Strong Winds and Mudflats!

  Where did all of the water go?  The walk to the pier this morning was not only a tad difficult due to frost coating each plank but was disappointing since there was no water!  The storm system that hit the Bayou for the past few days did a fine job of pushing water in to the Bay and Bayou when the wind was coming from the south but, once that direction changed, it pushed it right back out into the Gulf.  Yesterday's winds were from the west and, then last night, the winds turned from the north.  The winds were blowing a gale and coming from either of those directions pushes the water far from our pier.  The pier sat high and dry.  The large boats moored at my brother's pier were sitting on bottom.  Son and I were smart!  Yesterday while the tide was high (before wind direction changed), we pulled the small skiff well up into the yard and tied it off to a tree.  Now there is no strain on the lines and we have no worries about it breaking free.  Since it is just a small skiff, it will be easy to put back into the water if needed.

  With the tide being far from shore, there was a clear view of what is normally hidden by water.  We try to keep the area around our pier clear of trash, logs or anything that may snag our lines.  It always amazes me how much stuff is washed in without us seeing it until it has settled into the mud.  Within a few months, more PVC piping, bottles, cans, tree limbs and other debris have wound up next to the pier.  Once the boat is returned to the water, a good cleanup is in order.  This is other people's trash but Son and I are the ones to dispose of it properly.  At least today, I got a good idea of how much is there.  If nothing changes, this should be a quick and easy job!

 

A "Shoulder" To Lean On....

  Every now and again, even the toughest of us needs someone with strong shoulders to "lean on".  We need the security, the reassurance, the comfort of just knowing someone is in our corner.  Those shoulders can be the big burly guy like Mark or the soft..umm...well-padded shoulders of a grandmotherly type.  The type shoulders matters not.  What matters is they are there when we need them.

  For the past two days, storms have pounded the Bayou.  We have seen hail, gale-force winds and torrential rains.  I did not need the "shoulders" for support as I love a good storm and this one fit the bill to a T.  We had all of the trappings of a squall without major damage!  That is my kind of storm!  Still, when I headed to the pier this afternoon, it was good to see that a strong "shoulder" was there when needed.  And, yes, I am speaking figuratively here as I am giving personification to part of the pier.  One of the broad pier posts was in the right spot to catch the wooden bench before the strong winds pushed it off the pier.  Had the post not been there, our bench would have gone swimming never to be seen again.  The wooden bench would have been shoved overboard and pushed away by the winds.  It has happened before!

  Everything on the pier took a beating but there is nothing that cannot be replaced or repaired.  Those "damages" are not worthy of complaint.  Instead, my thoughts are with those in the path of this system that have not been so fortunate.  Flooding, wind damage and tornadic activity wreaked havoc on some places.  They will not recover for months, if then.  Hopefully, there will be helping hands and strong shoulders for those in need.  

Well, that was quick!

  Going to bed last night, I had no inkling that by morning, things would change.  About 3am, things did change.  The weather took a turn for the worse and I awoke to tornado sirens sounding on all sides of us.  I laid there thinking that storms sure take you by surprise.  After about ten minutes of listening to rain pound the rooftop and wind rattle the windows, I decided that a cup of coffee was calling my name.  I wandered into the kitchen.  Things did not sound quite so bad on that side of the house.  The wind was obviously out of the south.

  It was hours before the storm abated and also before it was light enough outside for me to see anything.  About 8am, the clouds thinned enough for the old dog and me to take a hike around the hillside.  With the wind still whipping, the tide was high...extremely high.  This sudden gale had obviously been as strong as any tropical storm that has hit the Bayou in the past.  We were just fortunate that it was relatively short lived as damage could have been much worse.  Tornadoes did do damage in the next community but, thankfully, there were no reported injuries.

  Our damage seems to be relatively slight in comparison to others. The pier is missing a half-dozen boards but, other than that, the storm patted us lightly.  Hopefully, this is the last hard gale that will pound us for this season.  I am ready for north wind and cold weather!

Sittin' Tight

  I truly feel for the folks who were (and still are) in the path of Hurricane Harvey.  This storm was a rainmaker and has left behind so much damage.  Here on the Bayou, we were blessed not to have been hammered by this storm.  We did receive copious amounts of rain and, today, the wind has been blowing a gale but this is nothing compared to what could have been.  

  This afternoon as the winds continued, I took the dog out for a jaunty run.  He is doing well and seems to enjoy the cooling breezes that come off the Bay.  We usually make our way down to the pier but, this afternoon, I nixed that idea.  I could see the confusion on his face as I called him back for another hike around the hillside.  My intentions were not to deprive the old dog of his favorite place but to not disturb those already in place.  The pier was being used by some little terns as they tried to weather out the storm.  The birds were hunkered down and sittin' tight.

  The little terns are usually in flight about the area but the stiff winds were a bit hard on their wings.  They sought refuge on the piers and sat facing the winds.  Storms are tough enough on wildlife without me intruding in their space.  Instead of heading to the pier, Mr. PJ and I walked the hillside until another shower chased us inside.  The birds did not have that luxury and had to sit in the downpour.  Poor babies!