The Houseboat or Boathouse!

The newest residents on the hill near the Bayou have a given a new meaning to the term "houseboat" or the term "boathouse"! Whichever! Their house is a boat..an old discarded boat. For the past year, this boat has been a source of aggravation to me..an eyesore and a snake hazard. Suddenly, it has taken on a new life or rather a new life is living in this old heap. I am not exactly sure just who our new neighbors are, but I have a sneaky suspicion that it might be a family of armadillos. Any number of burrowing animals could have dug the doorways (there is a front and back door) and taken up residence under the old boat. One thing that makes me believe it is a family of armadillos is that I have yet to find any "fur" snagged on the rough edges of the boat. Another clue steering me to this decision comes from the many small holes that are being dug in the mulch pathways around the yard. Armadillos dig for bugs and worms as a mainstay for their diets. They have very sharp claws that would make all of the small holes. I will say that I think the animals that are living there are quite smart! As with any new home, it is all about location and this is the perfect area for a family of armadillos. The old boat gives ideal shelter from the weather, the two doors provide excellent escape routes for emergencies and the massive oaks furnish cooling shade. Plus! There are plenty of bugs and worms for their dinner. Most folks would readily rid their yards of the armadillos, but as long as they stay down under this boat and do not cause too much trouble, they can stay. As armadillos are nocturnal, I will try to sit out some night just to confirm my suspicions. Or, perhaps, I can convince my son to pry up the boat a bit on one end so I can peer under it! Hmmmm??? Maybe!

Speaking of mulch pathways, I have a veritable mountain of mulch! In the early spring, I bought a load of mulch and spread it everywhere. I put it under the roses, around the lilies and between the blackberries. It looked so nice that I wished for many, many loads of mulch! Oh, the landscaping possibilities of much mulch! (My son did not wish for many, many loads of mulch!) Well, there is an old saying that warns to be careful what you wish for because it just might come true. It did! Mountains of mulch! Many, many mountains of mulch! There are work crews clearing the sides of the road near here. They trim, shred and carry off tons of mulch everyday. Needing a place to dump this massive mess of mulch, they approached me. Sure! Dump away! I like mulch! My son just looked at me..I knew what he was thinking. Surely there could not be that much mulch. Could there be..would there be?? No way! Haul it in..I am ready! Hmmm..ok, so now I have mountains of mulch in my backyard waiting to be spread about. We made mulch pathways, mulch edgings, mulch berms and mulch terraces, but we still have mountains of mulch. And...the Mulch Man Cometh.. again and again and again.