This and That...

It was another rainy, blustery day here on the Bayou and I am beginning to feel the effects of being indoors for three days in a row. I miss my garden! I miss the trek to the pier! I miss sunshine! I did sneak out early this morning between showers to check the hotbed and the north garden. In both, the seeds have all sprouted so it appears we will have lots of tomato, pepper, squash and cucumber plants! I am already looking forward to some fresh vegetables..for some reason greens and cabbages don't count as vegetables in Spring.

This rainy weather has caused numerous mushrooms to pop up all over the yard. These pretty little ones remind me of parasols. Perhaps some tiny yard elf has taken to poking umbrellas out because of the constant showers that we have had this week. Actually, these are Grisettes. A type of mushroom that is found in lawns, fields or woods..but just a word of warning..I have been told that they are poisonous! I do not plan on eating them so for the time being they can stay in the lawn. On a side note..they get their names from the early French slang word for a bohemian working girl who may or may not have been as prim and proper as her upper class counterparts.

On another note..the elusive Rufous-sided Towhee that lives in a clump of Palmettos near the marsh was finally photographed! I managed to sit still long enough to capture my friend on film. I say sit still long enough because with the coming Spring..there have come the gnats! The rain today kept the gnats at bay giving me the photo ops. This towhee is one of my favorite birds simply because it is so shy. It is quite the busy little bird that is always scratching around hunting for a meal. This pair have been nesting in the Palmetto clump for the past several years now and I hope they continue to do so.

Some old friends returned to the birdfeeders today. The House Finches have made their way back to the yard. These birds usually do not migrate but I have not seen any for months now. Perhaps there was just enough for them to eat elsewhere and they did not need the easy pickings of the feeders. Still..welcome back, old friends!

Happy Note! The "Parrot Lilies" are multiplying! Alstroemeria is one of my favorite things in the garden and is quite hardy and easy to grow. My start came from my Aunt and Uncle's garden years ago but has had a rough time trying to survive. It has been mowed down, trampled and mistakenly weeded out of the garden. It has gone through hot summers, hard freezes and hurricane floods. Still, it keeps returning and this year looks healthier than ever before! This is in the same grouping as the Inca Lilies and bears a strong resemblance to those from the florist shop. I do believe the humming birds and honeybees like it as much as I do!

A lone White Pelican made its way into the Bayou last evening. Its snowy white feathers gleamed even through the rain and clouds. These White Pelicans are much larger than the Brown Pelicans that usually hang around the Bayou. This bird is huge and can weigh in at up to twenty pounds and have a wingspread of over nine feet! That is one massive bird! In comparison, my Browns weigh around ten pounds and have a wingspread of around six feet. It was nice to see a White visiting!

One final tidbit, I have added a page to the blog. On the top tool bar, notice there is a clickable page called "Cooking on the Bayou". At the moment, there is only a recipe for Bayou Gumbo, but I will soon add many more recipes. I hope all can enjoy some good, old-fashioned Bayou meals from these recipes! Have a great day!