Never Rely On Shadows!

  The old dog and I try to make several short hikes throughout the day.  He is just not up to taking long hikes any more.  Our last walk of the day is always just as the sun is setting.  The trees cast long shadows about the place and make it sort of ethereal!  I enjoy these strolls just about as much as the early morning ones.

  This afternoon, we made it back to the steps just in time for the sun to cast shadows of old Mr. PJ.  While he was waiting patiently for me to open the screen door, I had to giggle at what the sun was doing to his shadow.  Mr. PJ is all dog.  He a big, gruff old dog that definitely shows his "bulldog" side.  (He is a mixed breed animal which are the best kind ever, if you ask me!)  Anyway, even though the old dog is massive and very "dog-like", his shadow resembled a cat!  Yep.  A CAT! Or, at least, my imagination says it is a cat!

  So, folks.  Do not trust shadows to ever be truthful!  Sometimes what you see as one thing is simply not so.  In fact, what you see may be just the opposite of what is actually there.  Poor, old Mr. PJ would probably be distraught to know he has a shadow of a kitty cat following him.  I won't mention it and let him be the fine fellow he truly is.

Hold it!

  After a day of drizzling, our weather took a turn for the worse and the tornado sirens, once again, sounded on all sides of us.  At 4pm, the sky was pitch black, winds whipped the treetops and thunder rolled.  Then...the rains started.  At first, there was a nice shower but then, as Pop would have said, "The bottom fell out!"  Raindrops pelted the rooftop with such vengeance that it was difficult to hear conversation with the person next to you.  It was perfect!

  The only thing I can see bad about a nice stormy day is that the old dog, Mr. PJ, refuses to go outside.  If forced, he immediately turns and tries to bolt back in the door.  While I do not mind him being on his comfy bed, I am sure bodily functions should be attended.  Nope.  It is not happening.  Three times, I tried to get him out and down the hill.  Three times, he stalled at the door, reluctantly took a few steps out and then tried to return.  Twice, I managed to coerce him halfway down the hillside by going with him.  This worked somewhat but still no deed was done.  I found the dog sneaking back up the hill.  He was sitting at the door by the time I came through the gate.   Later in the afternoon, Son attempted to get the dog out.  He was smart and brought the leash.  Yep, Mr. PJ dutifully followed but did not "doo-tifully" do anything.  So, it is now dark, pouring rain and he is curled up on his bed as if he does not have a care in the world.  Hope he can hold it!

  As I said, hard rains are pelting the rooftop and thunder sounds in the distance.  It looks as if we are in this for the long haul and the weather forecast calls for much the same tomorrow.  This, my friends, is the start of "Winter in the Deep South".  The weather pattern will be much the same...warm, fog, rain, cold (well, our version of cold..."cool" to my northern friends).  Then the cycle starts over again.  I sure hope Mr. PJ gets over this determination to stay dry or else he will be doing a lot of "holding it".

Frog Days of Summer

  While most of the time we refer to the midsummer days as "Dog Days", after watching the Frog Pond today, I think the frogs have it better.  They are smart.  During these hot, humid days, the frogs are either floating in the water or are hidden from view under some log.  Their tactics keep them cool and comfortable.  The dog, on the other hand, decided to snooze right in the middle of the yard where the sun was scorching hot.  No matter how I tried to coax him to lounge in the shade near me, he was adamant about staying put.  Poor old pup was sweltering and thus ended our outing.

  The more I think about those brilliant frogs, the more I think the days should have been named after them.   "Frog Days of Summer" makes more sense.   Lets name our scorching summer days after the critters that know how to handle them!  Yes, I realize that the "Dog Days" were not named after a pet dog but rather the association with the Dog Star, Sirius, still, if you use a bit of logic, my way seems more accurate!  After all, the thought of sweaty, panting dogs is not a pretty way to portray a season.  Frogs frolicking in the cool waters of the pond evokes a more idyllic scene. So, I say, lets start calling these days the "Frog Days of Summer"!  Not that I wish to swim in the Frog Pond nor the Bayou.  I know what lurks beneath those dark waters.

Still Here!

  For the past several weeks, the Bayou has seen more than its share of rain.  Not that I am complaining as I like rain but it would be nice to occasionally get to the pier or in the garden.  Finally this afternoon, the rains cleared a bit and that long sought after visit to the pier became a reality.  The old dog and I were happy campers!  Mr. PJ immediately plopped down for a nap in the sunshine that has been absent for such a long time.  Me?  I picked up the net and started throwing for menhaden.  Moe, the young Great Blue Heron, came for a meal.

  It was good to see Moe and find out that he still remembered me.  I figured he would have gone his merry way after so many days without me feeding him.  One toss of the net yielded about thirty little fish for his dining pleasure and he started gobbling them as soon as I emptied them on the board.  Afterward, he sat calmly as Mr. PJ napped and I fished.  We make a good trio, Moe, Mr. PJ and I.  

The Fishing Bird

  This afternoon, I had to escape the Little Bayou House so the old dog and I headed to the pier.  Neither of us had much energy as the heat zapped us.  I found a shady place for him to rest beneath the fish-cleaning sink while I tried to fish.  He seemed to enjoy his own little "canopy" as he watched a green heron trying to catch minnows.  At first, I did not notice what the bird was doing but on closer inspection, I realized that the green heron was fishing...literally fishing.  Green herons are some of the smartest birds on the Bayou.  They have figured out how to use tools to catch their supper.  

  This bird was ripping small pieces of marsh grass to toss in the water.  Minnows, thinking it was something good to eat, gathered in a cluster.  The heron dropped down to a "stringer" on the pier and eyed the minnows until they were in range.  It then plunged into the water, grabbed a fish and flew back up to the pier.  I was surprised to see this plunging technique.  I knew they used bait or, in this case, artificial lures but never have I witnessed the plunging.  The usual technique has the bird stalking the fish in shallow water not diving off the pier into four feet of water!

  Since I was catching nothing but catfish, I quit fishing and sat by the old dog.  Together, we watched to green heron catch a dozen or so minnows before it was time to head back up the hillside.  Mr. PJ lumbered up the pier and caused to bird to take flight.  Hopefully, it already had its belly full!

He's Not Doing His Job

  Mr. PJ, the old dog that we are fostering for our son and daughter-in-law has made it clear that he is NOT a working dog.  He merely wants to lounge on his bed, be fed and be doted on for his every whim.  He does not want to help out around the place.  This bit of laziness comes from not being raised on the Bayou.  Here, it is understood that everyone pulls their own weight in one way or another.  This has always applied to even the animal residents so I am not used to the apathy shown by the dog.  Cats have always had the chore of keeping the gardens and Little Bayou House free of rats and mice.  Dogs were to protect the fruit trees and gardens from marauding critters and, of course, they had full charge of protecting the Little Bayou House from intruders. Ms. Ez would even help out by bringing us tools on command, guarding the bird feeders and tending to any of the other animals that were ill.  It was second nature to her to be helpful.  She was a working member of the family.  Mr. PJ seems to be in full charge of....sleep.  That's it.  He does nothing else.  The only time the dog moves fast at all is when food is involved. Then, suddenly he comes to life and is full of vim and vigor until the food bowl is empty.  After which, he falls back on his bed for a nap. Granted, he is old but still....a little effort on his part would be appreciated.

  For the past week or so, the bird feeder has been positioned just outside of the front doors,  This was done to discourage the hawk from making a daily meal out of one of the fatter birds each day.  So far, that has worked but it has not deterred the squirrels from trying to raid the feeder.  Each day, six or more squirrels try their best to figure out how to obtain the sunflower seeds that are just out of their reach.  The feeder dangles precariously from a shepherd's hook that has a nicely greased pole.  The squirrels try to climb the skinny, slippery pole but slide back to the ground.  It works rather well but the squirrels are diligent in their efforts.  They have taken to climbing the screen doors in search of a way into the feeder.  

  All of this is taking place just inches away from Mr. PJ and his nice, comfy bed.  Not once has he tried to guard the feeder.  Not once has he even noticed the squirrels.  Not a growl, bark or even a whimper.  He sleeps.  Ms. Ez, on the other hand, would have had conniption fits at the very sight of a squirrel!  She knew that it was one of her jobs to chase the squirrels from the yard.  It was the highlight of her day.  Mr. PJ's highlight is a nap.  He is slacking on the job and the squirrels have already figured out that he is not a threat.  Even when he goes out the door, the squirrels just step to the side and let him pass.  Slacker!!! 

I'm Done

  That's it.  I am done "peopling" for the day and perhaps the rest of the week.  I have had enough of the whining, complaining and just downright foolishness of folks.   So, I am done peopling.   I have had enough of people.  When this happens, I turn to my critter friends.  It has long been evident that I have more critter friends than I do people friends so it is only natural that I seek refuge with them when I wish to escape from the human drama that fills the world.

  The day started with phone call after phone call from folks wanting to fill my head with their craziness, to cry on my shoulder or just whine about whatever was irritating them at the moment.  Instead of taking a proactive approach to problems, it seems to be the general consensus that whining is the best route.  Nope...never has been...never will be...so shut up.  This kept on until about 3pm.  During this whole time, I was trying to stain more boards for the living room.  The interruptions kept that work at a slow pace.  I was getting nowhere fast so I made a hasty retreat to my peaceful place...the pier. 

  Here, I found myself spilling my gut to the old dog, Mr. PJ.  It seems that, although folks find my shoulders big enough to carry their problems, not one cares to listen to mine (which, by the way, is only one and that is people in general.).  The dog stared at me with his big, brown eyes and thumped his tail on the pier boards.  All was good, until the thumping stopped and I noticed he had drowsed off into dreamland.  Well!  I guess I am boring, at that!  Looking around, I noticed Moe, the heron, had come to hear my story (or grab a handout...most likely) so I continued my woeful tale.  The bird listened intently but kept one eye on the bait bucket.  Ten minutes later, I felt better, the dog napped peacefully and the heron had his belly full of little mullet.  We had each succeeded in doing exactly what was needed.

  About that "peopling" thing....a sweet niece came to the Bayou the other day and made mention of the phrase.  The word stuck since it was so appropriate for my situation.  Not many folks can go days on end without communicating with other people.  I cannot go days on end communicating WITH them. I cherish my solitude down here on the Bayou away from the frenetic happenings of the world.  I prefer the quiet which could account for my preference of critters over people.  They listen, do not give unwanted advice and appreciate whatever is offered but never demand anything.  Yep, those are my kinds of friends.  So...take it as a warning....I am done peopling for the rest of the week!

The Bayou Ostrich

  Kids can say the funniest things.  For the past few years, Mark and I have been quoting our little granddaughter's sayings.  Two quotes have stuck more than the rest.  One, "Yummm!  Apples!" is our catch phrase whenever something is yummy!  Mary Ruth said this when we sent a box of citrus fruit to Georgia for the family to enjoy.  When her mommy, Joanna, asked her what was in the box, Mary Ruth said "Yummm!  Apples!  We have said it and giggled over it ever since.  The other most quoted Mary Ruth phrase is "First!  We have to put on our boots!"  This was something she said when she saw her first snow.  Before going out to play, she knew the boots would keep her feet warm.  Smart little girl!  Mark and I say this whenever we are prioritizing things.  "First!  We have to put on our boots!"  The phrase seems to help get things straight.

  Since their move to a faraway island, I have been sending the grandlittles daily photographs of their dog, PJ.  Mr. PJ came to live with us until their return.  I did not want the kids to forget the beloved friend so each day, a new photo is sent.  Today, Mr. PJ was not overly sure of an approaching heron.  He had turned to look at me with a bewildered expression on his face.  With the heron in the background, it was the perfect picture to send.  When Mary Ruth saw the photograph, she said "An ostrich!"  That sweet little girl has just re-identified my heron for me.  Now, we have a Bayou Ostrich!   I will probably never look at a Great Blue Heron again without thinking "An ostrich!"  I always thought we had some pretty unique birds roaming about the Bayou and now I am sure of it. 

  Speaking of the Bayou Ostrich, he seems to be warming up to Mr. PJ.  For several days, he was not sure that the old dog would not chase him.  Now, the bird comes to grab minnows within a few feet of the dog.  We are making progress.  You just have to love the critters of the Bayou...even if they have unusual names!  Mary Ruth brings so much joy by naming them!

On The Mend

  The old dog, Mr. PJ has been suffering a good bit with his arthritis, as of late.  The poor, old dog would yelp in pain with each shift in position as he tried to nap.  His back legs stiffened to the point that he could hardly walk.  He was mighty uncomfortable, to say the least, and getting him up and down the steps of the Little Bayou House was a tremendous chore for me.  Mr. PJ is a large dog and I am not the strongest person.  I, too, have arthritis and helping the dog in and out was strenuous on me.  Son helped a good bit when he could but a lot of times the need was too urgent to wait for him to get here.  I toted the dog. One night, it was eleven times that I had to struggle to get the 67 pound dog out to potty.  Most of the time, there was not the true "urge" but rather hip and lower back pains making him think the outing was needed.  The poor animal was distraught and could not rest unless I was with him.  The first night, I sat near his bed and petted him for the entire night. The next morning, we made a visit to the vet.  Mr. PJ was checked and given a prescription but we were told that it would take several days for the pain to subside.  For two nights afterward, I slept on the floor consoling the pup. 

  Mr. PJ's health has been improving daily.  With the medicine in him, he is able to go up and down the steps.  He is happily taking long, albeit slow, hikes about the hillside again and, today, was elated to get on the pier.  His favorite napping spot had been sorely missed.  (I had been leery of his being over the water because he was stumbling a good bit.)  It is good to see my sweet friend being more active and looking happy again!

The Big, Bad Wolf???

  Early this morning, I left the old dog, Mr. PJ, on his bed while I took a hike around the hillside.  There was a slight drizzly rain and he is not partial to being wet.  It did not matter to me as I love the rain.  It was probably a good thing that he was not with me as there could have been trouble and with his age, that would not be good.  He would most likely try to protect me from any predators that may venture too close. 

  Just as I was coming back from my little "Glade in the Woods", I heard some strange barking coming from the marsh.  Uh, oh.  Since this bark was far from the yelp of my brother's beagle, I was concerned.  While the beagle will roam the marsh chasing rabbits, this bark was more of a threatening bark than the "I found you" yelp of his dog.  The bark sounded to be that of a rather large dog and sounded close!  Ok...so perhaps I needed to skip part of my hike that normally skirts the marsh.  

  The first thought that went through the head when hearing the threatening bark was that I had inadvertently startled the coyotes that visit occasionally.  Being unarmed other than the camera, I picked up a rather hefty stick for "just in case".  Edging my way around the canebrake, I came almost face to face with the "big, bad wolf"!  Well, I was not going to back down and neither was he.  We stood staring at each other for a good five minutes before he turned to leave through the marsh.  I could make out his shape through the brambles and this was one large animal.  Without breaking eye contact with him, I noticed that he was covered in mud but, also, I noticed that he had a collar under all of that mud.  

  My big, bad wolf was none other than a German Shepherd dog.  The dog was either lost, dumped or had run away.  Whatever the case, I tried to call to him.  He needed to be out of that marsh.  It is full of cottonmouths and gators!  A while later, my cousin said that the dog had made its way to her house and she felt that it may be a threat to her chickens.  I hope not.  

  Knowing now that the big, bad wolf was a dog, does not make things better.  Had this dog decided to attack, I had little way to defend myself.  I am thankful, however, that Mr. PJ was safe snoozing on his bed.  The German Shepherd was much younger and much stronger than the old dog.   A fight would have been a sure thing as neither dog would have relented.  My intervening would have had little effect on their demeanor once they were in "fight mode".  Until this critter is back at its own home, I think I will keep close watch on Mr. PJ.  Better to be safe than sorry.

From Royal Pain to a Perfect Prince

  Yesterday, I must have not been the only one having an off day.  It seems that perhaps Mr. PJ had either picked up on my vibes or was in a fickle state of his own.  We seemed to clash at every step.  The normally placid dog was as contrary as can be.  If I said "Go", he stayed.  If I said "Sit", he walked.  If I said "Come", he walked in the opposite direction.  Grrr!  He was pushing my buttons and all in the wrong order.  I finally coerced him back into the Little Bayou House and left him to ponder what he had done.  Not that it mattered.  He was perfectly happy to be on his cushy bed.  Yesterday, was just an all around irritating day.

  Today, however, the old dog woke up acting like the perfect prince he is.  He was eager to go on our hikes, excited to play with Ms. Nycto, the cat, and as sweet as pie to everyone.  What a change!!  Since he was being a sweetheart, I encouraged him to stay outside in the lovely weather.  A bit of sunshine would do him good.  He had cabin fever about as much as I have so we did yard work together.  Well, I raked, weeded, dug and hauled.  He snoozed in the bright sunshine.  At one point, my raking came to an abrupt halt when the dog decided my leaf pile was his new bed.  I let him have it.  If he was going to behave then small pleasures would be granted.

  I think the bright skies and warm temperatures did the two of us the world of good.  Yesterday, I had a bad case of the doldrums.  Today, a billion and one projects are whirling around in the brain.  Everything from outdoor garden rooms to stained walls in the living room made the list.  Things need to be done!  I have no time for these low spirits!  So...my Royal Pain of a dog returned to the Perfect Prince he normally is and helped lift my spirits tremendously.

Dead Fish Falling From the Sky

  Sometimes it pays to keep a watchful eye on your surroundings.  Other than the obvious threat of stepping on a cottonmouth while traipsing about the marsh, I usually feel relatively safe here on the Bayou.  With it being wintertime, even the threat of a snake is nil.  I do, however, worry about the old dog, Mr. PJ.  He is not accustomed to the hazards that come with living "in the wild".  So...I keep a watchful eye out for his safety.  He is great as protection...when he is aware of his surroundings but with age, his senses have dulled a bit and he often overlooks things.  Just today, that became apparent.

  I have always trained the dogs to do their "business" way down near the marsh on the east side of the property.  Here, there are two possible trails and the dogs have always preferred the lower one.  This way, I do not have to worry about a misstep into "their" territory.  My moccasins stay clean!  I usually just tell the dogs to "go down the hill" and do not have to lead them.  This has always worked in the past as it frees me from having to have a leash for the dogs and, also, gives the dogs a bit of "privacy" for their daily business trips.  Periodically, I do a check on the lower path just to make sure no potential hazards have popped up....or in today's case....plopped down.  

  I meandered down the lower path only with intentions of photographing a baby raccoon that was feeding on the mudflats. The little rascal scampered as soon as I neared the site so I decided to do my "path check", instead.  It is a good thing that I did.  That little raccoon could have inadvertently saved Mr. PJ, the dog, a good bit of pain.  The remains of a large catfish were sitting with the spine poking straight up.  Had the dog blindly been running down the path, he could have possibly stepped right on that spine.  There is nothing worse than getting one of those barbed fins stuck in your flesh and this one was a good four inches long.  That poor dog would have had an immediate emergency trip to the vet!  Obviously, an osprey had caught the catfish and carried it to the top of the tall pine along the edge of the path.  Here, the bird feasted but then dropped the hard head with fin intact.  The head fell with the dorsal fin sticking up like an arrow.  That fin and the pectoral fins are the ones that will do damage if they puncture flesh.  

  While it was about as nasty as things can get, I gingerly picked up the fish head by the dorsal fin and tossed it far out into the marsh.  There, Mr. PJ will never step on it.  Sometime during the night, I am positive that an otter or raccoon will make short work of the osprey's leftovers.  What bothers me most is that if the osprey has chosen this spot as its main roost, there will be more fish remains plopping down on that lower path.  This means that I will have to do daily checks instead of weekly or Mr. PJ may just have to choose to use the upper path as his bathroom.  We shall see.

He Remembers

  There are folks who claim that animals have very limited, if any, memory.  Being around animals a good bit for a long time, I can attest that sometimes it does seem that way.  With several pets in the past, trying to teach basic commands seemed to fly right out the window.  Just when you think they've got it...they do just the opposite.  Perhaps that has nothing to do with memory and a lot to do with being obstinate but, at least, there seems to be hope with dogs.  Dogs seem to have long-term memory, if nothing else.  I cannot say whether this is true with all dogs but most of the canines that have lived at the Little Bayou House have great long-term memories.

  Since my son and daughter-in-law moved their little family to an island far, far away and since I am keeping their dog, PJ, I have been sending them a daily photograph of him.  This was a request from my little granddaughter, Mary Ruth.  She said she was going to miss her dog and asked for the pictures.  I am trying hard to live up to my word and not miss a day.  After she received today's photo, she made a video (with the help of her sweet mom, Joanna!) and sent it "for PJ".  

  Mr. PJ was sound asleep when I played the video.  As soon as he heard that little girl, he jerked awake and turned toward the sound.  He had the happiest look on his face as he intently watched the screen of my computer.  HIS little girl was talking to him!  HIS little girl said "I love you, PJ!"  The old dog seemed young again, even if it was just for a few moments.  I replayed the video several times for him and, finally, he climbed back on his bed.  He was content.  HIS little girl still loved him!  He misses Mary Ruth and my grandson, Mark Charles.

  PJ definitely remembered that tiny girl and her sweet message was just what he needed.  Tonight, he will sleep soundly and have happy dreams of Mary Ruth and Mark Charles, I am sure.  Dogs do have long-term memories...this proves it.  It did my heart good to see the old dog so happy.

The Long Swim

  Every now and again some mundane incident can jog a memory of something pretty amazing.  A couple of days ago, Mark and I watched as a critter swam across from a small inlet to the pier.  Since the animal was far away from us, it was hard to identify judging by sight only.  It did not take long before I knew it was a nutria rat simply by the way it swam.  There was no up and down loping motion like that of an otter.  Still, it was not until the critter was near us that we could fully see its face.  Yep, a nutria rat was out for its morning swim.  

  As the "unidentified swimming critter" came toward us, a memory of a similar incident from years ago came flooding back into the brain.  I was on the pier early one morn when I saw what appeared to be something swimming across the Bay!  That was a far piece for any critter so I figured that it must be either an otter or a nutria rat.  Both of those could swim for miles but this animal did not swim like either.  It was struggling to keep its head above water.  At first, I could barely make out that this was indeed an animal.  After a good fifteen minutes of being in the water, the animal was finally getting near enough that I could see that it was neither an otter nor a nutria rat.  This was a little dog!  The pup had swam all the way across the Bay which included a shipping channel.  The poor animal had to be exhausted.

  Once the pup was near our pier, it tried to cling to the posts but the barnacles scraped its paws and the waves tossed the pup against the hard posts.  I grabbed the fish scoop net and made a mad dash to help the pup.  Once I was able to get  the little one to shore, I realized that this tiny thing was a poodle!  A little black poodle had swum all that way without rest!  Of course, the pup was scared, cold and starving.  I tried to help it but it cowered in the marsh. After a bit, the little one ate but then scampered off down the lane and I never saw it again.  

  It bothered me to know that somehow that pup wound up in the water and was not helped.  At the time, I had a strong suspicion that the pup's owner had decided to "eliminate" the pet by throwing it into the water.  The fact that the little poodle swam all the way across the Bay led me to believe that the poor animal was abused and terrified to start.  It broke my heart to know that the dog did not even feel that it could trust me...its rescuer.  

  The nutria rat, on the other hand, did not need rescuing.  These critters are expert swimmers and the adults have few predators except for the alligators.  It is not uncommon to see them far out from the shore.  The one that Mark and I watched, soon made its way into the marsh.  I have a feeling that this was some rogue male coming to visit the little mama that lives far back in the Bayou.  I guess we will be seeing some nutria pups in a few months.  Oh, geez....more of the critters!

Encountering the WILD!

  Mr. PJ, the dog that has come to stay with us a while, is a funny sort of critter.  Perhaps, I am just used to the way Ms. Ez, the Bayou Dog used to be.  When Ms. Ez was still alive and roaming the place she never met a critter that she did not like.  She was always trying to make friends with any and all wild things.  To her, they were just another "play friend" and she loved them.  Sometimes, this was not the best of ideas so I had to coax her not to befriend things like moccasins, alligators nor coyotes.  It mattered not to her that they could potentially harm her.  She just saw the opportunity to make a new friend so she tried.  There was the time when she found a baby possum and so wanted to adopt it.  We discouraged that since the possum was fully capable of being on its on and was better off being wild. Another time, she tried to play ball with a turtle.  The turtle did not appreciate a baseball being shoved at it so, once again, I discouraged the actions.  Ms. Ez befriended a pair of baby mockingbirds that I was fostering and became their protector.  The list goes on and on.  But Mr. PJ, on the other hand, is not too overly fond of the wild things that roam the Bayou.  He loves to watch them but does so from a distance.  

  The other day, Mr. PJ came running down the hillside to join me on the pier.  I watched as he loped down the board path then came to a dead stop by the base of an oak tree.  He seemed to be a mite jumpy so I figured I had better check out the problem.  As I drew near, the old dog jumped back a bit.  Uh, oh!  Perhaps a snake was coiled up near the roots of the tree.   I hustled over to where the dog was and found him a jittery mess!  Then, I spied the culprit.  A skink was by the palmettos near the tree trunk and the dog had invaded his space.  The lizard was not backing down and kept jumping at the dog.  PJ was not the happiest camper on the Bayou at that moment!  He did not know what to make of this striped thing jumping at him.  

  After a few moments of me trying to convince Mr. PJ that the lizard would not hurt him, the old dog skulked off to eat some cogon grass.  The skink took the opportunity to crawl up on a branch to sun himself.  Nice going, lizard!  Ok, Mr. PJ, we have to practice this good critter/bad critter thing a bit! You need to know that there are critters out here that can be friends.

Back to us again.

  Well, the fun has ended for another year.  The last run of the Annual Clue Hunt on the Bayou was last night with most of the team members being of the original group for which the hunt was started.  My grandniece had always wanted her birthday party to be held at my house but since her birthday in February, it just wasn't going to happen.  I am not a cutesy, heart and ruffles type person.  So, the clue hunt came into being and has been going strong for these past five years.  Hopefully, it will be able to continue for many more years.

  For the fun event, several spots around the Bayou are totally transformed to fit the theme.  This year, the greenhouse became a blacksmith's shop complete with tools and a makeshift "forge".  It took days to make the transformation but, today, it became a greenhouse again in just a matter of minutes.  Necessity called.  Our weather has taken a turn to the cooler side and I have a couple dozen potted plants that were shaking in their boots at the mere mention of cold.  Out with the blacksmith's stuff and in with the plants!  In a way, it feels good to be getting stuff back to normal...whatever that is around here.   

  Now, on the cold days that are to come, I can putter around in the relative warmth the greenhouse offers.  The old dog, PJ, can get fresh air and sunshine without having to be miserably achy.  His arthritis does not seem to appreciate bursts of wintry weather.  He did, however, enjoy basking in the sunshine that poured through the greenhouse windows.  All that is needed is a nice rug for him and the wicker chair for me and we shall be set!

An Old Dog Can Learn New Tricks!

  Developing any malady is not fun.  Let that malady be something that causes you not to be able to function as well as you once did and frustration adds insult to injury.  Rcently, I noticed a swelling on the back of my leg just behind my knee.  Yep, that thing started causing problems so now I have to limit my everyday activities.  In view of the problems some folks endure, I should not complain and try not to whine to very much.  It is only that I am accustomed to going nonstop from before sunrise until well after dark.  This stupid pain (and swelling) puts a kink in the plans for the day occasionally. I have learned that ladders are not my friend anymore and that long hikes seem a lot longer nowadays.  I am supposed to "rest" the leg for now.  Ha!

  As with all things, there is usually a silver lining to the darkest clouds.  One positive thing came from all of this.  Taking the dog all the way down the hill to do his business was starting to become a tad difficult.  Since Mr. PJ has only been with us for a few weeks, he had not learned the routine too well.  He was used to being in a fenced backyard instead of in the wide open space of the Bayou.  There are too many exciting scents that egged the curious side of the dog to explore more than he should.  Training him to go all the way down the hill and then promptly return took a few days.  But the old dog is super smart.  By the third day, Mr. PJ had even learned to open the gate by himself on his return.  I go out with him, unlock the gate and then wait on the steps.  When he is finished, he comes back, bumps the gate until it opens and happily comes inside.  I think he is proud of himself for learning to do this and equally proud to be out on his own for a little while. 

 

Seeking Solace

    For the past few weeks, Ms. Put, the Bayou Queen, has been feeling quite poorly.  Her malady started with a bite from some unknown critter and escalated quickly into a life-threatening ordeal.  The twenty-two year old cat's immune system just could not fight this entity that had invaded her body. After several frantic visits to the vet, messages to a kind vet friend in Boston and many doses of medicines, all that was left was prayer.  My sweet old cat was struggling to live and my heart was breaking.  But she is tough.  Although we had discussed the "what-ifs" and had made a decision if things were not soon improving, she fought. It was her spirit that made that decision be delayed.  I could not make the call to end her life.  I am glad I did not.  My tough old kitty started improving.  While she is still not out of the woods, things look vastly brighter.  

  For weeks, the old cat stayed (by her choice) in the entryway.  She slept most of the time and ate very little.  Then one morning, after receiving yet another dose of medicine, she wanted to go into the main part of the house.  Yep, of course you can!  She wandered about a bit then eased her way into the living room where Mr. PJ, the dog left in our charge, was sitting.  Ms. Put cautiously entered the room, cleaned herself then settled down just a few feet from the large dog.  Mr. PJ eyed the old cat and slowly edged toward her.  He gently laid down on the floor next to her and sniffed.  After a few moments, both the cat and the dog were at ease.  The ailing cat seemed to seek solace from the only critter friend she had left.  The two old friends laid side by side for hours. 

 Ms. Put still goes into the entryway each night but during the day, she wanders into the living room to be by PJ.  The comfort of being by him seems to be working wonders.  She appears to feel stronger and stronger each day. The wound still has not completely healed but she is making progress with the help of an old friend.  Sometimes that is what it takes.  Knowing that someone cares is a great medicine.  Hopefully, Ms. Put will continue to heal and will be around for a long time yet.  It is hard to imagine the place without her.

Clouds, Old Dogs and Eclipses

 Today, August 21, 2017 was the day of the "Great American Eclipse".  It boggles the mind.  The eclipse, itself, is not so mind boggling as it is just a happenstance as the moon's orbit takes it between the earth and the sun.  When the moon gets right in front of the sun, it blocks out the light beaming down to the earth.  So, basically, anything that passes in front of a light "eclipses" it.  Duh.  Not that difficult to understand. What does flabbergast me is the over hype that this thing has received.  It all boils down to media hype and sales promotion.  If you tell people something wild enough for long enough, they fall into the trap. While I have no problem with folks viewing the eclipse, I am amused at those who claim it is a life-altering event...a near religious phenomenon...an earth-shaking affair!  Huh?  Wow!  I must be missing something here.

  I have heard all sorts of wild tales and even made up a few myself.  In the past, I had no problem relating to gullible folks that we are a sun ruled planet and that when the moon blocks out the sun, it rules.  The moon is also known as "Luna" which is where we get the word lunatic.  (Which, by the way, is NOT a technical term.)  Relating that fact, you can see where this was going.  Tie this in with a healthy fear of zombies and all sorts of wild tales can be conjured.  I actually scared the bejeebies out of a former sister-in-law with such a tale.  I was visiting her and my little niece during a past eclipse and made up a wild tale.  She was ready and willing to fall for anything so it was easy.  Needless to say, she and the baby stayed locked in the bathroom until I told her the danger had passed.  Geez!

  Today, by all other standards, was a normal day here on the Bayou.  Son and I tackled the rebuilding of the bookshelves in the dining room.  We were both inside and out as we cut boards and nailed them in place.  Neither of us thought much about the so called epic event except to appreciate the bit of shade that it produced.  During the midst of the ordeal, a rogue cloud decided to cover most of the sky so viewing the eclipse would have been disappointing regardless of how we felt.  While discussing this fact, we had to laugh at the old dog, PJ.  He was sound asleep.  Both of us decided that he was pretty smart.  He did not have to buy some fancy-schmancy eyewear to protect his peepers.  Take a snooze and all is well!  Smart dog!

  Now that the grand event is over, folks everywhere are all the richer for the occurrence or maybe poorer depending on how much they spent to stare at the sun.  The merchants are happy that they sold out of their "solar glasses", everyday folks are still in wonderment of a natural phenomenon and the news media's hype was a success. Now...what is next?  Since this is in the past, what next will garner the media sensationalism and throw the country into a frenzy?  Personally, I think I will go take a nap.  

Mr. PJ

  Well, I guess it is official.  There is a new friend on the Bayou and one that I am so excited to have here.  While the visit with my son, daughter-in-law and grandlittles was nigh on perfect, there was a bit of a bittersweet part to it as well.  They are moving and this move would not allow them to take their trusted friend/pet, PJ.  The dog has been with them since the start of their marriage so it was a difficult decision to make.  My part was easy.  PJ has always had a place in my heart, I just opened the door to let him have a place in the Little Bayou House.  He is familiar with the Bayou, with us and us with him.  

  I am sure the old dog will be lost for a while and will miss his family each day until they manage to come back but in the interim, I get to pretend that he is MY dog.  This is good at least for me. It has been nigh on two years since Ms. Ez, the Bayou Dog, made the journey to her next life and in those years, I was just not ready for another dog.  I did not feel that I could accept another nor accept the training that went along with another.  PJ is different.  He had been perfectly trained (by Joanna's sister, Diana!) and had already gained a spot in my heart with his years of visits.  Plus, since we are both...umm...old, we get along well.  The two of us are satisfied with leisurely walks, long talks, lots of petting and a slow friendship. 

  I will do everything I can to make the transition easier on the old dog and he will do everything to brighten an old lady's day. As I was giving his ears a rub this afternoon, I thought of how I missed having a pup lying by my chair as I write. Yep, this is going to work.  Thank you, Mark and Joanna, for trusting me with your loved one and for removing that emptiness that Ms. Ez left behind.  And, Folks, get ready to be bombarded by posts about this good buddy of mine!