It is "Picking Time!"

  I have not had a lot of time to meander about the hillside as of late.  What with the Second Annual Clue Hunt on the Bayou still going in full swing, most of my hours are spent getting ready for the next run of the hunt.  It takes a lot of work to get this thing set up each time plus prepare a special meal for each group.  (Yes, this year I did, indeed, cook for the teams.)  All of my days are spent entirely on clue hunt stuff and not gallivanting about the Bayou.  Today, however, I did have a few minutes to spare so Ms. Ez, the Bayou Dog, and I strolled around taking in the season of Fall.  We breathed the crisp, cool air, we listened to the crunch of leaves beneath our feet and we snacked on all sorts of goodies along the way.

  Wild persimmons are the usual choice of "in path" snacking but, today, the dog and I found another delightful treat.  While out walking, we found ripe kumquats just dangling on the limbs.  It seemed as if the trees were inviting us to nibble a bit. I braved the thorns to pick nearly a dozen of the golden orbs while Ms. Ez was happy to find a few on the ground.  She did not care much for the firmer ones but when she found a mushy blob, she was ecstatic!  I guess that I was just about as bad.  My taste buds were extremely happy with each bite.

  We have one more group coming to try their hand at the clue hunt and then Michael and I will concentrate on catching up with Bayou chores.  First on hand, the kumquats.  Buckets of the things will be picked, washed and chopped.  It is marmalade making time on the Bayou!