Every once in a great while, I am in the right place at exactly the right time. It is almost as if I was destined in life to rescue those in need. I happily oblige as I would hope that, if ever the need arises, I will be rescued myself. Helping out is something I was taught. It mattered not if it was a person or critter....if in need, you helped. I still do as I hold strong to the values instilled in me so long ago. It seems as if some of those values have been tossed to the wayside with the current situations going on in this old world so it be best to, at least, do my part.
Early this afternoon, Son was toting the old dog down the hillside for me as I wandered about a bit. The dog's care is a full time job now so any opportunity to get a breath of fresh air is very welcomed. It was during my wandering that I came across my critter in need. A tiny Little Brown Skink had just hatched and was still shiny wet and moving slow. It needed the warm sunshine to help it gain strength so it could find its first meal. As I was admiring the iridescence of its freshly hatched skin, a slight movement made me realize the baby was in extreme danger! Oh, my! Ms. Nycto (the wannabe mighty hunter Bayou Princess) had spied the baby and was quite interested. The cat was in "hunt" mode with tail a-swishing! Nope! Not happening while I am around! I shooed the cat who was none too pleased. She skulked behind the azalea bush hoping I would leave. Well, I could not just abandon that sweet little one so I gently put my hand next to it fully expecting it to scurry beneath the leaves. Instead, the tiny lizard climbed up on my hand! Alrighty, then!
For the next half hour, the newborn skink basked in the warmth of my hand and the sunshine without a care in the world! It was safe from Ms. Nycto and any other predator. After it started moving a bit better, I gently held it next to a potted plant just inches away from where I first found it. The tiny lizard gratefully, inched its way off my hand and into its new abode! Happy hunting, Little One! Happy life!
Some folks find it exceedingly strange that I care so much about the critters here on the Bayou. I find it exceedingly strange that they do not care about critters. The critters (regardless of species) are my friends. I have often made the claim that I have more critter friends than people friends. I prefer it that way. There is no reason to be otherwise.
Just recently, the tropical storm brought drama to the Bayou. Not in the ordinary sense of damaging winds but rather to my critter friends. A mama skink had laid her clutch of eggs under a board that was a bit too close to the marsh edge. I fretted more over her wellbeing than my own. She was a stoic and stayed with her eggs until she could no longer. When flood waters filled her nest and killed many of her already hatched little ones, she abandoned the nest. Seeing the submerged eggs brought out the mother instinct in me and I scooped up the remaining eggs to move to the greenhouse. Two little ones hatched during the transport but the eggs sat dormant and cold for days. I had made up my mind to bury the eggs and move on with other things. This morning with that intention, I went to the greenhouse. I lifted the moss covering the eggs only to find that all but two had hatched! The remaining two were also in the process! I was elated! My little family of lizards had survived against all odds!
Yes, I do realize that the baby lizards will never understand the circumstances that surrounded their coming into this world and I do realize that they will never recognize me as the person who helped them out of their hard time but, still, I love each tiny one. I did not do it for any other reason than I cared. This, my friends, is what a bond is all about. Regardless of the fact that the skinks will never understand nor appreciate what I did, I would do it all again. My friends were in need....I was there. Lending a helping hand is never a bad thing and if folks cannot understand that, it is their loss.
Just a couple of things here, Folks. First, for any of you following the story of the skink family, it ended in tragedy. My early morning check gave me hope that the little family would survive the onslaught of bad weather brought on by Tropical Storm Cindy. Nine of the eggs had hatched and were doing well. One little one had perished. Mama Skink seemed happy and was trying her best to care for her family in spite of the danger that came with the storm. This first check found the tide waters still at least a foot away from the nest under the board. When I went down after the next torrential thunderstorm, tragedy had struck. Mama and two babies had abandoned the nest but all the rest of the little skinks had perished. The ground was just too saturated. Rainwater had flooded the entire area. The nest filled with water and the little ones drowned. With a heavy heart, I hastily gathered the remaining sixteen eggs and headed up the hill. The eggs were cold but I could not just leave them. Halfway up the hillside, I felt something wiggle in my hand. Two tiny skinks were working their way out of the eggs. I JUST HATCHED TWO BABY SKINKS! Even under a light and in a nice bed of moss, the other eggs did not hatch. This morning, however, the two little ones were bright, happy and trying to catch some little moths that were attracted by the light. My little ones seemed to be ok. (Sorry about the picture below. It is difficult to take clear photographs in the middle of a gale!)
Next, regardless of the torrential rains and high winds that ravaged the Bayou, a splotch of purple led me to the garden. The Stoke's Asters were in full bloom! Their bright blossoms waved in the winds and dripped beads of water but were still gorgeous! I needed that bright spot in all of the gloom that surrounded me. Somehow, there is always a silver lining that gives hope. Not that Tropical Storm Cindy was a bad storm but the days on end of nonstop rain had started to take its toll on my emotions. The asters brought a smile.
Then, in the midst of all the drippiness, the clothes dryer went kaput. It had been going nonstop for at least three days when suddenly it gave up the ghost. Try as they might, Mark and Son could not repair the thing. That is when I realized just how important it is to save things. Most folks would have tossed the old clothes rack years ago but I knew that it would come in handy some day. It did. Towels were hung to dry in front of the open door. The gale winds flapped the towels and I was able to do laundry without the so called conveniences. Folks who live down here and who experience storms on a regular basis understand the value in items such as this. When there is a need, we have something to fill that need. Sometimes it pays to use a little logic and be prepared for whatever may come. Just saying....
All in all, the storm turned out to be eventful. We had babies, found blooms, salvaged a damaged pier, endured nigh on twelve inches of rain, ate far too much and realized just how fortunate we really are. Life is good.
