Brother Jake's Cool Mount Baker Volcano Thanksgiving

I am a couple days late sharing that which you see here, which arrived Thanksgiving morning, from my little brother who goes by the name of Jake, even though that name is not on his birth certificate.

The above photo illustrated Jake's Thanksgiving phone text message of "Happy Thanksgiving from the currently cool Pacific Northwest."

That would be the Thanksgiving morning view from my little brother's viewing venue at the Slotemaker-Jones Compound located on the Skagit Flats, near the tulip ground zero viewing location of Roozengarde.

That mountain covered in white snow is the Mount Baker volcano. That band of blue in front of the volcano is known as Cascade mountain foothills.

I replied to my little brother's Thanksgiving message wishing him a Happy Thanksgiving, adding that it is also currently cool in Texas, but from my vantage point I see no mountains no matter which direction I look.

I do not know how many miles I would currently need to drive to see a mountain, any mountain, doesn't have to be a volcano.

As far as I know the only American volcanoes are in the Cascade Mountains, with five volcanoes in Washington, one in Oregon and a couple in California.

Now that you are causing me to think about it, Oregon may have two volcanoes, if one counts dormant Mount Mazama, location of Crater Lake, as a volcano, along with Oregon's Mount Hood.

I just Googled Mount Mazama and learned it is still considered a volcano even though it has not erupted for almost three thousand years before Jesus was born.

At my current old age I at times wonder if I will ever again see an actual mountain...

First Wichita Falls Freeze Of The Freezing Season Arrives On Schedule

The first freeze of this freezing time of the year arrived as predicted, this day after Thanksgiving morning.

The outer world air is predicted to get warmed to somewhere in the 40 degree zone during my regular outdoor endorphin inducing activity time.

Before I do that outdoor endorphin inducing I am going to Walmart to be part of the Black Friday mob. This is usually reliably entertaining.

Walmart may provide all the endorphin inducing I need for the day...

Happy Texas Mexican Thanksgiving With Icicles

Well. Thanksgiving, food-wise, is now history. The 2024 version of my Thanksgiving was a basic traditional Thanksgiving meal of the Mexican food sort.

Burritos, taquitos, soft tacos, refried beans, rice, salsa, other stuff.

And no cranberries.

The tortilla plate was to the left of the plate you see photo documented. The tortilla plate was used for the soft taco assembly.

No exterior endorphin inducing activity is taking place today.

Too cold.

Yesterday, around noon, I drove to ALDI and Walmart. The temperature was in the 80-degree zone. By mid-afternoon a strong wind arrived, dropping the temperature drastically, along with a wind burst which blew up my patio furniture.

Tonight we are scheduled to dip below freezing for the first time this cold time of the year.

Being somewhat elderly I find I am not a fan of winter with its wanton chilliness and frozen water of various sorts...

Chilly Pre-Thanksgiving Walk With Sikes Lake Ducks In The Blue Lagoon

On this final Tuesday of the 2024 version of November, it was to Sikes Lake I ventured this chilly day for a walk around the lake, which would make that the Blue Lagoon of Sikes Lake you see above, with a flock of ducks quacking in the sunshine as they paddle through the lagoon.

The temperature dipped to one degree above freezing last night. It is just a bit jarring to go from one day hitting the 80s and the next day almost freezing.

Such may explain why I seem to be suffering random bouts of sneezing.

The sneezing is either caused by the chill, or the mountain cedar pollen that apparently is causing an allergic reaction in some unfortunate souls, like, possibly, myself.

I am totally prepared for Thanksgiving. There will be no turkey involved in the festivities. Thanksgiving is going to be Mexican cuisine themed, with tacos being the center piece. 

The current weather prediction for Thursday is that that day will see the first freeze of this freezing season.

There is no prediction of frozen precipitation in the current forecast for Thanksgiving...

Balmy Colorful Final Sunday Of November Lucy Park Jungle Walk

On this final Sunday of 2024's November, it was to Lucy Park I ventured, with one week to go til December, for some nature communing, via the Lucy Park backwoods jungle.

Before I ventured into the jungle I ventured to the middle of the Lucy Park suspension bridge across the Wichita River for the look north, you see above.

You can also see that the trees are finally beginning to colorfully lose their green, turning yellow and orange.

The first freeze of this, supposed to be, cold time of the year is scheduled to arrive on Thanksgiving, with the temperature predicted to dip below freezing.

Yesterday the morning was cold enough to cause me to turn the climate control from COOL to HEAT for the first time in a long time. Today we are back on COOL, with a blue sky and a temperature nearing 80, mid-afternoon.

Something about the current climate condition has been causing me to sneeze. I do not like it when that happens...

Remembering Aunt Ruth Brings Up A Lot Of Other Memories

Yesterday I made mention of being At Wichita Bluff Nature Area Summit Learning Sad News About Aunt Ruth regarding the passing of my Aunt Ruth. I made mention of the fact that Aunt Ruth and Uncle Hank, and their three kids spent many years in Australia. I also made mention of the fact that I did not remember when last I saw Aunt Ruth, Uncle Hank and their kids.

I think the year was 1995. My dad had retired. That summer they took their long planned cross country roadtrip in their RV. Including visiting Sugarcreek, Ohio, where Hank and Ruth located after Australia.

That is what we are seeing in the above photo documentation. That is my dad in the center. To dad's left, that is Aunt Ruth, next to Uncle Hank. I also recognize Australian cousin Carol, to the right of dad, and Aunt Judy, with Judy's first husband, Uncle Mel, between Judy and Carol. I think Carol's big brother, Danny is in the back between Ruth and Hank. I do not see the third Aussie cousin, Steve. That is Aunt Jane on the far right, holding a baby. I see Aunt Jane's first husband, Uncle Mooch, to the left of Mooch's brother Mel. I do not know where my mom is hiding in this photo.

And then we go back 34 years, to 1967, to Lynden, Washington to see some of the same people.

That'd be, from the left, Uncle Hank, Aunt Ruth, Grandma Slotemaker, dad, mom, Aunt Judy, Uncle Mel and Aunt Arlene. I think Uncle Mooch may have been out of the country via the Air Force at this point in time and had not yet met his first wife, Aunt Jane.

Another photo from Sugarcreek, Ohio. My dad and his siblings, Uncle Mel, Aunt Ruth, Aunt Arlene and Uncle Mooch. Only Uncle Mooch remains vertical.

If I remember right it was during this mom and dad roadtrip that we somehow coordinated them showing up in Las Vegas whilst I was there over Thanksgiving weekend in the year, I think, 1995.

I was staying at what was then called Treasure Island, took mom and dad out for lunch at the Luxor. Talked them into going on the Luxor simulator rides, which mom surprisingly enjoyed.

This time in Vegas was when the Infamous BIG BOX Incident took place. At lunch, at Luxor, mom casually mentions they have a box of Christmas presents they want me to take north with me to deliver. I can't do that, says I. I'm on a plane. You don't take big boxes on a plane.

But, mom would not take no for an answer.

I waved mom and dad goodbye and schlepped the BIG BOX to my room.

One of my travel companions had a fit upon seeing the BIG BOX. She insisted there was no way we could take that on the place.

What happened next I have never understood. She tells me she'll take care of it, gets a handcart to wheel the BIG BOX down to a Treasure Island service desk.

They said, no problem, we can ship that for you, just write down your address, so, I do so, writing down the Mount Vernon address on Pawnee Lane. They did not weigh the box, did not ask for money. And a week later the box showed up at my front door, delivered by UPS. 

That this happened perplexes me to this day. Just realized, we are coming up on Thanksgiving weekend of 2024. The BIG BOX Incident happened almost three decades ago, yet remains a vivid memory...

At Wichita Bluff Nature Area Summit Learning Sad News About Aunt Ruth

On this picture perfect totally blue-sky 3rd Thursday of November, it was to the Wichita Bluff Nature Area I ventured for some salubrious nature communing and the resulting endorphins, via fast walking the Circle Trail

Shortly before reaching the highest spot on the bluffs my phone made its incoming text message noise. Upon sitting at one of the tables under the covered pavilion at the bluff summit I woke up my phone and saw the following message from my little sister, Michele...

Just got this from Aunt Jane. Passing it along in case you haven't heard.

www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/name/mathilda-hershberger-obituary?id=56822354

I was fairly certain Mathilda Hershberger was known to me as Aunt Ruth. This was confirmed when I went to the link.

Aunt Ruth was my dad's second oldest sister. A couple years ago I recollect asking my sister Jackie if she'd received the annual Christmas newsletter from Aunt Ruth. She had not. In the last Christmas newsletter from Aunt Ruth she made mention of the fact that Uncle Hank was about to turn 100. Reading Aunt Ruth's obituary, I learned Uncle Hank died back in 2023, so, I am guessing he made it to 100.

Uncle Hank and Aunt Ruth were Wycliffe Bible Translators. The bible translating took place in Australia, which is where their three kids were born, Danny, Carol and Steve. 

I recollect is as being a real big deal when Uncle Hank and Aunt Ruth first went to Australia. It was via an ocean liner, sailing out of Vancouver, British Columbia. The whole family went to Canada to see them float away. I remember it being a big crowd, on shore and onboard. And a lot of tears flowing.

This would have been during the 1960s. 

I also remember it being a real big deal to return to Vancouver one of the early times the Hershbergers returned to America for a visit. I remember me and my siblings being really excited to spot Hank & Ruth waving at us from the ship.

I do not remember when it was we first met our new Australian cousins. I know it was not via meeting them getting off a ship. I do remember we thought those new cousins were quite exotic with their Aussie accents. 

I think it was during the 1990s, or maybe 1980s, that the Hershbergers moved their bible translating operation back to the United States. I do not think I have seen any Hershbergers this century. None were at the big Slotemaker-Jones Family Reunion in Lynden back in 2002.

I do recollect emailing Cousin Carol at her missionary location somewhere in Africa. That would have been in the 1990s and maybe earlier in this current century.

My relative numbers keep dwindling. Aunt Jane's first husband, Uncle Mooch, known to some as Uncle Gerry, is the last of my dad's siblings. 

On my dad's relative side of the family Uncle Mooch is know the oldest, cousin Linda the second oldest, me the third oldest.

On my mom's relative side of the family I am the oldest remaining relative. Clearly my days are dwindling...

Police Brutality Disrupts Dallas Cowboy Football Game

 I thought this outrageous incident of police brutality was amusing, in addition to being outrageous...

Won't Make It To Mount Baker Ski Season Open Whilst in Texas

I saw that which you see here, this morning, via the online version of the Seattle Times. I had a multi-reaction. One was, well, this is yet one more thing I see in news from my old Washington home zone which I would never, could never, see in a Texas newspaper about a similar scene in Texas.

I think the Ruidoso zone of New Mexico is the closest location from my current location, where I would find a ski area. Maybe Colorado is closer, but, I suspect, without checking a map, that New Mexico's ski areas are closer.

Seeing mention made of Mount Baker, and ski season, also triggered that usually dormant homesick feeling. I used to look out my living room windows and see Mount Baker in the distance.

That actually is not Mount Baker you see in the photo. It is called the Mount Baker ski area, but Mount Shuksan is the mountain you are near whilst skiing the Mount Baker ski area. The actual Mount Baker volcano is a short distance to the south, or to the right, in the photo.

I do not remember when last I was at the Mount Baker ski area. It may have been the time, in the 1990s, when nephews Christopher and Jeremy took me hiking up Tabletop Mountain, a hiking venue south of the Mount Baker ski area, north of Mount Baker.

I brought my cross country skis with me to Texas. I recollect only skiing on them once, in Texas. A time when sufficient snow accumulated enabling skiing on the slopes in Arlington's Veterans Park. Doing such drew some attention from kids who had never seen skis skiing in person before.

I stored my cross country skis in an outdoor storage closet, which was not air-conditioned. At some point I discovered that the extreme heat of summer had caused the skis to delaminate, rendering them worthless.

Almost every winter since I have been in Wichita Falls there has been a short period with sufficient snow on the ground which would have made cross country skiing the Circle Trail a fun thing to do. Particularly the Circle Trail in the Wichita Bluff Nature Area section, which has some good up and down grades.

I wonder if ever again I will slide on skis, roll on roller blades, or pedal a bike? I suspect, of those three, pedaling a bike is the most likely...

Cloudy Sunday Stroll at Lake Wichita Park Without Kayaking

It was to Lake Wichita Park, and what would have been the shadow of Mount Wichita, had this 3rd Sunday of November not been totally overcast with clouds preparing to drip some rain.

The rain deluges earlier this month have raised the Lake Wichita water level, rendering the new kayak launching dock in total float mode for the first time which I have eye witnessed.

Though overcast, the sun was still able to provide enough warming rays to bring the temperature into the 60s, making for an extremely pleasant Sunday stroll.

Seeing that kayak launch today had me trying to remember what became of my inflatable kayak. I do not recollect it malfunctioning, and thus getting tossed. I do not remember the kayak making the move to Wichita Falls.

If Lake Wichita developed into regularly having enough water in it to float a boat, it might be fun to get a kayak again.