Hot Early December Colorful Lucy Park Nature Commune

It was back to Lucy Park this Friday morning of the third day of the 2021 version of December. The temperature is predicted to likely break a record today, sizzling to somewhere in the 80s.

In that barren of leaves tree you see above, those are not bird nests clinging to the limbs.

Those are clumps of mistletoe. I learned this when a passing stranger suddenly kissed me and used the mistletoe above as her excuse for this assaulting behavior.

I do not remember when last the weather was as perfect for communing with nature as is the case today.

Is that not a colorful display of leaves you see above? I've decided I want to build a house from scratch again, with the color scheme being fall colors, combined with some Southwest turquoise and Northwest green.

The last time I built a house from scratch the color scheme was basically beige.

What you see above passes for a hill in these parts. And atop that hill sits a picnic table with a view of the Wichita River.

The leaves are big which fall from some of these trees.

Unlike leaves on the ground in my former home zone of the Pacific Northwest, Texas leaves are crunchy, like stepping on potato chips. Northwest leaves quickly decompose and turn slippery and slimy, with zero crunch.

It is time to go make sauerkraut soup now. Heidi Klum's mother's recipe, and Heidi's favorite food when she returns to Germany for a visit...

Senior Citizen Doctor Appointment Leads To Christmas Extravaganza Installation

Today, on the morning of the 2nd day of the 2021 version of December, I was in Good Samaritan mode, driving a senior citizen to a doctor's appointment. This time the appointment was in downtown Wichita Falls, in the Hamilton Building, a short distance from the Wichita Falls Public Library.

So, I dropped off the geezer and drove on to the library, the entry of which is what you see above. I think this was built in what is known as the Grecian style, hence the round columns.

I perused periodicals til my phone vibrated, indicating the senior citizen was in post doctor appointment mode.

I picked up the geezer in front of the Hamilton Building and decided to go home via Hamilton Drive, which is adjacent to Hamilton Park. 

I wanted to drive to this location to see if I could take some photos of what I think is the most over the top Christmas installation I have ever seen. I did not know if doing so would do justice to how massive this Christmas installation is.

Well, the answer is the results do not come anywhere near photo documenting the extent of this multi-acre display.

I should have tried to do a panorama view. I was taking the photos from my driver's window viewpoint.
I need to practice taking a panorama photo. 

At night is when the over the top-ness of this location really is undeniable. Maybe I will remember to drive by at night. This location is close to the MSU Fantasy of Lights, which I think I will try to walk through, taking video. Maybe I can do both in one nocturnal adventure.

There are maybe a dozen vehicles of various sorts being part of this extravaganza, including a Grinch Mobile.

It is only day two of December and I'm already totally overwhelmed with the Christmas spirit...

Hot Walk Around Dead Calm Sikes Lake With Three Wise Men Homage To Chicken Butchering

Yesterday, the final day of November, the temperature at my location soared into the 80s zone, which made for a pleasant communing with nature at Lucy Park.

With the outer world returning to summer like heat I was tempted to turn on the A/C yesterday, but I didn't. The interior space only warmed to 79 degrees, which is only one degree warmer than I chill to with the A/C.

Today, the first day of the final month of 2021, the outer world is as warm as yesterday. And dead calm, zero wind blowing.

So, I opted to take a fast walk around wave-less mirror-like Sikes Lake. 

Soon after the fast walk began I came upon what looked to me to be some sort of abstract rock hoodoo homage to the Three Wise Men who are scheduled to show up later this month to bring goodies to Baby Jesus.

I tried to take a selfie with the Three Wise Men behind me, but that did not work, the result of which is what you see above. So, I turned around and was able to successfully photo document the rock hoodoo homage to the Three Wise Men.

About a quarter mile past the Three Wise Men I come to the view below. I like the look of this tree, all twisted and confused.

Earlier today I had an adventure with a chicken. The last time I cut up a whole chicken was way back in 2008, in Tacoma. I had been instructed to tutor my soon to be sister-in-law in the art of cutting up a chicken, two of which we had acquired at the Tacoma Thursday Market. That tutorial went well. 

This morning's chicken cut up did not go quite as well. Maybe my knife was not sharp enough. Maybe I'd forgotten how to find the joints where one does the slicing. Somehow the back piece ended up with a lot of breast. And one thigh went missing.

I think the result will be edible. It smells like it is edible. I shall find out in a few minutes...

More Memories From Google Which I Mostly Do Not Remember

I need to figure out how to turn off the getting a daily Google email ostensibly showing me memories from that particular day.

I do not remember being at that memory in the upper left, but I do know that from left to right we can barely see Aunt Ruth, then Grandma Slotemaker, then my Mom and Dad, then Aunt Judy and Uncle Mel.

Below that family photo I think that is Aunt Alice standing between two people I do not recognize.

The upper right is a look at the stunning skyline of beautiful downtown Fort Worth, looking west from high atop the Tandy Hills.

Under the Tandy Hills it looks like that memory is of a tree trunk.

And I have zero clue as to who that is in black and white at the lower right.

I wonder what memories I mostly don't remember Google will have for me tomorrow on the first day of December...

Monday Night Text Message Dramatic Stupidity

Tonight I made a polite inquiry about a relative heart situation. To which I got one of the rudest, stupidest replies I think I have ever seen.

So over the top neurotically stupid that all one could do was a simple head shake, a little laugh, and wonder how is it that some people function with such a high level of being dumb.

And then, minutes after that perplexing text message, I was sent the above, via email. I shan't say who sent the email.

And I do not know who is engaged in this text message.

But, I have my suspects as to who the culprits are...

Monday Getting Dry Benched In Lucy Park

It was once again to Lucy Park this final Monday morning of the 2021 version of November. As you can see the sky has been cleared of clouds, allowing the sun to heat up the outer world to a temperature balmy enough to do nature communing in short pants and t-shirt.

Lucy Park has several one of a kind benches. Above you are looking at a twin bench. With a roof, allowing a dry bench escape from rain, if one happened to be walking by with a downpour ensuing.

As you can see, most color has now left the landscape, not to return til next Spring. 

26 or 27 days til Christmas. I'm not sure. Today is the 29th of November. Christmas is December 25. I think I am going to go with it being 27 days til Christmas.

I have already done all the Christmas shopping I am going to do. I have already installed all the Christmas decorations I am going to install.

And now it is time to fire up the Instant Pot and make cauliflower soup...

Sunday Photo Tour Of MSU's Fantasy Of Lights

On this final Sunday of the 2021 version of November I rolled my motorized motion device to MSU (Midwestern State University) to do some nature communing with the Fantasy of Lights, along with walking all over the campus.

So, let's take a short tour past some of the Fantasy of Lights installations.

The couple and kid above are about to visit Ebeneezer Scrooge. Behind them is Cinderella's carriage.

Above we are looking at the Jolly Roger ship made famous by Peter Pan. The pirates have a wench tied to a mast. Don't ask me to explain what this has to do with this particular holiday season.

There once was an old lady who lived in a shoe who had so many kids she did not know what to do. That is what you are seeing above.

You can mail a letter to Santa via this mailbox, and Santa will send a letter back to you.

Humpty Dumpty before he took a head cracking fall.

Frosty looks like he has laid a lot of snowball eggs.

Mrs. Claus is holding a tray of tasty looking cookies at Santa's Workshop.

Finally, a Christmas scene, of the Nativity variety. Baby Jesus was visible and quite little. 

Multiple Santas are being busy at the Fantasy of Lights.

Mickey Mouse has a Toy Castle. Why? I don't know.

And here we see Santa with his sleigh getting pulled by a herd of reindeer.

It would not be Christmas without a visit to the Emerald City with Dorothy, Tin Man, Scarecrow, Cowardly Lion and Toto.

And we will end this tour with a parr of chilly snow people.

Perhaps I shall return this year at night, when the lights are bright and the music is playing, and shoot some video...

Saturday Lucy Park Nature Commune

It was to Lucy Park I traveled on this final Saturday of the 2021 version of November for some salubrious nature communing.

We have now had the first freeze of the freezing season, hence most of the leaves have left the trees, and the formerly green grass is now mostly brown.

In the photo above that wooden gallows looking structure is a one of a kind Lucy Park swinging bench.

Another view from the same location as the swinging bench. 

I was over dressed for today's nature communing. The temperature was way warmer than the predicted chilly temperature. And there was some solar heating happening via the openings in the cloud cover.

Yesterday I learned my first ex-wife has been hospitalized since last Wednesday, awaiting open heart surgery on Monday with a triple bypass. A couple weeks ago I learned my favorite ex-sister-in-law is under going cancer treatment. 

Appreciate your good health whilst you have it, is what I am thinking today...

Thanksgiving Morning Flying Over Seattle Electrically

I saw that which you see above this Thanksgiving morning on CNN online in an article about new carbon neutral electric powered planes. 

At first glance I did not recognize the mountain in the background. Then I looked at the foreground and thought is that Seattle? Then looked at the caption which confirmed this was Washington I was looking at. 

The low clouds are covering Lake Washington. The water under the plane is Lake Union. The water at the far right is Elliott Bay. Seattle is pretty much surrounded by water and mountains.

This view of Mount Rainier is more realistic than the ones one usually sees, with the mountain zoomed in to look closer to Seattle.

This photo should help geographically challenged Thelma McNutty have a better understanding of how close Mount Rainier actually is to Seattle...

Day Before Thanksgiving Suspension Swinging At Lucy Park

With a strong wind blowing from the south a bike ride did not sound like a good idea. So, once again I used my motorized motion device to drive to Lucy Park to do some high speed leaf dodging.

I always enjoy walking across the Lucy Park suspension bridge over the Wichita River. It is extra enjoyable when wind contributes to the swaying motion.

As you see, above, I was not the only person communing with windy nature today at Lucy Park. 

A cold front is scheduled to blow in from the north tonight. I suspect soon thereafter there will be no more leaves in the trees.

 I don't know why, but I found the left direction on this Lucy Park signage to be amusing.

Duck Pond Restrooms. As if there are restrooms named the Duck Pond Restrooms.

There are no restrooms at the Duck Pond location. But there are restrooms in the general direction the sign is pointing. 

Tomorrow I don't know if there will be any communing with nature. I will need to be getting up early to begin cooking my humongous Mexican Thanksgiving Buffet. It's a daunting task...