You Do What You Have To Do

  Early morn found me on the pier as usual.  Here lately, I have had to tread carefully when walking the planks as the heavy frost makes things quite perilous.  Slipping into the icy water would not be a happy thing so I tend to slip off the shoes and go in just the socks.  Although the feet get cold, at least the socks keep me from slipping.  Once the bench is reached, the shoes are donned once again and all is well until the return trip.  This morning, the old dog, Mr. PJ, did not make the trek with me.  I figured his paws would get a mite cold so I left him inside next to the wood stove.  While on the pier, I watched as a small rail hunted for her breakfast.  She waded in the ice-cold water in search of tiny shrimp or minnows.  Watching her made me realize that I had it pretty good.  I had my coffee and breakfast inside the Little Bayou House where it was nice and cozy.  The poor little rail (like all other wild animals) have to brave the elements.  Cold, drizzly days must be miserable for them but they carry on and do what it takes to survive.

  As I sat there pondering the little rail and her search for food, I marveled at the fact that she did not seem cold.  Here I was shivering and she waded about as if nothing was different than a few days ago when it was warm.  What keeps that little one's feet and legs from freezing?  Well, it seems that it has something to do with the placement of the veins and arteries in their extremities.  These lie next to each other so the veins carrying the chilled blood back to the body picks up heat from the arteries that are carrying warm blood from the heart.  It sort of evens things a bit.  Waterfowl also have the ability to constrict the veins in their legs and feet so that the blood flow is restricted.  This reduces the heat loss a good bit.  Weird but true.  My feet being dry were probably a lot colder than the rail's as she stood in the water.

  Cold feet?  Yep, off came the shoes and I ever so carefully made my way back up the frosty boards.  Then...shoes back on...mad dash to the house...feet propped up next to the old stove to warm.  Another cup of coffee and I had to head back outside to cut a load of firewood.  I guess I am a lot like that little bird...you do what you have to do.