Staying Dry During Monday Morning Texas Deluge

You are looking at the wet stormy view from my kitchen window on the Monday morning of the 2022 version of August.

Rain began dripping yesterday, increasing in intensity as the dripping dripped hour after hour.

Driving by Sikes Lake, late Sunday afternoon, I saw the lake is back full of water, with no dry desert-like land exposed, unlike Saturday, when much of the lake was dried up.

I do not know, yet, if I can make it to my vehicle without requiring hip waders to make it dry to its location. I do not recollect, previously, seeing so much water surrounding my abode.

If I am able to make it to my vehicle, in a couple hours I will see if I can drive to Lake Wichita and see if water is flowing over that lake's dam spillway for the first time in a real long time...

Texas Cold Front Chills To 76 Degrees With Thunder & Rain

Rain has arrived, along with some thunder thumping. And a much anticipated break from day after day after day after day of being way too HOT, way too often over 100 degrees HOT.

So far, not enough rain has dripped to put an end to the drought, but it looks like, maybe, according to the forecast, by Thursday the current drought may be over.

When rain falls in copious amounts, at my location, a sort of moat forms, surrounding my abode, making exiting to the outdoors a bit of a challenge. So far, that has not happened. 

Flash flooding is also on the current weather menu. That takes rain in copious amounts, which, as previously mentioned, has not yet happened.

Currently, at the moment, nothing is dripping from the sky. If that continues to be the case I see a visit to the Wichita Bluffs Nature Area in my future on this third Sunday of the 2022 version of August.

The Wichita Bluffs Nature Area is pretty much void of any shade, hence avoiding that location when it is way too HOT...

Saturday At Drought Dry Sikes Lake

 It was to Sikes Lake I ventured this third Saturday of the 2022 version of August, to do some nature communing, with endorphin acquisition, ahead of the predicted deluge which may put an end to the current drought.

As you can see, via the photo documentation above, and below, Sikes Lake is running out of water.

At the top that is the Sikes Lake Bayou at the west end of the lake, currently with no water flowing into the lake.

Further along the trail we come to a section of Sikes Lake which looks to have totally dried up, and is somehow sprouting some greenery, despite the lack of water. 

You cannot see it in the above photo, but at the far east end of this dry section of Sikes Lake a small pond remains.

The above is the aforementioned small pond. A pair of white egrets are the two white dots you see on the right side of the pond.

If the weather forecasters are forecasting accurately, and sometimes they do, on my next visit to Sikes Lake it should be re-filled...

Anacortes Fidalgo Drive-In With Grandpa Jake Blackberries & Spencer Jack Burgers

When last I spoke with my Favorite Nephew Jason I asked if it has been difficult dealing with inflation, with his Fidalgo Drive-In restaurant. Jason indicated it was being difficult. I think, if I remember right, he also mentioned supply issues. I do not remember Jason indicating he had a labor shortage issue.

And then, yesterday, I got email from Jason with three photos, some text, and a job offer.

The text with the job offer...

I'd thought you'd enjoy seeing how the Fidalgo Drive-In is dealing with the nation-wide labor shortage.

Today, your brother picked the berries for the milkshakes, and Spencer made the burgers.

If you would like to trade work for lodging, I have bedrooms available. Currently I'm needing cashiers.  How are your customer service skills?  

 Above is Spencer Jack doing some burger assembling.

And then there is Spencer Jack's grandpa, my little brother, Jake, holding the box of blackberries he apparently picked in exchange for his current lodging at the Jones Family Compound on Beaver Marsh Road in the Skagit Flats.

As for my potential cashier career, I assume I have excellent customer services skills, what with my naturally charming personality and constantly pleasant demeanor...

Cold Front Blows Into Texas With Rain Maybe

 Brrrrr.

Nowhere near 100 degrees today. Cloudy, with a supposedly 90% chance of rain, along with a 54% chance of thunderstorms.

I have not yet seen a drip drop or heard a thunder boom. Of late there have been several days when possible rain is on the menu, with none precipitating.

I suspect that today there will be some drippage, and possible booming, due to the fact that we are under a total cloud cover this morning. Nothing blue to see in the sky. Just gray. A menacing shade of gray.

Today I Had A Walmart Wardrobe Malfunction

One of my pathetically regular entertainments is to go to Walmart in a sort of anthropological expedition frame of mine, marveling at the number of people who apparently do not have a mirror at home.

Or don't care how they look when they look in the mirror.

Of late it has been way too many way too big women stuffed into way too short shorts. With tattoos. And piercings.

So, today I had myself a judge not lest ye be judged moment, related to Walmart.

I needed milk. And so, instead of getting my daily dose of endorphins via aerobic walking stimulation in an outdoor venue, I opted to get the endorphins in the air-conditioned comfort of Walmart.

My Walmart walking attire was simple. Sandals, cargo shorts, t-shirt. That's it.

When I put on the cargo shorts and bent over to strap in the sandals I heard a slight tearing noise. I felt around and felt no disruption in the cargo short material.

So, I drove the short distance to Walmart. Exited the vehicle and thought, well, the breeze is feeling extra refreshing today.

Inside Walmart the air-conditioning seemed extra cooling.

I got in my miles of Walmart walking and then drove back home, where I took off my walking clothes to put on my making lunch clothes.

When I took off the cargo shorts I instantly was mortified to see a HUGE tear in the back pocket zone.

A HUGE hole. Which is what you see photo documented above.

I do not know how much bare flesh was exposed as I walked around Walmart, oblivious to the possible spectacle.

I hope no one took a photo that will show up on Facebook as part of the "People of Walmart" series...

Shady Hot Lucy Park Walk Looking For T-Shirt With A Skunk

It was back to Lucy Park I escaped this third Monday of the 2022 version of August, to get myself some shady outdoor escape from the relentless HOT heat.

Even the shade is looking HOT in the above photo documentation. The temperature was barely into the 90s, with a cooling steady wind blowing.

I do not ever recollect looking forward to the coming cooler months to the degree I am currently anticipating the pleasant need to layer on the outerwear in order to keep warm.

Speaking of outerwear.

Someone, we shall not name, living in Appomattox, Virginia, used Amazon to try and send me the above t-shirt. This particular individual regularly refers to me as a "STINKER", hence, I guess, the skunk on a gray t-shirt.

Amazon has indicated to the Virginian that the package was delivered to my mailbox, last Friday.

However, there was no package from Amazon in my mailbox, last Friday, or Saturday, or today.

So, if anyone in my neighborhood sees someone wearing an extra large gray t-shirt, with a skunk on it, please ask them to return it to its rightful owner.

On second thought, no, just tell them to keep the purloined t-shirt.

Who knows what pathogens the t-shirt may have acquired since leaving its Amazon packaging...

HOT Saturday Stroll Around Lucy Park

 

It was to Lucy Park I drove, again, on this second Saturday of the 2022 version of August.

The temperature was about 10 degrees short of being 100. Little wind was blowing. Humidity was high.

I got too HOT.

When I came upon the Lucy Park suspension bridge there were two women trying to work up the courage to cross the Wichita River via this bridge.

They were only a couple feet on to the bridge when the motion unsettled and panicked them.

One of the two women was of the extremely plus-sized sort.

I can see how being a plus-sized sort might make the bridge sway oscillations more un-nerving than it is for a not plus-sized person, such as myself.

The Lucy Park suspension bridge was renovated a few months ago, with new cables and deck planks. After the renovation crossing the bridge is more of a thrill ride than was the pre-renovation bridge.

Yesterday my choice of exercise was a bike ride. I made mention of this in Rolling To The Shrinking Sikes Lake Bayou. The HOT heat is less annoying when rolling along on wheels, creating your own wind chill factor.

Tomorrow I will be going on a bike ride, maybe all the way to Lucy Park...

Rolling To The Shrinking Sikes Lake Bayou

The Sikes Lake Bayou, also known as the creek which delivers the water to Sikes Lake which makes it a lake, is no longer flowing any water into the lake, which is in the process of quickly drying up, also known as evaporating.

My bike stopped at the bridge at the west end of Sikes Lake so I could take the photo you see above. As you can see, what looks to be a natural dam, but actually is a wall of dried mud, is damming any water from making its way into the lake.

The temperature was barely in the 90s when I began rolling my bike's wheel, north, on the Circle Trail, this second Friday of the 2022 version of August.

There is little cooling wind today, which makes those 90s feeling hotter.

I prefer a bit of a wind chill to be happening...

A Brother Like No Other Shady Walking In Lucy Park

I drove to Lucy Park about an hour before noon, for the first time in a couple days, to do some shady nature communing whilst acquiring endorphins via fast walking.

As you can see the Lucy Park foliage does a fairly good job of sun blocking. And flowers seem to be thriving in the day after day after day of HOT heat. 

The temperature today is not scheduled to hit 100 or above. Just a nice, pleasant day, cooled to the mid 90s.

When I got back to my abode I checked the mailbox, and among what I found was what you see below.

It really is true, I am a brother like no other, and people really should celebrate my goodness, generosity, warmth and spirit.

Especially my spirit. 

I have always been such a spiritual person...