Happy Juneteenth Father's Day

I really do not like how it seems to be that time is flying by faster all the time.

Hard to believe it has been five years since I had a Father's Day McDonald's Buffet with my dear ol' dad.

At that point in time I blogged about that particular Father's Day in Dad's Father's Day McDonald's Buffet With Uncle Mooch & Tillie.

A screen cap of such is what you see above, with dad staring at the camera whilst holding one of his McDonald's favorites, likely an Egg McMuffin.

Today is the first time the new Juneteenth holiday and Father's Day are happening on the same day.

I had a nice HOT Father's Day hike in Lucy Park this morning, feeling a bit melancholy. So much has happened and changed since five years ago today. And before you know it, another five years will fly by...

Saturday At The Wichita Falls Farmer's Market

I needed to get new reading material on this 3rd Saturday of the 2022 version of June. So, it was to downtown Wichita Falls I went this morning.

And, since it is only a couple blocks from the library parking lot, after checking out some books, I walked to the Wichita Falls Farmer's Market.

The Farmer's Market was busy. The first time since the COVID nightmare that the Farmer's Market seems back to normal. There seemed to be more arts and crafts type vendors than farmers selling produce.

The guy in the blue shirt, on the right, sitting down, is playing a piano. The sound of the piano playing was amplified, making for a festive sound track for the Farmer's Market.

The above is inside the Wichita Falls Farmer's Market building. As you can see, lots of arts and crafts, with no farmer's produce to be seen. Well, seen in the photo. To the right there was a farmer selling watermelon, onions, cabbage and tomatoes, among other stuff produced on a farm.

Next month the Watermelon  Festival happens at the Wichita Farmer's Market. I have gone to that event twice. It's a fun one. Particularly if you like watermelon, which I do. That and the watermelon seed spitting contest is highly entertaining.

Thunderstorming is on the agenda for this evening...

Not Taking Off Clothes Pickle Balling In Texas

I saw that which you see here, yesterday, on Facebook, and wondered why anyone would want to do this.

Or watch this.

The Pickle Ball fad has made its way to Texas. I doubt the clothing optional version has made it to Texas.

My Arizona sister and her first husband are avid Pickle Ballers. I am almost 100% certain my Arizona sister and her first husband have not participated in a clothing optional version of Pickle Ball.

Way back in January of 2018 I was in Arizona for 21 long days. Mom and I got her a transit chair to wheel mom around on. My sister and her first husband were playing in a Pickle Ball Tournament, in, if I remember right, Mesa. Mom and I were spectators, which was rendered doable due to that transit chair.

Watching Pickle Ball is entertaining, even with the Pickle Ballers properly clothed.

Roasting Day After Day Over 100 In Wichita Falls

Well, according to the latest 12 day forecast we Wichita Falls fellows get a two day break from being heated to 100 degrees, or HOTTER.

I do not remember this much HEAT during my previous HOT years in Texas.

Meanwhile my old home zone of the Pacific Northwest is being chilled about half as hot, with refreshing day after day of rain adding to the chill.

I Went To School With Archie Bunker

I saw that which you see here on Facebook.

A YouTube video from All in the Family, where Archie Bunker makes an Editorial Rebuttal on a New York City local TV news show.

I watched this and something dawned on me that had not previously dawned on me. Some people who were school classmates of mine have become modern era equivalents of Archie Bunker.

With me reacting to the nonsense they spew the same way Archie's son-in-law, Michael, and daughter, Gloria, react to Archie's ignorant nonsense.

I have lost track of the number of times I have been appalled by idiotic ignorant nonsense I read on Facebook coming from people who went to the same school I did, but somehow ended up with a different education.

Anyway, you can watch this amusing Archie Bunker All in the Family YouTube clip below...

Back To Lucy Park Crossing New Lucy Park Gulch Bridge

After overheating in the over 100 degree heat at Lake Wichita on Sunday, I opted to stay indoors on Monday, til the early evening when I ventured out to go to Walmart.

Today, that day being Tuesday, the temperature was only 91 degrees when I went walking around shady Lucy Park.

As you can see via the photo documentation, above, the new Circle Trail bridge across Lucy Park Gulch is now completed, with the trail no longer closed.

It only took a couple weeks to build this bridge over dry land. No special vision was involved.

Tomorrow we will be halfway through June. I really tire of time flying by way too fast.

I am currently about 100% certain I will not be venturing to the Pacific Northwest this coming Summer. 

A few months ago I thought it was a for certain deal that I would be heading to Washington in late July.

Sizzling 106 Sunday In Wichita Falls

We are over a week til the start of Summer.

Already we have had multiple days heated to over 100 degrees HOT. With this second Sunday of the 2022 version of June scheduled to hit 106.

I will not be going out today for some pre-noon salubrious aerobic activity seeking the relaxing acquisition of endorphins.

Yesterday's Circle Trail hike at Lake Wichita over heated me. I do not recollect previously having such a dire reaction to being too HOT.

Apparently the wind today will be making those 106 degrees really feel like 104.

UPDATE: The temperature forecast has had two degrees added to it. We are now heading to a high of 108 degrees HOT today...

HOT Walk On Lake Wichita New Circle Trail Section

On this second Saturday of the 2022 version of June the outer world today is scheduled to be heated to 103 degrees. 

Yesterday I had a way too HOT walk with Linda Lou in Lucy Park.

Today I thought walking the Circle Trail in Lake Wichita Park might be cooler, hoping an air conditioning wind would be blowing across the lake.

Well.

My hoped for cooling wind only slightly appeared. After about 30 minutes I was beginning to over heat, but quickly cooled down once I was back in my vehicle's air conditioned space.

This new section of the Circle Trail is now completed, with railing and benches installed. There are now, I think, only two short sections to complete to finally make the Circle Trail a complete circle.

Property owners along this new section of Circle Trail raised multiple objections to having this trail in their backyards.

These trail protestors seemed oblivious to the fact that other new sections of the Circle Trail also had property owners complaining about it being such a bad potential problem, such as where the Circle Trail trails by my current abode.

And then when the Circle Trail gets installed, with the result being that it has created no problems, has enhanced property values, with real estate listings mentioning being near the Circle Trail as an asset adding value.

That photo at the top is right at the start of the new section of Circle Trail. I like how it sort of serpentines.

A short distance later Wichita Lake comes in to view, along with a bridge across an inlet from the lake.

Installing the railing you see here was the construction step that opened the trail resulting in the "TRAIL CLOSED" sign being removed. I previously walked this section of the Circle Trail whilst walking around the "CLOSED TRAIL". 

Several of those aforementioned property owners have stuck up "No Trespassing Private Property" signs.

And then we come to the current end of this section of the Circle Trail.

The sign above the barrier says "TRAIL CLOSED". And the property owner has parked multiple boats to block the way of the next phase of trail construction.

I look forward to the Circle Trail being completed. I will then be able to leave my abode and pedal my bike for 26 miles in a big circle...

Hot Walking Sikes Lake With Obstinate Geese

It was back to Sikes Lake I went today to do some HOT hiking with the Sikes Lake geese. 

The geese were being exceptionally annoying today. Instead of getting out of my way they slowly waddled in front of me til I could take it no more and moved them out of my way by increasing my speed til I out waddled them.

I had not made note of the above patch of Sikes Lake wildflowers before. Not sure what brand these are. Indian Paintbrush, maybe?

Apparently we are heading into a record breaking heat wave, with day after day after day over 100, under something called a heat dome which will be heating up the Southwest, all the way from Texas to Nevada.

Linda Lou called last night and made mention of how fun it would be to take a cruise somewhere cool.

Like Alaska.

Linda Lou is currently house sitting for Miss Beth who is currently cruising to Alaska, having set sail from Seattle a couple days ago.

Linda Lou informed me it was Seattle from which Miss Beth set sail. A couple days ago I mentioned not knowing if it was from Seattle or Vancouver the cruising began.

I have only been to Alaska once, flying from Seattle to Juneau, and then a seaplane to Hoonah, then the Alaska ferry to Sitka, then flying back to Seattle.

What I saw of Alaska was similar to Washington scenery, on steroids. Things like the Mendenhall Glacier. And I remember the saltwater being the clearest I had ever seen, being able to look deep into the water.

Windy Wet Wichita Falls Wednesday With Thunder

 

Wie is das wetter heute?

Wet, extremely wet. And windy. With thunderstorming also on the menu, but not yet delivered.

I do not recollect rain and thunderstorms being part of the weather prediction for my location when I looked at the forecast yesterday.

You can not tell it via the photo documentation of the view from my kitchen window, but the wind is blowing strong. That bit of black you see to the right of the green tree is a woman chasing a wind blown run away garbage bin.

I was going to go on a bike ride today, at least that was my plan after reading yesterday's forecast which forecast that today was not going to be windy. Or raining. 

I do not know what I am going to do to get my required daily dose of aerobically induced endorphins...