A Near Miss....or A Diverted Critter Attack!

  Yesterday, I wrote about being attacked by the horde of mosquitoes that had sought refuge from the flooded marshes.  I was thankful that I only received a dozen or so bites after I intruded in their midst.  It was nigh on the same thing earlier in the day...only it could have been much worse.  Sometimes, there is just no explanation of a near miss but it sure makes you appreciate that thing called luck when it happens.

  In preparation for a storm that was supposed to hit the Bayou but then changed its mind, I decided to cut back the overgrowth of jasmine and rose canes.  The all summer long rains had sent the things into a humongous growth spurt and had them covering everything in sight including several potted cedar trees.  Well, it was time to do some severe trimming.  I have found it far easier to do clean up after a storm if you start it long before it ever hits.  Garden snips in hand, I started lopping vines.  While yanking on vines, several red paper wasps were noticed flying about my head.  The critters were shooed away and the lopping continued.  Once the potted cedar trees were untangled from the vines, the pots were pulled out from the spot so I could get "down and dirty" with the remaining vines.  Darn!  Those pesky wasps were back again!  Once again, they were shooed on their merry way.  There was no time to play with them as hurricane preps are far more important.

  Then fast forward to today.  Mark had just arrived home and we headed to the pier. Noticing that the wind had knocked over one of the cedar trees, I stopped and righted it.  Uh, oh!  There were those buzzing critters again.  Then I spied the problem.  I literally had moved their home!  In one of the potted cedar trees was a huge nest!  The thing was a good six or seven inches across and covered with wasps!  Wow!  How had I not gotten stung?  Yesterday when I was yanking on that tree and cutting those vines, the dozens of wasps calmly tried to warn me instead of attacking.  

  Well, to make a long story short, I was not as nice as the wasps.  They tried to warn me which I fully appreciate but the nest had to go.  Too many people walk through that part of the garden as it leads to the front steps of the Little Bayou House.  I could not take the chance that someone may be stung.  The nest was sprayed and knocked out of the tree.  Several dozen adult wasps were killed.  That, my friends, was a near miss and now a diverted critter attack!

So No Snow...

  Our big winter event of the year was supposed to be a "dusting" of snow here on the Bayou.  For those who do not know, this would be a big event, indeed!  It rarely ever snows this far south and when it does, folks stop what they are doing to play.  Even the stodgiest of adults will marvel at the tiny white flakes falling from the sky.  Snow is just something we do not see.  That said...the snow was a no go.  Nope, nary a flake floated down from the sky.  No fluffy white snowman makings could be found adorning the yard.  Not a single snowflake managed to sneak its way to the Deep South.  

Ice coating the back steps going off the deck.  Think I will refrain from using these steps for a while!

  We did, however, have ice.  Just about dark, it started sleeting and, of course, there were the numerous rumors that this was snow.  Nope...just ice.  The type ice that makes your back steps treacherous.  The type ice that makes roads just slick enough to cause problems because folks do not use commonsense.  The type ice that one can do without.  This sleeting continued for several hours before finally ceasing after midnight.  This morning, with temperatures pushing the mid-teens, I ventured out alone.  I did not want the old dog to slip and slide down the ice-covered steps.  Needing an armload of firewood, I found that task a bit more than I bargained for as the wind had uncovered the woodpile and the sleet froze all of the wood together!  Oops!  Problem solved as the second woodpile was nice and dry.  

Icicle covered cedar tree caused by the hours of sleet last night.

  As I rounded the house to make my way back inside, I noticed my poor cedar tree looked like something from a winter wonderland.  Icicles dangled from every branch!  The little tree was bent over from its extra weight causing the icicles to dangle like a heavy, bejeweled fringe.  How lovely!  But how cold for the tree!  

  So our big winter event saw no snow....but lots of ice!....and icicles!....I headed back inside to stoke the fire and get another mug of hot coffee.  Whew!

A different tree and a very different story.

Yesterday's story told of how a tree can cause tremendous damage and harm by falling.   My brother is still cutting his way through the massive oak that fell in his yard.  The sheer size of the tree will cause his cleanup to be an ongoing process.  How he will ever cut through the four to five feet of trunk is beyond me.  He has the best attitude, though, and is looking at this as a year's supply of firewood.  Today's tree story is quite different from yesterday's.  It involves a tiny tree of only about four inches in height instead of four feet in diameter.  It, also, is a "feel-good" heartwarming type of story.

My son, Michael, and I were out for a hike around the hillside this afternoon.  I had an idea of another art project and needed some driftwood pieces.  Since part of my hike would take me through so pretty rough territory, I asked that he join me.  I figured that with him along, the coyotes or wild hogs would not be a real threat.  We gathered a good bit of driftwood and then were sidetracked by Sweet Gum balls (seedpods).  I started gathering a number of the seedpods to use in some future project!  I did not notice that he had wandered a good bit away from me until I had filled my box with the prickly balls.  When I caught up with him, he tossed a few items into the box and we headed home.  Once there, I started sorting my treasures and cleaning the wood.  He disappeared outside.

After about ten minutes, Michael tapped me on the shoulder.  In his hand, he had a red Christmas ornament and a small clay flower pot.  He had obviously dug up a tiny cedar tree that was not more than four inches tall and potted it in the two inch flower pot.  I guess I looked a bit confused because he explained his actions.  "This is the little tree's first Christmas just like it is Mary Ruth's first Christmas.  The tree has to grow to hold the ornament.  By the time she is a teenager, the tree will be large and she can have her very own real Christmas Tree."   Well, that did it!  I was a bit overwhelmed to say the least!  What a sweet thing to do!  You see, Mary Ruth is his niece..my first grandbaby.  She is a tiny thing that will be celebrating her first Christmas this year and Michael wanted to mark it as something special in his own way.  Michael, being a man of few words, never makes a big fuss over anything and this, well, this was just touching!

The Little Tree is the first decoration for the Christmas season in the Little Bayou House.  It will set the theme for all the others this year.  That tiny sapling will welcome in the warmth and joy of the holidays and then will be cared for each year until a sweet baby grows into a lovely young lady.  Her very own Christmas Tree..one that will grow with her each year.  Gosh, uncles are pretty amazing men!  And one sweet baby girl obviously has her Uncle Michael wrapped around her little finger!