In The Family Way...

  There are endless surprises on the Bayou.  There is not a day that goes by that I do not find something that intrigues me.  Then again, it does not take much to draw my attention.  Son claims that I am easily amused.  I suppose I am.  I am interested in a broad variety of things and so I am seldom bored.  With nature, learning is boundless and each event is interesting.  This is the way it should be.  People were not born to be shut up inside houses at all times.  

  This morning as Mark and I headed to the pier, my brother was already on his mower cutting grass.  That is where I should have been but my little push mower was sitting idle as I explored the wonders of the Bayou.  Near the large clumps of palmettos were two old boards that had washed in with the squalls from the Gulf.  I had the brilliant idea that if I moved the boards, perhaps I would be inspired to haul out the mower.  I picked up one board and tossed it on the trash pile to be hauled to the back.  No problem.  But when I grasped the other, I immediately regretted the action.  Oh, geez!  There was something moving under my board!  I really should learn to inspect before just doing.  A large five-lined skink darted out from under the board and raced right across my foot! 

  It was then that I discovered my mistake.  Under the board was another skink and TWO CLUTCHES OF EGGS!  Yep, two mama skinks had laid their eggs under the old board.  The one mama had abandoned her nest and was glaring at me from about four feet away.  She had made a dash out to distract me and hopefully lure me away from her eggs.  The other mama took up a defensive stance and was guarding her eggs.  There were two different actions for protecting their clutches but both mamas were equally justified in their methods.  

  After a couple of photos, I eased the board back down on the nests making sure that I positioned it exactly as I had found it.  I sure did not want to harm the mamas nor their eggs!  I love these lizards.  They are some of the best hunters on the Bayou and are actually beautiful!  Carry on, Little Mamas, carry on.  Your precious eggs shall not be damaged by me!