Cloudy Stormy Outlook At Wichita Falls Walmart

What you are seeing here is the view, looking east, across the hood of my vehicle, sitting in a Walmart parking lot, a few minutes before 6 in the late afternoon of the final Tuesday of the 2022 version of August.

The month of August has flown by at warp speed.

It looks like the month may be going out with a bang, if the thunderstorm forecasts are accurate.

Six months ago I was sure I was going to be spending a good chunk of July and August in the Pacific Northwest, with the highlight being sand castle building with David, Theo and Ruby at Birch Bay.

Other than visiting Texas-lite, also known as Oklahoma, I have not exited Texas since 2019.

It just does not feel as if what is known as "normal" has yet returned...

Sweltering Sunday Stroll Through Lucy Park Jungle

With the hordes of Hotter 'N Hell 100 aficionados leaving Wichita Falls on this final Sunday of the 2022 version of August, I returned to Lucy Park for the first time in days, for the acquisition of endorphins via aerobic stimulation via walking at high speed the Lucy Park backwoods jungle.

You cannot tell it via the photo documentation, but the Lucy Park tall grass is now taller than I am. The grass may have reached its peak, signs of autumn are already beginning to arrive.

My phone had informed me, as had the radio weather guy, that the temperature was going to be in the low 80s this morning. Instead, by the time I got to Lucy Park the temperature was a sweltering 95, with high humidity, along with a slow wind, and a few strong gusts bringing some wind chilling.

I do not remember any other year when I was so ready for summer to come to an end...

A Not Hotter 'N Hell Wichita Falls Saturday Sikes Lake Bike Ride With Miss Musty

On this Hotter 'N Hell 100 weekend in Wichita Falls, Texas I opted not to roll my bike's wheels for 100 miles under the sweltering sun.

Instead, I opted for a late Saturday afternoon bike ride which eventually took me to Sikes Lake, and the Sikes Lake Bayou, at the west end of the lake.

Which is what you see above.

Being at the west end of the lake, and looking west, late in the afternoon, explains the effect the sun is having on the scene.

On the opposite side of Sikes Lake, as in the east side, looking west, I stopped at my usual shady spot for a drink of water. However, at this time of day, the sun renders the shade no more. My bike's handlebars are aimed at a small Hoodoo Cairn. Several of these have sprouted up of late.

Earlier today I got in my Google App Move Minutes by walking in Walmart whilst pushing a cart. 

Leaving Walmart this morning I got Miss Musty on the phone and had an amusing chat whilst I returned to my home zone.

Miss Musty sounds like a name for an elderly librarian...

Back To School With Spencer Jack Not In Washington

Email from Favorite Nephew Jason and Spencer Jack arrived last night, with a few photos, and the only text explaining the photos being "Back to School Pictures".

I saw the first photo, the one you see above, and thought, wow, the remodel of Mount Vernon High School has totally changed the look of the school.

Then I saw the next photo.

"Welcome Harvard First Year"? 

I know Spencer Jack is a super smart kid, but I had not been told that he'd skipped his final three high school years, and had gained ultra-early acceptance to Harvard.

 Oh, I guess it is Harvard Law School to which Spencer Jack is matriculating.

Spencer must have decided he wants to be a lawyer like his Aunt Michele...

Dry Bike Wheel Rolling To Freshly Filled Sikes Lake

Today, on the next to last Wednesday of the 2022 version of August, my bike took me, eventually, to Sikes Lake, where I was pleased to see the Sikes Lake Bayou, which you see above, and the rest of Sikes Lake, back at its full pool glory.

The temperature was in the low 80s when I did the wheel rolling, with little wind, and some clouds blocking the sun, at times. Quite pleasant weather conditions for outdoor activity.

Last Saturday I was at Sikes Lake when it was still in desert mode. This was blogged about in Saturday at Drought Dry Sikes Lake.

Quite a difference a few drops of rain make.

The above scene was a desert landscape on Saturday. Today that former desert was a giant mirror.

When I was at Sikes Lake on Saturday, for a walk around, not a bike around, the geese and ducks were seeming subdued, just sitting on the ground, under shade. I think they were being unhappy about their dried up lake.

I have never previously heard the Sikes Lake geese and ducks as noisy with the honking and quacking as was the case today. And they were not sitting. They were in a frenzy of chasing each other. Methinks it was some sort of celebration party...

Cool Flood-Free Lucy Park Visit With Washington Plates

The rain finally stopped dripping on this next to last Tuesday of the 2022 version of August. 

Til today I had not done any nature communing since Saturday. So, with the temperature in the relatively cold lower 80s, I ventured to Lucy Park, not knowing if the Wichta River was in flood mode, or not.

As you can see, the river is not in flood mode. When the Wichita River floods, it floods over the Lucy Park Suspension bridge.

Today was the coolest endorphin acquiring aerobic exercise in many months. There was almost a chill blowing in the air.

And, upon arrival at the Lucy Park log cabin swimming pool parking lot I saw something I rarely see in Texas, and only one other time in Wichita Falls.

 A vehicle with Washington State license plates. The Washington license plate has not changed for decades. It is red, white and blue, with the blue being Mount Rainier.

In addition to the license plate number the words "Evergreen State" are also on license plate.

It seems sort of ironic to have a state's license plate make note of the state being known as the Evergreen State, but with zero green on the license plate.

The Mount Rainier Washington State plate came about as part of Washington's centennial celebration, celebrating the year Washington became a state in 1889.

If I remember right, there was a competition to design the new plate. The winner was picked because of the Mount Rainier aspect, with the claim that Mount Rainier was the only landmark that one can see from virtually any location in the state.

Which actually is not true.

But it is true that you can see Mount Rainier from most locations in Washington State, and when you can't see the Mountain, usually it is because the view is blocked by another mountain, or mountain range.

More rain is predicted in the coming days. So far not enough fell to put an end to the drought...

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...