Post Super Bowl Party Musings With Appomattox Visitor

I am almost recovered from yesterday's Super Bowl.

Yesterday is the last time I ever have a Super Bowl Party.

I think I may say that every year.

No adult beverages were involved in causing this year's Super Bowl Party hangover.

It was too much of things like macaroni and cheese, fish sticks, fried mozzarella sticks, pizza, chicken wings, barbecue brisket, cherry pie, lemon bars, pecan pie.

I forget what else.

And then there were the virtual Super Bowl Party visitors.

During yesterday's Super Bowl Party, I took a short break and woke up my computer, and saw the current visitors to my main blog, looking, I assume, to see what was happening at my extremely interesting Super Bowl Party.

Apparently, someone from Appomattox, a town in Virginia, dropped in several times during the brief time I checked in. 

Do I have myself some sort of online stalker?

From Appomattox.

Along with another one, from some place in the U.S. called Boardman, who, apparently, is interested in insomnia caused by scary, ugly, fat women.

I have searched my feeble memory bank, trying to remember if I know anyone from either Appomattox or Boardman, and draw a total blank.

Perplexing...

Sikes Lake Windy Nature Communing Way Colder Than Predicted

Above you are looking at the Brownish-Blue lagoon of Sikes Lake.

With the temperature predicted to be 71 degrees, with zero wind making those 71 degrees feel warmer, it was to Sikes Lake I ventured on this second Saturday of the second month of 2025, hoping for some pleasant nature communing.

Instead.

Upon arrival at Sikes Lake, an hour before noon, the temperature was 56 degrees, via the way Fahrenheit measures the temperature. And that zero wind was gusting at speeds around 36 mph, according to the updated weather info provided by my phone.

I do not remember when I last felt so totally chilled as I did today. That and feeling the need to hold onto my hat lest it get blown away.

One gust, which had to be well over 36 mph, almost knocked me over, causing me to stumble, almost losing my balance.

I knew a cold front was scheduled to arrive.

Tomorrow.

Not today.

Today's big chill, with super gusting winds, was totally unexpected, due to being unpredicted.

I think I shall forego going for an outer world nature commune tomorrow, with Sunday predicted to get to only 46 degrees, for the high, again via that Fahrenheit measuring method. I suspect, what with today being way colder than expected, the same will happen tomorrow.

I just hope we are not heading to an unpredicted sub-zero deep freeze, such as what happened in Texas a couple Februarys ago...

Flipping Over A Scenic Lucy Park Photo

Yesterday, I blogged about a Foggy Thursday Start Turning Into Clear Blue Lucy Park, with the above photo documentation, documenting, via a photo, the view, looking south, from the middle of the Lucy Park suspension bridge over the Wichita River.

I thought, upon seeing the photo off the phone, and on to my computer screen, that this looked to be a rather scenic photo of a rather mundane scene.

Then, last night, at some point in time, looking at that photo on the computer's big secondary screen, I opted to opt for something I'd never opted for before.

Flipping a photo.

With the below result.

The river makes for a more menacing sky, when flipped, whilst the river looks to be a much more pleasant, bluish, color, than its actual look of being rolling reddish mud.

I do not think I can make an ongoing theme of flipping photos; due to the fact I do not think I see many scenes which would work to be flipped.

Perhaps I shall try such the next time I am at Lake Wichita, or Sikes Lake, if no wind is blowing, thus rendering the lake surface to a mirror-like quality...

Foggy Thursday Start Turns Into Clear Blue Lucy Park

When the sun arrived this morning, on the first Thursday of the second month of 2025, also known as February, I was surprised to see that a super dense fog had arrived overnight, rendering visibility to be pretty much non-existent.

By the time in the morning when I left my abode, heading to my favorite drug dealer, also known as a pharmacy, and then on to the library, before arriving at Lucy Park, the outer world was still foggy, but not quite to a zero-visibility level.

Upon arriving at Lucy Park, I saw the fog was no longer to be seen. The sky was then a totally overcast gray.

The photo documentation you see above is today's view from the middle of the Lucy Park suspension bridge across the Wichita River. A scenic view of the ruddy muddy river.

By the time my Lucy Park nature communing was over, the clouds had totally lifted, returning to the clear blue-sky norm of which I have grown so fond.

We are now heading into several clear, warm days, heated into the upper 70s and 80s. I do not think anymore fog is on the current weather menu...

HOT Hiking Lucy Park Backwoods Jungle Seeing Skagit Snow

Yesterday, the 3rd day of the 2nd month of 2025, I hiked the backwoods jungle of Lucy Park, currently with no leaves in the trees, with the temperature, at that point in time, nearing 90 degrees.

It was the HOTTEST day, so far, this year. Shorts and t-shirt were totally adequate outerwear.

An hour after returning from Lucy Park I was at my computer, scrolling through Facebook, when I saw a photo from Skagit Breaking News, which is what you see above.

The weather condition, yesterday, in my old home zone of Skagit County, Washington.

Even when it snows at my current location it never creates a winter wonderland scene like you see above, due to the fact there are no trees of the Washington evergreen sort, in Texas, that I have ever seen.

In the photo it looks like one vehicle has skidded off the road. This road is located near Alger, a small hamlet in north Skagit County. The road is an access road to Interstate 5, heading west, with the road on the left being an exit from I-5, with the sign pointing to the entry to I-5 South, straight ahead, and the entry to I-5 North, to the right.

It has been a few years, more than a couple decades, since I have been at this location.

I fervently hope one day to be at this location, and others in Skagit County, and Washington, again, preferably during the time of year when snow can not be a factor...

87 Degrees Almost HOT Today In Wichita Falls

Today's Wichita Falls forecast for the third day of the second month of 2025 is a temperature high 13 degrees short of 100 degrees.

That is almost HOT!

I shall try to resist turning on the A/C today, both in my interior space and my motorized means of motion.

Yesterday I erroneously claimed there are no more freezing predictions in the long-term forecast, all the way well into March.

Looking at the forecast, again, this morning, I see we are scheduled to have a few days in the coming weeks where the day's high gets into the 50s, with the overnight low dipping below freezing.

So, I shall thus forego an early planting of my Spring garden...

Sunday Hiking The Warm Freeze-Free Wichita Bluffs

In the photo documentation you are at the summit of the Wichita Bluffs in the Wichita Bluff Nature Area, looking east towards the stunning skyline of beautiful downtown Wichita Falls, which is barely peaking up on the horizon.

As you can see, this second day of February, the first Sunday of the second month of 2025, it is a mostly clear blue-sky day, with the temperature in the 70s when I did my high-speed bluff hiking, along with many other Sunday bluff hikers.

Looking at the long-range weather forecast, well into March, there are no more days below freezing currently predicted, a harbinger of an extremely early arrival of Spring-like weather.

A couple Februarys ago I got to experience the coldest cold I have experienced in Texas. Six degrees below zero, knocking out power to most of Texas. Causing me to venture out on the icy streets looking for a motel which still had power. 

What a nightmare.

And then when the power finally returned, frozen water pipes burst all over Texas, rendering more misery, with the lights on, heating returned, but no water.

So, I liked seeing that long-range, zero-freeze forecast this morning...

Balmy First February Texas Day Walking Around Sikes Lake

On this first day of the second month of 2025, it was back to Sikes Lake I ventured on this balmy Saturday, with the outer world heated to degrees pleasant enough to make it comfortable to wear shorts with a t-shirt.

The temperature is scheduled to reach 79 today, then in the 80s for the next couple days, before getting a bit cold, again, but not cold of the freezing sort.

A few days ago the forecast for the first couple weeks of February had been day after day after day in the 80s. That seemed a bit unlikely.

But, I am ready to enjoy a couple days in the 80s.

In the photo documentation you are at the east end of Sikes Lake, looking west. As you can see, it is a totally clear blue sky first day of February in Wichita Falls, Texas...

Final 2025 January Day With Clear Blue Sky Walk Around Sikes Lake

Yesterday's predicted heavy rain, with flash flooding, thunderstorms and tornadoes possible, did not materialize. By late afternoon all clouds had vacated, with the welcome return of a clear blue sky.

Not even some heavy rain managed to drip. Just a drizzle for a couple hours.

Yesterday's eventual totally clear blue sky has continued on this, the final day, of the first month of 2025.

Tomorrow, February of 2025 arrives, with the current weather prediction being day after day of temperatures over 80 degrees. With no precipitation. That should be enjoyable.

On this final day of January, it was to Sikes Lake I ventured for some fast-paced nature communing.

The photo documentation, above, is looking west from the bridge across the currently Green Lagoon of Sikes Lake.

For the next couple months, I intend to amp up my physical activity level, hoping the increased endorphins give me some relief, mood-wise, from the current madness America is going through...

Happy Birthday 92 To My Favorite Mom

The Skagit Valley entity known as Linda Lou called this morning. During the conversation's course I made mention of the fact that today is my mom's birthday.

How old would Shirley be today, asked Linda Lou?

I replied I don't know for sure, but I shall consult the family history book once I am off the phone.

And so, I did.

To learn my mom's precise birthdate of January 30, 1933.

I used my phone's calculator to subtract 1933 from 2025 to get a calculation of 92.

Difficult math problems are not one of my many fortes, but, I think 92 is the correct answer to my mom's age question.

In the photo documentation above we are at my mom and dad's 50th Wedding Anniversary Party. With mom and dad opening presents.

I was a surprise appearance at this party.

This was on August 11 of 2001. My birthday, five days after mom and dad's actual anniversary date of August 6. 

This roadtrip back to Washington was the last time I drove from Texas back to Washington. 

Solo.

It was a great roadtrip. One month before the infamous events of 9/11 changed our world.

Earlier today I blogged about a New Zealand family crossing the I-90 floating bridge. And making note of seeing Mount Rainier hovering to the south of Lake Washington.

On that 2001 roadtrip back to Washington I'd been in Texas long enough to have my senses altered. As in, I so clearly remember how weird it was crossing Snoqualmie Pass over the Cascade Mountains, on Interstate 90, with the air smelling so strongly of Evergreen fir trees. I never made note of this, to that noticeable a level, whilst living in the Evergreen State.

And then heading west across the I-90 floating bridge over Lake Washington. I had never so greatly enjoyed being slowed by heavy traffic. The air seemed so crystal clear, everything looked so shiny and bright, as if it had just been washed and polished.

Talking to Linda Lou this morning made me feel a bit homesick. Linda Lou made mention of the Skagit Valley Food Co-Op, in Mount Vernon. No such thing exists at my current location. I've seen no such thing anywhere I have been in Texas.

Linda Lou also made mention of a new thing in Mount Vernon. A Mexican market, located on Riverside Drive, selling crafts and other Mexican type goods. I would hope maybe tamales. There used to be a Mexican market, of sorts, in the Texas town I am currently in, Wichita Falls, but it got itself turned into one of those ubiquitous Dollar General type joints.

One would think there would be many Mexican markets in Texas, what with the source nation being so close, that and there are many of Mexican descent in Texas.

Anyway.

Happy Birthday, mom. I hope you and dad are having yourselves a mighty fine time today!