My Patchwork Pup

  Back in late September,  I had the brilliant idea to "stain" several of the panes of the french doors.  This was all for the Annual Clue Hunt on the Bayou.  The "stained" panes were a code that had to be cracked to get a combination for a lock.  Not wanting the process to be labor intensive, I merely used colored cellophane that was cut to size and a spritz bottle full of water.  Spritzing the window and applying the cellophane worked wonders!  It stayed put for the entire month of October.  (In fact, they are still affixed quite well!)  Afterward, I had good intentions of removing the cellophane and letting the french doors simply be french doors.  Nothing doing.  Folks talked me into leaving the stuff.  This made me happy as I really liked the look.  It was sort of quirky...like me.

  Now that the sun has shifted around to come through those south-facing windows, a regular patchwork design decorates the rug and hardwood floors each day.  It is pretty.  The sun also decorates the old dog, Mr. PJ, each day as this is his favorite place to snooze.  The sunshine warms the old dog and the cellophane causes bright blotches to appear on his fur.  My patchwork pup is oblivious to his brilliantly decorated fur, however, and happily naps through it all.

  The patchwork effect has made me more determined to keep the cellophane on the windows.  I bought the stuff at the local dollar store but to my dismay, they only carried two colors...red and blue.  Since I am wishing to embrace the "faux stained glass" look, it seems necessary to order a bundle pack of different colors.  Why not?  Why not do something that brings a smile?  It matches the rest of the weird and wonderful decor of the Little Bayou House...so why not?  Besides, think of how nice Mr. PJ will look when napping!

The Mad Dash

  There is nothing like getting out of bed before dawn, dragging oneself to the kitchen to make a cup of coffee only to notice that something incredible is happening outside.  After grabbing the camera and a few extra batteries, a mad dash to the pier takes place.  That hurried pace is all to catch an amazing sunrise.  

  The time of gorgeous sunrises and sunsets has fallen upon us with the change of seasons.  Late fall and all of winter sees the sky in a kaleidoscope of colors but to observe this phenomenon, you have to be quick.  There is no lallygagging about once the show begins.  Within a matter of minutes, the scene can change from spectacular to blah so I keep the camera, shoes and a jacket near the south door of the Little Bayou House. 

  This morning's sunrise did not disappoint.  I had fully expected to do the usual routine of coffee, laundry and the feeding of pets but once I stepped into the laundry room, I was thrown into a frenzy.  The east windows let in enough of the deep red sunbeams to turn everything exciting.  I was out of there even before the old dog had awaken!  Sorry, PJ!  There is no time to wait!  I'll feed you when I get back!  Bam!  The screen door slammed behind me!  Wow!......Look at that!

Early Transformation

  Late this afternoon, I finally climbed down off the tall stepladder to take the old dog out for a hike.  He has been so patient with me as I paint the living room that he got three extra treats and a promise of a nice, long walk!  After nearly an hour of meandering about the place, we settled down on the pier to watch the mullet jump.  Oops!  Big mistake.  Spring is here...the gnats are out in full force.  That ended our lounging for the day as even PJ wanted inside!  

  On the way back up the hill, a small movement in the pine straw caught my eye causing me to linger a bit longer.  Since I had left the door open, PJ was safely inside and I could explore the cause of the wiggling pine needles.  Dropping to my knees, I was surprised to see a moth making its way up a pine tree.  This little guy had just emerged of its chrysalis and was ready to do its transformation!  It was a matter of being at the right place at the right time!  So what else could I do but watch!

  At the first sighting, the wings of the moth were still tightly folded and moist.  The moth needed to climb a few feet before finding a satisfactory spot to unfurl the wings so they could dry and it could become a full fledged moth.  This only took a few moments and I admit that I wandered off for a bit in the midst of the transformation.  About ten minutes from start to finish was all it took for the critter to turn from a weird looking bug to a gorgeous moth!

  Now a question...why are most butterflies so brightly colored while most moths are predominantly gray, brown or green?  Well, it is a simple matter of survival.  Butterflies are active during the day and visit brightly colored flowers to feed.  Their colors help them to blend with their surroundings.  The same goes for moths.  Most moths are more active at night and hide during the daytime hours.  Their coloring and markings help them to blend with tree bark or leaves.  At night, there is no need for bright colors so the more muted tones suit their needs.  Question answered!