Just A Lily Brightening the Way.

   I have been lax on taking care of the plants this whole summer.  It seems as if one thing or another has gotten in the way and anything not on that "priority" list fell to the wayside.  I feel bad about it but, at the same time, feel there was no need in pushing myself beyond feasible limits.  I am getting old.  Today, however, as I meandered back behind the old greenhouse to the grape arbor, I was greeted in the most pleasant way.  The lycoris lilies were in full bloom...at least as much of "full" bloom as was possible in view of the recent chomping by the Eastern Lubber Grasshoppers.  Those things are relentless!  The lilies proved stronger and were simply gorgeous.  The golden color is a perfect touch for the hint of fall that we are enjoying. 

  These particular lilies were from a few bulbs that I received some 30 years ago from a dear friend.  Ms. Twin (yes, there were two and they were both "Ms. Twin") had dug up some of her bulbs just to share with me.  This sweet elderly lady knew I loved flowers of any kind and knew that she had the perfect gift...one from the heart.  I was elated and immediately planted the bulbs.  They have bloomed every year since and always remind me of the dear friend.  Sadly, she passed only two years after gifting the bulbs to me.  

  The lilies are in the same family as the Red Nerine lilies that are so abundant across the Deep South.  They have a dozen or so names including Lycoris Lily, Nerine Lily, Spider Lily, Jersey Lily, Guernsey Lily and even Naked Lady Lily (due to the lack of leaves...not clothes.)   The spotting of the lilies gave me a much needed lift this morning and I was able to continue the day with a bit more ambition that before.  I figure if the lilies could fight against the drought and grasshoppers then I should be able to fight against the tiredness that wracks the body.  Never doubt that somewhere hidden among the trials is an answer that can make everything right again.

From Greenhouse to Bean House

   With limited level gardening space, one must become creative when expanding the food plots.  The steep slope that radiates from the Little Bayou House in all directions leaves very little flat areas in which to make rows for plants.  Even putting up the little metal-framed greenhouse that my sweet sister-in-law sent me presented a problem.  Son decided to go with the slope making the tunnel head down the hillside to the Bay.  Since it was to be a temporary fix to keep the potted plants from freezing, I had no qualms about letting him do whatever he pleased as long as those night-blooming cereus plants stayed warm.  Surprisingly enough, they all survived our temps that plunged much further down than we ever expected.  The plants did ok and I was satisfied.

  A couple of weeks ago, that summer garden-planting bug hit and that is where things went amok. I had more plants and seeds than garden.  Even though people claim to want a garden, it is hard to give away plants once they are seeded. So, the problem of too little space had to be fixed with a bit of ingenuity.  As Son and Mark were taking down the greenhouse before an impending wind storm, it hit me that the large (now) empty space was usable for something!  Mark built some nice sized boxes to run along the sides of the (once) greenhouse and we filled them with soil and compost.  A bit of sisal twine was laced between the metal pipe framework and our greenhouse was now a bean house with two rows that are twenty feet in length! 

  The bean plants seem to be happy in their improvised home and this freed up a bit of space for another twenty or so tomato plants and about that many more pepper plants.  It is purely a case of make do with what you have by repurposing.  By the time the framework will need its top reattached for the winter, the beans will be long gone. Now that is thinking!  Double duty gardening!

They're Gone...

   Each summer, a Carolina Wren will make a nest in my greenhouse/swamp shack.  This year, she chose a galvanized tub filled with huge pine cones that I had saved for my sister-in-law.  How the tiny bird squirmed her way into the midst of those prickly cones, wallowed out a spot large enough for the nest then build that nest without me noticing is quite the feat.  But...she did.  Then, she laid 5 beautiful, splotchy colored eggs and began her "sit" time.  Several times, I came close to accidently upsetting her but she held her spot and after a couple of weeks, she hatched her brood.  Then came the chore of feeding those 5 hungry mouths!  She and the male bird were constantly flitting in and out of the greenhouse/swamp shack.  I was careful to avoid the area as much as possible.

  At one point, it was necessary for me to retrieve some gardening tools that were just a couple of feet away from the nest so I took the opportunity to check the babies!  Those little rascals were already getting too large for their comfy home and were pushing each other out to the edge.  I knew it was time for them to make their first flight within days.  I, also, knew that Mr. Bat, the Bayou Prince Cat, would be an indoor kitty for a few days.  I was determined to let those little cuties learn the art of flying and foraging without the interference of a cat.  

  Sure enough, the birds made their exit the very next day.  It was a drizzly sort of day so the cat did not complain (much) about being cooped up inside.  He got extra treats, the birds took their first flight and all is well.  The greenhouse/swamp shack now seems empty so it is a good time for me to clean it up a bit.  The birds still come to roost near their snug nest each evening so that area will stay the same for the time being.  Happy flying, Little Ones!  I am glad your mama chose the safest place for your upbringing!

All Is Not Well!

   Son and I have been clearing a spot back behind the greenhouse and shed for yet another greenhouse.  This one, my sweet sister-in-law gave to me.  It is one of those sort of popup things that have the green plastic top but I am excited because I plan on putting it over some raised gardens.  Fresh veggies in the middle of winter sound delightful.  Son decided that clearing the spot was the perfect chore for this week so we have been busy for the past four days.  Now, he will have to complete the task by himself.  I am sort of incapacitated.

  My chore this morning was to pick up the roots that he was digging from the ground and toss them on a pile near the marsh edge.  There, he could move the whole bunch without too much trouble.  Well, on one of the trips down the hill in the wooded area, I found a pier board.  This is not unusual as Hurricane Zeta plopped them everywhere.  The bad part is, the board was covered with about six inches of leaves and, well, I found it the hard way.  The board had nails.  My soft sneaker was no challenge for those nails and my foot now bears the results of that savage attack.  I stepped right on one of the nails and impaled the right foot.  Ouch! 

  I feel bad that Son will have to complete this project but the foot is not being too happy, at the moment.  Hopefully, this will be a short and sweet recovery and I will be back in the gardens again soon.  If it isn't one thing, it is another.  Goodness!

Happy Roses

   A month ago, we had several hard freezes for this far south.  The temperatures dropped into the teens which seems frigid to us.  We are not accustomed to such weather!  The usual preparations were made for us to "hunker down" against the cold.  An extra stockpile of firewood for the woodstoves, lights in the pumphouse, bushels of citrus fruits picked and plants moved into the greenhouse (even though it was a makeshift shelter).  Normally since these freezes do not last long, I never think about moving rose bushes to warmer areas but I had a dozen or so cuttings in pots that were just starting to do well so, in they went.  I promptly forgot about them as they hid among the hundred or so other plants.  

  Imagine my surprise when I found that those tiny plants were not only thriving but blooming!  Yep!  Several of the small plants were showing their appreciation for the snug shelter by setting lovely blooms!  It was a welcome sight among the normal drear of winter.

  This week, the weather seems like spring so the plants will all return to the proper "summer" spots and I shall hope for the best.  The temporary greenhouse will be deconstructed and stowed just in case it is needed next year.  The plants will be on their own for the next ten months or so.  Hopefully, the overwintering will give these roses that needed boost to flourish.  Also, hopefully, this is not a "false" spring and I will regret my moves.  

"F" is for Finn!

   I am a bit behind the times with this post but these winter storms, along with marmalade making and cutting firewood, have been keeping me quite busy.  Supposedly another storm is to swoop down this way tomorrow.  I think that one is named Indigo so we have had a few since Old Finn dropped by the Bayou..  (Also, naming these storms makes things easier.  Just like the tropical systems we usually get, having a name tagged on a storm makes it far easier to remember.)  Anyway, it was just before Finn came whipping through the Bayou that I was frantically moving stuff from the greenhouse (used as a place to display the Christmas village) to the upstairs.  The greenhouse is just an old outbuilding that I claimed and was in the process of redoing as my "Swamp Shack" when the idea hit for the village.  Mark always enjoys setting up the town so this was an ideal place for this year. But...those tiny ceramic houses would not stand a chance if Finn decided to demolish the greenhouse/Swamp Shack.  So I toted a whole town upstairs to be stowed away in the closet.  It was while I was upstairs that I noticed the "F"!  Peering out the window, at the drippiness, a perfect letter "F" caught my eye.  Was this some sort of sign that Finn was not going to play nicely?  Was Finn just announcing his arrival by flashing his initial for all to see?  What in the world was an "F" doing in the crape myrtle tree?  I had to investigate.

  After taking a photo through the window and screen. I trotted myself downstairs, out the backdoor, through the garden plot and to the crape myrtle trees.  Yep.  There was an "F" being proudly displayed on the branches but it had no mystical reason for being there.  Apparently, the visit of Ember had knocked down some oak leaves and haphazardly placed them in the branches of the crape myrtle.  There, they dangled for me to see as I peered through the upstairs window.  Nothing magical...no omen...nothing more than oak leaves that were hung by a previous storm.  My brain just sees things a bit differently than what other folks see.  Things like this are interesting enough for me to dawdle around while awaiting a storm just to get a photograph.  

Bye, Bye Greenhouse!

   Way back a few years, one of the first repair/building projects Son attempted was to turn a walk-through arbor into a greenhouse.  This was no easy task as the arbor was only 6ft wide and built on a slope. Still, he thought it could be done and, so, he did it.  He extended the width by adding more posts and cross pieces, used reclaimed windows that were given to us and some corrugated plastic roofing.  I loved my little "rough" greenhouse and so did my plants!  We all were happy campers with the time spent there together. This greenhouse also became an integral part of each annual Clue Hunt on the Bayou for the next 8 years. It was everything from a conservatory to a blacksmith shop!  Then came Hurricane Season 2020 and its incessant battering of the place.  We seemed to catch more storms that year than in any other.  One in particular lent a bashing to the greenhouse and my heart was broken.  Other things were more important at the time so the repairs were delayed until this month.  Since the roof and windows took a beating, Son decided to build a "temporary greenhouse" for the plants and a "swamp shack" for me.  A permanent roof replaced my light, airy, clear roofing and windows were reconfigured.  Goodbye, Greenhouse.  Sad...happy...all at the same time.

  While the little building is a work in progress, I did decide to put a coat of paint on the outside.  The rough planking reminded me of the old, cypress planks on Pop's shed so I tried to match the paint to what I remembered it looking like.  It is not perfect but once it weathers, it should be close.  Son still has to complete the back window and then do something with the floor but, so far, the little shack is giving me a whirlwind of ideas of how it is to be used.  One thing is for certain!!  The menfolk around here are NOT going to pile it full of their clutter!  Swamp shacks should be interesting not filled to the brim.  So long, Greenhouse.  You were perfect when first built but had seen better days.  Hello, Swamp Shack!  You and I have a lot of planning to do!

See You Next Summer!

   The Night Blooming Cereus plants have outdone themselves again this year.  For some reason, the plants really love the little care that I give them.  They flourish on neglect, obviously.  Each spring, I lug them out of the greenhouse and plop them in some shady place of the yard.  Occasionally, a bit of water is hosed on them and that is about it.  Then, over the course of the warm months, they bloom...lots.  In fact, it it has been about every two weeks that the plants reset buds and, when the time was right, the yard would smell divine with the scent of blooms.  I can only imagine the frenzy of the moths that surrounded the blooms at night.  I have to admit that I only made three viewings of the late night blooming times, this summer.  (Exhaustion is not a friend!)

  With the recent cold spell visiting us, I did my duty and lugged the heavy plants back into the greenhouse.  I figured the plants were finished blooming for the season.  Now, they can stay snug and warm for the duration of winter.  A couple of days ago, it was necessary to water the plants and you can imagine my surprise to find nine large buds on the cereus plants!  Oh, my!  Plants...you should be resting now.  

  Again, I was too sleepy to trek out to the greenhouse to see the flowers in the middle of the night but...BUT!...I headed out at 4am the next morning.  The blooms were still open at that wee hour so I did not fully miss their glorious display.  When I opened the door, the heavenly scent engulfed me and, once again, I was carried back to my grandparents' place and one of their many "Night Blooming Cereus Parties".  (Yes, that was a thing back in the day when I was a youngster.)  Those parties often found me dozing on Pop's shoulder far before the "grand viewing" but I was roused from slumber to see the giant flowers.  I stood in the greenhouse and whispered a "thank you" to Granddad for giving me my first Night Bloomer so many years ago.  And I whispered "thank you and see you next summer" to the blooms.

Dead Tree? Brick Wall?

   I am tired, folks.  It seems that as I age, the workload increases.  Of course, a lot of that workload is nothing more than decluttering but it is taking a toll on me.  For some reason, my greenhouse became a dumping ground for anything that would not fit in Mark's shed or the storeroom.  With the coming (hopefully) of cooler weather, the greenhouse came to my attention.  I need a place for all of these potted plants. When I opened the door, egad!...I could not even step inside!  Everything from old windows to lumber had been stacked inside.  There was absolutely NO place for plants.  Yep, guess who got to clear out all of that junk...me.  For the past few days, I have been lugging stuff outdoors.  Now the yard has a mountain of stuff discarded from the greenhouse.  Personally, it could all make a complete disappearance to the dump but, the menfolk have other thoughts.  Everything hauled outside was met with "That is still good."  I am thinking that THEY need to find somewhere to put it...not me.  As long as it is not in my greenhouse, I do not care.  I am over it.

  Sometimes, folks, even in the midst of chores, you just have to take a few minutes to find a bit of enjoyment.  That happened early this morning.  I had been in the greenhouse since before daylight and was fully growling by the time the sun peaked over the pines.  Sad to say but exhaustion had already set in after only two hours of work.  It was then that I heard a familiar "laugh".  With that, it was time to grab the camera and have a bit of fun.  My friend the Pileated Woodpecker had come for breakfast.

  It is rather weird that termites have killed several of the large oak trees near the pier.  The woodpecker was treating himself to a hearty breakfast of those dratted critters.  Yes, this is a male.  An easy way to tell is to look at the face of the bird.  While both birds have a red crown, the male's extends all the way to the beak.  The female's stops about midway.  Also, the male has a bright red cheek stripe which the female lacks.  

  I love the Pileated Woodpeckers and the fact that we leave enough woods intact so they have a place to nest.  My chores were put on hold for a good half hour while I watched the one bird.  He stayed nearby for most of the morning and brought a much needed smile to my face.  It almost made me giggle aloud to think of how he rapped his head against the tree...sort of like me beating my head against a brick wall to get this place cleaned.  

Thinning the "Rainforest"

  After the final threat of a freeze, I dragged all of the potted plants from the greenhouse.  Some made it to their summer place of residence which is the outdoor arbor/shelf but others only made it as far as the pathway to the backdoor of the greenhouse.  Normally, this pathway is about ten feet wide but with the plants lining the edges it is barely passable now.  In fact, Son informed me today that this "rainforest" is going to have to be thinned simply because it is a fine place for a cottonmouth to hide.  I see his point and promise to work on hauling the plants to their rightful spots, although, they seem to be perfectly happy where they are and maybe I can just use the front door of the greenhouse!

  All this hauling of plants has made me start thinking that perhaps I should do a bit of culling.  I hate it.  It saddens me to think that I should discard any living thing.  That said, I have been trying to convince my daughter that she needs more plants.  Her place is already is filled with gorgeous plants of all types but I figure she needs more.  Hopefully, my plan will work and the back pathway will become a bit safer.  I am getting too old for this!

  

Outside At Last!

   I may be sorry and have to repeat my earlier actions but the greenhouse is, once again, empty.  The poor things were getting too hot even with the windows and doors open.  They needed air...fresh air...springtime air.  So...I lugged the towering plants back outside and have started with their "springtime maintenance".  If March is too early...so be it.  I am tired of seeing the plants fighting for space, sunlight and rainwater.

  It has finally become apparent that I do need to "thin the herd" a bit and part with about 90% of the tropical plants.  While they are lovely in the garden during spring, summer and fall, it is becoming increasingly difficult for me to move them.  Some weigh in at about 60lbs and are about 6ft tall.  These are way too large for me to easily move even with the dolly.  Hopefully, Darling Daughter will take pity on me and cart off dozens of plants.  She can have a "rainforest" at her place and I will be blissful with less work.

  In the meantime, however, the Small Gardens will overcome their winter bleakness in a matter of days!  Son made the comment that I would be one of the few people who could totally live in a biodome without ever leaving.  Perhaps?  But I would miss my bayou critter friends so they would have to come live inside with me.  Biodome?   Hmmm?  Maybe?  No more lugging huge plants...thought provoking idea!

The Lemon Trees Say "It Is Spring!"

   After the fiasco of the past few days of toting the plants out of the greenhouse then back in again, I am tempted to do the same again.  Should I?  Should I trust that our warming trend is going to last?  It is far too difficult as an old lady to lug the huge pots but I do want the plants to be happy.  I have been trying to thin the "herd" by giving plants to friends and family but they are in the same quandary.  Is it spring?  Probably not but the plants have no idea.

  This morning when I stepped into the greenhouse, a lovely scent surrounded me.  While I like the scent of plants, this was captivating!  I knew exactly what was happening and it was far too early.  The lemon trees that were not set in the ground last year, were all blooming...inside the greenhouse.  This is fine and dandy except there are very few pollinators willing to stay trapped inside.  These plants need to be outside!

  For the past few years, the same thing has happened.  All of the fruit trees bloom early and then a late freeze takes most of the fruit.  Mom always called that the "Easter Freeze" and would scold Pop for planting tomatoes in the fields too early.  I take after Pop.  I get antsy just sitting around waiting for the seasons to change.  Plant!  Plant!  Plant!  Yep, I do have tomato seedlings already in tiny pots waiting for the proper time (or when I get tired of seeing them "cooped up" in the greenhouse.)  I am indeed pushing the season.  In the meantime, however, the greenhouse has never smelled so nice!  Think I shall linger there a bit longer each morning.

It Tried...So Can I

   My 4am awakening seemed unduly dark.  While that is still long before dawn and should be dark, it was almost unnervingly dark this morning.  Still, I arose, did the usual (required) stretches and exercises, made coffee and settled in with biscuits and marmalade.  Bat (the cat) and I enjoy our quiet time before the rest of the world shakes out of bed.  After doing the initial morning chores of laundry and mopping floors, our free time began!  He and I headed to the pier then back to the gardens for a while.  I gardened while the cat did cat things.  It was still dark even though by now the sun should have been up and shining.  Perhaps it was still in bed with everyone else.

  Along about midmorning, a sudden shower caught me off guard.  The compost that I was hauling had to wait for a bit to be strewn around the cabbages as Bat and I made a hasty retreat into the greenhouse!  There we sat among the assorted tropical plants and frogs!  Oh, so many frogs have found a haven in the warm, humid greenhouse.  The shower ended so it was time to continue helping the cabbages grow.  This lasted until about noon when I noticed a glint of sunshine trying to break through the clouds.  Oh, how neat that the sun appeared to be cradled in the branches of the hickory tree!  Yep, that was cause for the camera to come out regardless of the often drizzly rain.  If the sun could try, so could I.

  My day was spent trying to replenish the gardens between rains.  Bat and I spent so much time in that greenhouse that I feel I should install a coffee pot out there!  That darkness of the predawn did not brighten much throughout the day.  Then, it made a full-blown appearance again at 4pm.  That signaled quitting time.  Now it was time for a cup of tea and some cat snuggles.  All in all...a perfect day.

Alien Pods!

   Just in time for Halloween, I found aliens!  Not really but what I found gave me the idea that this would be ideal for a movie prop.  Last week, when I moved the plants into the greenhouse, I found a wasp nest.  About a dozen or so wasps had already hatched and were buzzing about the greenhouse after I agitated them enough to make them leave the nest.  Needless to say, they were NOT happy.  Also, needless to say, I vacated the greenhouse as I have had enough stings for this year.  Thirteen different stings is far too many by my standards.  

  It was that nest that caused me to stop and ponder the likeness of the wasp nymphs and movie aliens.  A closeup photograph made the empty cells of the nest appear to be some rough terrain of a different planet.   Seeing the swollen egg cases that were ready to pop out new wasps really made the idea seem plausible. When seen "up close and personal", a simple thing like a nest can take on a new perspective.  Hmmm...I guess we can just chalk it up to more strange beings on the Bayou...or my overactive imagination.

Sluggish Wasps!

  It is not often that I have to think of a warm spot for the potted plants this early.  Usually, the "prepare for pets, plants, pipes and people" warning start springing up on the weather report during late November.  Being this far south does give us a little time to prepare for things.  But, the beginning of this week saw those warnings being flipped around so I decided that the night blooming cereus plants needed some protection then one thing led to another and I wound up putting all of the plants into the greenhouse.  I figure that I may as well go ahead and just do it.  The chore is not one I relish.  Some of the plants are huge and moving them is rather arduous.  I literally had to "bearhug" those things!   But the chore is done and, for the next few months, the plants will live in the greenhouse...like it or not!  The morning that I did this was quite chilly which turned out to be a blessing in disguise!

  After I shoved the last plant into its spot, I felt a gentle bump a on my face.  Thinking that a leaf or something might have fallen, I brushed it off and thought no more about it.  Then...another!  Uh, oh!  I know quite well what was giving me those "warning bumps".  Wasps!  Sure enough, there were a dozen or so wasps flying about the greenhouse. Did I unknowingly lug a wasp nest into the greenhouse with the plants?  I had noticed dozens of treefrogs and lizards but wasps?  

  Sure enough, there was a nice sized wasp nest up under one of the leaves of the rubber tree plant.  I had bearhugged that sucker all the way into the greenhouse without a sting!  The cool morning air had the wasps sluggish but, once inside, they began to warm up and not appreciate the rough move.  Needless to say, I vacated the greenhouse and left the door open.  Later, the critters were gone and I was able to find and dispose of the nest.  Whew!  It sure made me thankful for the cool weather!

Rooftop Bat

   It always frets me when the "Neighborhood Watch Clan of the Critter World" sets up a clamor.  This means that something is amiss on the Bayou.  This neighborhood watch program consists of mainly blue jays in the beginning but then they are joined by just about every other bird in the county, so it seems.  The cacophony is almost deafening but usually that is a good thing because any predator hates to be noticed.  The ruckus, alone, can often be enough to deter a potential problem.  Usually...but not always.

  Early this morning, I heard the jays starting to call and soon a panic was set forth among all birds.  Since I was heading out to pick yet more figs, I decided to investigate just what was upsetting the birds.  Well, it seems that the whole center of attention was near the fig trees!  I pondered if a snake had crawled up under the trees.  That would be a bit iffy for me as the sun was just rising and a snake would be difficult to see among the shadows under the trees.  Standing still to get a better idea of just where the birds were focusing, it soon came apparent that the greenhouse roof was where the culprit was.  Hmmm?  I eased my way around to that side of the trees.  Yep!  There it was!

  Up on the rooftop, Bat, the Bayou Cat, was lounging about like everything was right with the world.  He was paying no attention to the thirty or so birds that were yelling at him.  In fact, I think the cat was sleeping!  I called to him..."Bat-Bat, what are you doing up there?"  He lazily rolled back his head and blinked as if to say "Woman!  Why are you disturbing my sleep?"  

  I suppose I should be appreciative of the cat being on the rooftop near the fig trees.  At least, the birds were in an uproar about his presence and were leaving the figs for me to pick!  Good cat!  In fact, I have noticed that lately under the fig trees, atop the greenhouse and in the vegetable garden are his choices of lounging areas.  I am all for it.  Bat makes a great watch-cat!

Too Much Like Pop

  The drear has returned.  The morning started with heavy clouds and a light drizzly rain.  It was just enough to make hiking miserable so instead of my usual rounds, I headed to the greenhouse.  I had to tidy that up a bit so I could find a place for the few trays of tiny tomato and pepper plants.  I made the mistake of planting early.  Mom always warned Pop of the "Easter freeze" but he never listened either.  Growing up on the farm it was not uncommon to see us scrambling to cover the new plants in the field.  I should have learned.  At least, I have the greenhouse with 24 tomatoes and just as many peppers whereas Pop had hundreds of each set in the fields.

  This morning, the sunrise didn't happen and all I could find of interest was a lone mottled duck sitting on the pier.  This confused me a bit because these usually are in pairs.  It made me wonder if the female was already laying eggs somewhere nearby.  Perhaps the ducks were not prepared for the "Easter freeze" either.  They were probably just as confused by the 80 degree days lately.  Time for spring!

  Hopefully, this cold spell will not hurt the fruit trees that are in full bloom nor the spring flowers that are shooting out buds.  Also, hopefully, this IS our "Easter freeze" and there will not be another come next month.  For that...we shall have to wait and see and, for that...I may be scrambling to cover plants in the garden and not just moving trays of seedlings.  I will never learn.  I am too much like Pop.

The Making of a Garden Cat

   Since I have been pretty much the only "mother" that this rescue cat has ever known, he treats me as if he is my true kid...a toddler but a kid nonetheless.  He follows me just about everywhere I go.  My hikes will never be the same with an inquisitive cat on the trail.  Critters are not keen on "posing" for photographs while there is a potential predator nearby.  I do not blame them.  This cat is proving to be quite the hunter!  So far, he has only been interested in shrews, mice and rats and is highly praised if he presents one to me, whereas, if he shows any bit of stalking birds, he is reprimanded.  I know it will happen but, hopefully, the birds will take flight before he gets too near.  That said, the cat does show a high interest in protecting the gardens and greenhouse from the aforementioned critters.  Bat is becoming quite the garden cat!

  One of his favorite places (also mine) is the greenhouse.  This time of year, the greenhouse provides a bit of warmth and, also, blocks the cold winds.  Bat and I can be found there in the early morning hours after our trip to the pier.  I putter among the plants and he stalks anything that wiggles.  This morning, he was highly interested in a tunnel under the prayer plant.  His sniffing did not provide any results so he decided it was time to play a game of "Hide and Seek".  As I moved plants in more favorable spots, he pounced in and among the pots. 

  While I have been criticized for allowing Bat to be a mostly outdoor cat, I feel it is necessary.  Here, he has about 20 acres of family owned land to explore and keep rodent free.  I have always said that any critter that calls the place home has to earn his keep.  We have only had two pets that were more lackadaisical in that area and both were elderly when they arrived.  The others quickly came to understand that "everyone works".  Bat is off to a good start.  If he just keeps the gardens and greenhouse pest free, I will be one "proud mama".

Greenhouses Are Happy Places!

   Just as I was rising at 4am, the rains started.  I knew it was to be a drippy day but had high hopes of getting in a short hike before the weather turned dreary.  Nope, the coffee pot had not even finished its job before the winds started getting stronger and the raindrops started pelting the rooftop.  Well, that was that.  I sat sipping the coffee and munching a toast with homemade plum jam.  I might as well make the day as bright as I can and a breakfast of that sort never goes wrong.

  Along about 9am, I had enough of being confined indoors.  It was time to venture out even with the grumbling of distant storms.  I knew exactly where to go...the greenhouse!  The sun was peeping from behind the clouds, the greenhouse was warm and snug and the plants always welcome visitors.  Ahh, peace!  The solitude of the greenhouse is the perfect place to soothe the soul on a Sunday morning.  Among the plants, there is very little strife.  I am not a "people" person so any other option was out the window.  

  In the greenhouse not only did I find serenity, I found tomato blossoms!  A few weeks ago, I noticed a few tiny, volunteer tomatoes sprouting in among the cauliflower.  Well, that would never do!  It is winter (or supposed to be) and tomatoes are a summer crop.  They were promptly dug from the garden and placed in large pots.  Once this temporary greenhouse was complete, those pots were set inside.  Now the waiting game began.  Would they even survive?  Would they set blooms?  Would I get January tomatoes?  Well, two out of three is not bad.  We shall have to continue the wait on the actual fruit, however.  What a delightful surprise on a rainy day!  Greenhouses are happy places!

The Return Of The Greenhouse...Somewhat

   Well, the greenhouse is now probably more of a shed.  Since Hurricane Zeta decided that a roof nor windows were needed, it had to have a complete makeover.  Instead of greenhouse roofing, which obviously does not withstand hurricane force winds, I have a regular roof.  Son and I went to the lumberyard, purchased some rolled roofing and he installed it today.  It is so nice to not have a leaky roof!!!  Now, to get to work on replacing the windows.  At least, there is no more deteriorating plastic tarping as an eyesore.  Hurricanes are no fun when it comes to cleanup.

  The greenhouse (as is) will at least suffice as a snug winter home for the potted plants.  It probably will not do well for starting seeds as the lighting will be almost nil.  I suppose the installation of growlights might remedy that problem but getting an early start on seedlings is not of high priority any longer.  I mainly need a place to overwinter plants.

  I will miss my sweet little "hideaway" in the two photos above, however.  I so enjoyed working in the greenhouse and being in the bright, sunny room.  Now, it will feel more as if I am stuck inside of a shed.  Perhaps, I can get creative with paint on the inside to make it a bit more appealing.  Other than being elated to have a nice roof and getting the greenhouse back in order, it will be nice to have this repaired for any future Clue Hunts on the Bayou.  It has been transformed into anything from a medieval forge to a conservatory to a swamp witch shanty.  It is back!