Circle Trail.

By the current point in time the new section of Circle Trail was supposed to be connected to Lucy Park and Mile One of the Circle Trail.

That is Trail's end you see above.

I do recollect, when it was announced that this section of Circle Trail was given the go ahead, that the funding was a bit short, so the last 1,000 feet were not going to be paved, would be gravel instead, awaiting the funding for future pavement.

As for today's gusting. The steady gale was easy to deal with. But at one point a gust gusted gustily, faster, it seemed, than the predicted 46 mph. During the gust my hat blew off, flying about 100 feet before getting stuck on a bush. I retrieved the hat, re-installed it, and secured it by flipping the hoodie of the sweatshirt I was wearing on top of the no longer airborne hat.

The 10 day forecast for my location looks like we are heading towards a few stormy days and nights. I don't like it when Mother Nature gets herself riled up...

After Last Night's Deluge A Cold Windy Lucy Park Walk With Flying Acorns

Last night rain poured down in downpour mode, doing so in copious amounts.

Thunder did some rumbling whilst the rain poured down.

By the time the sun arrived to do its daily illumination duty rain was no longer falling.

However the amount of rain which had poured down managed to make a lake blocking my regular route to where my motorized motion device is kept under cover.

So, I took the alternate route to where that motion device is parked and then managed to drive to Lucy Park for an extremely windy, extremely cold communing with nature.

The outer world was chilled to 61 degrees, with the brisk wind making it feel much colder. Wind was gusting to blows around 35 mph. This resulted in the occasional pummeling from acorns being blown out of their host trees.

As you can see via the photo evidence above, I am getting much better at taking a selfie. Due to it being cloudy I was able to see the screen to take the photo in what is known as the patented Elsie Hotpepper style.

In the selfie I am on the suspension bridge over the Wichita River.

Due to the copious amount of rain at my home location I thought the Wichita River might be in flood mode. When that happens much of Lucy Park goes underwater. But, as you can see the river today is running a bit higher than the norm, but nowhere near flooding. In the above photo we are in the middle of the suspension bridge, looking south.

One of the many paved trails winding through the Lucy Park trees. Lucy Park has a wide variety of trees. I think my favorite are the Cypress.

Directional signage was added awhile back, pointing people to the Falls. I recollect on my first visit to Lucy Park having to ask how to get to the Falls. And since then more than once I have found myself being asked where the Falls are.

I was way underdressed for today's commune with nature. It always takes me awhile to adjust to the arrival of frigid air.

Tomorrow is scheduled to also be cold. And windy. I do not foresee a bike ride happening tomorrow...

Brown Vs. Topeka While Battle Vs. Wichita Falls With Both Winning

I think I have made mention of that which you see above, previously. A Texas Historical Commission Marker telling the history of Midwestern University Desegregation.

I do not know when or why Midwestern University added "State" as its middle name. I do know that desegregation worked due to seeing a lot of African-Americans on the MSU campus.

This Historical Marker is located a short distance south of the one and only fountain on the MSU campus. I rolled by this location today. Additional signage has been installed, of the temporary sort. Apparently it is MSU Homecoming Week.

The interesting tale told on this Historical Marker...

In 1948, Emzy Downing and James O. Chandler, both graduates from the African American High School in Wichita Falls, Booker T. Washington High School, applied for admission to Hardin Junior College, a division of Midwestern University. The Board of Trustees denied their admission. In 1950, with encouragement from local NAACP leader, Professor C.E. Jackson, Willie Faye Battle, an honor graduate, applied by mail for admission to the two-year nursing school at Hardin Junior College. She was accepted, but when she and Professor Jackson went to the school to complete the application process, she was denied admission. Subsequently she was accepted to Prairie View A & M University.

In the Fall of 1951, Ms. Battle along with Maryland Virginia Menefee, Helen Muriel Davis, Golden E. Mitchell White, Carl Lawrence McBride and Wilma Jean Norris were encouraged to apply in person. Each applicant received rejection letters in the mail. Following this incident, a meeting was held between the University Board of Trustees and Representatives of the Texas State Council at Booker T. Washington High School. Alternative solutions were discussed such as a college at Booker T. Washington High School or Midwestern paying the tuition for African American students to attend African American colleges. These alternatives were rejected and a suit was filed in United States District Court, the first of its type. Initially Battle, Et Al v. Wichita Falls Junior College Dist., Et Al was decided in favor of the students. But, with appeals and injunctions, the final decision came through the Supreme Court in 1954, following the Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka ruling. The first African American students were enrolled in the Summer of 1954.

Wichita River Circle Trail Walk To New Hoodoo

On this final Monday of the 2021 version of October I took myself on a walk along the Wichita River, starting at the parking lot at the east entry to the Wichita Bluff Nature Area. But, instead of walking to the Nature Area I walked east to the current end of the Circle Trail. 

When one walks east at this location one soon goes under the Loop 11 bridge over the Wichita River. To my eyes the underpinning of this bridge looks a little wonky.

Wichita Falls must rank near the top of any ranking of number of benches per capita of all the towns in America. Yet I seldom see someone sitting on one of these benches. The benches are comfortable. And they swing.

I think I have made mention of late regarding it seeming bizarre that I find what I call Hoodoos at two locations which I frequent. I have suggested that there must be other instances of this phenomenon at locations I do not frequent.

Well, this pair of dwarf Hoodoos showed up near the current end of the Circle Trail. Usually these rock formations show up where there are a lot of rocks. Not at locations such as above.

Speaking of the Circle Trail.

This new section was supposed to connect to the Circle Trail in Lucy Park. I have not learned why the construction halted prior to reaching the goal.

If the Circle Trail ever gets completed, I will be able to roll from my abode the short distance to the Circle Trail, and then roll 26 some miles, making a big circle around the perimeter of the town.

It has been a few years since I have rolled as many as 26 miles in one bike ride...

Blowing Saturday Smoke Up the Lucy Park Japanese Pagoda

Lucy Park was the destination today for communing with nature on this 4th Saturday of the 2021 version of October.

This 4th Saturday of October is being a HOT one. The A/C is back running again, after a multi-day rest.

Meanwhile out west and up north the Pacific coast is bracing for a Bomb Cyclone, which is expected to blow wind at a hurricane level whilst dropping water like a river from the sky.

I have heard from a few Washingtonians today. All are saying they are ready for what is coming. Hatches are all battened. Back up lighting ready.

I am getting real good at taking a selfie photo, don't you think?

Behind me that is the Lucy Park Japanese Pagoda.

Today the Pagoda appeared to be blowing smoke out its top.

I have made mention of the Lucy Park Pagoda before, asking if anyone knows the story behind its existence. I have not received an answer.

I got an email this morning suggesting I go visit Hawaii. I like that suggestion...
 

Biking To See Holiday Season Arrive At MSU

My bike rolled me around a dozen miles this morning. Perfect temperature for pleasant bike riding. 

Eventually we rolled to the MSU (Midwestern State University) campus, where we stopped to take a picture of the annual arrival of the Christmas installation known as the Festival of Light.

I think I am remembering that name correctly. 

It takes awhile to set up this massive installation, hence beginning well before Halloween. 

And so it begins, the annual return of the Holiday Season. We now fast track through Halloween, then Thanksgiving, speeding towards Christmas and then New Year's Day. 

Never has been my favorite time of the year.

But, I have already almost completed all my Christmas shopping...

Today's Look At Mount Baker For Thelma McNutty

 

I saw that which you see above, this morning, on Facebook, via a posting by Miss Beth of Sedro Woolley.

This view of Mount Baker is from the town of Conway, which is a few miles south of the town I moved to Texas from, Mount Vernon.

I was able to see Mount Baker from my kitchen window in Mount Vernon. I see nothing remotely resembling a mountain when I look out of my Texas kitchen window.

I remember the first time I saw the Rocky Mountains not being all that impressed. The Rocky Mountains did not seem as tall as the Washington, and other west coast, mountains. This perplexed me, because the elevation of many of the mountains in the Rocky Mountain range is higher than mountains in the Cascade Mountain range.

Then one day my simple mind realized why the Rocky Mountains did not look as tall as Washington mountains. 

Conway, and Mount Vernon, and Sedro Woolley, and Burlington, and the rest of the Skagit Valley Flats are only a few feet above sea level. Mount Baker's elevation is 10,781 feet. 

When you are in Denver you are about a mile above sea level. That cuts about 5,280 off the perceived height of the Rocky Mountains.

Mystery solved.

I hope today's Mount Baker photo activates Thelma McNutty's homesickness. A concerted effort has been underway to make Thelma homesick for Washington, so that she will return next summer after having been away from many things Washingtonian for around half a century...

Elderly Return To Original Wichita Falls

This morning I was tasked with driving a senior citizen to one of his drug suppliers on the east side of town.

The location of the drug supplier is about a block south of O'Reilly Park.

At the west side of O'Reilly Park one finds the original falls on the Big Wichita River for which the city was named.

So, this particular senior citizen had never seen the original falls for which Wichita Falls was named, so after acquiring the drugs I drove to the O'Reilly Park parking lot to walk to Wichita Falls.

It is the Circle Trail one walks on to get to the falls. One begins hearing the roar of the falls before one sees the falls.

Yes, that which you see above is Wichita Falls. The river is running low enough to produce what look to be minor rapids at the location of the long ago, washed out by a flood, original Wichita Falls waterfall.

See that bridge crossing the river at the top left of the picture? Let's take a closer look.

I have no clue as to the purpose of this giant rock wall which is part of the bridge. This is a long abandoned bridge. There is a historical marker at the entry to the bridge explaining why it is historical. There is no easy way to get from the Circle Trail up to that historical marker.

I know I blogged about this bridge and the nearby Wee-Chi-Tah statue. I shall see if I can find those blog posts.

Okay, found them. 

Walking Over The Wichita River On The Old Ohio Street Bridge takes you over the bridge, via video. And finds that aforementioned historical marker.

Waist Deep Comanche River Crossing Gives Texas Town Its Name takes you to the Wee-Chi-Tah statue.

And that has been my thrilling day so far, that and earlier today having someone tell me she had been tasked with being a Mata Hari... 

Biking To Find Another Random Rock Formation At Sikes Lake

It seems of late that almost everywhere I hike or bike I come across rock formations such as the one I came across today whilst rolling around Sikes Lake, which is what you see the handlebars aimed at above.

Yesterday's hike on the Wichita Bluffs came across the tallest yet of these type rock formations.

Warm air has returned to the outer world at my location, thus allowing the return to shorts, which was nice after the recent temperature plummet forced me to hunt for sweatpants.

A new cold front is on the weather menu for tomorrow. I'm ready for it...