Whew! What a job!

  Our son-in-law is an incredible ballroom dance instructor and, once each year, he hosts an event that showcases dancers.  Students, instructors and professional dancers all strut their stuff for several hours at the catered event.  It is always a sold out gala and everyone seems to enjoy themselves.  While I cannot dance, I am involved!  Mark and I head over to the venue to help decorate.  Darling Daughter always has a vision of what the place should look like and works tirelessly to create that look.  It is my job to be her helper and Mark's to usually go get things we forgot.  We spend about 7 hours on 14ft ladders putting up lights and buntings, do tablescapes and decorate the front of the stage.  Trust me, folks.  It is not an easy job but somehow, we manage to pull it all together.

  This year, I admit that I was a bit out of sorts.  The stress of things here made me almost back out of helping this year.  I am glad that I went, however, as I see now, that Elizabeth could never achieve the finished product without the "hired (unpaid) help". Even though she would give it a try and would most likely get most of it done, there just would not be the time to complete everything.  An extra set of hands is needed.  She would simply collapse from sheer exhaustion before finishing.  This evening, we are both deliriously tired but satisfied with our efforts to help Robbie pull off another successful event.  His talents, her talents and a handful of helpers' assistance really come together to be something special.

The Deed Is Done

  This being October means that the clue hunt should be in full swing.  It is not.  Son and I have had far too many interruptions to have everything complete.  However, that is ok since I had the foresight (and good sense) to not book any runs until the latter part of the month.  The first team is to come this next Friday.  We are still not ready...we are pushing the gun on this hunt.  The days are spent running around like maniacs trying to finish props, make sure everything works and decorate.  It is not an easy task for two people to do something of this magnitude and still lend a helping hand to those in need. 

  Today was much like every other day for the past couple of weeks.  We painted, sawed, hauled, hung, snipped, layered and did a multitude of other weird chores to get things in order.  Then, about noon, Darling Daughter sent a message that she was heading to the Little Bayou House.  She had an important job to do and today was the day.  Sweet Elizabeth was coming to dye my hair in some pretty unusual colors. To go along with my masquerade ballgown, she was intent on dying my hair to match the fabric which just happens to be black...with touches of purple and teal.  Yep.  The deed is done and now the gray is gone.  My hair is black...with touches of purple and teal. 

  While I am game to try anything, the hair thing has to be one of my gutsiest yet.  Always before, she has done it so the top layer is still reasonably "old lady" like.  I was able to brush the hair down and none of the odd colors would show.  Not this time.  Right smack dab in the middle of the newly blackened tresses, there is a large splash of bright purple!  Then in the back, teal and purple rule.  It is all good, though, and I find that with each look in the mirror, I like it better and better.  It is fun!

Seeing Specks Before My Eyes

  I guess the above statement could be taken in several ways.  From a medical standpoint, it probably would not be a good thing as it could mean a serious problem with eye health.  From a local fisherman's viewpoint, seeing specks would be a good thing since "speck" is the colloquial term for speckled sea trout and any fisherman would be thrilled to find a bunch of specks in the boat!  Then, there is Darling Daughter's viewpoint.  Seeing specks meant she found another snake in her yard and it was a beauty!  Elizabeth came across yet another snake that she dubbed as a friend.  A Speckled King Snake had found its way into the yard and made itself right at home.  She was delighted to have her new friend visit and told me that it was so docile that she got to "pet" it. 

  In our discussion about her friendly snake, we came to realize that not everyone loves snakes as much as we do.  While my folks were ok with snakes on the farm, others are not so fond of them.  I recall one time where Pop was doing some repairs on a pipe that crossed a pond on the old home place.  As a youngster, I sat at the water's edge and watched.  A large snake swam toward Pop who was waist-deep in the water.  I screamed at Pop about the snake.  His response?  "Oh, let the snake watch out for himself. I am not going to hurt him!"  That statement made a huge impact on my thoughts about snakes.  From that point on, I was not afraid of snakes.  They became a curiosity to me.  I tried to pass that curiosity and respect along to my own kids.  Elizabeth was a wee tot when I sent her to the garden to pick squash.  After she was out in the garden for about ten minutes, she came back with her basket of squash.  She then informed me that "There was a moccasin under one of the plants but I got the squash!"  Sure enough, she learned to recognize the venomous snake and, sure enough, there was one under the plant!  When asked about her calmness in facing the snake, she merely replied "You have always told us not to panic over things."  Yep, that love for snakes has been passed down to another generation!  Pop would be proud!

He is "King of the Yard"!

  She has all of the luck...especially when it comes to finding really neat snakes.  Darling Daughter, Elizabeth, sent me a photo the other day asking for an identity of a small snake she found in her yard.  "Is this a king snake?" she queried?  Yep...it definitely is and a beauty at that!  The crazy thing is, this snake was found one frigid morning when snakes should all be in their warm, cozy beds!  This little guy was not doing too good with the cold so Elizabeth warmed him a bit then covered him with some nice mulch.  That should suffice to get the snake through the cold morning.  Hopefully, the little rascal will find a much better wintering spot than the middle of their yard.  Snakes are ill-equipped to handle the icy weather we have been having.

  The king snake she found is one of the best critters to have in the yard.  A king snake not only rids the place of all sorts of pests, it will also happily munch on other snakes including venomous ones.  King snakes are immune to other snakes' venom so they have little worries when seeking a snake out as prey.  They constrict their prey to kill it before swallowing it but can eat snakes as nearly as large as themselves.  Besides other snakes, a king snake's diet consists of insects, lizards, rodents, birds and eggs. 

  After talking with Elizabeth about her lovely little snake, I sat back and thought of how proud I am of her.  You know you have raised your daughter right when she tries to save a snake even before she knows what type it is.  That little critter could not find a better place to live than right where it is.

Channeling Our Inner Weirdness

  Whenever you get two creative people together things are bound to happen.  Get two creative people that have a quirky streak in them and weird things are bound to happen.  Darling Daughter and I fit the bill on both ideas.  While we love to create, we have a bit of inner weirdness that comes blaring out in our creations.  This is not bad since we are doing what we like.  Others might not see it as such but who cares? Not me.  I have decided to embrace that inner weirdness and let it come to the surface in flying colors!  This inner weirdness has served me well in the past with the Clue Hunts On the Bayou.  I sort of like the unexpected eccentricity that adorns the Little Bayou House during those times so I figure that I should just keep it as such at all times.  I know there will be those that question my sanity but, once again, who cares?  Not me.

  The upcoming clue hunt's theme centers around an old time alchemy lab and all of the weird and wonderful things found there.  Of course, any respectable alchemy lab is full of fanciful bottles so Elizabeth and I set to work to fill shelves with bottles.  Not just any bottles but decorated bottles.  Since my clue hunt budget does not allow for me to just run down to the local shops and buy such props, we make them. The fancy shops shan't get our business!  As we were transforming the bottles, I could not see sticking them away in some cabinet for the next few months.  Instead, these repurposed bottles now adorn the mantelpiece in the living room.  Yep, there will be those folks who question my sanity AND my decorating tastes (or lack thereof) but, once again, who cares?  I surely do not.  

  Every bottle that we have used, found, begged, borrowed or fished out of the trash is being transformed into a thing of weirdness or maybe it is beauty!  Yes, beauty!  Actually, I think they are pretty.  We have added cords, bits of broken jewelry, spoons (yes, spoons), furniture knobs, corks and even stones to our bottles.  What good alchemy lab would be without such?  Pictured are just several of the  many we have completed but an interesting lab needs hundreds so we will be busy for a while.

  While these are being made specifically for October's clue hunt, my inner weirdness says do not keep stowing away the props.  Hey, I might as well leave them year round and enjoy the results of all of our hard work!  So, from this point on, even more weird and wonderful things will be on display in the Little Bayou House.  Personally, I like it that way!

Lady of the Garden

  While visiting Darling Daughter the other day, we decided to take our conversation to her front porch. While sitting on the settee that overlooks her lovely garden, I noticed a butterfly flitting about the place.  "Look, a Painted Lady!"  I said to which she responded "Ohh!  I wondered what they were called.  I love those!"  We talked about the butterfly and how to attract more.  Elizabeth is new at this gardening thing and seems to have a natural knack for putting together gardens.  One of her favorite plants is the Celosia or Cockscombs.  She has them dotted in among the Salvias and Coleus which makes for a great splash of color.  It seemed that not only was the Celosia a favorite with Elizabeth, but it was a favorite of the Painted Lady also.

  The butterfly bounced from one plant to the other and seemed to be as happy as can be.  The Painted Lady is so called because of its highly detailed pattern and coloring.  It is a small butterfly that is found nationwide which gives it another common name.  Because of its wide distribution, the Painted Lady is also called the Cosmopolitan Butterfly.  Not only is it common in all parts of the United States but is found on all continents except Australia and Antarctica.  It is actually the most widely distributed butterfly in the world!  Who knew???

  Elizabeth and I were happy to see this beautiful (albeit very common) butterfly visiting her garden.  Right then and there, we decided she should plant more flowers to draw more butterflies!  A garden can never have too many of either.          

                      

Twins!

  About noontime, Mark and I headed over to our daughter and son-in-law's place for a Father's Day cookout.  Robbie was grilling hamburgers which was the perfect meal to have for his father-in-law.  You just cannot go wrong with a burger for a guy!  After we ate, Elizabeth and I took our usual stroll about the place.  We checked her gardens, the spot she chose for a shoofly and the trimming job that Robbie did on the oak tree.  All looked well kempt.  

  She then showed me her satsuma and grapefruit trees. "Caterpillars ate my satsuma tree." she bemoaned but then looking at the bright side "But look!  I have twins!  Sure enough on the trunk of the little tree, two fat chrysalides were suspended by thin silk.  Elizabeth informed me that there were more caterpillars on the little trees but she smashed them not realizing just what they were.  When I told her that these caterpillars will change into Great Swallowtails, she was all for leaving them.  So the bush got pruned until it was nigh on devoid of leaves.  The "Orange Dogs" were fat and happy!  Twins!  

  The Giant Swallowtail butterfly lays her eggs on citrus trees if available, hence the name Orange Dog caterpillar.  These caterpillars bear a striking resemblance to fresh bird poop.  This is not their only defense, however.  If threatened, bright red "horns" called osmeterium emerge from their head and emit an odor that is quite convincing of the bird poop camouflage.  Not too many critters want to go around eating stinky bird poop so the caterpillars munch away unmolested.

  While the menfolk decided to do a bit of mechanical work on the lawnmower, Elizabeth and I had a grand time exploring her place a bit more.  All in all, it was a delightful way to spend the afternoon!

The Happy Harvest

  While I am in the midst of planting seeds for the spring garden, the winter garden is still producing well.  This morning, Darling Daughter and I were discussing our noontime meal as we transplanted tomato plants.  "Lets see what the garden has!" she suggested.  Sounded good to me!  First, we raided the broccoli and plucked two large heads.  That was a good start.  Then she spied the carrots.   I had no idea if there were any large enough to be harvested but told her to pull any that had fat stalks.  She was elated to find that her first pull yielded a nice sized carrot.  From there, she proceeded to search the entire row and came up with a hefty load!  "How about scallions? Do you have any of those?" Yep...scallions, spring onions, red onions, yellow onions, leeks, garlic, chives....you name it and it is probably in the garden somewhere.  Help yourself! (Oh, and by the way, scallions and green onions are the same thing.  Just a tidbit added in there for those who question...and I do get asked a lot.)

  With our arms full, we headed back to the kitchen.  There we washed, chopped, stripped and grated.  While she made a delightful vegan dish (with a name I cannot pronounce much less spell), I fried some fish that Mark and I caught last evening.  She and I ate her dish and the guys added fish to their meal.  Our "fresh" meal was delicious!  Perhaps if more folks planted a garden, they would come to realize the health benefits involved.   Not only do you get exercise and fresh air when working in the garden, you get to enjoy the fruits of your labor.  There is just nothing better than a meal like ours today shared with those you love.  Thanks, Elizabeth!  

Just What I Needed

 The past several days have been spent at my daughter's house.  We had plans to visit the bog again but the weather did not participate well so, instead, the days were spent inside.  As usual, we discussed just about everything under the sun "and put it back to suit ourselves" (to quote my late Uncle Alfred!)  We talked of the world's problems, pondered paint colors for her living room walls, bantered over our ideas on clothing and our preference over the color black, delved into the next Clue Hunt on the Bayou and discussed in depth the idea of opening a business.  It was great!

  All of this chatter led me to realize that new ideas are like new beginnings.  There is always the opportunity to start new projects at any age.  Being with Elizabeth has renewed my interest in a lot of things that have been thrown the wayside.  At the same time, being with her has made me realize that I need to stop being hindered by what other folks think I need to be or to do.  Other folks' approval, their advice, their ideas can just go in one ear and out the other.  She has given me the boost that I have been long needing.  I am eager to begin.  Spending the weekend with Elizabeth is just what I needed.

  Once I returned to the Little Bayou House, I started thinking how the renewed spirit in me is a lot like the sunrises on the Bayou that I so dearly love.  Each morning is a new chance to change what I do not like.  Each new day brings hope.  

Too Eager To Discard

  I think sometimes folks are too eager to discard things.  It was instilled in me long ago by family members that had gone through hard times that not making full use of items is wasteful.  Back in better days, folks knew how to use everything to its fullest potential.  Waste was considered a bad thing.  It still is in my eyes.  We are living in a "throwaway" society nowadays.

  This discarding idea is fine (I guess) when it comes to material items but when living beings become disposable, it worries me. When I was taught that it was wasteful to discard usable items, I was also taught that you never mistreated a living being.  Now, it seems to be the norm to discard pets whenever the mood strikes.  Toss them out like trash...is the mentality of a lot of people who refuse to understand that critters have feelings, too.  All of our furry family members have been what others have deemed as refuse.  We have rescued more than our fair share of the critters and have cared for them in the best way we possibly could.  At times, this was difficult financially and physically but we managed. Darling Daughter and her husband seem to have taken up the idea of caring for the unwanted.  Elizabeth and Robbie have rescued at least eight "throwaway" pets in the past few years.  Some, they have rehomed with loving families while four they have kept themselves.  

  A recent visit to their house brought joy to my heart.  The pup, Sunny, that they had rescued a few years back, is doing well.  This is the puppy that I fostered for them for a while.  She is absolutely a charmer!  Now, they have added Nox to their little family.  Robbie and Elizabeth found Nox at their gate starving and weary.  Without a second thought, they brought her inside, fed and bathed her.  For weeks they tried to find Nox's missing family but no one was there.  It was then that the realization came to them...THEY were her family.  Nox has settled in well and is enjoying the good life now.  How wasteful the previous family was to have tossed either of these fine animals to the wayside!  How beautiful it is that Robbie and Elizabeth have such kind hearts.  People are just too eager to toss things (and pets) to the wayside.

It Takes Time

  Time is a great healer.  Time is a great teacher.  Time is a great mediator. Time is just about all we need and, yet for some reason, time is so fleeting.  At least in my case, I never have enough of it to do what I want. Perhaps I am lazy and dillydally about all day but I can never accomplish all I had grand ideas to do.  Once I retire for the evening, I plan what needs to be done the next day.  It seems so simple.  Surely, I can reach my goals and then have time for crafting.  It never happens that way. Son says I set unrealistic goals.  He claims that I do not allow myself to slow down and accept what is possible.  Maybe?

  Time, however, does bring about some really good things.  Darling Daughter gave me a bottle of her homemade pear vinegar.  There are a number of pear trees in her yard and as she canned the fruit, it kept nagging at her that she was wasting parts of the pears.  The peels and cores had to be good for something.  She opted to make wine. Letting the pears ferment took time...lots of time. Weeks and weeks passed without anything "good" appearing to happen but deep down in that jar things were developing...growing into something marvelous.  During the process, the pear cores and peels started to change from scraps to something wonderful. A few missteps along the way caused a snaffu. Instead of wine, her pears turned to vinegar but it was an amazing vinegar!  She was happy with the results even though things did not turn out quite as expected.  Like the vinegar, occasionally, it just takes time for us to realize our full potential.  It takes time to grow, to develop and to even learn to accept what we can or cannot achieve. 

  Not only did time bring the vinegar to its full term, it showed me something else.  Darling Daughter has inherited a timeworn trait that has been passed down generation to generation.  It has been drilled into our heads that we should not waste...anything.  "Waste not, want not" reverberated throughout my childhood and then later I repeated it to my kids.  I was happy to see that my daughter has learned that lesson well.  

   

Good Health and Long Life

  Darling Daughter and her hubby just got back from a dream vacation. Ten days in Greece seemed to agree with the two of them as they both looked happy and hale.  Their visit to the Little Bayou House made me happy as well.  I was eager to hear all about their trip and to see pictures and souvenirs that they had brought back with them.  I was truly fascinated as I never travel much.  As they chattered about the different places they went and the different sights they saw, I flipped through several picture books of the area.  Wow!  Greece must be a remarkably beautiful place!  With each photograph, I received their own experiences about being there. It was amazing that I could travel through their words. 

  While in Greece, they purchased two items that were for me.  One is a perfectly lovely little vase that was handmade at one of their stops. Elizabeth explained to me how the vase was made, fired and then decorated with different colored clay and fired again.  There were no glazes applied to this piece.  All of the decorations were done with clay. The other piece is a small bowl which came from another stop on their journey.  This, too, was handmade but with a different technique.  It is highly glazed and very detailed.  One thing that the two pieces have in common is the decorative scroll border.  While they are a bit different in style they both have a similar meaning.  When the borders are seen on a piece, it means "Good health and long life".  Elizabeth told me that was the reason she bought these for me.  Aww, sweet!  

   The "good health and long life" symbol is a beautiful thought. Occasionally, I have used this same  border on ceramic or gourd pieces that I created.  At the time, I did not know the symbolic meaning behind the border but it is almost as if I was unknowingly bestowing a blessing upon those receiving the art pieces.  I do believe I will now include the tiny border somewhere on each future piece I create.  

  The idea behind the small design is intriguing and I did notice that I felt much better today than I have in a long time.  To my way of thinking, that had nothing to do with the scrollwork but everything to do with Elizabeth and Robbie coming to visit.  There is nothing like family being around to make everything right.  So, Good health and long life to all!

Oh, Look Who Came to Visit!

  I almost envious! Darling Daughter always finds the coolest snakes. Here I am living on a bayou and the best I see are chicken snakes, watersnakes and black racers.  How cool would it be to find some snake with a bit of color?  How interesting would it be to find one that is a tad elusive?  How neat to find one that is gigantic?  Oh...yeah...my chicken snake fit that bill so perhaps I do have cool snakes!  But, still...she finds the pretty ones!

  Early this morning, Elizabeth sent me a photograph of a snake that visited her porch.  She was not sure of the type but said that it was "really docile" so she did not mind getting close enough to take pictures. The snake stayed a while as it explored the porch then finally slithered off into her hedge.  She sent me the picture to confirm her tentative identification of Scarlet Kingsnake.  Well, to be absolutely positive, I called on the experts.  She was close.  The snake was a Scarlet Snake.  What a find!  

  The Scarlet Snake is more of a nocturnal snake than most others.  It hides in burrows and under leaves during the day and comes out at night to feed.   It seems that the Scarlet Snake is fond of lizard and snake eggs but will dine on bugs, slugs and small rodents as well.  The critter is not known to bite so she could have safely handled her new found friend!  I do believe it is time for me to go snake viewing at her place!

Oh, those kids!

  I hear mothers griping about their kids even when their so-called brats are adults.  Why?  I could never figure this as, to my of thinking, if you are complaining about your child's behavior, then you, as a mom, are not doing something right.  That said, I must say that I have good kids...when they were tots and even now as adults.  They amaze me!  All three are smart, polite, respectful and, well, talented...each in his/her own way.

  The two youngest are still near enough that they lend a helping hand when needed.  The upcoming Clue Hunt on the Bayou is a big ordeal and I can use all the help that is offered.  They are amazing.  Son literally does most of the hardest jobs and Darling Daughter lends her talents in the artwork area.  I am always needing some portrait or another and she never fails to render the perfect piece.  While she sketches or paints my needed piece, Son makes some of the most gorgeous frames for her artwork.  The two work together to help their old mom!  Whew!  What would I do without them???

  This year's theme centers around and eccentric, elderly couple.  I pondered just who should represent these fine folks when it dawned on me that my grandparents would have loved this endeavor.  They were all about fun!  So, Granddaddy and Grandmother were chosen as  the centerpiece of the clue hunt!  I was not sure if Elizabeth would agree to sketch her great-grandparents but I sent her their pictures on a whim. She was elated!  Whew, again!  I did have one request...a minor change...nothing TOO difficult...I hoped.  I wanted to change their clothes to something a bit more Victorian and not from the 1950's. Surely that would not cause problems!  

  Son started the frame and she started the portrait.  It was exciting to see the progress on both parts.  Needless to say, both kids outdid themselves!  I am impressed as always!  The likenesses are uncanny and the frame is outstanding.  Good job, kids!  You make your old mom proud....as usual!

Why Kill It?

  I guess living on the Bayou has presented me with so many opportunities to interact with critters that I have learned to respect them. Not respect them out of fear but respect them merely as lifeforms that deserve to live just as much as I do.  I observe.  I learn.  Critters are smart and have developed methods that work to help them survive when the odds are against them.  I hate it when people are the biggest threat against most critters.  Humans will be the death of all lifeforms soon enough so I figure there is absolutely no reason that I should hasten it along.

  One of my biggest peeves with folks is their mentality that the "only good snake is a dead snake".  People!  People!  What are you thinking? Sure, I will be the first to admit that if a cottonmouth is adamant about living right at my front door or in my laundry room, it has got to go. If it refuses to move (swiftly) down to the marsh, it will be (sadly) killed. If it stays in the marsh or away from the house, even a venomous snake can go about its daily business with no fear of being clobbered by me. All nonvenomous snakes are welcome to linger around a bit.  I am actually happy to have them in the garden or yard.  Killing snakes just because they are snakes is about the stupidest thing I have ever heard.  Folks do not even care to identify a snake..."KILL IT!" is the only thing on their brain.

  I was sad to hear that today one of my friends did just that.  A sweet little snake ventured onto her patio and the entire group of her friends went berserk.  The critter never stood a chance.  Afterwards they had the thought to ask for an identification.  Turns out, the snake was a southeastern crowned snake and is an especially good snake to have about the place.  They never get very big and eat all sorts of things like centipedes and termites.

  I am so proud of my kids. While they were just young'uns, I tried to teach them about respect for critters...snakes included.  They grew into awesome adults who would never dream of harming an animal.  I must say that they are good folks and it does a mother's heart proud!  Just recently, my daughter's dogs were having conniptions in the yard.  She went out to investigate the cause of their uproar and found a snake. Instead of panicking and reaching for a hoe or shovel, she calmly brought in the dogs, took a picture and tried to identify the snake.  Yep, it was a harmless plain bellied watersnake.  No need to worry about that one!  She did exactly what she was supposed to do.  Reaching for that gardening tool to attack the snake could have been met with a nasty strike had this been a venomous snake.

Watersnake that my daughter found in her yard.  The snake was allowed to go on its merry way!

  This is not the first time that Elizabeth "did the right thing" regarding snakes.  Even when she was a small tyke, she came to tell me about a snake in the garden.  While picking squash, she found a cottonmouth under one of the plants.  She came out of the garden and calmly informed me of the moccasin.  (Yep, even at that age, she had learned to identify a cottonmouth.)  We managed to shoo the critter from the garden where it was invariably trying to catch its breakfast.  Funny part about that tale is that she still managed to pick the squash from the plant that was covering the moccasin!  She knew....and the snake knew, that there was no reason to overreact.

  I did make an attempt to teach my sweet friend about the snake she found on her patio.  Did it sink in so future snakes will not be needlessly killed?  I doubt it.  Most folks do not want to hear that snakes can be friends.  All they want to hear are things like "Its a cottonmouth!  Kill it!"  "That is a copperhead!  Kill it!".  They do not want to hear "It is a southeastern crowned snake.  It is good to have in your yard.  Let it live!"  That bit of information is usually met with disdain.

  Yep, I am sure proud that my kids have learned to respect life...all life and treat critters the way they are supposed to be treated.

The Return of Fluffy

  Last spring, Darling Daughter complained that she never gets to see the alligators that reside in the Bayou.  I informed her that since most alligators are a bit nocturnal, she would either have to get here at dawn or hang around here until just before dark.  Still, we made a trek to the pier and, much to her dismay, no alligators appeared.  That all changed on the way back up to the Little Bayou House, though.  Right where the pier meets the shore, I spied a tiny alligator just waiting to make its debut into the wild world of the Bayou.  The little critter was just a babe making it difficult to see.  Elizabeth and her husband, Robbie, both waltzed right past the little tot.  Had I not called their attention, the alligator would have gone unseen.   Elizabeth was so excited that she played with the little tyke for a few minutes and then named it "Fluffy". Why Fluffy?  I have no clue but that is what the gator became known as and from that day forward, she would ask about its whereabouts.  But as wildlife has a habit of doing, Fluffy made his great escape and hid from us for an entire year.

  Then, while Mark and I were on the pier this evening, Fluffy came calling.  Fluffy has GROWN!  The gator is now a nice four feet in length and is quite sure of himself.  He had outgrown the fear of being a tiny critter in a huge world!  In fact, the little gator was making his way to the pier to raid our crab traps!  

  The return of Fluffy makes me happy.  With all of the dangers of the wild,  tiny Fluffy could have very well become a meal for a larger critter. Even the other larger gators would not have hesitated to munch the poor babe.  While some folks argue my point, I think having alligators around the Bayou actually makes it a bit safer,  The gators are great about eating Cottonmouth Moccasins!  It is far easier for me to see a big, ole gator than a well-camouflaged moccasin.  Gators are good!  Welcome back, Fluffy!  It is a delight to see you again!

Hand-me-down Skills

  The other day, my sweet daughter brought me a few jars of some pears that she canned.  Elizabeth and Robbie's new place came equipped with some of the finest fruit trees and among them were a good number of pear trees.  Each tree seemed determined to impress them with its ability to produce fruit so Elizabeth and Robbie were picking pears a good bit. She was determined to can the pears for later use and did an incredible job.  I am so proud!  This skill is one that has been passed down through the family for generations and I did my best to make sure each of my kids knew at least the basics.  I am proud to say that they do.  Even the boys (now men) can make jelly or can beans or anything else with the best of them!  Good job! While Elizabeth knew how to can, she has not had the opportunity to do much of it in the past.  First the fig trees and then the pear trees in her new yard kept her quite busy with the jars this year.  She prepared a delightful concoction called "Spiced Pears".  The taste is out of this world delicious!  The syrupy goodness around the pears has the perfect blend of sweetness and spiciness!  I am now hoarding the last two jars to be used as a special treat!

  What makes me so proud about her (and my boys) learning this skill is the fact that my mom had no clue how to do any home-canning.  Mom was a sweet "city" girl who just so happened to fall in love with a country boy....a farmer.  Well, you know where that went.  Just a few weeks after they were married, Pop brought home a lovely steam canner and presented Mom with several bushels of green beans.  "We need to can these for winter." he told her.  I can only imagine the look she shot at him!  She had no idea of how to use that canner!  In steps Pop's sister, Marie, to save the day.  That summer, my Aunt Marie not only did her own canning but taught Mom the finer points of the skill.  Later, my sister and I were taught following Aunt Marie's instructions.  At the time, it was unheard of for boys to do much in the way of kitchen work so my brothers do not have this knowledge.  I am sure glad that I do and I made sure that ALL of my children learned the skill.  You never know when you might need to know how to preserve foodstuffs.

  I am proud of Elizabeth and her canning.  Not only that she has the "know-how" but that she and her husband did not let the fruit go to waste.  They are well on their way to being at least a little bit of farmers! She has no choice...it is a hand-me-down skill that is "in the blood"! Makes this mom proud!