Chilly Sunday Morning Not Swimming Or Boating On Sikes Lake

On this second Sunday of the 2026 version of March, it was to Sikes Lake I ventured this morning to get me some endorphins whilst enjoying some chilly nature communing under a clear blue sky.

The photo documentation is looking west from the east end of the lake. Looking at the Sike Lake dam through a fence with what seem to be odd signs.

Who would want to go swimming in this lake? I don't think it is very deep. And it's muddy. The sign next to the NO SWIMMING signs informs that there is to be NO BOATING, CANOEING OR KAYAKING WITHOUT UNIVERSITY APPROVAL.

In all the years I have been walking around Sikes Lake I have never seen anyone floating on the lake via any floating conveyance. So, either the University never gives approval. Or no one tries to get approved to float on Sikes Lake.

I got out of bed this morning at my regular time, despite it being an hour earlier than my norm, due to the annoying switch to Daylight Savings Time.

Wichita Falls Thunderstorms, Flooding Downpours, Hail & Tormadoes On Today's Weather Menu

This is the third day in a row the Wichita Falls weather prediction has thunderstorms on the menu.

Today flooding downpours, damaging wind gusts and tornadoes have been added to the menu,

If today turns out to be the same as the previous two days, we will be hearing no see no lightning strikes, hear no thunder, see no rain. 

And no tornadoes.

I have experienced a tornado, up close, twice since I have been in Texas. It is not a pleasant experience. Not one I want to repeat. 

Thursday Lucy Park Nature Communing With Yellow Wildflowers

Yesterday I blogged about a Chilly Wednesday Pink Purple Walk Around Sikes Lake in which, after seeing a flowering tree being a harbinger of the coming Spring, I made mention of the fact that soon wildflowers would be coloring the Texas landscape.

And now, just a day later, I found myself nature communing at Lucy Park, seeing the landscape being colored by the bright yellow wildflower you see photo documented above.

I know the name of some Texas wildflowers, like Bluebonnets and Evening Primroses, but I do not know the name of this beautiful bright yellow wildflower.

The nature communing was pleasant today, though I was overdressed in sweatpants. The temperature was in the upper 60s, heading to a high in the 80s on this first Thursday of the 2026 version of March.

Thunderstorms are again on the weather menu for today and tomorrow. 

Chilly Wednesday Pink Purple Walk Around Sikes Lake

On this first Wednesday of the 2026 version of March, it was to nearby Sikes Lake I ventured for some chilly nature communing.

Such would make the above photo documentation the view looking south from the middle of the bridge at the north end of the lake.

As you can see, the sky is not blue today. Totally overcast, sort of foggy, with thunderstorming, downpours and hail on the weather menu for today.

Daylight Savings Time arrives this coming Sunday. Only two of my clocks currently require being manually adjusted, time-wise. 

With the arrival of Daylight Savings Time, the arrival of Spring comes along in a couple more weeks.

Today, at Sikes Lake, I saw a colorful harbinger of Spring, photo documented below.

I have zero clue what type tree this is which is sporting the colorful pinkish purplish flowers. Soon wildflowers should start sprouting, followed by trees turning green.

Texas is significantly more scenic when color returns to the landscape...

Tuesday Morning Tender Sweet Walmart Frog Legs

I saw that which you see photo documented, above, this Tuesday morning in Walmart.

Two pounds of "Tender & Slightly Sweet" Frog Legs. Ready to cook. For only $19.99.

I think I may have noticed the Frog Legs in the Walmart seafood section, previously. But, seeing the Frog Legs today had me wondering if this is a Southern thing. 

Are there Frog Legs in the seafood section of the Walmart in the town I lived in before moving to Texas? That being the town known as Mount Vernon, Washington, a Pacific Northwest location, far from the Deep South.

I did not think to check out the Frog Legs cooking instructions on the Frog Legs box. Is there an air fryer option? Are Frog Legs like chicken legs, with the frog skin part of what you are expected to consume?

I do not think anything could entice me to bite into a frog leg, no matter how it was cooked.

First March Monday Wichita Falls Prairie Dog Town Visit

It has been a few years, since well before COVID, that I made a visit to the nearby Prairie Dog Town in University Kiwanis Park.

This relatively chilly first Monday of the 2026 version of March seemed a good day for a prairie dog visit.

I've thought prairie dogs to be real cute, ever since I first visited one of their towns, years ago, near the entry to Devil's Tower National Monument in Wyoming.

Prairie dogs don't bark. They make a sort of chirping noise, almost bird-like. I heard a lot of chirping today. 

Several years ago an effort was made to contain the Kiwanis Park's prairie dogs inside a sort of fenced enclosure, because a lot of prairie dogs had migrated outside the enclosure, building new homes, making hazardous holes on the open parkland.

Well, there did seem to be way fewer enclosure escapees, but I saw at least a dozen outside the enclosure, including the dog you see photo documented above.

The below prairie dog was the first I saw today, upon exiting my vehicle.

This prairie dog was inside the enclosure, and was nicely cooperative about being photographed, letting me get close.

Has anyone ever succeeded in domesticating a prairie dog, I wondered today. I sispect not...

Final Day Of February Lucy Park Backwoods Jungle Nature Communing

On this final day of the 2026 version of February, it was to the Lucy Park Backwoods Jungle I ventured for some salubrious nature communing and that activities resulting endorphins.

The temperature was in the mid 70s whilst I nature communed, heading for a predicted high of 86 degrees as measured via the Fahrenheit method.

Thunderstorms are on the weather menu for tonight. And the next several days.

It has been a while since I heard a thunderclap.

I filled up my gas tank this morning, anticipating a big price increase due to Trump's illegal attack on Iran.

Gas was $2.19 when last I pumped, before today. This morning the price per gallon had gone up to $2.46.

Dozens of Iranian grade school kids killed in a missile strike on a school. 

Depressing...

70 Degree Sikes Lake February Thursday Nature Communing

Various impediments the past several days have prevented me from engaging in my regularly scheduled daily bout of nature communing, and that activities resulting endorphins. The diminished level of endorphins had rendered me cranky.

So, today, the final Thursday of the 2026 version of February, I hauled my cranky self to nearby Sikes Lake for some of that much needed nature communing and the resultant endorphins.

Which would make the above photo documentation the view looking west across Sikes Lake from the lake's rocky eastern shore.

The temperature whilst doing the nature communing was 70 degrees, as measured by the Fahrenheit method, heading to a predicted high today of 80 degrees.

I suspect those 80s degrees will having me once again switching my interior space's climate control from heat mode back to air-conditioned mode.

The lake walk nature communing has seemed to have made me less cranky.

I wish endorphins came in the form of pills in a bottle, thus making the nature communing not necessary. 

Extremely Windy Lucy Park Red Flag Warning

It was back to Lucy Park I ventured on this next to last Thursday of the 2026 version of February, for some extremely windy nature communing.

The extreme wind, low humidity and warm temperature resulted today in a Red Flag Warning for North Texas, Oklahoma and Kansas.

A Red Flag Warning indicates there is extreme wildfire danger. 

Today I did not go too far onto the Lucy Park suspension bridge over the Wichita River, due to that extreme wind causing the bridge to sway in a way which took crossing it out of my comfort zone.

Warm Wednesday Lake Wichita Nature Communing With Swans

It was to Lake Wichita I ventured this fine Wednesday morning of February, for some extremely pleasant nature communing.

It has been a few years since any water has spilled over the Lake Wichita dam's spillway, which explains how it is that so much vegetation has sprouted up where water is supposed to spill.

When last I was at Lake Wichita the temperature was below freezing, and the lake was totally frozen into ice pond mode.

That was only a couple weeks ago.

Today the temperature was in the 60s when I had fun in the outer world.

Those white spots you see on the lake, between where I am standing and Mount Wichita on the far side of the lake, are big white swans.