Snowbound With Google Sibling & Nephew Memories

Yesterday Google Remembered All My Jones Cousins. I put that blog post on Facebook and it seemed the only thing anyone noticed was my extremely stylish hair mop.

Today the Google Memories went back a decade from the previous day's memories. As you can see, brother Jake was decades ahead of the future, wearing a red MAGA cap way back then, standing next to his big brother, who at that point in time did not have an extremely stylish hair mop.

Dad is behind me, holding baby sister, Jackie. To the right of Jake, next to Cousin Linda in orange pants is Jackie's big sister, Nancy, on one of the rare occasions at which Nancy wore a dress.

Next we time travel a few decades into the future...

All my favorite nephews (at that point in time, two more nephews, and a niece to arrive in a couple more decades) from left to right, that is Joey smiling at you. In front of Joey that is Jeremy. Behind Jeremy is the oldest of the four, Jason, currently the proud papa of Spencer Jack, who is currently older than Jason is in this photo. And on the right, looking the opposite direction from his little brother, Jeremy, is Christopher, often referred to as CJ, because Jay is his middle name. Jeremy is often referred to as JR, because Ryan is his middle name.

CJ and JR currently live in Arizona, JR in Chandler, CJ in Scottsdale. Joey and Jason both live in the old home zone of the Skagit Valley, in Washington.

That is it for Google memories on this snowbound 4th Tuesday of 2023...

UPDATE: Incoming text message from J.R. Jeremy's mother, sister Jackie, informing that that is not Jeremy, but, instead is Jeremy's cousin, Kevin Slotemaker-Jones, currently all grown up and living in San Francisco, California.

Winter Returns To Wichita Falls With Snow

Winter has returned to North Texas.

Above you are looking at the early morning view from my kitchen window. Rain has been precipitating for several hours.

The temperature is scheduled to get lower and lower as the hours pass, getting below freezing around noon, with the rain turning to snow, accumulating possibly 4 inches of the white slippery stuff.

Below is a screen shot of today's rain/snow prediction for Wichita Falls.

I likely will not be getting any outdoor endorphin inducing aerobic stimulation today. If I drive to an indoor endorphin aerobic stimulation location it will need to be before noon. I do not like driving on ice...

Google Remembers All My Jones Cousins

Among the photos in today's Google MEMORIES FROM THIS DAY, was the photo you see above. All my Slotemaker-Jones cousins together, surrounding Grandma Slotemaker-Jones.

I think this was at a park in Bellingham. It must have been a extremely special occasion, because I see my three Australian cousins are on the picture. Carol, Danny and Steve.

It looks like my current Arizona sister, Jackie, is holding my youngest sister, Michele.

Everyone in this photo is still alive, except for Grandma Slotemaker-Jones, and Cousin Scott, at the back row, far right, next to his sister, Cousin Linda.

Another photo from today's Google MEMORIES FROM THIS DAY...

Above you are looking at the oldest generation of Slotemaker-Jones. Over half are no longer with us. Uncle Mooch, at the upper left, next to my Dad, is the only one in that row still among the living. On the other side of Dad is Uncle Ivan, and next to Uncle Ivan is Uncle Mel.

In the lower row, only Grandma Slotemaker-Jone, is no longer with us. On the left of Grandma Slotemaker-Jones is Aunt Arlene, my Dad's oldest sister, currently residing in Ocean Shores, Washington. On the other side of Grandma Slotemaker-Jones is Aunt Ruth, formerly residing in Australia, currently residing in Sugarcreek, Ohio.

That's all of my memories for today...

Chilly Pre-Football Game Pizza Party Lucy Park Walk

On this 4th Sunday of 2023, with the temperature in the 40s, it was to Lucy Park I ventured for some frisky nature communing. 

You would not think it to be the case, looking at the photo documentation, but there were a lot of people at Lucy Park today engaging in various activities.

Including one group having themselves a mighty fine time having a chilly picnic.

Snow is currently on the weather menu for Tuesday. I hope no flakes arrive.

Tonight I am having a football game watching pizza party. I expect to be seeing the San Francisco 49ers soundly trounce the Dallas Cowboys...

Fast Friday Walking Wichita Bluff Nature Area

It was to the east entry to the Wichita Bluff Nature Area I ventured on this third Friday of 2023, to commune with nature via fast walking up and down semi-steep bluffs.

That is the Wichita River looking reddish-brown in the center left of the photo, dwarfed by the super tall dried grass-like vegetation which takes up most of the photo.

The temperature was slightly above 60 by the time I was in the outer world. So, I was not in fur-lined sweatpants. Instead, was back in short pants of the cargo short type. So, a semi return to summer today.

There seems to be a noticeable increase in the number of fellow nature communers at the various locations I commune with nature. I don't know if this increase is New Year Resolution related, or just people wanting to be outside enjoying the semi summer-like weather.

Keeping Warm At Lucy Park In Fur-Lined Sweat Pants

As photo documented above, it was to Lucy Park I drove today to commune with nature, on this third Thursday of 2023.

I was last at Lucy Park on Monday, Martin Luther King Day. That day was warm. Upper 70s. That return to summer lasted til Wednesday morning. Late in the afternoon on Tuesday I was able to go on a real long bike ride without getting cold.

And then winter returned.

It was barely 50 when I arrived at Lucy Park this morning.

I was attired in insulating winter wear, including the lined sweat pants a kind soul sent me for Christmas, worrying that I was not keeping warm enough.

The above photo is those aforementioned lined sweat pants, without me in them. I think it would be difficult to get cold wearing these.

The current 15 day forecast has us getting into February without a return to near zero temperatures. It was in February, two years ago, that the infamous Texas blackout happened, with the temperature near zero.

I really do not want another near zero experience. Or snow. Or an Ice Storm.

I have become an elderly fuddy duddy...

Visiting What Should Be Deception Pass National Park

A couple days ago I saw on MSN an article titled 10 State Parks That Are Even Better Than National Parks, Experts Say.

I have been to just about every National Park west of the Mississippi River. Along with a lot of various state's State Park.

It came as no shock to me that these supposed experts on this serious issue had Deception Pass State Park as their #3 on the list.

Deception Pass State Park is the largest State Park in Washington. About to get even bigger due to addition acreage acquisition.

For those reading this in Fort Worth, who have odd ideas about what an island is. That is Whidbey Island you see in the left, Fidalgo Island on the right. From this vantage point one would be seeing multiple real islands of various sizes, surrounded by real water.

Deception Pass Bridge was built in one year, during the Great Depression. Built over deep, fast moving saltwater. An extreme tide change at the Deception Pass location is an awesome sight to see. Water moving so fast boats can not navigate against the current.

Fort Worth spent over seven years to build three simple bridges over dry land, to connect the Fort Worth mainland to an imaginary island.

A few days ago, in Fort Worth's Bridgey McBridgeface Bridge Name Nonsense Boondoggle, we blogged about the bizarre effort to name those pitiful three Fort Worth bridges.

There has never been an effort to rename Deception Pass Bridge anything other than Deception Pass Bridge. And that bridge is an actual iconic bridge recognized as a symbol of the Pacific Northwest.

The blurb accompanying the MSN article sort of explained well what makes Deception Pass State Park so special...

Deception Pass State Park (Washington)

Taking up two islands in Northwest Washington, Deception Pass State Park "is absolutely stunning," Jessica Schmit, of the travel blog Uprooted Traveler, tells Best Life.

"The park is located along the waterway that connects the Strait of Juan de Fuca to Skagit Bay and thus, offers dramatic cliffs, views of turquoise waters, and craggy beaches," she says.

According to the park's website, you can explore 77,000 feet of saltwater shoreline and 33,900 feet of freshwater shoreline—the latter thanks to the park's three lakes. Getting from one island to the other is also made simple via the Canoe Pass and Deception Pass bridges, which create "a gateway for exploration," the website states.

Deception Pass is the most visited state park in Washington, and that may very well be because of all that it has to offer. "There are plenty of activities in the park—hiking, boating, and even whale watching—I've spotted orcas the last two times I've gone hiking there!" Schmit shares

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That first sentence is a tad dicey. Deception Pass State Park does not take up two islands. The park does not cover all of Whidbey Island and Fidalgo Island, just the north end of Whidbey and the south end of Fidalgo.

The only island the park totally takes up is the island the bridge crosses between the Canoe Pass span and the Deception Pass span.

Deception Pass State Park was likely my most frequent go to place when I lived in the neighborhood. On my last visit before moving to Texas, at the Rosario Beach area of the park, I saw a HUGE whale slowing moving along the shore, just a few feet out. Biggest whale I'd ever seen...

Hot Martin Luther King Day At Lucy Park

Summer has returned, again, on this third Monday of 2023.

With the outer world temperature in the 70s, the vehicular air-conditioning was back on, with the car's pilot wearing warm weather shorts and t-shirt, to return to Lucy Park, for the first time in days, for some peace and solitude and nature communing via walking the Lucy Park backwoods zone.

I was not alone in the backwoods today.

What with it being a federal holiday, Martin Luther King Day, kids were not in school, with a lot of kids talking their parental units into taking them to the park for a picnic and to play.

The Wichita River is running low and slow, as you can sort of see via the photo documentation. This area is currently under Level One Water Restrictions due to the drought.

I don't know what that means. Maybe don't water the lawn or add water to the swimming pool.

Fort Worth's Bridgey McBridgeface Bridge Name Nonsense Boondoggle

Yesterday a blog comment from Fort Worth's renowned Stenotrophomonas which pointed me to some fresh Fort Worth embarrassing nonsense I had not previously known about...

Stenotrophomonas has left a new comment on your post "Mark K's Make Me Homesick Mount Baker Photo":

Meanwhile, in the wannabe city

Fort Worth appears ready to move ahead on naming Panther Island bridges. White Settlement Road, though, still stalled.

Not much imagination here.

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Excerpt from the article about the stalled bridge naming...

From the names of notable Fort Worthians to the classic “Bridgey McBridgeface,” Fort Worth residents submitted over 1,700 suggestions to rename the three bridges connected to the Panther Island Project.

Henderson Street bridge, North Main Street bridge and White Settlement bridge are all unofficial names. The city solicited suggestions to rename the bridges in February 2022. Submissions closed in March.

Residents submit over 1,700 suggestions to rename three Panther Island bridges

The renaming on Panther Island bridges presents an opportunity to elevate notable figures of Fort Worth’s past, said Peter Martínez, a history professor at Tarrant County College. 

“I think that would be huge,” Martínez said. 

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For those not familiar with Fort Worth's multi-year bridge building embarrassment. Fort Worth has had an ongoing pseudo public works project limping in slow motion for most of this century. Originally called the Trinity River Vision, eventually to be referred by most as The Boondoggle, whilst adding names to the original official name til it became the Trinity River Central City Uptown Panther Island District Vision.

Part of that myopic vision was the building of three simple little bridges, over dry land. The building of these three little bridges took over seven years, way longer than it took to build the Golden Gate Bridge over actual deep, swift moving water.

One day it is hoped that cement lined ditches will be dug under the three bridges, with Trinity River water diverted into the ditch, creating an imaginary island, already named Panther Island.

Nope, not making this up. Google "Panther Island" and you will find a lot of documentation about Fort Worth's ongoing embarrassment. 

Why would any sane city waste time and money on soliciting name suggestions for something like these three simple bridges, currently crossing dry land, connecting the Fort Worth mainland to an imaginary island?

Here is a look at one of the simple little bridges, and the dry land under it, awaiting a cement lined ditch...

Isn't that a stunning feat of bridge engineering you are looking at here? Those buildings you see in the background make up the stunning skyline of beautiful downtown Fort Worth.

Yeah, it is easy to see why naming these bridges would be huge, just like that Tarrant County College professor suggested...

Floating Washington Ferry With Spencer Jack To Downtown Seattle

Incoming email from my Favorite Jason Nephew this morning, with three photos, including the photo above of Spencer Jack at the foredeck of a ferry heading for downtown Seattle, along the following text...

FUD-

GNSJ and I took an afternoon cross sound boat ride today in unseasonably warm weather.  60 degrees in January.  The PNW is forecasted to get a drenching over the next few days.  

Also, learned today that the area’s Dungeness Crab harvest has been postponed and may be canceled altogether.   

The same restrictions have been in place for most salmon species for years.

Didn’t Al Gore predict all of this decades ago?

Anyway, hope you enjoy the photos.

-FNJ

The email did not detail which ferry route Spencer Jack was floating his dad on.

My guess would be that that second photo shows Spencer Jack about to dock on Bainbridge Island. The other cross sound destination from Seattle is Bremerton. That does not look like Bremerton where the ferry is heading.

And the final ferry photo again looks like we are either leaving or heading towards downtown Seattle.

Seems like only yesterday Spencer Jack was a little kid. He does not look like a little kid anymore...;