One Good Shot

   The camera is still on the blink and I am too old to learn new tricks like using the phone to take photographs.  A phone is a phone.  It is meant as a means to talk with people...not take photos...not play games...not send messages...not do anything other than talk with people.  The camera, on the other hand, is meant as a means to record pictures.  I am old-school, hardheaded and too old and tired to be anything else.  That said, my old trusty camera is as cantankerous as I am.  It usually only grants me one photograph per day before going into "hibernation" again.  It is a fickle thing.

  While on the pier, I noticed a lovely Great Egret perched atop a dead pine tree in my brother's yard.  The morning sun was at the right angle to make the bird gleam against the bright blue sky.  How much more photo perfect could it get?  The bird appeared to be posing for me.  Oh, camera, give me just one good photograph today!  Please!  So, I snapped a picture.  The camera worked!!!  Woo hoo!!! So, I tried again!  It worked!!! Wow!  Pressing my luck, I tried for a third!  Snap!  Yes!  I was elated.  Then the camera made that tired sound that it always makes before retiring for the day.  That was it.  Photo time was up.

  The bird continued to look gorgeous, the sunrise was pleasing and I had my pictures. It was going to be a grand day, I could tell.  I kept smiling as I walked up the hill to the Small Gardens.  It was time to dig the rows for my winter garden. Life is good.

Zinnia Test!

   For the past few weeks, I have been camera-less.  The old thing finally bit the dust and refused to take nary a photograph.  For someone who has been known to take over a hundred photos in a single day, this was devastating, to say the least.  I felt lost.  So much beauty was slipping away without me recording it.  I was saddened beyond belief and was left feeling an certain emptiness.  It has long been a goal of mine to record any and all doings here on the Bayou from the tiniest bloom to the largest alligator and without the use of a camera, I was beginning to feel mightily like a failure, even though to some, it was a silly goal.  

  Since the type camera I had is no longer made (that tells you how old it was), Son has been trying to repair my old trusty one.  He has met some obstacles such as "no replacement parts available" and "part requested is unknown".  But!  All is not lost as this was not the only camera in my possession.  In fact, over the years, I have acquired three of the exact same camera albeit two were used ones when purchased.  This was not the most exciting news since all three had met their demise but, then again, it was thrilling news.  It seems that each had died a different death!  Parts galore!  Now, Son is attempting to "create" a working camera by a compilation of parts from the three.  He is getting close!

  The trial photograph of the makeshift camera was somewhat of a success!  A sole zinnia bloom in the Small Gardens this evening was a good subject as most of my photography takes place outdoors.  While there are still a few "bugs" he wishes to attend, the camera did pretty well.  My zinnia photograph brought a huge smile to my face and gave me hope that soon...soon, I would be back to doing what I love.  Those new-fangled cameras can stay at the store with their hefty price tags!  Oh, I do have one but it does not do what I want it to do so it stays in the box awaiting someone who has the patience to deal with the thousand or so buttons, dials and do-gadgets.  I prefer my simple and straightforward camera.  I am so appreciative that Son has the knowledge and patience to tinker with the broken ones.  He amazes me.  Soon...soon!

Thankful For One Photograph

  Since Thanksgiving falls in November, this should be an entire month of thankfulness.  Well, to my way of thinking, the entire year should find us being thankful even for the smallest of gifts.  I am thankful.  The past couple of years have been trying, to put it mildly, but....I am thankful....always.

  This morning as I eased my way down the pier, I was in awe of the sky in front of me.  There was scant clouding which made for the perfect spot for the sun's rays to bounce around.  Wow!  This was gorgeous!  Then I remembered...my camera was not being overly happy, as of late.  The cantankerous thing was often not willing to take photographs.  Why I still insist on toting it is quite questionable...still, it was in hand.  I tried, it worked....for one photograph.  I have one photograph of the sunrise but, oh, wow!...what a beautiful picture.  I am thankful.  I am thankful.

Wapato

   Most folks think that the term "marsh" purely refers to the reed-like grasses that grow there.  Down here, the term refers to anything that grows in the vast expanse of bogginess between solid ground and the water's edge.  Yep, the needle rush and cordgrass does do well and both are the most commonplace of all the plants but there are hundreds of other native plants that grow in the "marshes" along with a lot of non-native invasive plants.  Once you get to looking, you can spot some pretty interesting growth in among those reeds.

  One of my favorites is the wapato or arrowhead plant.  Back in the day (yep, I am allowed to use that phrase because I am ancient!)...back in the day, Pop called this plant "Duck Potato" and that is still my name for it.  This name was given because wild ducks and geese love to eat the "potatoes" or tubers that are the base of the plant.  These thick roots stabilize the plants as they grow in mud or water up to two feet deep.  Other animals gnaw on the tubers and they are even ok for human consumption (if you can get past the muddy smell).  To be honest, I have never tried them but, in a pinch, it is good to know where you can find free food!

  The blooms are what attract me.  There are a dozen or so buds that grow on a tall stalk.  Each bud opens into a three-petal white blossom that has a button-like, green center.  The buds open in stages so the beauty lasts for weeks.  The leaves are arrowhead shaped and sometimes a good 18 inches in length!  It is truly a fascinating plant.

  I am now on a mission to study more of the plants of the marshes.  Hopefully, Son can repair my camera so I can get decent photos.  I was fortunate enough to get today's photo before the goofy thing went on the blink again.  I hate to think I may have to break down and buy another as I am quite sure none will be as dependable as this nigh on 20 year old thing has been.  (Keep your fingers crossed that Son can work magic on it once again...or the blog may just come to a grinding halt.)  Anyway, look for Wapato in your area. It grows in every state except Nevada and Alaska!

Can't Quite Figure...

  Several years ago, I owned a camera that folks were beginning to say was possessed by some evil entity.  The camera would switch itself on and off again and again, take pictures without any help from me and sometimes have photos on its memory card that were not even from here!  The on and off again problem was explained away as moisture messing with the electronics.  I can understand that as, here on the Bayou, the humidity level is great.  The snapping of pictures could also be from the same thing but that taking of pictures from other places is uncalled for!  The photographs in question were of a white dog that closely resembled our Ms. Ez at the time but, on closer inspection, things were not right.  The dog did resemble ours but that was NOT her bed and that was NOT my wall!  We joked away the problem by saying it was our resident ghost at play.  No problem.  Now, however, the current camera is starting to take rather weird photos.

  While looking at photos from a few days ago, there was one that I did not remember taking.  It is of the light post, of all things.  Yes, it is our light post but I do not recall being so obsessed with it that I needed a photograph of it.  Still, there it was.  I am pondering if this camera is now having the same moisture buildup that the other one did or has our ghostie decided to become a photographer?  Either way, when the camera starts acting this way, I do get some interesting pictures!  A light post...now go figure!

The (Not a) Photographer

  I take far too many photographs but with that, I do not profess to be a photographer.  I do not have an inkling what half of the settings are on the camera, know nothing of editing and do not have a steady hand.  I merely enjoy taking pictures of the Bayou and my critter friends.  It is my hope that, perhaps someday, my grandlittles will look at the photographs and understand a bit of why I love this place so much.  With their world travels, I doubt that my little Bayou will mean much but, at least, they may some day understand the peace that I have found here.

  Today, the young heron that has been named "Moe" was waiting on the pier for me to catch a few mullet for his dinner.  This is a thrice daily routine now as this poor bird is being chased by a much larger heron.  Herons are territorial feeders and the larger ones get the prime spots.  Well, not if I can help it!  Moe (along with Larry and Curly) has endeared himself to me.  He knows how to pull the heartstrings and get a free meal.  If he poses for a few pictures, mullet will surely follow.  Since he is a willing participant in this procedure, I figure a billion or so heron photographs will not hurt.  So, if you grow weary of seeing Moe (or Larry and Curly) just skip along and be happy.  Otherwise, you are probably going to be bombarded with his (their) likeness.

  Moe's posing for today's photos was extraordinarily brilliant!  He flapped the wings, flew from post to post and stood on one leg!  For his effort, he was greatly rewarded with an extra helping of menhaden besides his five mullet!  Moe makes me happy.  He makes me look like I have great skill in capturing wildlife photos!  Way to go, Moe!  (By the way, Moe's poses are being done about 8 feet from the camera which explains the clarity of the photos!)  

Like a Shiny Coin!

  You often hear about the sun slipping down the horizon or slipping down behind the trees but never "slipping through the clouds".  I suppose this would be impossible on the most part since that big ball of fire is a bit too far away to slip through any clouds that we can see.  Still, while on the pier the other evening, the sun seemed to be doing just that. From what we could see, the sun looked a lot like a bright shiny coin being slipped down through a slot in the dark clouds.  Even the rounded top of the orb could be seen above the "front" clouds.

  In reality, the sun is not passing through the clouds at all.  This "phenomenon" is due to the camera settings and not the sun.  Most cameras cannot handle the brightness of the sun so it appears flat and any thing that is transparent enough to let a lot of light through sort of fades into that brightness.  It makes the cloud appear behind the sun.  Other clouds (those that are lower or are more dense) seem to stay in front of the sun by blocking out the light.  While this is not a camera "trick" like forced perspective, it is purely due to the camera and lighting.

  Even though my wonderful view of the sun slipping through the clouds was a bit deceiving, it was fun to observe.  Watching the sunsets and sunrises on the Bayou give me a bit of peaceful time.  In the mornings, I plan the day while watching the sun rise above the pines. In the evening, I reflect and unwind before retiring for the evening as I watch the sun slip "through" the clouds.  

Finding "Big Foot"!

  Rumors of unusual critters abound.  From the elusive Big Foot to the "overseen" Chupacabra", there always seems to be some mystical critter just lurking in the mist of the deep forested areas.  Throw in a bayou and a bit of fog and things get downright eerie!  There is just no telling what might be watching your every move!  But...even though there are tons of "true" photographs filling every space of the internet, none are ever clear enough to positively identify said critter.  Since I photograph a lot of critters here on the Bayou, I have often thought about those overly blurry pictures.  It sure makes it convenient to have a "documented" photograph of something that cannot be documented!  Anyway, I sort of did my own version of this yesterday.  

  I had gone down to the pier to check the crab traps for soft shell crabs when this all started.  On my way back up the hill, I noticed that the sun was just peeping through the pines across the Bayou.  It was casting a beautiful golden glow on anything that it touched.  It was then that I saw IT!  There on the side of the Black Gum Tree sat the elusive......RED SQUIRREL!  Yep, it was sitting there motionless hoping that I would pass right on by without noticing it.  Too bad, squirrel!  I have you in my sights!  I carefully took aim and shot!  Picture after picture was taken as the camera clicked.  I was finally going to have "proof" that I have been seeing a red squirrel in the yard!

  Pleased with my efforts, I headed into the Little Bayou House to check my photographs.  Well, that squirrel may as well been Big Foot.  Every picture was blurry!  Not one photograph of the five taken was fit to be called worthwhile. Well, rats!  At least, you can tell what color the critter is but, other than that, the pictures are useless.  I really should stop getting so excited about critters and remember to change the lens on the camera!  This was one of those head-slapping moments.

  These photographs made me giggle a bit as I thought of how hard some folks work to get a blurry photograph of their "elusive, mystical" creatures.  They call it proof.....I call it a mistake...a stupid mistake.

Dead Cameras, Old Photographs and Beautiful Birds!

  Of all times for a camera to die, mine did just that today.  I have the first run of the Annual Clue Hunt on the Bayou tomorrow evening and will not have my favorite camera to take pictures.  It just up and died.....bit the dust.....gave up the ghost....bid goodbye to this world.  I am lost.  Son says I worked it to death and I suppose I did.  In the period of time that I have had this old thing, I have taken well over 40,000...(yes, 40,000) photographs.  I did indeed get Mark's money's worth from this one.  This was the second of this type camera that he bought for me.  I loved it so very much that when the first one died (probably from overuse as well!), he searched until he found another.  It was the best Christmas gift ever!  And now this one is gone.....booo!

  Anyway, that said, you will have to be happy with a photograph from my stash.  This is of one of the beautiful Black Skimmers that frequent the Bayou.  They are some of my favorite birds merely because they are so graceful.  These birds can "skim" the with their beaks wide open. They will only be a few inches above the water while they feed.  The bird is born with its top and bottom section of the beak the same length but as it develops, the bottom beak becomes longer than the top. There is also a special "hinge" on the top portion of the beak,This allows for the skimming ability.  The Black Skimmer is the only bird in the United States with this unique beak.  The bottom part of the beak skims in the water until the bird "feels" something.  The top part slams down upon the fish and the bird gulps it.  It can do this without ever missing a wing beat! 

  Hopefully, I can figure out the new camera before long and be back in the swing of things soon.  Please pardon the use of an old photograph!

Lost in the Universe of my Mind

  I ponder a lot of things during the daytime hours but even more by the light of the moon.  It often seems that on the nights that I cannot sleep, for one reason or another, problems loom larger or solutions seem much easier.  Other times, I ponder something that has no apparent purpose other than being an idea worth pondering.  Sleepless nights can see me solving the world's gigantic problems or firing up the imagination on an art project that has yet to be attempted.  My nighttime contemplation usually turns into a game of "Charades" being played out in my brain.  My imagination runs amok creating quite a mess of inane instances that might or already have occurred.  Experts say dreams are merely repressed memories from our childhood but I find this hard to believe.  My dreams are, more oft than not, repressed memories from just the day before.  I guess my brain has a problem digging too deeply into the dusty, old diaries and photo albums otherwise known as my memory.  

  What do all these ramblings about dreams and thoughts have to do with today's photographs?  Not a thing, actually, except for the fact that I find the first picture of the sun filtering through young pine saplings quite inspiring.  Any artist can tell you that a project does not have to be great flash of ideas to pull you into the fantasy world of creation.   Just a mere hint of mystery can jog one into a different world where bliss can only be obtained by releasing a suppressed idea. Inspiration and creativity come together as one to evoke a huge burst of exhilaration.  The conscious mind has no hold on the vividness of ideas wafting about on a sleepless night.  

  The second photograph screams of the multitudes of ideas that blast endlessly about the universe otherwise known as my brain.  These ideas trail like great comets or shooting stars through the ebony space.  Each star, each tiny speck of dust revolves in a huge vortex with a fiery core.  This maelstrom whirls and twirls around in the brain until one small artistic endeavor breaks forth.  All is put on hold while the hands try to recreate what the brain's eye sees.  Try as one might, it never happens.  The image held in the brain never comes fully to fruition but rather stays as an illusive thought just out of reach and always beckoning.  This is so like those thoughts that are pondered at two in the morning.  Always, always just out of reach, yet, so near.

  To be honest, I took neither photograph.  Mark wandered the hillside without me today.  His company being only Ms. Ez, the dog and my camera.  I spent the afternoon rambling about the kitchen with my son.  Together we prepared our evening meal.  He, doing the creative cooking and I, sometimes doing no more than being in the way,  I am sure.  As the sun started to slip behind the pines, Mark snapped several amazing shots.  One of my favorites being the closeup of pine needles backlit by a brilliant sun.  It is one of those photographs that draws me into a fantasy world of mythical beings and faraway realms.  I almost feel if I could just step through the branches, I could finally enter an up-to-now dominion.  The second photograph is a creative misstep.  He, not being familiar with the camera, forgot to remove the zoom lens while trying to get a closeup of the pine needles.  The sun bouncing backing into the lens illuminated all of the dust, grime, nicks and scratches on the glass lens.  My already overactive imagination refused to see this as a result of a piece of neglected equipment but rather as representation of an artist's universe..that vast space crammed with specks of creative endeavors yet to come.  Dreams, imaginations and creativity come smashing together as one sleepless night...one long, yet, far to short night. 

The Splash...or Uh Oh!

It was so hot today that I decided to head out into the Rose Garden with the dogs.  Both Ezzy and Sunny love to cool off in the kiddie pool that Mark bought for them.  I thought that while they were out romping and splashing, I would water the flowers and tomato plants.  I watched the dogs for a few minutes then picked up the hose.  For some reason, the spray nozzle would not turn!  I could not get any water to squirt out at all!  Malfunction number one was underfoot and if I could have foreseen the future, I would have stopped right there, gone inside and stayed there for the duration of the day.  Instead, I laid my camera (I am never without my trusty camera!) on the chair and started fiddling with that hose.  After a good ten minutes or so, I was able to get the thing at least turned on so I set to watering the tomatoes that are actually planted in the far corner of the Rose Garden. My camera remained on the chair..or so I thought.  I was only about twenty-five feet from the thing and, to be honest, never thought twice about leaving it sit.  Nothing had ever happened to it before when I would set it down for a spell..nothing should happen now..right?  A lesson in responsibility was about to slap me right in the forehead!  Splash!  My goodness!  Those dogs are having fun!.....After about five minutes of watering the three tomato plants, I turned my attention to the zinnias.  Those poor plants were wilted flat!  They looked pathetic...oh, no....for some strange reason, both dogs were sitting by my side..looking pathetic.  I tried to shoo them away..no good..they did not budge.  Both sat staring up at me with big, brown, puppy-dog eyes..I suddenly got the strange feeling that something was not right.  Those dogs looked far too guilty to be innocent! My camera!  I whirled around to look at the chair and what did I see?  A chair..an empty chair! The emptiest chair that I have ever seen in my life! Oh, no!!!!  I frantically scanned the Rose Garden...nothing.  Then I got the worst feeling in the pit of my stomach.  I gingerly stepped toward the kiddie pool and there dangling from the pool was the black strap of my camera.....ARRGH!  My camera!  My trusty camera!!

Could Ms. Ez be the camera thief?

No..the camera was not in the pool..at least not at the moment.  It was on the outside but still in enough water to do major damage!  I snatched it up and took out the batteries...please..please do not have let it been ruined!  I looked at the dogs..both were now laying flat on the ground looking sheepish.  I stared at one and then the other trying to decide which animal swiped the camera.  Was it Ms. Ez, who has an penchant for anything that I have touched?  Or was it Sunny, who loves to chew on everything?  Ezzy got up and slid under the table. AHA!  The culprit! My goodness, Ms. Ez..how could you do such a thing?  Then I looked at Sunny who was already sniffing the camera strap as if to say, "Give me back my toy!"  Ezzy???  Sunny???   Ezzy???  Sunny???  I was not sure..they both looked guilty as sin!

Would Sunny steal my camera?

I am still not sure which dog grabbed the camera.  I am still not sure if the camera went into the pool or stayed partially dry.  I am still not sure if it is ever going to work again.  Michael told me to not put the batteries back in for a few days to allow any moisture to dry.  In the meantime, I suppose it is definitely time to muster up enough courage to experiment with the new camera that Mark bought me at Christmas.  It is still in the box as I am totally intimidated by it!  He was just fussing at me the other day about not using it so maybe he won't be too upset about my old trusty camera biting the dust...err...drowning in the kiddie pool.  Me?  I just hope that I have learned a lesson and will remember to take better care of my equipment.  I take responsibility for this as neither dog recognized the camera as any difference from their other toys that are scattered about the Rose Garden.  How will this affect you as my reader?  Today's pictures have been pulled from my files as will most will be for the rest of this week.  I promise to practice hard with the new camera and, hopefully, I will be back on par with fresh photos soon!  Now..you make the call.  Which precious pup do you think stole my camera and decided it was a pool toy?  Or do you think it could have been a joint heist?  Let me know in the comments section!

Curiosity...or Love is in the Air!

Sometimes curiosity can be a good thing. None of the marvels of science would have ever been achieved had it not been for some curious soul who wondered just how something worked, how it could work better or why that something worked in the first place! But then...sometimes too much curiosity can, well, be a bit detrimental. Remember the old adage...Curiosity killed the cat! That said, it was not the cat that was curious nor was it the cat that received the ruinous end.

I was out today when a bright green lizard caught my eye. Normally, I would have passed the lizard by without too much notice except this lizard looked a mite different than most. I took a second glance and realized that this anole had recently lost its tail. This is a defensive or evasive method that most lizards possess. If something threatens them, they can drop off the end of their tail as an decoy. Once whatever was after them is distracted by the still-wiggling tail, they can make a hasty escape. I have a feeling that this threatening predator was Ms. Put, our cat. She is famous for catching every lizard within this county! Ok..so that is not true..but she does catch an awful lot of the lizards in our yard! Undoubtedly when she seized him, the lizard dropped its tail and most likely retreated under a pile of brush.

I decided that this lizard should have its picture made as it had endured a terrible loss but was still fighting! He was a hero! I carefully edged close. I did not want to traumatize the poor rascal any more than he had already been so I tried to be as easy as I could. The lizard did not seem to be afraid of me at all and seemed quite interested in the camera. In fact, I could go as far as saying, he seemed quite smitten with my camera. Once I took a couple of pictures, I backed off a bit and sat on a log. The lizard..still interested in the camera, edge forward. I took another photo..this time with the flash. He was still not one bit worried and actually scooted toward the camera with surprising speed.

I laid the camera on Mark's boat trailer and watched in amazement as the lizard followed. There he extended his bright red dewlap and bobbed his head up and down..Uh Oh..this lizard REALLY liked my camera! That is a sign of courtship with lizards! I took one more picture and removed the camera..the lizard tried to follow! Oh, no! No! Mr. Lizard...you cannot have my camera!!!! Poor broken-hearted, bob-tailed lizard!

Jumbled Up Holidays!

We celebrated Christmas a bit early this year. Mark had to head back to work so our daughter and son-in-law drove down to have an early Christmas with him. We exchanged gifts and had a wonderful but short visit before he had to leave. The next evening, our oldest son and daughter-in-law came down for their Christmas visit. We, again, exchanged gifts. Tomorrow, they will all be pulling out and heading back to their homes and the Little Bayou House will be quiet again and for me...the holidays will come to an end. It already seems as if I should be taking down the tree and packing away the ornaments. I am not sure I like this!

One of the gifts that Mark gave me is probably going to be the most perfect of all gifts. With all of the photographs that I take while roaming around the Bayou, he thought that I needed a new camera. I must say that I have thoroughly abused this poor, old thing that I am currently using. It has been dropped on the floor several times..left out in the rain..and even had paint spilled on it. If you recall at one point, I even dropped the zoom lens off the end of the pier. Still, this old Sony has served me well. It has provided me with gadzillons of photographs!

When I unwrapped the gift and lifted the lid on the new camera, I immediately felt a tremendous amount of intimidation. There in that box laid a camera with more bells and whistles than a train station! I gingerly lifted the camera from the box and held it. OK....that is enough! I slipped it back in the box and shut the lid tightly! That thing scared me! I have peeked in the box every day since I opened that package but still have not taken it for a test run. My son-in-law was sweet enough to try and help me understand the general method of taking a picture. HE held the camera! When it came time for me to try...I said, "Nope...I will wait!" I was nervous that I might push the wrong button and the camera might self-destruct or something! So back into the box it went! I will get it out again soon..I will read the booklet...I will charge the battery...I will hurriedly poke it back in that box and wait for Son to figure it out and then tell me how to take a picture! In the meantime, Old Trusty will go on the walks with me! What a good camera this has been!

Serendipity..ummm..yeah right.

Serendipity..the Merriam-Webster dictionary defines this as luck that takes on the form of finding valuable or pleasant things that are not looked for...hmm. I wonder what just the opposite is??? Today started out with me having gut feelings not to head to the pier..I should have listened. It started with me having gut feelings not to take the zoom lens off of my camera while on the pier..I should have listened. Later there was the gut feeling that I should not ask for my son's help with a major problem that resulted from me not heeding gut feelings..I should have listened. One thing leads to another and sometimes none are good. You can surely see just where this is leading by now! I awoke feeling a tad apprehensive for reasons unbeknownst to me. I thought for sure a trek to the pier to watch the sunrise would calm all inner turmoil. I was so wrong. Everything was as usual..the pier..the sun..the coolness of the morn..until I decided to remove the zoom lens from the camera to take a picture. The lens has been sticking lately so I had to twist harder than usual. This motion caused me to slip and drop the lens. It hit the pier and......rolled....right off the end. AARRGGGHHHH!!!! Immediately, a knot swelled up in my throat..the stomach churned and I thought I was going to be ill right then and there. Camera zoom lens are not cheap!!! Reluctantly, I peered over the edge. At least one thing was going for me..it was low tide. The lens had dropped over in about one foot of water. Ideally this would have made retrieving the lens a lot easier. Not so..one foot of water and a zillion and a half feet of soft, mushy mud. The type mud that will swallow up any and everything. The sun was not up far enough yet to cast any light down in the water and with the rising tide, I knew it would not be long before my lens was a goner forever. I grabbed a flounder gig and gingerly prodded the bottom carefully to not stir up said mud. Nothing...poke, poke, poke..nothing..this was not helping. By this time, I was starting to panic! What to do..what to do??? Poke..poke..clink! Ahh..perhaps that is my lens! I ran to get a long handled scoop net. Up the hill and to the door...wait! Son!!! He would be able to help me!!! I raced inside and halfway up the stairs..."SON!!!" (At this point..keep in mind that it is 5 AM!) I called again.."SON!!..I have a major problem and need your help!" The poor fellow leaped out of bed probably thinking the house was on fire..someone was breaking in..or at least the coffee pot was broken..(any of which would have thrown me in a tizzy!). He hurried down the stairs and looked at me bewildered. I told him the story all the while making my way back to the pier. He poked and prodded..scooped and skimmed..no lens. Now before I go any further..I must set the record straight. This would not have been such an ordeal had I not depended upon this lens daily. Nor would it have been such a problem if not for the mud. But beyond those, the biggest obstacle that stood between me and my zoom lens was the seven foot or so drop off the end of the pier to ever reach the water! Our pier sits high above the water at low tide and there is no ladder to get down to the edge. Son looked at me with a helpless expression and slipped over the side. Once in the water, he sank up to his knees in mud and would have continued had he not held onto a rope that was tied to one of the pier posts. The "clink" that I heard turned out to be a clam shell..nothing more. He reached down blindly again and again..searching through the slippery mud. Finally! He fished out a treasure! MY LENS! I was ecstatic to say the least! He rinsed the mud from it and handed it to me! YAY! My HERO!!! Then comes the rest of the story. Now that he was over the side, how in the world was he to get back on the pier?? He was slowly growing shorter and shorter as he sank in the quicksand-like mud. He would pull one leg up and try to take a step..not working. At this point, I made a mental note..."Build a ladder on the side of the pier." He shoved himself up and grasp the edge of the decking of the wharf. Before I realized what he was doing, he attempted to use the post for leverage and boost himself. "No!!!!" too late..his foot slid down the post onto the barnacles. For his heroic, kind act of helping Mom, he was rewarded with a nasty slice on the foot. Uggg! Not good at all! The post maneuver not working, he edged his way around the pier. Once he got nearer to the shoreline, he was able to clamber up on a brace board and onto the deck. I tried to pull him up, but I think I was hindering his efforts more than helping. I inspected his foot..oh, my..ugly! We hurried to the house. After a good, hot bath, his foot was soaked and doctored with herbs. Hopefully, this will be enough to keep it from becoming infected. Need I say it? He is a remarkably kind young man!

Today is an anniversary! Thirty-two years ago, my husband and I were married! Sure, there have been ups and downs as with any marriage, but through the good times and the bad, we weathered them together. That is the key word of any marriage..together. This morning, the florist delivered another beautiful basket of plants. Hubby knows that I would much rather have plants than all the cut roses in the world! The plants, I can enjoy for years to come..each time I look at them, I will be reminded of his love. Happy Anniversary, Hubby! May our love grow stronger and stronger as we look forward to the next thirty years of togetherness!

Patience!

Recently several people have asked my advice on cameras and nature photography. I could make up some really important sounding advice to give them but I am quite sure that would not help one bit. Not that they would not follow the advice.. following it would be the problem. I have no clue about cameras nor the proper method of photography. I just take pictures when I see something that strikes my fancy and hope to goodness that the picture turns out well! To my way of seeing things, there is no set method. There are only two things that come to mind that might help ..patience and well..maybe only one..more patience. If you grab the camera and set out with the big idea of photographing "wildlife" you better be referring to some frat party, bar-scene or college football tailgate gathering. That type of "wildlife", I am quite sure, would pose for you. You, as the photographer, would not have to worry about frightening your subjects (although some of those subjects might frighten me!). In photographing the true wildlife (nature), it is more happenstance. You have to be in the right place at the right time. In my case, I take walks every day so that my animal subjects become used to my presence. These animals soon began to realize that you are not going to hurt them so they allow you to get a bit closer. They are more or less my friends and I am sure you have noticed that I refer to them as my "Bayou friends". I must stress though that I do not make pets of them since that would so interfere with the eco-life of the Bayou. I do set out birdseed and do hand feed the Night Heron minnows, but nothing else. I want the critters in their natural setting..that is where I find the beauty of it.

As for the type of camera to use..I have no clue! My cousin takes phenomenal nature photos with her phone! I have a camera that my husband bought for me five years ago. It is a Sony Cybershot 5.1MP Digital Camera with 12x "Steady Shot" Zoom and I do have the Sony VCL-DH1758 Tele Conversion Lens. Huumph! Now, if you can make heads or tails out of that..have at it! I have no idea what in the world all of that means! After five years of ownership..I am still learning all the bells and whistles of this thing! I would love to say that I know what I am doing and I would love to be able to help anyone with their photography, but I honestly do not think my pictures are of any of my doing! I just have willing participants! My Bayou friends have come to know me and I believe they actually pose for the camera! I have no other explanation for the shots that I get! Take the little Rail in the shots here..she actually brought her brood out to meet me! I was just sitting on the pier when I noticed her come out not twenty feet from me. She stopped, looked at me and then called to her young to come out of the marsh. My son and daughter were there with me and I know the bird saw us as we were talking and giggling at the antics of the young birds.

So, yes, it has a lot to do with being patient, but also with making yourself known to the animals. I find if I "sneak" around to get shots..it never happens. I am relaxed, therefore, the animals and birds are relaxed. So definitely..patience and timing!