4am Is Calling!

   Folks are constantly questioning why I rise so early in the morning.  My answer is always "I feel better."  That is the honest truth.  My day starts at 4am and, if I linger any longer, my body starts wondering what happened.  "Hey, Woman...why are you not up yet?  Lazybones!"  Then, I guess in an effort to make me rise, aches and pains start setting in and then the brain starts shifting gears from "Let's get it done!" to "I don't wanna."  So, to avoid all of that, I rise early.  This must be a throwback to my childhood on the farm because Pop would rise at 4am and make sure that all the kids were up early to do their chores.  Mom would sleep in a bit while he "handled" things.  Once we heard that old hand-cranked coffee grinder going, we knew it was time to roll out of bed.  I smile every time I see that thing hanging on my wall!  Time to rise and shine!

  Another reason for my early rising is that I can get the indoor chores done before sunrise.  Once that time nears, I head to the pier for some peaceful "me time".  Some of my best thinking is done while watching that giant ball of fire rise up over the pines on the far side of the Bayou.  I get ideas for art/craft projects, figure out how to better the garden spots and ponder on the use of herbal concoctions.  This is the me-time that allows me to start my day in a halfway jovial manner instead of letting the worries of the world pile upon me.  Pop always told me that fretting doesn't do one bit of good so I should let go of it and just go about finding a solution to any problem.  Make sense and those early mornings give me time to hunt solutions.  Not to mention, there are some mighty pretty sights out there on the water when that sun makes its entrance.

Surprise Among The Blanket Flowers

   It is a little before sunrise here with a slight drizzly rain pitter-pattering on the rooftop.  Normally, I would be preparing to slip down to the pier to greet the day but a certain achiness in the old bones says otherwise.  I shall stay indoors and try to calm the feeling of being cooped up with this unrelenting thing called age.  Folks, do what you want to do before that entity creeps in and tells you that it has different ideas.  

  Yesterday, I did manage to putter around in the Small Gardens a bit regardless of shoulder pains.  The blanket flowers had shared company with the cogon grass for long enough.  As I was weeding, my hand suddenly closed on something "slithery".  Hmmm...since this flower garden abuts "Pebble Creek" and is not far from "Puddle Pond", the heart started thumping a wee bit faster.  I peered down amongst the grasses and then sighed a bit of relief.  My friendly Ribbon Snake was just as surprised by our encounter as I was.

  Ribbon Snakes are tiny, very slender snakes that often inhabit gardens especially gardens that are near water sources.  Here, they dine upon the usual garden pests but, sad to say, they also eat the tiny frogs and toads that also call the place home.  (It seems my frogs just cannot catch a break!)  The snakes are harmless to humans, thankfully, since I had thrown caution to the wind while weeding.  

  I smiled at my little friend and wished him well but left him with a stern warning.  "Be careful!  Any number of larger critters would love to dine upon you! Stay hidden under the blanket flowers as they will disguise you well."  The Small Gardens are always a delightful source of happy surprises...with the Ribbon Snake being just one.