That Feeling Of Belonging

   People often ask me why I cling to my little house here on the Bayou.  I have one answer...because it is HOME.  I find peace here.  This is where I belong and where I shall stay as long as possible.  This...this is my little piece of paradise.

  Early this morning as I was on the pier, I had to smile as several dolphins were putting on quite a show just for me...obviously, just for me since I was the only person up at the crack of dawn when they started.  I smiled because of a recent news article where the reporter was "surprised" to see dolphins and porpoises in the Bay.  Hmmm...perhaps that reporter is not very observant or perhaps he has just never spent much time on the water.  The lovely creatures can be seen frolicking whenever there are mullet schooling. Today, the dolphins were quite close to the pier.  I watched as the pod worked together to corral mullet into a tight wad so their hunting could be easier.  Then...a surprise!  Among the adults, there were two calves with this pod!  

  As I sat there watching the show, an overwhelming sense of belonging came over me.  This...this is where I belong.  This...this is indeed my little piece of paradise. Just home...just home.

Losing the Garden Path but Finding Paradise

   Lately, with the yard cleanup taking place mainly in the back part of the property, the Small Gardens have run amok with new growth.  I have had neither the time nor the energy to do even minor maintenance there. The Small Gardens now greatly resemble some wild and woolly rainforest!  Not that I mind as the prior work put into this area has proven to be worth the effort.  It gives a sense of serenity to wander through the overgrown tropical plants even in their unkempt state.

  

This morning, I took the time to transplant twenty hibiscus shrubs from their tiny six-inch seed pots into the border gardens before heading to the back cleanup.  As I was digging holes for the seedlings, the sun was just peeping over the pines on the opposite side of the Bayou.  As the rays started shooting down one of the garden paths, I was fully in awe of how secluded the area seemed.  The lush, healthy overgrowth nearly made the path unpassable.  Each nook and cranny held a different bloom or fruit.  Taking a few minutes from the task at hand, I breathed the sweet aromas of flowers and early morning freshness.  I listened as the birds chirped happily as they feasted upon the remnant blueberries and a few remaining figs.  I felt the morning dew and the cool breeze coming from the Bay.  I thought (and relished the thought) of how this was paradise.  This was how life should be.  This is what takes me from the stress of dealing with people's greed and drama to being perfectly blissful.  This is the magic of the Small Gardens.  This is where I belong...where I find tranquility.

All I Need

  I have always claimed that the Bayou was my little piece of paradise and now I have proof that this is true.  It is not often that things are pointed out so clearly but with this morning's sunrise, it is quite evident.  Mark and I were taking our morning hike about the place even though it was still quite dark.  The sun should have been long up but a heavy cloud cover blocked any glimpse of that big, ball of light.  We were beginning to think it was going to be a rather gloomy day but, then, I noticed that the sun was trying its best to break through the clouds.  After pointing it out to Mark, he suggested that we make our way back down to the marsh edge to watch the light show.  I was afraid that we would miss it since we were way down behind the canebrake by this time.   We hustled (as much as two old people can hustle) and made it just in time to see the sun taking perfect aim.  As the sun broke through the clouds, it shot a large beam right down to the Bayou!  

  I needed that boost.  I needed to see something spectacular instead of the chaos still around us.  I needed that feeling of calmness that only a sunrise on the Bayou can bring.  I needed that walk with Mark and him understanding what the sunrise means to me.  I needed the Magic of the Bayou.

Serenity at its best

   My favorite time on the pier is just before daybreak.  Then, the air is still cool and crisp.  The night sounds are settling and the day is bursting forth with new music.   This is my time, my space and my peace.  The morning starts with a hot mug of black coffee, a regimen of stretching exercises and a bit of meditation.  After that, I am rearing to go meet the day.

  This morning, I was a bit surprised to see several large flocks of cormorants coming in to the Bay.  The birds are early this year as normally, they come in October or even November.  Perhaps this is the sign of an early fall and winter for us.  That sure would be nice!  Very few of the cormorants stopped near the pier.  Most hesitated in flight but then went further west.  Most flocks had nigh on fifty birds which is not nearly what will be here by late November.

  With one straggling group of only about ten birds, I was confused to see a single bird drop from the group and alight in the water near the Bayou.  As soon as it changed course, I realized that this was no cormorant causing even more confusion.  Why was a duck traveling with the migrating cormorants?  The little duck has been around the pier for most of the day now and seems to be in no hurry to rejoin its odd flock.  As I was watching the lone duck, a golden glow from the sunrise softly settled about the creature.  I wonder if it was how the Bayou was welcoming its new friend.  The whole scene made me feel a bit warm and fuzzy!

This Is Where I Belong

   Awaking before dawn seems to be a lifelong habit of mine.  Try as I might, I cannot "sleep in".  It does not happen.  At 4 am, I start to rouse and by 4:30, I may as well roll out of bed.  At that time, sleep is nonexistent.  So, after the prerequisite mug of strong, black coffee, I head to the pier.  There, I can do my morning routine of stretches and meditation which readies me to face the craziness of the day.  That predawn time is "my time".  It is where I can come to terms with all the world has to throw at me.  As you know, that routine was rudely interrupted on July 2nd by a sudden disease that rendered me incapable of doing much.  It took nigh on two months before I was able to regain my strength and balance.  Finally, this week, I have the approval from all doctors to return to my normal routine and that includes the treks to the pier!  Time to rejoice!

  This morning, the sunrise made me stop the exercises and physical therapy to just sit and stare.  I felt almost as if this was the first time I had ever witnessed the sunrise, the first time I have ever heard a mullet jump or a pelican diving or the first time of smelling the marsh and saltiness of the water.  I was in awe.  It is wondrous how when returning to something after an absence, the senses try to make up for lost time.  This little bayou is paradise!  This is where I belong.  Its good to be back.

Becoming "One" With The Bayou

  If you live on a bayou long enough, you begin to more or less blend in with the scenery.   Soon, no one even notices you.  Let's just say that I have been here for a really long time.  Not that I am complaining because with the shape the world has gotten itself in lately, I am perfectly happy to be among the gators, otters and nutria rats.  All of the nonsensical people can just keep their distance and let me be part of the Bayou and its life. 

  As I was sitting watching the bull minnows in their courtship battles, a tuft of "fluff" caught my eye.  At first, it seemed to be a swamp sparrow but when I tilted my head passed the groundsel bush for a better view, I found that it was nothing more than the marsh grass blooms.  Now there is one for you folks who never see the small stuff because of the larger picture.  Marsh grass blooms!  A lot of folks probably never consider the brown, scraggly things as blooms but if you ever have the opportunity to really study things, you might be amazed.  When seen in the distance, the blooms appear to be brown and dried.  Up close and personal, one can actually see the deep red sepals that opened to reveal tiny cream-colored petals.  These flowers produce seed capsules that are filled with shiny, black seeds.  

  The marshes around here are mostly Juncus romerianus which is commonly called needlerush.  It grows to about four feet tall and looks to be all stems.  Those stems are actually the very tightly rounded leaves.  They are about an eighth inch in diameter but quickly taper to a sharp point at the tip...hence the needlerush name.  Needlerush is a true rush and is often seen as more gray than green.  It reproduces by the seeds mentioned above or by rhizomes.  

  So, now you know how I spend my off time.  After the chores are done and I have quit for the day, the water calls.  I heed the yearning to learn more about my fine, little paradise.  I sit among the palmettos or marshes and observe.  Life is better that way...by far.

  

Oh, How Fortunate!

  I always figured that the Bayou could be seen as my little piece of paradise.  The Little Bayou House is nestled back from the main road and the lane twists and turns as it meanders through the woods.  Our place is sort of isolated since the Bayou is on the east, the Back Bay is on the south, the woods is on the north and my brother's place is to our west.  People visitors are far and few between.  Critter visitors, however, abound.  Some, we like.  Others...well, we could do without.

  This morning as I was wandering about the hillside, I noticed a critter high up under the eaves of the shed.  This shed sits near the canebrake so it does not surprise me that a myriad of critters are in the area. This one was one of those "could do without" ones.  A huge cockroach was settled in for the daytime hours up near the roof edge.  Being nocturnal, the roach was ready for a day's sleep before becoming active again.  This was a Smokeybrown Cockroach so it was rather large. Not one that I want anywhere near the house!  

  I got to thinking about roaches and did a bit of research.  There are nearly 3000 species of roaches in the world!  That is enough to give just about anyone a good case of the willies!  Thankfully, we can pare that number down to 50 species living in the United States.  Still, that is far too many for me!  Then, I read how fortunate we are down here in the Deep South!  We only have 4 species of the nasties in our area!!  Somehow, that still did not make me feel joyous.  Having any roaches at all is not to my liking.

  The Smokeybrown Cockroach is one that prefers to live in wooded areas.  Key word here is "prefers".  They will move indoors given the opportunity so it is best to keep up with any roach eradication methods that are in effect.  With the size of this critter, I am thinking perhaps we should double or maybe triple our efforts!

As Good As It Gets

  Occasionally, someone will ask just why I live like I do.  "How can you stay on the Bayou everyday and not go places?" is one of the questions that is thrown my way on a regular basis. Folks obviously think living here is a bad thing.  Perhaps it is to others but it suits me just fine.  People question my lack of "modern conveniences" like air conditioning and central heat units.  They question my raising a garden and catching most of our food.  They question everything from my clothes, my craft clutter, my antique furniture, the dusty books on the shelves and my habit of adopting any stray animal that comes to the Bayou.  Personally, I do not care.  It is none of their business how I live my life.  I do not pretend to fret over their lives and I wish they would just ignore mine.  It does make me ponder, though, just how empty others lives must be if they have to "fix" mine with their suggestions, hints or their unsought advice.

  To my way of thinking, I live in a small piece of paradise.  I awake to the most beautiful music of birds singing, I tend the garden and get to watch the miracle of life spring from the soil, and I am lulled to sleep by the sound of waves gently rustling in the marsh and frogs serenading me from the pond.  I fish when I want, eat healthy, homegrown foods and have the liberty to create pieces of art when the whim strikes me. Instead of exhaust fumes from cars and factories, I breathe the aromas of jasmine, wisteria and magnolias.  I am not stressed by media overkill of every happening of a world that I cannot control.  In other words, I am happy just how things are.  For those who cannot understand the Bayou life, I have just a few words.  You have not found peace in your own life if you have to give unsolicited advice to others in how to change theirs.  

  Yesterday morning, I was sitting in the garden reflecting on just how amazingly wonderful things are.  Blessings abound to those who can see them.  I am where I want to be. I have found my peaceful place.  Have you?  

The Crowded "City"

  I like living where and how I do.  For most folks, this life would probably seem hard compared to the standards of today's society.  I do things "the old way".  It suits me.  I grow most of our food and can it for use during the winter months.  We catch fish, shrimp and crabs to go along with the fruits and vegetables.  The old cast iron wood stoves supply our heat during the winter and open windows cool the house during the summer. I am happy living on the Bayou.  I would not fare well in the city.  I get agitated with the hustle and bustle of things and love the quietude of the Bayou and woods.  I love hearing the frogs and toads singing their nightly serenades, the owls calling back and forth from the tall pines and the mullet splashing in the calm waters.  I love finding baby rabbits under the brush piles, large alligators sunning on the mudflats and even the raccoons raiding the muscadines.  I like waking before dawn to watch the sun rise up over the pines and sitting on the pier in the evening to watch it set again.  I like the smells of the Bayou..the magnolias, jasmine and wild honeysuckle, the orange blossoms and peach blossoms, the lemongrass as it wafts in the breeze and, yes, even the "low tide" smell that some find offensive.  I just belong here.

  I sat thinking about this, today, as I watched life in a different big, crowded "city".  While working in the gardens, I moved a container that held bell pepper plants.  Under the pot, in a space about one square foot, an entire city of critters had made their homes.  In fact, even after some scampered to parts unknown, I counted six spiders, fourteen pill bugs, eleven snails, one centipede and about a dozen tiny ants.  They were so crowded that the critters were literally crawling all over each other. The spiders were stalking the pill bugs, the ants were biting the snails, the centipede would have made short work of the spiders.  Each seemed oblivious to the other's feelings which made me ponder if that is how it is in large human cities.  I hope not.  I'd like to think that we all can show kindness to everyone but, then again, I live in my own little world down here and do not have to deal with any hullabaloo from others. Yep, I like it...it suits me just fine.


 

My Special Place

  I have long proclaimed that the cooler months provide the most incredible sunrises and sunsets.  Now that it is November and a bit nippy to be on the pier, the horizon has not proven me wrong.  The shows have been spectacular, to say the least.  While most of the color has faded from the foliage, it has simply been moved to the sky.  Each time the sun is sitting close to the horizon or is falling behind the pines, it appears as if the sky is on fire.  It is breathtaking at times.

  Heading to the pier can be a bit treacherous during the colder months.  When we have a heavy frost or even sleet, the pier boards seem to be not unlike a series of sliding boards.  If one is not careful with their footfall, disaster can strike! One misstep can be met with a huge splash! Wet clothes are not exactly to my liking when it is cold!  That said, I find it far better to wear my leather moccasins than some hard-soled shoe. The moccasins seem to grip the slippery boards better or perhaps they just freeze right to the board and give me a better step.   

  Still, slippery or not, dawn and dusk are favorite times on the pier.  The light shows and the presence of many critters thrill me!   The Bayou is an enchanted place during these times.   By the time most other folks are here, the fascination has waned and the Bayou becomes just another place to fish.  Oh, well!  Perhaps this was meant for me!

Dawn on the Bayou

  It is my habit to make the trek to the pier shortly after that first cup of coffee.  There is just something invigorating about being out and about in the wee hours of the morn.  The fresh, cool air hitting the face, hearing the first twitterings of birds as they awake and watching as the night creatures find a snug place for a nap.  A bit of meditation as I watch the sunrise makes the day start in a perfect mode.  

  As I was sitting on the pier this morning, I pondered just what makes this place special.  Besides the fact that living on the water has to be a bit of paradise, just being a part of local things sets well with me. Looking out over the Bay, there are myriads of things to be seen.  From the pelican slowly flapping its wings in liftoff from a perfect dive to the line of Mark's crab pots with their white corks softly dotting the still waters, there is a certain peace that can only be found here.  Even the old alligator that silently swims to its daytime resting spot seems to be tranquil.  Life is good.

  I am thinking that it is not just the surroundings that makes a place but rather one's attitude.  It all goes back to the thought that one must have harmony within to find harmony with the rest of the world.  It saddens me to think of the turmoil that must be inside of some folks who find fault with the actions of others.  What an unsettling place their minds must be.

 

My Secret Garden

  Now that I have cut a pathway almost down to the back where the Bayou turns into a creek, I love meandering back there each day.  When cutting, I was careful not to mangle any nests or clear too much in the way of underbrush.  I just wanted a small pathway that would let me observe another small portion of the property.  This time of year, there are any number of dangers lurking in tall grass and scrubby bushes so it was to my best interest to have a walkway.  As soon as the weather dries a bit, I will push a bit further and extend my exploring.  Snakes and ticks are my main concern when traversing in the brush.  

  This afternoon between showers, a hike was in order.  After going the usual route, I headed down to my new pathway.  I was not disappointed as the birds were out as well, which made the walk even more pleasant. Between their singing and the delightfully pungent smell of the woods being wet from the recent shower, I was blissfully unaware of any downside of being on boggy ground.  As I pushed a bit further, a breathtaking scene appeared before me.  Ferns as tall as my shoulder, Wild Blue Irises, Swamp Lilies, Arrowhead Plant and Stoke's Asters made for a beautiful garden.  This totally wild garden could rival any landscaper's attempt.  Come a few months from now, when the plants are in bloom, this will be an incredible sight to behold.  Even now it was thriving.

  Back a few years, the kids and I always loved to hike back in the creek area.  Even though we were taking huge chances of being bitten by a snake, we were oblivious to any danger.  It was as if we had left civilization far behind and found a special place that only existed for us.  I still feel that way.  This is just about as close to paradise as it gets!

Garden Paradise!

Early each morning and then again late in the evening, I love to take hikes around the hillside.  These walks are more for the "looking" than some heavy-duty exercise.  I suppose this is my "down time".  I rest while I walk.  Then if the mosquitoes and deer flies are gracious enough to let me stop, I plop  my self in my comfy chair and watch the birds that come to the feeders.  Today, while wandering, I was thinking of how I really like living on the Bayou.  I like the pathways and gardens.  I like the marsh and mudflats.  I like the critters.  I am happy here.  Not everyone would like living like I do, but then, again, I am not "everyone".

One of my favorite views is when the sun is at that far slant of either sunrise or sunset.  The glow makes the nooks and crannies of the garden seem almost mystical. I do believe if I looked hard enough, I might find a faerie or two hiding amongst the lilies!  For now, however, I have to be content with the magical presence of the birds and rabbits. (Although, that bunny that keeps eating my fennel better hope he is magical enough to remain on my "good" list!)  Wouldn't it be most magical if I could learn to talk with the critters?  Ok..so maybe the imagination is stretching a bit too far with the fading sunlight!

  Wandering down the path, I came to the ginger and fennel garden.  The bright heads of fennel blooms were something to behold in the waning sunlight.  That path, with its herbs and flowers, not only has beauty for the eyes but also has a most delightful aroma.  Yep, this could be my favorite place in the yard.  Here, I can close my eyes and "feel" the garden!  I love living in my little paradise!

A New Beginning...

The New Year is upon us once again and I still can't for the life of me figure out where the Old Year went. It seems as if I just started writing this 2011 thing and now that is nigh on obsolete..just a few hours is all it will take for us to make a big change..we will all have to write 2012! There is much hype everywhere you look about this being "THE END!" and that in itself is far amusing to me. Some people have deciphered the Mayan Calendar as predicting the END! The end of what? Should we all run around flailing our arms in wild hysteria because someone has decided that 2012 will see the the world as we know it cease? Has it not occurred to anyone with any sense that the mass hysteria is what would cause the end of the world? Not because some calendar becomes outdated..why think about it..my calendar becomes outdated every December 31st! ooops! Anyway, I have read where the Mayans, themselves, are amused by all of the hype! Smart Mayans!

Egret calmly hunting for breakfast!

I should think that if everyone had their own private little bayou or other piece of paradise, there would be no need to do all of this worrying. Then folks would realize that whatever is to be..shall be. That we cannot change it other than to change ourselves and if folks were truly at peace with themselves..why change? And here I go again...rambling on as if it would ever make a difference. I have found that peace. I am happy here. One learns a lot while tromping around the Bayou. The animals, themselves, are great teachers. If we would all watch and let them instruct us, there would be no need of the torrential amounts of worry and stress that we bring upon ourselves. Take, for instance, today...a lone egret fished for its breakfast in the early morning fog. Did this egret fret about what is to be with the coming new year? No...it takes one day at a time. It knows that there is nothing that it (or any of us) can do to make the world last one minute longer than it is destined. The egret just goes about its business on a daily basis..it lives its life as it was meant to be lived and does not worry about things that are out of its control.

Time for reflection..egret fishing for breakfast.

We could all learn a bit from that egret..we SHOULD all learn a bit from that egret. It will be stress and worry that will kill us far before the world ceases to be. Perhaps as a resolution this year, we should stop looking for the End of the World and strive for a new beginning..strive to find that inner peace. Slow down..take one day at a time..smile more..breathe deeply..find your own little paradise..even if it is in your own backyard.

No..this egret is not flailing about in wild hysteria..it is just taking off in a gentle flight!

I hope that the New Year brings health and happiness each of you. As an added word of advice..don't run around flailing your arms in wild hysteria..it won't solve anything. It will only make you look plumb silly! Happy New Year, folks!

Lost in the Fog

This morning at about 6AM, I made the usual "coffee mug in hand" trek to the pier. The fog was thick..so thick that it almost felt like a light rain was hitting my face as I walked down the board path. So thick that I could feel the heaviness of it pressing against my body. It is quite the eerie feeling to look out on the water when anything past twenty feet from you is totally blocked from view. I stared out over the marsh. I could barely make out an egret wading in the shallows and a cormorant diving for mullet. A lot of people would not have observed the sheer beauty of the scene..they would have only seen how the mist blocked out many of the objects that could normally be seen. The blankness of the Bay under the heavy coat of fog is how some approach life. Many will go through their entire life without ever seeing the beauty of what is given them. Not all are fortunate enough to awake to a peaceful Bayou scene, this is true but as I have stated before..your Paradise is where you make it. If you can find total peace wherever you are, then you have found your Paradise. It is not a place..instead, it is a state of mind. I used to so worry about my lot in life. I was not happy with where I was nor what I was doing. Then I realized that it was more that I was not happy because I was trying to be like everyone else. I was trying to "be" someone else. I was trying to be "liked" and to be this, I felt that I had to be a carbon copy of no one in particular but everyone in general..I had to be another face in the crowd. I just knew I could not be me. Then an earthshaking realization..I had to be ME! If no one liked me other than myself, it did not matter. I had to like me and I had to like me as me. The fog of my brain had been lifted and my Paradise was found. I became fully satisfied that happiness did not involve me "keeping up with the Joneses" but rather me coming back to Earth to be myself. Now, I am happy in my little corner of the world, doing my artwork and observing the peacefulness that has been granted to me. I may not have ended up exactly where I intended to be but, in truth, I am exactly where I am meant to be.

The egrets and cormorants that were surrounded by the fog this morning did not let their lot in life get them down. Face it..they live in a marsh and have to hunt for their meals. It is a fight for life every day. Regardless of this, they greet each morning with an exuberance such as none other. They know what and where they are supposed to be even if there is a heavy fog curtaining off the Bay. Birds are just somehow happy being themselves and do not try to "keep up with the Joneses"! Their view of life is so clear.

Paradise

After a sleepless night, I decided to take a trek to my usual peaceful place, the pier, at 4:30 in the morning. It was still dark outside as I left the house with Ezzy by my side. So peaceful.. so overwhelmingly mystifying.. I felt as I always do when out and about this early in the morn. I was the only person on Earth and this time was made especially for me. Silently, we made our way down the boardwalk path, gingerly feeling our way with each step since we had no light. She stayed about two steps behind me all the way down to the end of the pier and then plopped down in her favorite spot. Immediately, she was back on her feet. "My goodness, what is wrong with you, Dog?" Then I realized that she was shivering. My poor doggie was so cold! It then hit me..it IS cold out here! The pier was still wet from the recent rains and that had to be uncomfortable for her. I had remembered to put on a jacket but poor Ez had jumped directly out of her warm bed to follow me out the door. I snapped a few pictures of the skyline and then set my camera down. I patted the bench next to me coaxing her to join me. She was fortunate that the jacket I grabbed off the rack was old and very large ..it was big enough for two! She snuggled against me and there we sat for the next hour..two against the world ..best friends ..partners in crime! When the horizon started showing a beautiful array of reds and oranges, I took some more pictures. There was a light, wispy fog emanating from the marsh giving the Bayou the most serene, picturesque appearance that I have ever seen. It was most ethereal, like something from a fantasy movie. I did not want it to end..I did not want the sun to rise just yet..I wanted this time to last a bit longer but that was not in the plan. The sun must rise and the world must awake. Ezzy and I sat there a bit longer watching the kingfisher waking after spending the night on a pier post. He fluffed his feathers and then let out a few screeches as if calling for his breakfast. Breakfast? Now, that is not a bad idea.. come on Ms. Ez .. time to eat!