The Fence Post Family!

There are days here on the Bayou, that I find some of the most amusing things.  Living on the water, you have a never-ending supply of unusual finds that have been washed in with the tide.  Where these oddities' journeys began is anybody's guess but where they end up, is all my say!  Over the past few years, I found a variety of toys..some relatively new, others seemingly a bit older.  These toys always wind up taking residence on one of the fence posts around the garden.  The first was a little plastic doll.  I believe she is actually a "Mrs. Santa Claus" or at least that is what I dubbed her.  She is a very grandmotherly-looking molded plastic doll that is about three inches in height.  Mrs. Claus rode in on the waves of Hurricane Katrina and I found her in the mounds of debris.  I thought she was just too cute to discard even though I had no little ones to play with her.  She started the fence-post-dwelling collection!  Over the many years that she has sat on the fence post, the weather has caused her colors to fade but otherwise she is intact and still stands proudly amongst the rose vines. But...Mrs. Claus grew lonely..she needed a friend and what better friend for her than a little girl doll!  Years later, we were still clearing hurricane debris when I stumbled across another little toy doll.  This little no-name sweetie was given the moniker "Dora".  Although she is not the real "Dora, the Explorer", I figured she had done enough exploring in the mounds of hurricane discards to earn a fantastic name.  So, Dora came home to keep Mrs. Claus company on the fence post.  I am happy to report that they became fast friends and still to this day are never far from one another!  Dora now explores the Rose Garden and has even made a new friend as a Green Anole lizard has taken a liking to her.  She obviously does not mind having this huge dragon-like creature resting his head on her shoulder occasionally and has never shown one iota of fear in facing his beady eyes!  Dora is brave and calms Mrs. Claus whenever the dragon lizard wanders by for a visit.  Still, dragons are not always the best pets for little girls.  Dora needed a soft, furry pet..or at least a hard plastic dog!

My Little Fence Post Family is growing!

Enter..Spot!  Spot, the dog, came to the Bayou just recently!  One day while I was on the pier, I noticed a small dog struggling to stay afloat!  Oh, my goodness!  I must rescue this puppy!  I grabbed the scoop net and made a swash through the waves!  GOTCHA!  I managed to rescue the critter on the first try!  From the bouncing waves, a small hard, plastic dog was brought ashore!  I looked at Spot..he was covered with mud and grime!  Poor little fellow! If ever a pup needed a home, it was Spot!  He was brought into the house, given a good washing and then introduced to Dora and her adopted grandma, Mrs. Claus.  The little family was growing!  The fence post was becoming crowded!  I do hate to separate the trio so I am pondering if I should build a small shelf to house my small plastic fence post family.  I know most folks will find it a bit silly that I hang onto this group but in a way, they symbolize the endurance of our place.  Against all odds, they have survived just like us.  We are here in spite of several disasters in our lifetime..a house fire, several smaller hurricanes and then Katrina.  Plus..these little toys make me smile.  Perhaps it is my inner child or perhaps there is something more...but they make me smile.