Saturday, February 17, 2024

January 2024 Meanwhile Back in Texas

 

We managed to dodge the record 2023 summer in Texas but it was time to get back and check on our old homestead.

A crisp sunset on our flight back to Austin reminded us of a favorite song by 
Chris Rea : https://youtu.be/9hegovELGH0?si=FEmepnXjNbPu5TK6

 
First up was a walk through the neighborhood just to see what's changed the last 9 months

A school teacher is building this home as he brings Bali to Windsor Park

Just three blocks away is a park where you might catch a movie scene being filmed, 
this time it was a scene for Texas Walker Ranger




This guy has an interesting project.

On another walk over at neighboring Mueller neighborhood we find a park we did not know about.

A walk around our sons neighborhood reveals what appears to be an increasing deer population.

I kept this old Dell Latitude laptop on the boat,
it was time to let it go, it was excruciating slow.

I began taking screws out to get the hard drive out so I could destroy the hard drive,
I have always loved taking things apart!

Smashing 20 years of data is fun too!!



Our favorite Austin Meteorologist Chikage Windler often post the lake levels of Lake Buchanan and Lake Travis which provide water for the Austin Metropolitan area. The only other time the Lakes were this low was back in the sever drought of 1951.


We decided to go out to Windy Point at Lake Travis to find out for ourselves.

There is no lake here, it is just a the winding Colorado River. 

All of this should be covered with plenty of water., Windy point has grown at least 3/4 of a mile out.


I have sailed across this portion of the lake in our previous 30' Catalina Hey You!

As I walk down to the waters edge I look back at what used to be Lake Travis.


I am standing by the waters edge and I pulled up Lake Travis on my phone

See that Green dot? That is where I was Standing!!!


That is Commanders Point Marina which has been pulled out to where the water is now, just across from where I was standing, we kept our sailboat there but is was in a very nice fjord that is obviously dry now.



Some old tree stumps


I took a couple of rocks and a stick where there used to be at least 60' of water.

This is a picture from when the lake was full taken at Windy Point.

From above on a hill you can see the winding river that was Lake Travis.



Lot of people paid a lot to live amongst the Juniper for a Lake view.


Marshall Ford Marina pushed out into the remaining water.

That island is known as Sometimes Islands which were only occasionally exposed, I think it is actually a land bridge now across the entire basin area of the lake.

Then we drove over to the Hudson Bend area.
 

New sidewalk extension.




They are taking advantage of the low water levels to remove debris from the bottom of the previous lake assuming the water will return.

Years ago I worked for this company, Just For Fun, that provides captained charters on 50 passenger barge party boats. Their marina has shrunk by 2/3rds at least.


It has seemed to me that the arid West Texas climate has been shifting eastward and now includes part of Central Texas, This site discuses that idea: https://www.earth.com/news/warming-shifting-climate-boundaries/

"Researchers are reporting that the 100th meridian west, the longitude that forms an invisible boundary between the humid eastern United States and the arid western plains, is gradually shifting eastward due to climate change.

According to two recent studies, the dry climate of the West is expanding into the Midwest and will impact the future of farming and other pursuits. The experts have also established that this divide across North America is actually very real, with distinctive populations and agriculture on each side. "
With over a hundred people moving into the Austin Metro area every day plus several big named companies moving into the region I sure hope it rains soon!


I traded in a guitar I was not using for this Yamaha A1M electric acoustic, Very happy with it. 

And I thought it was time to return the Washburn Hollow Body electric that I borrowed from my son almost 4 years ago, I found this nearly perfect 2018 Gretsch 5420 on Craigslist here in Austin plays just as nice as the Washburn but it has that old Gretsch sound and has a Bigsby tremolo bar that is way fun!
My 9 months in Seattle I had a Yamaha APX500 electric Acoustic that helped me maintain my practice. I left it on the boat so I would always have an instrument while in Seattle. I am just now beginning to explore some new tunes and hope to revive my recording soon.

Found this interesting about my First Guitar Hero
His Gretsch looks just like mine but it is the the next model up and three times more expensive.

And the best part of January was getting about two thirds of the family together for a fun family dinner and games.




Sunday, January 28, 2024

An Exceptional December 2023 in Seattle

 

An Exceptional December 2023 in Seattle

December 2023 was the warmest on record in Seattle. Lots of Sunny days and lots of outside time.

As a young boy growing up in West Texas I often heard West Texas as being "Gods Country". I lived on top of Scenic Mountain in Big Springs, Texas. A mountain in West Texas would only be considered a foot hill in the Pacific Northwest. They called them  mountains because the terrain all around West Texas was flat. From our house we had a 360 degree view of West Texas. Park Hill Elementary where I went to school was just 400' down at the base of Scenic Mountain, now known as Big Spring State Park. see https://tpwd.texas.gov/state-parks/big-spring, be sure to watch the video! 

Now as a young boy who wondered around with my trusty Collie dog Lady, I wondered if this is Gods Country, what does the rest of the world look like? Cactus, rock, tumble weeds, scrub brush, mesquite trees. The most exciting things were the Jack Rabbits, rattle snakes, and Horny Toads. Well if West Texas is Gods Country, the Pacific Northwest is his Home.


West Texas is a semi-arid portion of Texas seen here dark tan area. As you can see there are few other places like it in the whole of the US.



We could drive about 8 minutes from our Air BB and walk along Magnolia Bluff overlooking Puget Sound and the Olympic Mountains.


The Bluff has some resident Eagles.

And about 10 minutes away is Discovery Park
You can see the radar Dome from all around Seattle so just head toward the dome to get to the park.







If you click on the picture you can enlarge it to see the three Passages that enter the Sound at Seattle from the South, to the right of center is Rich Passage that you can travel by boat or ferry to Bremerton and Port Orchard or Poulsbo, WA. To the left of center is Colvos Passage that takes you to Vashon Island and beyond to Olympia, and to the left of Colvos Passage is East Passage that will take you to  Des Moines, Tacoma, Gig Harbor and beyond. 


All the homes are now occupied by families, the last time we were here they were all empty.




We got to see our grandson score a goal at his indoor soccer match.

Serious tree trimming

Our dock neighbor, Paul, told me he made an offer on this boat, I had to go see it!

These guys show up in November and hang out a few months.



So after reading a bit about AI I wanted to try Microsoft's Copilot AI out for myself so I asked it to draw an image of a Catalina 36 sailing the Salish Sea. It got the Salish Sea right but that is not a Catalina.

So a week later I asked again, this time I specified a Catalina 36 Mark II, Well that is more like a Catalina 36 Mark I,  but it seems to be learning!


Sunset Hill Park is on the bluff just above Shilshole Bay Marina, Lee Youngblood a great Dock friend told us to drive up there to see the boats lit up with Christmas Lights.

You can see the whole marina but still not high enough to get a picture of the entire marina in one shot.

Its good to learn all the Peaks names, all the locals know them.

Dedicated to the Men of the Seattle Fishing Fleet

That little speck out there is a paddle boarder, the water has been so calm in December, very little wind except for the occasional rain storm. That other little spot to his left is a navigation buoy.

I could zoom in and see out boat, 4th from the top on the left.






Back to Golden Gardens

Sunlit Mast


The Olympic Mountains after a snow as seen from Shilshole Marina









Watch this video of the decorated sail boat departing Shilshole Marina headed through the Locks to Lake Union to participate in the Christmas Parade of Lights. https://youtube.com/shorts/ei2xArVurJE


Some of the older sidewalks have these sections where it would be safer to walk if there was snow or ice

I saw this little park on the road map of Magnolia Park, so we drove down this long single lane neighborhood street that descends down the bluff to the water front.

There is enough room for two cars to park and you descend down a trail.

Appears to be an old boat ramp that perhaps the neighbors used to launce small boats.


You can see the high tide mark on the rock.





Serendipity Rainbow see: https://youtube.com/shorts/IdlTzWCouKo?feature=share



We had to drive through the University of Washingtons campus to get to our grandsons soccer match, There is their effigy of a Longhorn HAA HAAA!

We were invited to the Wild Lanterns at the Seattle Woodland Park Zoo

The Penguins were the only live exhibit for the event.

Well there were live curious beings around.

Not Frozen, but Happy!

Perfect for a Harry Potter enthusiast!






Its all about the Eagles, (and Orcas)