My personal preference is to stay well
within gliding range of the airport at all times on this
first pattern. To completely achieve that desired safety
goal, given my limited climb rate, means I would have to
cheat on the noise abatement (fly rwy hdng 'til 1000' AGL)
and the pattern altitude (1000'AGL). What would you do on
this first flight?

This depends on how "first" the flight is. If I had a concern for
safety, that overrides all noise abatements rules. What's ahead of me
and around the airport that could be used as a (safe but less
convenient) landing spot should the fan stop? Flat farmland? I'd
probably fly the regular pattern unless I had reason to think something
was amiss. Rocky pointy things all around, and this is a first flight
after maintanance? I'd cheat noise abatement... I might even ignore it
totally.

2)I departed in the direction the last aircraft used, which
seemed a reasonable direction in the variable wind. As I
turned final I saw an aircraft rising into the air at the
opposite end of the runway. Initially I thought it was
moving away from me, but then realized it was coming towards
me. It's moving to my left, his right, and will be well to
one side of the runway and above my altitude if I continue
my descent to land.

I'd probably cheat to the right to let him pass to my left, continuing
my approach to land, being especially vigilant for another takeoff and
for other traffic that might be landing. One airplane going the wrong
way does not change the pattern at an uncontrolled airport - he might
have just been near his departure end and didn't want to taxi. Some
pilots are like that, and if the wind is not clearly favoring either
runway (you said it was 90 degree crosswind), you are NORDO and he
didn't see you take off, it's not unreasonable either. (It can be
argued that it is unreasonable for him to not see you in the pattern,
but that's another argument and not relevant, since it is incumbant upon
you to watch out for the dummies

Even if you had a radio, he might not be using one.

At uncontrolled airports, OSP is far more important than RSP.

Jose
*Optical separation procedures, Radio separation protocol.
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