Teamwork!

Teamwork! We have an inside joke here on the Bayou about just that! Around here whenever anyone mentions the word "Teamwork" someone will invariably reply..."Oh! Joanna invented that!" Most outsiders (those outside the realm of the joke) get a most confused look on their face as they try to decipher just who Joanna is and how in the world she invented teamwork. To clarify..Joanna is my sweet daughter-in-law and the whole story came about at one of our baking splurges several years ago. Joanna and my daughter, Elizabeth were cutting out cookies to be baked. After several hours of kitchen work, they were beginning to tire and get a bit silly. Their Christmas cookies started taking on unusual shapes as they started manipulating the shapes to become the characters from the story "The Chronicles of Narnia". When someone asked "How did you do that?" Elizabeth shot back..."Teamwork!" Followed by Joanna's "I invented that!" So hence if the word "Teamwork" is mentioned.."Joanna invented that!" is sure to follow! Just another little quirky thing that makes this family function so well..a good sense of humor.

This teamwork thing was what popped into my mind as I watched an unlikely pair on the Bayou. The north wind had the tide so far out that there was very little water in the Bayou at all. It was more like just a stream. I could hear a lot of splashing in the six or so inches of water and wondered just what was making all the ruckus. I slipped down to the marsh edge to see a duo fishing. A beautiful egret skirted the edge while out midstream was a pelican. The egret would dash ahead on the mudflats making the fish rush toward the deeper water. The pelican would flap his wings enough to stir up the waters. He would never actually get airborne but would rather scoot across the water. The attack of both birds caused mass confusion with the fish and would send them helter skelter. Some would literally flip themselves out of the water and up on the mudflats while some would simply cluster together in thick wads. The pelican would light down and start scooping up the fish in the schools while the egret easily picked up the fish that would run aground. Teamwork! These two seemed to be working together with their angling. The pelican and egret had worked out a system of confusing the fish. Both birds were able to have their fill of fish just by using each others talents.

I sat and watched the birds at work for some time and marveled at the fact that two different species of birds were working together so closely. They both seemed to be attuned to each others needs and had worked out a system that was best for the both of them. The gracefulness of the long-legged egret and the sheer power of the pelican combined to be team. Teamwork! Sweet Joanna would be proud of these two!