Getting Floored In Fort Worth By Ethan Hawke & His Grandpa

 I first saw the "Why was Ethan Hawke back in Fort Worth? Something to do with a movie starring his daughter" question this morning on the front page of the online version of the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, and thought to myself, like so many times previous, why is this newspaper so goofy?

And then, later this morning, on Facebook, I saw that which I screen capped above.

The Star-Telegram's #1 opinionator and Fort Worth promoter, Bud Kennedy, goofily saying, in reference to Ethan Hawke, "It always floors me to think that Ethan Hawke is County Judge Howard Green's grandson,"

Why in the world would it floor anyone to think someone was someone's grandson? Does getting floored literally mean you collapsed on the floor upon hearing this?

Is anyone else in the Fort Worth zone feeling floored to think Ethan Hawke's grandpa is a county judge named Howard Green?

I am fairly certain this "news" has not floored me....

Cautionary Flood Advisory From the City of Wichita Falls

A cautionary posting on Facebook from the City of Wichita Falls, Texas Government, advising that it would be wise to not drive on a flooded street without knowing how deep the water is.

Copious amounts of rain drenched Wichita Falls the first Sunday of June, with more drenching on the weather menu for today.

I do not recollect a thunderstorm seeming as violent as what struck yesterday.

The lightning strike and thunder were simultaneous several times. Felt concussive, like an explosion. The first instance startled me so much I fell out of my chair, wrenching my back.

Yesterday's daily walk took place in Walmart, due to the outer world being a bit wet, and dangerous, what with those aforementioned lightning strikes.

Sikes Senter Mall is closer than Walmart. Maybe that will be my walking venue today.

The mall is way more boring to walk in than Walmart, with not nearly the number of oddball types in the mall that one is sure to see in Walmart.

Super Sunday Storm In Wichita Falls

This first Sunday of the 2024 version of June is being dark, stormy and loud.

Nearby lightning strikes are causing ultra thunderous thunderclaps.

So far I have not heard the tornado sirens blaring.

Hearing tornado sirens blaring during a storm is a tad unsettling.

I have not heard the tornado sirens during a storm since I have been in Wichita Falls.

When I lived in the DFW zone three times I experienced the tornado sirens during a storm.

It is so dark now, at two in the afternoon, that the streetlights have switched on.

The scene you see above is from my kitchen window, about 10 minutes ago.

Rain is pouring down in heavy downpour mode, likely about to cause flash flooding.

I think I need to go batten down the hatches now, before the power goes out.

UPDATE:
Same view as the one above, only now with rain and the streetlights on....

Remembering The Scarborough Renaissance Festival

I saw that which you see here, this first day of June morning, in an email from Microsoft's OneDrive Memories of this Day.

A well-fed wench at the Scarborough Renaissance Festival.

This festival takes place every weekend in April and May, so this memory could not have happened on this day, since it is no longer May.

My one and only visit to the Scarborough Renaissance Festival happened early this century, pre 9/11, so maybe a weekend in May of the year 2000.

The visit to Scarborough Renaissance Festival was early on in the making of my massively big Eyes on Texas website. I webpaged that visit to the Scarborough Renaissance Festival.

My description of the Scarborough Renaissance Festival generated the most upset I have ever managed to generate. The people calling themselves Scarbies were downright irate. The reaction was both weird and amusing. 

Then the reactions caused more reactions, or counter-reactions, even weirder and more amusing.

I webpaged much of the reaction and counter-reaction in a webpage called Scarbo Feedback.

Among the irate comments were some complaining that I used the word "Scarbo" instead of their preferred word "Scarbie".

Like I said, weird and amusing.

Another Dark Stormy Night Followed By Lush Lucy Park Jungle Walk

A strong storm last night, in the middle of the night, dropped a lot of water, along with close, loud, lightning strikes.

Power was knocked out for a short duration.

By morning the sky was back being bright blue.

With the outer world temperature in the pleasant 70s, it was to Lucy Park I ventured for some salubrious endorphin acquisition via fast walking.

As you can see via the view looking across the Lucy Park suspension bridge, the Wichita River is running much higher than its norm, almost reaching the bridge deck.

All the rain has the Lucy Park jungle looking particularly lush this Spring season.

I continue to be plagued by bug bites, despite anti-bug bite countermeasures. I was talking to a fellow Lucy Park walker today and he said he is being plagued this year by bug bites, and, like me, has been trying to thwart them with various counter measures.

We need a good solid over 100 degrees day after day heat wave to kill off all the biting bugs.

I hope that happens soon...

Faulty Family Reunion Memory

Yesterday's email included one of those Microsoft OneDrive Memories from this Day, that I do not remember.

I knew this photo had to be on my computer for it to end up on Microsoft's cloud. This morning I found the photo file and saw it was named "Reunion76". 

Indicating, it would seem, that this reunion took place in 1976.

After seeing this photo, yesterday, I emailed it to my little sister, the sibling with the best memory. She identified one person as possibly being herself. The only ones in the photo I sort of recognized were Grandma Slotemaker, Uncle Mel and Aunt Judy.

This morning it was speculated that the one holding a baby is Aunt Jane, holding baby Amy. Aunt Jane, Uncle Mooch, the now grown up Amy and son Quan, currently in the Boston area, will be in Washington in a few weeks.

My little sister thinks one of those in the photo looks like me. I don't think so. I don't think I was at this reunion.

Methinks the only entities still on this mortal coil who might remember this reunion are the aforementioned Aunt Judy, Aunt Jane, and maybe, Uncle Mooch.

Sikes Lake Waterfall Roaring Without Bug Bites

We have had some rain falling this past week, with more scheduled to arrive today.

I do not recollect previously seeing so much water spilling over the Wichita Falls Sikes Lake Dam Spillway's waterfall as you see via the photo documentation.

I like the roaring sound of a good waterfall.

Since I have been using Nurse Linda Lou's prescribed anti-bug ankle and wrist bracelets, combined with Cutter anti-bug spray, I have not made note of any new bug bites.

The existing bug bites are slowly healing, with each day me looking less like an acne infested teenager.

I'm hoping my bug bite infestation is all cleared up before I get on a plane to fly to a family reunion type thing in July....

Microsoft OneDrive Remembers The Ennis National Polka Festival

That which you see here showed up in my email this morning, a Microsoft OneDrive Memory from this Day that I clearly remember.

I do not remember if this took place in May. I do remember it was a warm day, so likely May. That photo is of a float in the Ennis National Polka Festival Parade.

The Ennis National Polka Festival Parade was one of the best parades I have ever eye witnessed.

Parades are one thing I have experienced which Texas does quite well.

Like the Arlington 4th of July Parade. All the town's high school bands, pep clubs and cheerleaders participate. Unlike parades in my old Skagit Valley home zone.

Granbury's 4th of July Parade is another incredibly well done one, again with the town's schools participating, including the high school football team. I remember that was one extra HOT parade to watch.

I've experienced Fort Worth's Stock Show Parade a couple times. It is billed as the world's biggest non-mechanized parade, as in no motorized vehicles. The Stock Show Parade is the best thing I ever saw Fort Worth do. Highly entertaining.

The Texas town I am currently in, Wichita Falls, has an annual 4th of July Parade which serves up oodles of small-town charm. I've watched this parade four times. The parade was cancelled during COVID. Last July the parade returned. I did not attend. I likely will this coming July.

Check out the blog posts about the Wichita Falls 4th of July Parades and you shall see what I mean by small town charm...

2015 Wichita Falls 4th Of July Parade With Uncle Sam

2017 Wichita Falls 4th of July Parade

2018 Wichita Falls 4th of July Parade Extravaganza

Super Sweet 2019 Wichita Falls 4th Of July Parade

Now, that is enough memories for today....

Imminent Severe Weather Alert Arrived Early Before Thunder Storming Came To Town

Yesterday, early in the evening, whilst the sun still shined, with the sky clear of clouds and brightly blue, my phone loudly erupted with the dire weather warning you see here.

The warning repeated four times during a half hour period.

The sun soon set, with no clouds seen before the end of the day's solar illumination.

I assumed the National Weather Service made a mistake with the weather warning accidentally going to areas not in dire danger of baseball size hail.

And then in the middle of the night, around three in the morning, all hell broke loose.

And continues to break loose, well after the sun's resumption of illumination duty. 

It looks like I can not make it to the carport without going through the moat which looks to be surrounding my abode.

Below is a screen cap of today's weather prediction from the Wichita Falls Times Record News.

I have not seen any baseball sized hail. Soon after last night's storming began I did hear several loud thumps which I assumed were hail.

Memorial Day Memory Remembering My Old Home Zone In Mount Vernon Washington

A Memorial Day Microsoft OneDrive Memory from this Day that I actually remember, unlike so many of those Microsoft memories.

What we are looking at here is part of the front of my house at my former home zone of Mount Vernon in the great state of Washington.

There were two front entries, one from the carport on the left, and the other at the top of the stairs.

Above the carport I had a rooftop patio garden growing all sorts of good things.

Blueberries, strawberries, various herbs, tomatoes, a lot of flowers and I forget what else.

I do not try to grow anything at my Texas location.

Trying such would likely be frustrating. Way too many things can go wrong here.

Golf ball size hail pummeling the plants. Various critters, like locusts, feasting on the plants. 70 mph gusts of wind. A flooding downpour. Temperatures way too HOT.

Speaking of which, it is another HOT one this Memorial Day. Not predicted to hit 100, but neither was yesterday, when my vehicle's thermometer hit 102. 

I think I will dose myself with anti-bug spray, and arm myself with my anti-bug bracelets, and have a mighty fine walk around Sikes Lake in about an hour...