In view of the current social distancing order, I fully discourage any visitors to the Bayou. I live here. You don't. There is no need for you to come. After all this is over and the virus has been defeated...you are welcome. Not now, however. I have stuck with the idea that without a host, the virus will die. Mark, on the other hand, still comes and goes as he pleases. It bothers me but nothing can be done so I do not even attempt. I spend a good bit of time outside deep-breathing our fresh air, getting plenty of sunshine and doing yard work. Great progress is happening in the garden!
Today, that social distancing put me to installing some gravel guards for the roof drain. The way our house is shaped, rain pours down with a vengeance and washes gullies as it does. I have tried everything but it seems as if this gravel drain some forty feet long is the only surefire way of coping with the destructive power of water! The gravel guards will keep the gravel, itself, from being strewn into the lawn and then flung about by the mower. I was on my hands and knees when a visitor showed up. Surprisingly...this one I welcomed! In fact, I was overjoyed to stop work, sit a spell and enjoy a bit of company. It was delightful!
A Southern Black Racer decided to investigate what I was doing in the garden. While I was working, a movement caught my eye and I turned to see the snake making its way to me. I was quite sure that it would veer off course to avoid me but, nope, it came straight in to visit! The snake slithered up to the pile of large rocks that I had removed from the edge of the drain and then proceeded to inch closer. Once it was about two feet from me, it stopped, started flicking its tongue and stared. Oh, sweet thing! Even when I slowly reached over to get the camera, the snake kept its place. For a good half hour, my new friend and I shared some quality time. I welcomed it to the garden and told it that I would prefer it chose the area as its permanent residence. How sweet would that be???
Even though I have taken to talking to critters, I promise that this whole isolation thing has not twisted the brain. It has always been this way. To be totally honest, I am fully enjoying my "alone time" as I am getting so much accomplished! And...I am meeting new friends along the way.
The day started with white out fog. There was not a thing to be seen at daybreak other than pea-soup thick fog. Once that "burned off", heavy clouds blocked out any sunshine. The day was dark and damp but oddly cheery. I am one of those weird folks that loves a dreary day! As the day wore on, the clouds grew thicker and thicker until the rains started just before nightfall. I did manage to find one bit of the sun through all of this, though! And what a big, ole sun it was!
It is funny how some photographers pride themselves in taking shots of the "huge" sun or moon. I have seen photographs that make the orbs look as if they are about to smack the earth with a vengeance! In these pictures, the sun (or moon) dwarfs buildings, trees or entire landscapes. I used to envy these shots and wish that I had the "know how" to recreate them. Well, it is not that hard....obviously! The sun (or moon) actually DOES dwarf these items! The art of giving the illusion all lies in the size lens that you attach to your camera and the distance with which you place yourself from the building or whatever is in front of the sun. Also, it helps tremendously if you can "crop" out a good bit of the surrounding area. Simply put, it is all in perspective.
The shot I took of the setting sun this evening was not that phenomenal. It was just the sun trying to break through the clouds. I do not have one of those super strong lens, so the sun was just being the sun. However, when I cut out a good bit of the background and left only the pine tree in the middle, the sun took on that gigantic look! But, then again, that orb is gigantic compared to anything else so my feeble attempt at trying to make it look massive should have just been avoided. Let the sun be its big, ole self and leave well enough alone!
