Having Coffee With The Moon

   I had to laugh first thing upon waking this morning.  This past weekend, the nineteen clocks in the living room were turned forward an hour just as we are told to do.  My brain did tell me to do that.  It did not tell me that it was going to "spring forward" as I set the clocks.  I work on my time and, even though I repair antique clocks, I did not "change time".  In fact, I awoke an hour earlier than I did last week!  Yep, 3am rolled around and I was brewing that first pot of coffee.  Cinnamon rolls made yesterday and piping hot coffee never tasted so good!

  Since no one else in the house was up at this hour, I figured I had better vacate the place as to not wake them.  My coffee and I headed to the Small Gardens to sit in the cool air.  As soon as I opened the front door, I was taken aback by the big, ole moon staring at me!  After a night of thunderstorms, the sky was clear and the moon was bright.  I just had to take a picture!

  My trusty, 15 year old camera did well focusing on the moon through the branches of the old oak tree.  When you can use old technology to photograph the moon and see craters, I figure you must be doing something right.  Son is right...it does not take much to entertain me...or maybe it does.  That moon is a pretty spectacular thing.  So is rising at the right time.  And that camera is special!  Let's not forget coffee...coffee is pretty spectacular, too!  Maybe just life in general is spectacular.

Lots Of Snaky Encounters!

   A few years back, there was a humongous gray rat snake that lived pretty much in the rose arbors.  She would travel down the jasmine covered fence lines from arbor to arbor.  Yes, she often did eat some of the song birds that nested there but did, also, do a great job of keeping the place free of unwanted rodents.  It was not unusual to find her in the vegetable garden or hiding beneath the front steps.  The snake was every bit of seven feet long and as big around as my arm.  She was also one of the most docile snakes I have ever had the pleasure of meeting allowing me to pet her or even hold her.  Never once did she take a nip at me.  Then, last fall, she climbed the old gum tree where she went in a hollow for brumation.  My sweet friend never returned.  I am assuming age finally caught up with her.  It saddens me to not have her in the Small Gardens as I truly felt like she was a friend.

  Late last spring, however, we seemed to have an unusual number of baby rat snakes about the place.  While I cannot say that these are from the rose arbor snake, it is sort of comforting (in an odd way) to think they may be.  Jumping forward to this week, a good many of those (baby) rat snakes are highly active in Small Gardens.  The juvenile snakes are adept hunters even at their three feet in length.  I have found eight in the past two weeks...all different snakes.  Most are docile like my sweet friend with only one trying to defend itself against my "snake removal" attempts.  Though the snakes are welcome to reside in the gardens, I do try to bungle their attempts at raiding the birds' nests.  Once the little ones have fledged, the snakes will be allowed to return and do their snaky jobs.  

Hornets, Whales and Bonsai Crepe Myrtles!

   It seems that 2020 has been a topsy-turvy sort of year and we are not finished with it yet.  What else is to come?   Any day now, I half expect to see Godzilla come sloshing up out of the Bayou.  Trust me...that would be no surprise after what this year has thrown at us.  In fact, I was reading a few oddities that have occurred and I am still astounded.  Have you heard about the whale in the rain forest?  Come now.  Does that seem normal?  Viruses, hornets...bah!  But a whale in the rain forest?  Seriously?  Yep, seriously.  It was all over the news about the dreaded Murder Hornets but I am more concerned about that whale!

  Now my oddity is nothing compared to the earth-shaking things the media is trying to shove down our throats but, when you have been confined to the Small Gardens for more than a month, things are exciting.  My garden "claim to fame" is...wait for it...a crepe myrtle tree!  Yay!!!  Oooh!  Ahhh!  Ok, enough of that.  But, indeed, I was totally engrossed by such a tree this morning and spent a good ten minutes weeding around it.  You see, I have never seen a baby crepe myrtle tree bloom!  Yep, THAT is something that should be news worthy!  "Breaking news!  Climate changes have started creating miniature versions of trees that are blooming all across the South!  We are thinking these trees are harbingers of bad times to come as the trees will spread like wildfire!  They will kill off all food supplies and, worse yet, will steal toilet tissue causing massive shortages!"  Sound about right?  Yeah, well, this is exactly why I do not have a TV in the house.  

  But I do have four inch tall crepe myrtle trees blooming in the front yard.They are like cute, little wild bonsai trees!   Obviously, I neglected to cut back the spent blooms of the large trees last year and the seeds were viable.  Tiny crepe myrtle trees are everywhere and all are blooming!  They are so adorable! 

  Well, that is my all important news flash for today.  Other than that, all is quiet on the Bayou.  We are at peace here.  I do, however, have so many questions about that whale.  Why?  How?  What on earth was it thinking to go there?? What was it seeking?  Did a bird drop it?  If so, I want to see that bird!  Which opens another can of worms!  

On His Own

   Well, it was bound to happen and now it has.  It is time to buck up to the times and get on with life.  Well, at least, the little bird needs to go about his business of being a bird.  The little cardinal that was coming to the feeders with Mom and Dad Cardinal has now been officially booted from the nest.  He is on his own and will have to start "adulting" if he is going to make it.  Mom and Dad are not going to be there for handouts any longer.  The little fellow was taught where to find food and water and how to find shelter.  It is up to him.

  In the avian world, life can be tough on little ones.  Once the parent birds have taught their brood the basics of survival, they literally give them the boot.  In fact, this being a young male, he will most likely be chased from the territory eventually.  Right now, he is chased from the feeders if the adults wish to eat.  Life is not easy for fledglings that are accustomed to being fed or, at least, led to food.  Once parent birds are ready to nest again, the fledglings are out!

  This little one has learned its lessons well.  He comes to the birdseed and, more oft than not, feeds below the plants.  He knows that the local hawk could easily swoop down and grasp him.  Hopefully, that will not be the case and this little cutie can grow to be a handsome red fellow like his dad!  Good luck, Little One!

Stepping In It!

   Whenever I take a break from working, I sit in the shady gardens to cool myself.  If you sit and watch the doings of nature as much as I do, you are bound to ponder things.  I ponder things.  I think a lot while working but pondering comes during rest.  Then, I have time to delve into thoughts that are stored back in among the cobwebs of my brain.  That stash contains everything taught to me by those who took the time and effort to make sure knowledge was secured within reach if I ever needed it.  I appreciate their work.  Now, frequently, I search the nooks and crannies of the brain and filch out things of great importance...at least, important to me.

  For instance, today, I pondered the butterflies.  It seems we have more butterflies this year than ever before.  Hundreds flit around the hillside every day.  A ton relish the shade provided by the woods, others love the marsh but the zinnia garden seems to be a favorite gathering spot for many.  So, I pulled the wicker chairs next to the zinnias so I could have a front-row seat for the "Dance of the Butterflies". 

While watching, a thought occurred to me.  How do butterflies know what flower has tasty nectar?  And how do they choose what host plant will have delightfully delicious leaves for their caterpillars?  I should know this!!  I do know this!!  Time to dust off the information hidden behind the cobwebs.  I searched the dark corners of the brain and found my answer.  Somewhere, I had heard that butterflies can taste with their feet!  It makes sense if you watch the critters.  They always do a taste test before sipping the nectar.  Then, I queried...Is this actually true?  Or did I have false data stored?  Time to check.  Yep!  Butterflies taste with those feet according to what I could find.  I am sure glad that is settled.  See, pondering is good.

Easy to see...

  Sometimes to those not familiar with bayou life, things can be a bit hazy as to why I love it here.  Trying to explain that I do not feel the need to have the cushy life of others is like talking to the side of a barn.  It is apparent that not many folks have the keen interest in the area that I do.  So be it.  As I have often said, I prefer the critter friends to human ones anyway.  They do not judge me for who I am.  

  Two of my critter friends came to see me early this morning.  It is getting to be a regular thing to throw the net merely to feed the birds.  This morning's breakfast of menhaden was served to two egrets...a Snowy Egret and a Great Egret.  Just as a note here, all egrets are herons but not all herons are egrets.  They just all live as one big, happy family of herons with different feathers.  The two egrets this morning were both white but were vastly different.  This difference is easy to see when you know what to look for in the description of the birds.  The Snowy is much smaller.  It has a black bill and bright yellow feet!  A Great Egret is nearly twice the size of the Snowy.  It has a bright yellow bill and black feet!  Their bills and feet are just the opposite colors! Easy-peasy way of identifying these two beautiful birds!

  It is things like this that make life here interesting.  I have the privilege of seeing these things first hand and on a daily basis.  I do not have to be content just being confined within  four walls.  THAT...is not what I call living.  Sorry, folks.  You can have all the money in the world and still not have a life.  Or...you can be content where you are and be at peace with the world.  I choose the latter.

A Battle For Life

  Sometimes life on the Bayou is not easy.  The critters here are in a constant battle for survival and it truly is the fittest that wins.  The stronger, braver and more cunning a critter is, the more it will get to eat.  It is evident that the weak will not survive long and if they do, it will be a struggle.

  This morning, I headed out the back door to do a bit of yard work.  Armed with a weed-trimmer, mower and snips, I was ready to tackle this rain-forest we used to call a yard.  Ducking under the peach tree, I plugged the trimmer cord into the outlet only to find that I had a large critter crawling up my arm.  Silly mantis!  I am not prey!  Gingerly, I set him on the workbench so I could continue my chores.  It did not take long before I realized that the chores would be postponed for a bit.  I had inadvertently set the praying mantis on the same board as a katydid.  The battle for life ensued and things did not bode well for the katydid.  A praying mantis is a formidable predator with a voracious appetite and the katydid looked mighty fine as a meal.  

  It became apparent that the katydid immediately realized that it was in extreme danger even though the two critters were not too much different in size.  Instead of fleeing, however, the katydid froze.  Normally, this defense would be somewhat effective if the katydid was on a plant and its natural camouflage could hide it but in the openness of the workbench, freezing just gave the mantis more of an opportunity to stalk the katydid.  At first, the mantis swayed back and forth in a gentle motion.  Then, it eased forward a bit.  The katydid stayed motionless.  Again, the mantis eased forward but slipped off the edge of the board to become almost hidden from view.  The mantis was sneaking up on the katydid!!!  Closer, closer...ever closer but so very slowly did the mantis creep. 

  Then, up on top of the board again and face to face with the katydid!  The mantis was about to dine upon the katydid!  As the mantis made its final lunge at the katydid, everything changed.  The katydid did a flying leap off of the workbench and into the grass below!  At first the mantis seemed confused that it did not have the other critter in a death grip!  However, it did not take long before the mantis spied the katydid just a few feet below and it, too, jumped off of the bench to the ground.  The chase was still on but this time, the katydid was more active about escaping.  The freeze method had not worked and almost made the katydid lose its life so now it was scrambling toward cover.

  This time, the praying mantis did not win.  The katydid escaped into the marigolds and the praying mantis slowly eased its way under the fig leaves for a wren family had made its way to the garden to hunt for breakfast.  Either of the insects would have been a prime target for the wrens.  Me?  I was late getting started with that yard work and had to hustle!  Too much time was spent dawdling as I watched the struggle for life.  Time to work! The battle between critters would just have to take place without me!

This is why.....

  First, just a bit of explanation about this blog since it has been a while since I started...well, since my oldest son started it.  He was about to be shipped overseas again and knew that our communication would be scarce if at all.  Also, at this time, Darling Daughter was away from home.  The blog was created as a means to keep them informed of the happenings of the Bayou.  Their childhood home had memories galore and those memories needed to be shared between them.  Then along came a few folks who obviously enjoyed a sort of weird take on my daily doings and readership went beyond the kiddos.  (A few years back, Blogger did something strange and I lost all of my "followers" but, along the way, readership gained.  I do not get paid for the blog which is why it is ad free.  I prefer it that way.  There is no reason to shove ads down the throat of anyone stopping in for a visit.  I would not do that if you were sitting in the rocker, looking out over the Bayou while enjoying a glass of sweet tea so why should I expect you to love ads while reading of the place.

  The Bayou is a unique sort of place to live.  The life here is not for everyone.  Sometimes it is hard but mostly it is paradise.  The hardest part is the occasional hurricane that will roll in to mess up the place a bit but storms are dealt with and all is good.  It is the same with the moccasins, alligators and myriad of biting bugs that I encounter on a daily basis. These are just everyday things and usually do not require a second thought except when they are up close and personal!  Speaking of which, the huge gator came to visit this morning.  Just about daybreak, the old dog and I made our way to the pier.  He followed the strict command to "stay" at the shore end while I ventured a wee bit further.  Once there, I spied the monster gator lurking just east of the pier.  The critter was making his way further up into the Bayou presumably after a night out stalking some prey.  My surveillance of the gator was short lived as the old dog was getting restless.  

 This is why.  This is why with Mr. PJ being wobbly and weak, I refuse to let him go on the pier.  That gator could have been at the pier in less than a minute.  For the dog's protection, it is best he stay far from the reach of any gators!  Well, this and the fact that if he did fall into the water, I would never get the 70 lb dog back up on the pier and he would have to hobble all the way back to shore through the snake infested marsh.   So, for a while anyway, the dog will stay back on shore if I need to head to the pier for anything.  It is just far safer for him.

  So, if you are visiting the blog, make yourself a glass of sweet tea and sit back and enjoy the ad-free zone!  I am not here to push anything on you, nor trying to criticize anyone.  This is just my way of sharing the Bayou Life with family and friends (and that includes you).  

The Endless Beauty

  Sometimes you just have to stop whatever you are doing at the moment and marvel at the wonders of nature.  Although, humans claim to "create" great things of beauty, we can never compete with what is there naturally.  We gather inspiration from Mother Nature and then attempt to copy but can never....ever...rival her.  She has this beauty thing down pat and our feeble attempts fail massively no matter how hard we try. This evening while on the pier, I had to do just that.  I stopped and was left in awe of the splendor of the light show that was called a sunset.  It was simply breathtaking.  The sky was ablaze and I sat enthralled by the sheer power that created this old world.  

  As I sat staring at the western horizon, I thought of how blessed I am to live on this Bayou.  Here I was being treated to the spectacular show of lights, having a wonderful time visiting with a friend all the while catching our supper.  Not many folks can do that.  Not many folks care to do that.  While others are in glued to their TVs or computers, I am having the time of my life.  Yes, I realize it is not for everyone but living on the Bayou is definitely suitable for me!  I would not trade this for the world!

As Good As It Gets

  Occasionally, someone will ask just why I live like I do.  "How can you stay on the Bayou everyday and not go places?" is one of the questions that is thrown my way on a regular basis. Folks obviously think living here is a bad thing.  Perhaps it is to others but it suits me just fine.  People question my lack of "modern conveniences" like air conditioning and central heat units.  They question my raising a garden and catching most of our food.  They question everything from my clothes, my craft clutter, my antique furniture, the dusty books on the shelves and my habit of adopting any stray animal that comes to the Bayou.  Personally, I do not care.  It is none of their business how I live my life.  I do not pretend to fret over their lives and I wish they would just ignore mine.  It does make me ponder, though, just how empty others lives must be if they have to "fix" mine with their suggestions, hints or their unsought advice.

  To my way of thinking, I live in a small piece of paradise.  I awake to the most beautiful music of birds singing, I tend the garden and get to watch the miracle of life spring from the soil, and I am lulled to sleep by the sound of waves gently rustling in the marsh and frogs serenading me from the pond.  I fish when I want, eat healthy, homegrown foods and have the liberty to create pieces of art when the whim strikes me. Instead of exhaust fumes from cars and factories, I breathe the aromas of jasmine, wisteria and magnolias.  I am not stressed by media overkill of every happening of a world that I cannot control.  In other words, I am happy just how things are.  For those who cannot understand the Bayou life, I have just a few words.  You have not found peace in your own life if you have to give unsolicited advice to others in how to change theirs.  

  Yesterday morning, I was sitting in the garden reflecting on just how amazingly wonderful things are.  Blessings abound to those who can see them.  I am where I want to be. I have found my peaceful place.  Have you?