Sharing the Wealth

   Bat, the Bayou Prince Cat, (also known as a rescued cat or somebody's throwaway pet) came to the Bayou by way of my son-in-law.  Robbie found the poor, pathetic kitten after someone abandoned it at his place of business.  He promptly brought the forlorn critter here with the promise of it being a temporary thing.  That was almost four years ago and the cat is still here.  This is home.  Here, the cat is welcome, cared for and much loved.  He returns the love and....returns the favor of being fed by often bringing his "catches" as gifts.  More oft than naught, his prey is simply released unharmed with the promise of a treat.  Occasionally, however, Bat makes short work of a critter.  Rats and squirrels stand no chance!  Then...then there are the times that he brings us something quite out of the ordinary.

  Mark and Son were busy digging a new drainage ditch down the back side of the hill while I cut some of the leaves that are a foot deep after our intense freeze last month.  Yardwork is never complete around here.  At one point, Son and I both saw Mr. Bat race up from near the pier.  Oh, goodness.  What was that goofy cat dragging this time.  Neither of us stopped work to investigate leaving the cat to his own business. Mark soon discovered just what Bat was dragging.  The cat presented Mark with a fine mullet!  Yep, Bat had caught a fish!  How?  How?  The wet, muddied cat was not telling his secrets!  He did receive a treat for trying to feed us...and, in a way, he will, at some point.  The 10 inch long mullet was not to be wasted.  The fresh fish was plopped into the shed freezer to be used as crab bait once the weather warms a bit more.  The crabs will be enjoyed by us!  Good cat!!  

  Once this story made its rounds with our friends, several put in requests for Mr. Bat to catch some fish for them!  Not many folks can claim they have "fishing" cats!  Oh, Mr. Bat, you are something else!

Be Appreciative!

  A few years back, my brother brought home a pathetic looking plant.  "Here.  Take this.  I found it on the side of the road."  Well, gee!  Thanks!  I guess.  The plant was all withered and brittle, the pot had a huge crack in the side and I really could not tell what type of plant it was.  Well, I would try.  If a brother comes handing you a gift, you accept even if it is a dead plant.  Perhaps, he had more faith in my gardening ability than I did.  

  Well, I did try.  The plant was taken out of the broken pot and the roots cleaned of the hardened soil.  Then, the stalks were cut back to about six inches above the root ball.  The whole thing was replanted in fresh soil and given a nice dousing with the water hose.  After caring for the plant it finally started to show new growth!  I had hope! 

 

  Now, the plant is about 4ft in height and has dozens of healthy stalks. The leaves are lush and colorful!  Darling Daughter has informed me that this is a Hawaiian Ti Plant and is supposed to bring good luck.  Nice! I had no idea!   It is funny because my nephew recently sent me cuttings from a Ti Plant.  Now I have two beautiful plants!

  I guess the point is to always be gracious about accepting gifts even if you think it has seen better days.   Be appreciative of all things. Things can change given a little time and a lot of love.  

The Box Stays

  A couple of weeks ago, we were having daily rains which put a damper on doing much outside.  Since I cannot sit still for very long, this led to a massive undertaking inside the Little Bayou House.  Son and I ripped out floors, tore down walls, rebuilt what we demolished, cleared cabinets, painted, varnished and literally redid the laundry room, kitchen and dining room.  After getting everything returned to its proper place (whether it was in the cabinets or trash can) and I was pleased with the work done.

  It kept raining...so, I moved onto another room.  This time, I tackled what used to be Darling Daughter's bedroom.  It has been empty since she married and has become sort of a catchall for any item that needed to be stashed somewhere but where?  So, needless to say, it was time for that to be emptied.  It was there that I found "treasures...which are probably trash to others.  One of these treasures brought smiles so it will be returned to the room once it has been transformed.  Mark's grandmother gave a small trinket box to me before she passed away.  The box is made of celluloid, the first synthetic plastic.  It is embossed with dragons giving it an Asian feel and has a bird (many say rooster) as a handle.  I think it is lovely!  The deep, rich burgundy color has always been a favorite.  

  Why does this trinket box mean so much to me?  Well, simply because my grandmother-in-law thought enough of me to give it as a gift.  "Momie" did not have much in the way of wealth and only had a few things left as she aged.  She and I did share an undying love for one another so when she handed me the box, I felt like she gave me a million dollars.  The box stays.  No argument will change that.

The Gift Of Friendship

  It is not often that you will come across a friendship that lasts a lifetime and when you do, cherish it like no other.  Today, I was reminded of just how precious a true friend is by one of my oldest and dearest.  Son and I were working on a few "inside" chores as rain left us pretty much housebound.  The small room where "my" tools are stored needed a good cleaning.  This glorified closet space, not only contains a lot of my more rugged art supplies such as drills and saws but houses a good many of his tools that are used to create clue hunt props.  There are also about a billion and one nails and screws jammed in tubs, jars and boxes.  Those containers had our attention today and were scattered about the living room floor as we sorted.  

  Along about noontime, there was a gentle tapping at the door.  A surprise visitor to the Bayou was notifying us of her arrival.  As I opened the door, she and I both squealed in delight as if it had been a lifetime since we last saw each other.  It matters not that it has just been a few weeks as we were equally excited.  Ann was one of my very first friends outside of the family.  She and I started school together and graduated together but then went our separate ways.  A few years back, we reunited as if not a minute had passed between our time together despite the fact that it had been years and years.  Friendships that are meant to be have no time boundaries, obviously.  

  Ann came bearing a gift of the sweetest sort.  She had a very unique garden sign created for my funky gardens.  On it, she put my childhood name "Ruthie".  She is one of a mere handful of folks who even remember that was the name I used for the first six years of my life.   Now, my gardens have a name "Ruthie's Refuge".  How fitting is that??  I immediately acquired Son's help to hang the sign across the "creek bed" that I am creating as a drain for the roof runoff.  Once the area is completely cleaned and landscaped, this will likely become one of my favorite spots in the yard and really will be my refuge!   Thanks, Ann.  Not only for the incredible gift but also for the lifetime of true friendship.  I cherish each and every moment.

At A Loss For Words

  So it was not enough that my sweet niece, her husband and son came to the Little Bayou House and made my whole Christmas a lot brighter, they had to outdo themselves by returning.  Well, Eva, their son and a family friend came.  Erik was not able to be here in person as he works on a riverboat but with the magic of technology, he was able to be in on a huge surprise.  And, WOW!  What a surprise!  I am at a loss for words to describe the feelings going on inside of me right now.  

  If you recall, it is a big part of my Christmas to make a special batch of cookies for Erik.  With his sweet nature, he has always bragged on the cookies so it was only natural that I bake for him.  When they came to retrieve his annual gift of baked goods, I offhandedly mentioned that my arthritis was acting up and I would have to wait before baking any more of that type.  The dough is particularly difficult to get to come together with just a small hand mixer.  Out of pure sweetness, this family opted to gift me an amazing stand mixer!  It is so beautiful and big and powerful that I am almost intimidated to try it. Son promised that tomorrow, he will get me over my uncertainty and help me figure out this new gadget.  "In no time, you will be using it with ease." he assured me.  I hope so...I hope so.  For now, it sits on the counter and I admire its beauty.  Will I actually learn to use it and churn out some wondrous treats worthy of such a machine? 

  While receiving such a gift is phenomenal, what is truly mind-boggling is the love behind it.  Erik and Eva care about me and the discomfort I am having.   They sincerely care.  It is beyond heartwarming.   Several times this evening, the love and kindness shown has caused me well up with tears.  I am so very blessed...so very blessed.  

  

What a Cutie!

  Have you ever noticed how stores seem to prey on folks at any "gift-giving" time?  Most of us have those days when going somewhere empty handed is just not at all acceptable.  We were taught long ago that it is just proper to bring some small gift.  While it does not have to be expensive or large, it is highly important that it is a perfectly well-thought gift.  Department stores are no help.  They shove stuff at us in wild abandon in hopes that, in desperation, we will grab whatever is glitzy and shiny and pass it off as a personally selected gift.  Those boxed gift sets are horrible!  They are useless!  I hope to never see one darken my doorway again!  Who needs another coffee mug with a single serving of instant fruit flavored coffee or a plastic "loofah" and cucumber scented body wash that causes a major rash with the first use or even a tiny photo album that holds six pictures and comes complete with a non-working pen?  Not me...and probably not you but the stores still have all of these displayed in prominent places and they will sell thousands to folks who need that last minute present.  

  I have this sweetheart of a cousin who always finds the most unique gifts.  Not that they are necessarily expensive or flashy, but the gifts are just perfect because she really "thinks" about the recipient. She thinks about what they like, what they do and what makes them smile.  With that it mind, she finds things that she knows that person will appreciate.  I admit that it is probably hard to find a gift for me.  While I appreciate all gifts, I would rather have something that I can use.  So....that said....Helen bought me a rat!  Yep,  A rat!  I love it!  The rat was one of several Halloween things that she came across while shopping and she just knew that I would appreciate it (and each of the other items!)  That says a lot about me, doesn't it!  I get thrilled over a rat!

  The thing that stands out about this rat is that it shows that Helen really knows me.  While she may not understand me (who does?), she knows that the little rat with beady eyes will come in handy.  She knows that I will pull the little critter out of the closet each year and smile.  The rat will be put out in a special place or may be moved here or there as an unexpected "surprise" for visitors to the Little Bayou House during the month of October...and may not be stowed away at all for the rest of the months.  Helen knows that I love quirky little things and always manages to come up with the most perfect of gifts.  I love this lady!  What a special part of my life she is!  Thank you, Helen! The bag of goodies is perfectly glorious and I really do adore this little critter!

Friends I have not met yet.

  Sometimes the nicest people are friends that you have not met yet. Yep, you read that right..."friends that you have not met yet."   I admit that I stay here on the Bayou and do not have as many acquaintances as other folks but I do consider my handful of friends as true friends or even family.  They are the type who do not say "Is there anything I can do for you?" instead, they just do.  Makes a person feel pretty special.  But, as I said, this is about the nice people who are friends that you have not met yet.  I have those, too.  They, to my way of thinking, are incredible!

  Not too long ago, I was on the receiving end of a fine gift.  A lovely lady sent me a plant in a terracotta pot and decorated for Halloween!  The plant is one she rooted especially for me!  Now, how nice is that?  To be honest, I have met her daughters but not the sweet lady, herself.  Her two daughters have been coming to the Little Bayou House for the past several years to participate in the Annual Clue Hunt on the Bayou.  They, like their mom, are amazingly nice.  This year when they came, the girls brought the plant.  "It is a gift from Mama." 

  Now, the gift was for no specific reason which made it all the more special.  Not many folks will go out of their way to show such kindness.  When I am the recipient of such unexpected kindness, it warms my heart tremendously and makes me want to share the nice act with others.  I need more unmet friends...we all do.

  Perhaps if more people were like Angie, this old world would take on a kinder, gentler persona and be a happier place. She has inspired me. I am going to try each month of the coming year to do one act of kindness or give one small gift to some friend that I have never met.  Maybe this idea will spread to be something that can change hearts.  Thank you, Angie. You have started something that hopefully will brighten the days of others as much as your kindness has mine.  I love my unmet friends!

The Rocking Chair

  There is a little lady that I have called "Aunt" ever since I was a wee tot. She is actually my mother's cousin so I suppose that makes her more of a cousin than an aunt but it always seemed disrespectful to call her by her first name.  Now that she is pushing the young age of ninety, it even seems more disrespectful so "Aunt" it is.  Auntie had asked a few weeks ago if Mark would be opening any oysters soon and if he was, could she buy some from him.  Well, that would never do since Mark is not about to charge her for anything!  Today, I called her to tell her that we would be bringing her a quart of oysters.  She told me that she was not feeling well and could not fry the oysters so I volunteered to prepare a meal for her.  An idea popped into my head!  Mark and I would go eat lunch with her!  Within a half hour, a meal of fried oysters, scalloped potatoes, spinach salad with sauteed shrimp and raspberry vinaigrette dressing and a quick dessert of fried apples was tossed together and hauled to her house.  We brought Christmas plates and napkins so no dishes were needed.  What fun!

  This was the most enjoyable time I have had in a long while.  She beamed the whole time we were there, plus, she passed along a lot of family history.  Some of this history might be a bit skewed since her memory is failing a bit but whose isn't?  Once we finished our meal, she asked for me to look at some paintings on her walls.  These were not by some famous artists nor were they highly valuable...instead the paintings were priceless.  Most of the ones she showed me had been painted by her mother decades ago.  I listened to her stories and did a lot of oohing and ahhing over the pictures.  I really liked them!  She then gave me tags and asked me to put my name on the back of the ones I liked so they would go to me later.  This was hard for me to do since I always feel greedy!  Afterwards, she took to a back room and showed me a rocking chair.  "This was my grandmother's chair.  Later it was my Aunt Ruthie's chair." she said.  "Sit down and see if it fits."  Well, I had never been "fitted" for a chair before but I have to admit the chair was very comfortable!  "Yes!  It fits nicely!" she said.

  Later when we leaving, Auntie told Mark to put the chair in the truck. Wow!  I was just given my great-grandmother's rocking chair!  What a gift!  What an honor! This is something that I will cherish and will pass on to one of my kids somewhere down the line.  

   Had things been different and not turned to where Auntie was giving me treasures, I would still say that this was a perfect way to spend the day.  She and I had a grand time just being together.  Note to self....do this more often.  The verbal family history lesson of today was amazing. Receiving a family heirloom was priceless.  The time spent with an elderly lady was fulfilling,  The look of happiness in her eyes was a blessing.  

An Old Lady..A Little Blue Vase..A Lot of Love

  I got a phone call the other day from someone requesting a visit to the Little Bayou House.  This was from a little old lady who is nigh on ninety years of age.  She is my mom's first cousin but ever since I was a wee tot, I called her "aunt". Although, she refers to me as a cousin and has often said that I can call her by her first name, it just does not seem appropriate. I guess old habits do die hard.  She is still Aunt and always will be.  I am stubborn.  Anyway, she wished to come visit on "Friday morning...early".  Sounded good to me.  Sure enough, this morning around eight thirty in the morning, I heard a soft tapping at my door. She had arrived!

  I opened the door with much glee.  I had not seen her in ages, so it seemed.  There she stood grinning ear to ear holding her purse and jacket in one hand and a walking cane in the other.  "Come in!  Come in!" I exclaimed.  She told me that she was in and not to hurry her.  This is what I love about her...she is very direct, very to the point and still likable.  We get along fine.  After grasping my arm for support, she made her way into the living room.  She chose to sit at the old dining table that now inhabits the room.  After hanging the cane and jacket on the back of the chair, she gingerly laid her purse on the table in front of her.  She sat there grinning at me.  "Before we look at your crafts, I have something for you."  She opened the purse and pulled out a small blue vase.  "I like you. Here, this is for you." was all she said.   Wow!

   There was no tale behind the vase, no family history lesson attached and no further explanation.  I oohed and ahhed over the little vase.  And to be honest, I love it.  For all I know this thing might be a dime store purchase or even a regifted item but it does not matter to me.  Although it is a pretty little thing, it is not the vase that brings the happiness, it is the thought.  This little old lady ventured out of her secure home to come see me and thought to bring a little gift.  People do not do that any more. In times past, folks would never dream of dropping in on a neighbor or visiting someone across town without some token of love in hand.  She was from a different era.  She was from an era when folks held fast to old customs, when times were more about sharing and bringing happiness, when folks cared.  You are hard pressed to find folks like this anymore.  Now it is all about "me" and not about others.  A tiny blue vase sure means a lot.  An "aunt" sure means a lot.  A visit sure means a lot.  Then....we looked at crafts!

"Happy Mother's Day, Mom! I got you a broken typewriter!"

  "Happy Mother's Day!"  Yes, I know this day was officially celebrated a week ago but, for me, it was today.  AND..I must add, that while most mothers received the obligatory flowers, candy or knickknacks emblazoned with "MOTHER" on them, I did not.  I am not that sort of mom in the first place nor do I need anything to remind me that I am, indeed, a mother.  I have three kids, albeit grown kids, that do a grand job of reminding me of that fact on a daily basis.  In a way, those knickknacks are sort of foolish and are just there to provide a last minute gift for those who forgot to honor their mothers.  I cannot for the life of me understand the allure of such a thing.  Instead, I have always loved things that are useful.  Today, I received a useful gift even though it came with problems.
  
  Early this morning in the midst of a rainstorm, Darling Daughter arrived at the Little Bayou House.  She came bearing a large box containing my belated Mother's Day gift.  Son lugged the box into the house and the three of us proceeded to uncrate the item.  Once the box was opened and the packing paper removed, I was thrilled!  "Happy Mother's Day, Mom!  I got you a broken typewriter!" proclaimed Elizabeth.  She was just about as excited as I was.  Seriously.  I am elated over this gift.  

  You see, I learned to type on a machine just like this one so many years ago.  Mom and Pop were given an old typewriter and each of the kids actually were encouraged to learn to type.  It was magical to see words appear when keys were pressed.  Nowadays, we take all of this for granted but, back then, we understood that a lot of hard work went into designing such fantastical machines.  I have long wanted a typewriter like the one at the old farm.  Somewhere along the line after the folks had passed, the typewriter was tossed in the trash bin and hauled away before I could salvage it.  I would have treasured such a keepsake.  Now, I have one close to that machine and I treasure it.

  

  Michael and Elizabeth pored over the machine.  They eyed the "crazy" keyboard and wondered where things were like "Alt", "Ctrl" and even the "1" buttons were.  I had to explain that we did not have those.  We had a much more "efficient" system.  Michael even jokingly asked where was the power cord!  We had a good laugh over the way times have changed in my lifespan and then set to work cleaning the typewriter.  Elizabeth and I swabbed away at cobwebs and dustbunnies of a hundred years making while Michael examined every working part. He was curious of how the machine functioned which was a good thing as several parts need to be repaired.  After a while, he announced that it should be usable in just a few days.  I am, indeed, excited and look forward to trying my hand at typing on a "real" machine once again.  

  Yep, I do understand that this is a personal thing and not everyone would be as thrilled as I am about receiving this as a gift but you just have to understand that I am not everyone....I am me....and I am delighted!  I think this is about the best Mother's Day gift ever!  Thank you, Darling Daughter!

Only the BEST!

  I am not sure if I have ever thanked Mark for probably the most favorite gift he has ever gotten me...err, him...err....yes!  US!  After Hurricane Katrina dumped mountains of used lumber in our yard, he decided to build us a fine pier.  I was elated but worried that it was going to be too much of a strenuous task for just us to undertake.  Of course, the posts were to be installed by someone who (supposedly) knew what they were doing and had the huge equipment but the rest would be up to us meaning..mainly him.  I could help carry boards and nail them after they were down but I had no idea how to go about constructing such a thing.  So, that said, thank you, Mark!

  The pier started with him out in the marsh running string lines to guide the guys installing the posts.  We sort of wanted a straight pier instead of one that wibble-wobbled about the marsh.  My request was to try and line it up with the front door.  I wanted a straight shot down that pier! No problem for Mark.  He donned his wading boots and braved the moccasins, snapping turtles and alligators (just for me! hehe!)  I have to admit, he did a remarkable job! Not so with the "professional" dudes that came to do the posts.  

  After pounding in a number of posts, the guy driving this huge machine sort of got it stuck.  No, there was no "sort of" about it.  He GOT it stuck!  This action took a lot of time and other machines to undo.  I was glad that the mess was the crews' responsibility and not ours.

  Afterwards, Mark, Michael and I (with the help of one of Michael's high school buddies, Chris and Mark's brother, Glenn) finished the pier. Each board had to be cut the right length and hauled down the hill. Some of the planks were huge and were floated out to their proper places but others were hand-hauled.
  

  All in all, I would say that the job was well done!  Mark masterminded the whole procedure.  He was the boss and the brains behind this endeavor.  Without him, none of the many folks who visit the Bayou would have the pleasure of fishing or even just sitting on the pier.  Plus, I would not be able to share such beauty as the sunrises and sunsets with you!  So...enjoy our pier.  It is the best gift ever!

The "Un-fancy" Gift

  Every now and again a visitor stops in at the Little Bayou House.  This evening, it was Mark's sister and her husband.  They were here for only a few moments when they spied one of my Christmas gifts from Mark. There in the middle of the kitchen table was my pride and joy!  Most folks would not deem the thing much of a gift but to me, it is grand!  As matter of fact, it is exactly what I had asked Mark to get for me!  Smack dab in the middle of the table sat my brand new grinder!  Susie and Larry both were remarking about the "antique" grinder.  Nope, it is all shiny and new.  I have an antique one and have been using it forever but it was getting a bit wobbly.  I asked and received my new one.

   This is one of those hand-cranked beauties that continues to work even when there is a power outage.  If one has a strong arm and a good bit of stamina, it makes short work of anything that needs grinding. Our oldest son and daughter-in-law have an electric grinder that does an extremely fast job of grinding food. During one visit to their house, he showed me how it worked and made the best turkey burgers that I have ever eaten. The meat was ground to perfection and then he grilled the burgers for us.  Ummm! Tasty!  My grinder is not as fancy as my son's nor is it one that will be easy to use.  Still, this is the type that I understand and this is what I wanted.  No fancy-smancy stuff for me! The Little Bayou House is far from fancy so it only stands to reason that the items therein should be just as "un-fancy".

  Mark ordered this grinder and when it arrived, we were astounded at the weight of the machine.  Being cast iron, the thing weighs in about ten to fifteen pounds.  It is a fine, sturdy machine that should serve us well for years and years to come.  I am quite sure that it will be put to good use which is why this is one of my favorite gifts that Mark got for me this year.  Love it!