"This is my space!"

   Since I am sort of housebound again, hiking about the hillside is out of the question.  That saying about getting old is not for the weakhearted is quite accurate.  When things slam...well, they slam hard.  I miss going out and seeing my critter friends especially this time of year when things are awakening from the winter.  That said, you can imagine the allure of a single woodpecker drumming somewhere nearby.  As I slipped out the front door, I was in hopes that the bird was somewhere nearby...somewhere within my newly prescribe "range" of activity.  I sat quietly in the old wicker chair in the Small Gardens and listened.  Ok, so the drumming was to the west!  That narrowed it...a wee bit anyway.  Slowly, I shifted my position and listened intently.  It sure seemed that my friend was nearby simply by the potency of the noise.  I scanned the treetops.  Nothing.  Oh, come on, now!  Bird, you just have to be within my confined area!  

  I listened.  Wow!  That was loud!  Perhaps a Pileated Woodpecker made its way into the yard?  Perhaps my Redheaded Woodpeckers have returned after missing for a few years?  Surely, this was a large bird and could be easily seen.  Rap, rap, rap.  The drumming continued as I edged my way...ahem (don't tell)...slightly out of my realm of the Small Gardens and to the west.  Rap, rap, rap!  Oh, geez.  In an old pine near the camellia bushes, there was the source of the intense drumming.  It was not what I expected but still a happy surprise.  A tiny...really tiny...woodpecker was claiming this as its territory!  A small Downy Woodpecker kept pounding away on the hollow limb.  The 6 inch long bird was using this as a drum to send out its messages.  "Hey!  I claim this part of the yard as mine and I found the perfect nesting site."  My little friend was speaking and speaking LOUDLY!  

  You know, Folks, we are all a lot like those woodpeckers.  We lay claim to "our" territory even if it is an emotional space.  We have an innate need to pull into our own territory to decompress and analyze our own being.  This is a healing mechanism.  My physical territory has been limited to the Small Gardens, once again, until another healing process is complete.  This time it is due to a extreme bone density problem.  One fall, one misstep, one wrong twist can bring devastation to my body.  It drives me crazy.  I am stir-crazy already and the diagnosis was only brought to light about two weeks ago.  No more hikes, no more gardening, no more physical anything.  That said, I shall divert the attention to some long overdue creative projects that require the "dreaded" just sitting.  Being lazy hurts!  I have never had so many aches and pains!  These must be endured for the next year while the treatment does its thing but...it is all good.  There is a cure.  So, once again, I am crowning myself as "Queen of the Small Gardens"!  I am healed...or, at least, on the way to being...then, I shall reclaim "my entire territory" and shout it to the world like the drumming of my friend, the woodpecker!

  

"Seeing the light?"

   Being back on doctor's orders to "be lazy" (to let a torn muscle heal), I feel rather useless.  I tinker around trying to prove to myself that I am still active. There is not a lot I can do.  So...at sunup, I pretend to "work" in the garden which usually amounts to picking a few tomatoes.  I "tend" to the flower gardens which means I spend more time talking with the plants than actually doing anything.  I mosey around acting like the farm girl.  Finally after all that "work" is done, I head inside to home can the fruits and veggies that Son helps me pick.  THAT...I can do!  Canning is not strenuous so, at least, I have that!

  This morning's early morning escapades took me to Puddle Pond in the Small Gardens.  I had intentions of picking the last few blueberries but the birds had beaten me to them.  Well, since there was not much else to be done here, I decided it was in my best interest to "sit a spell" on the tiny footpath bridge that spans Pebble Creek.  (For those who do not know, both Puddle Pond and Pebble Creek are parts of a glorified drainage ditch that runs down the edge of the Little Bayou House and catches the rain runoff.  This was my way of "beautifying" an otherwise ugly, washed out place.)  As I sat listening to the the water sliding over the pebbles, the sun started shooting beams through the tree limbs.  One beam settled nicely on a water hyacinth bloom and totally enthralled me. 

  While thoughts of being useless rattled around in the brain, the sight before me set things straight.  If a lowly invasive plant bloom could bring joy, then surely I could find some purpose in my day.  That thought set the wheels twirling!  What would be my goal for today...other than letting the body heal?  I felt immensely better.  I WOULD find something and go from there!  Thank you, Mr. Sun, for letting me see a clear path!

This Is Where I Belong

   Awaking before dawn seems to be a lifelong habit of mine.  Try as I might, I cannot "sleep in".  It does not happen.  At 4 am, I start to rouse and by 4:30, I may as well roll out of bed.  At that time, sleep is nonexistent.  So, after the prerequisite mug of strong, black coffee, I head to the pier.  There, I can do my morning routine of stretches and meditation which readies me to face the craziness of the day.  That predawn time is "my time".  It is where I can come to terms with all the world has to throw at me.  As you know, that routine was rudely interrupted on July 2nd by a sudden disease that rendered me incapable of doing much.  It took nigh on two months before I was able to regain my strength and balance.  Finally, this week, I have the approval from all doctors to return to my normal routine and that includes the treks to the pier!  Time to rejoice!

  This morning, the sunrise made me stop the exercises and physical therapy to just sit and stare.  I felt almost as if this was the first time I had ever witnessed the sunrise, the first time I have ever heard a mullet jump or a pelican diving or the first time of smelling the marsh and saltiness of the water.  I was in awe.  It is wondrous how when returning to something after an absence, the senses try to make up for lost time.  This little bayou is paradise!  This is where I belong.  Its good to be back.

Stepping In It!

   Whenever I take a break from working, I sit in the shady gardens to cool myself.  If you sit and watch the doings of nature as much as I do, you are bound to ponder things.  I ponder things.  I think a lot while working but pondering comes during rest.  Then, I have time to delve into thoughts that are stored back in among the cobwebs of my brain.  That stash contains everything taught to me by those who took the time and effort to make sure knowledge was secured within reach if I ever needed it.  I appreciate their work.  Now, frequently, I search the nooks and crannies of the brain and filch out things of great importance...at least, important to me.

  For instance, today, I pondered the butterflies.  It seems we have more butterflies this year than ever before.  Hundreds flit around the hillside every day.  A ton relish the shade provided by the woods, others love the marsh but the zinnia garden seems to be a favorite gathering spot for many.  So, I pulled the wicker chairs next to the zinnias so I could have a front-row seat for the "Dance of the Butterflies". 

While watching, a thought occurred to me.  How do butterflies know what flower has tasty nectar?  And how do they choose what host plant will have delightfully delicious leaves for their caterpillars?  I should know this!!  I do know this!!  Time to dust off the information hidden behind the cobwebs.  I searched the dark corners of the brain and found my answer.  Somewhere, I had heard that butterflies can taste with their feet!  It makes sense if you watch the critters.  They always do a taste test before sipping the nectar.  Then, I queried...Is this actually true?  Or did I have false data stored?  Time to check.  Yep!  Butterflies taste with those feet according to what I could find.  I am sure glad that is settled.  See, pondering is good.

I'm Free!

   So it was my first day to freely roam the entire yard...well, almost.  I did get to leave the confines of the Small Gardens and hike about the lower part of the yard and around by the canebrake.  Still, there was no wandering on the pier or creek bed but that will come soon.  After a bit more than a month of confinement, it sure felt glorious to stretch my legs and do some wandering!   While there was not a lot in the way of exciting events occurring during my hike, the escape was enough.

 While on the lower part near the pier, a beautiful bloom caught my eye.  A cluster of Salt-marsh Morning Glories had just started to open.  The buds had turned to the east and were bursting with beauty as the sun rose over the horizon.  I was excited as I have not seen these beauties in weeks!  It made me realize just how much I have been missing while my healing was taking place.

  

  The Salt-marsh Morning Glories are rather interesting plants.  As many times as I have tried to plant the seeds along the garden fences, they have never done well.  It takes having their "feet" wet to make them flourish.  Salt-marsh Morning Glories grow right in the brackish waters of the marsh.  In times of storms, flood waters can completely cover the vines but, once the water recedes, the vines go right on living and blooming.  The saltwater does not kill the roots. The blooms can be the pinkish color like the ones near the pier or almost blue.  There is even one beautiful white type that blooms on the other side of the Bayou where I cannot roam.  

  Yep, it does not take much to bring smiles when you are free to roam.  I can hardly wait until the ban on the pier visits is lifted.  I really NEED to get back to that water!  Happy hiking, folks!

The Shady Nook

   After piddling in the Small Gardens a bit, it was time for ice cold lemonade and a bit of rest.  It was hot out there and I was told "Don't get overheated nor dehydrated."  So I followed the doctor's orders and pulled my comfy wicker chair into the shade and sat sipping my lemonade.  Being in the gardens made me happy this morning.  If I cannot go for hikes, I can enjoy the birds singing, frogs chirping and butterflies flitting about the place.  The Small Gardens have become my "Happy Place" where most of my healing is being done.

  As I was cooling myself, I could not help but notice how delightfully restful a shady garden really is.  The vegetable plot is sun-drenched but huge oak trees and draping mimosa trees block out most of the heat of the day from the "sittin' area".  From here, you can hear the water running in Pebble Creek and watch the tadpoles in Puddle Pond.  It is also here that a myriad of butterflies visit the zinnia bed.  Gardens are restful.  Life is good.  "Nuff said.

Welcome to Puddle Pond

  Four weeks....just four weeks ago, I was in the midst of creating Pebble Creek and renovating Puddle Pond.  These two features of the yard make use of the drains to capture water from the rooftop.  Instead of letting the runoff wash gullies in the yard, I dug a trench, laid in pond lining and filled it with gravel.  This I called Pebble Creek.  With the help of a pond pump located in Puddle Pond and a long hose running the length of the "creek" water is recycled to make it appear as if the creek is actually running.  Along about halfway, a small foot bridge crosses Pebble Creek and allows for passage into the Small Gardens.  Since falling on bad health just as I completed Pebble Creek, this area has become my new domain.  It is where I must do my healing and I am fully appreciative of the hard work that went in to creating my special place.  I had pushed myself to create the space so I figure that I have every right to call myself Queen of the Small Gardens.  It was my doing and now I shall take refuge here.  

  While basking in the sunshine this morning, I saw that the frogs and toads that visit the gardens nightly have been busy.  Hundreds upon hundreds of tiny tadpoles are in Puddle Pond.  This makes me happy as I know that the project can be considered a success if the critters feel at home in it.  Most folks would have dumped some fancy goldfish or tropical fish in the little pond but it suits me fine to have local critters here.  The frogs are just as adorable and they help out in the gardens by eating a lot of unwanted pests.

  Puddle Pond is a delightful place to watch my little tadpoles as they grow and change to froglets!  It is only about 18 inches deep so the clear waters allow me to view the babies with ease.  Ahh, a bit of hard work has paid off.  I feel rewarded.

Ms. Toady and the Old King

  One good thing that has come from my being confined to the outdoor space of the Small Gardens.  It has made me aware of all the special things that are often hidden in plain sight.  In just the past four weeks of my realm being greatly diminished from the entire eight acres to a mere garden plot, I have discovered many interesting things.  Perhaps it is more the idea that I am appreciating things that I overlooked.  Small things are now stupendous.  There is not a day that goes by that I am not spellbound by an otherwise "normal" thing.

  Today, I found a toad.  While that may not seem to be earthshaking to others, the toad kept me fully entertained for nigh on a half hour.  Some may find that a tad ridiculous but, since my time is plentiful, the half hour was well spent.  I pondered the life of a toad...this toad...Ms. Toady.  The critter lives in the roots of an old oak tree that stands just outside the pergola that surrounds the french doors.  The tree is dying so many of its large roots are hollow.  In fact, the entire tree is hollow which makes for perfect dwelling places for so many critters.  The toad shares its root "cave" with a lovely old skink.  The skink was, at one time, the "King Skink" but he has been ousted by an upstart.  So, the toad very kindly let the Old King share her abode.  The two get along divinely and seem to have a great working partnership.  The toad, being younger, ventures further to hunt for prey allowing the Old King to stay near the doorway to their root home.  Also, the toad is active at night and wishes to settle in for rest during the heat of the day.  The skink is diurnal so vacates the root except when an escape is necessary.  It seems to be a win/win situation for the pair.

  Early this morning, I sat on the little foot bridge crossing the Pebble Creek.  The creek empties into the Puddle Pond with a delightful sound of water dripping over the ledge.  As I sat there enjoying life, I noticed the toad hippity-hopping from the Pebble Creek.  She was heading back to the root home for the day.  I thought of how her night had been busy catching the night bugs..many of which linger around the gardens.  Her belly was fat so pickings must have been good.  It gave me a sense of satisfaction knowing that the little toad was well fed and had a cool place to spend the heat of the day.  She and the Old King have an unusual friendship but it works.  I wish them both well.

So...This Happened!

  Things looked brighter at the Little Bayou House, today.  This was the first morning that I was not in pain, not weak and wobbly and not unduly agitated.  It appears that the medications that were prescribed were way too strong.  Instead of making me better, they were indeed making me worse.  I guess doctors never can truly tell just how a person's body will react to medications so it is up to us to inform them of unwanted changes.  This is not to say that the danger has passed but that, for now, things seem to be a lot better.  Even with that, my range of (solo) freedom is no further than the Small Gardens.  I do not mind as there is plenty there to occupy the time.  Between the kitchen and the Small Gardens, I piddle and try to make myself somewhat useful.  I think it is that feeling of being unproductive that is the trying factor in my case.  I hate being idle.

  After making two batches of cherry/cranberry jelly, I decided to bring Son a cooling glass of water. He was out working near the pier so this gave me a tiny escape!  I shall take any and all!  The trek down did tire me so there was no "work" in the garden.  Instead, I made myself "useful".   A treat for when Son completed his rebuilding task was just the thing to make me feel better!

  Two days ago, I baked chocolate/buttermilk brownies and there was still a half of pan left.  Hmm...if I wanted to make a new treat, something needed to be done with those.  Wasting food is a no go in this house!  So....a new treat was made WITH the leftover brownies.  I just happened to have everything on hand to make trifle!  

  Trifle is a favorite around here simply because it is a cold, tasty treat.  It is always made in individual sized servings, covered with plastic wrap and kept in the refrigerator.  When working in this heat, it is always nice to have something cooling on hand as a snack.  If that something contains chocolate brownies, vanilla custard, cherries and whipped cream, it is all the better!  Son and I both enjoyed our mid-afternoon treat!

Yellow or White?

  By this time, most folks are familiar with the pungent yellow spice, turmeric.  Not only is it the main spice used in curry, it has been touted as having a great many health benefits. Personally, it has been one of my all time favorites for the past twenty or so years. I have used it to treat everything from colds to venomous spider bites.  It is good stuff.  Folks, if by now, you do not have this in your spice rack, you are behind the times.

  While the yellow type turmeric (photo above) is well known and widely used, its relative, the white turmeric or white haldi is not nearly so popular.  In fact, not many folks have any idea there is such a thing.  There is.  It is good. Perhaps you should try it as well.  White haldi is said to have the aroma sort of like the blend of mango, ginger and turmeric.  It, too, has many beneficial traits.  White haldi can be used exactly as the yellow spice which may lead you to wonder why in the world I am giving all of this information about it.  Well, it is simple.  White haldi is super easy to grow!  The yellow is, too.  

  Darling Daughter has a plethora of the white haldi plants in her yard.  When she and my handsome son-in-law bought their place, the previous owners had a few leafy plants in a garden.  The next spring, dozens of the plants sprouted and flourished.  Ok, so now the garden was full of these fine broad-leafed plants.  Then, they bloomed.  Oh, what gorgeous blooms those were!  That led to her researching the plants and she found that they were white haldi.  The blooms are unmistakable!  Now, several years down the line, they are having to dig out plants each spring as the rhizomes keep multiplying.  So...what do they do?  They bring a bunch here.  I am elated to have yet another fine herb to add to my garden of healing wonders.  

  This afternoon, I made my way to the edge of the greenhouse which is the outer boundaries of my realm these days.  There, the Queen of the Small Gardens found that the white haldi is blooming!  I almost missed these lovely, pinkish blossoms as they were hidden among the broad leaves!  Well, having the white turmeric bloom must mean that the yellow should be doing the same or so I thought.  Nope.  The yellow is growing well but has nary a bud to show yet.  I shall have to keep watch but for now, I shall enjoy the blooms (and the benefits) of the white haldi!  Folks, see if you can find a start of these plants.  Both are gorgeous, have lovely blooms and can be added to the kitchen spice racks!

The Queen Has Spoken! More Zinnias!

  The "Queen of the Small Gardens" has a new thought!  Since the zinnias are doing so well and since I have a about a bucketful of extra seeds and since I cannot push a lawnmower to keep the yard clean, I need to broadcast the seeds with wild abandon!  Perhaps, I should just mix all of the saved flower seeds in a pail and scatter them!  The seeds could plant themselves wherever the wind blows them!  How pretty would that be??!!  How nice to not have to watch the grass grow to knee-high!  How colorful?!! How happy?!!  How immensely mesmerizing would a sea of color be?!!  Just a thought.  Perhaps Hubby and Son have other thoughts but...mehh...I am Queen of the Small Gardens and I am just expanding my realm!

  To be honest, the zinnia seeds are some I had saved from past years.  A while back, I bought a pack from DollarTree.  I was not even sure if they would sprout but, here years later, they are still doing well.  As the blooms start to wane, I snip them and toss them in an old cardboard box in the greenhouse.  There, they dry and sit until I get a chance to box them for the next season.  The plants in the garden keep blooming and blooming until they finally succumb to the winter's cold.   

  The flower gardens back on the farm always contained zinnias.  Pop saved the seeds from year to year just as he taught me to do.  Now, I find I am mimicking so many of Pop's actions.  That pleases me as I figure the man knew his gardens.  Maybe, just maybe, a bit of that rubbed off on me.  Now...the Queen of the Small Gardens has made her decision!  More zinnias!  I need more zinnias!  (Yes, I am bored being limited.)




 

Just Be....

  Sometimes just being can be healing.  I did that today.  I just was.  I was me. I was not perfect.  I did not try to be.  I slouched in old clothes.  I ate blueberry muffins one after the other.  I played.  I was not energetic.  I was not worried what anyone thought.  I just was. It felt great.  The old dog and I watched the sunrise, took more hikes than we should have, played with a stick just because it was there and sat in the sunshine until we were toasty warm. We did not worry about set times for anything.  I indulged in giving him treats simply because it made me happy to see him happy.  I just was.  It felt great.

  Yep, the flu still has the Little Bayou House in its clutches and does not seem ready to relinquish that grip any time soon.  While I feel well enough to escape the confines of the place, the menfolk do little more than sleep, take medicines and drink the water that I keep pushing at them.  I am not sure how I have managed to pull myself together after two days of misery to the point of caring for the others except that maybe that sense of duty kicked in gear.  Another doctor's visit found Mark with four more prescriptions and orders of days more bed rest.  

  Still, that lack of stressing and just being has done me the world of good. I would be bored out of my head if I had to be restricted to one room.  I cannot breathe like that.  Let me roam the swamp and shoreline.  Let me just be...that is healing. The rest will fall into place eventually and things will get back to normal....hopefully. 

My Healing Place

  I rarely leave the Bayou.  It is my "happy place".  It is my healing place. Very few other places can bring the peace that the Bayou offers so I figure that I do not need to search any further than my own back yard.  I love it here.  Today, I realized that more than ever.  

  After more than a month of not feeling quite up to par, I finally broke down and made an appointment with the doctor.  The doctors at the clinic where we go have all seen me and all know my stance on "toughing it out".  If I walk into their offices, they know that it is no mere thing so they are very attentive.  Of course, the standard tests have to be run, scans completed and blood drawn.  The results will not be known for days but, at least, I have made the step in getting help.

  As Mark drove up the lane to the Little Bayou House after hours of tests, all I could think was how nice it was to be home.  The Bayou offers more healing than I could ask and the serenity found therein is like no other.  I wish that I never have to leave!  Tomorrow, however, sees me in another round of tests and doctor's visits.  Perhaps, this time, they will discover just what is draining my energy as well as my spirit.  Then I can come home to the Bayou for true healing.

Garden Talk

  With everything from raccoons to birds attacking the gardens with a vengeance, I am beginning to think that I planted just for the critters. Once the critters polished off the peaches and plums, they raided the tomato patch.  Why in the world they are eating green tomatoes is beyond my comprehension.  I want my green tomatoes.  Actually, I want them as ripe tomatoes!  It is not that I mind letting one or two hungry animals have a nibble, I just do not really want to share with every critter in the county!  It seems as if the hillside is inundated with hungry animals.

  While out and about today, I did make one fine discovery.  Obviously, critters do not season their meals.  The herb garden is going unmolested.  I picked a basketful of fennel tops and the mint desperately needs harvesting. The basil and chives are taking over the place and the oregano...the oregano is unbelievably thick!  All will be clipped, washed and dried for this winter.  

  Oregano is an herb that should be stocked in every kitchen whether you like pizza or not. (It seems that most folks associate the flavor with pizza over any other dish!)  Not only is it an ideal herb for seasoning any tomato based dish, it is quite handy as a medicinal herb as well.  I have found on many occasions that a blend of oregano and turmeric added to a salt soak can help cleanse and heal many wounds.  Call me clumsy if you please but I find myself constantly in need of doctoring some sort of cut, puncture or abrasion.  If the wound is not so severe that I need a (real) doctor's care, the oregano/turmeric soak usually helps.  Since it has antifungal and antimicrobial properties, oregano helps to kill bad bacteria and fungal infections!  It is good stuff!

  Besides all of the goodness packed inside this little plant, it also helps out in the garden.  When planted next to things like tomatoes, the herb does its part in keeping things bug-free.  Oregano can actually repel bugs! .......Now if I can only find something that will repel raccoons and birds!

The Healing Power of Nature

"I go to nature to be soothed and healed, and to have my senses put in order." ~John Burroughs

Nature offers so many cures through the use herbs and plants that it boggles the mind. For every ailment that mankind can contract it so seems that someone has advice on a "natural" remedy that can be conjured up at a moment's notice. I am probably one of the worst! There is this inexplicable tendency in me to run to my herb and spice rack every time anyone mentions feeling ill. Out comes the mortar and pestle and jar after jar from the rack. I grind, blend and sprinkle all sorts of things into mounds of healing goodness. It is amazing how patient my family and friends are about this. They seem to understand (or at least tolerate) this innate need I have to poke something "natural" in them. This has landed me with an unofficial moniker of Bayou Woman/Witch Doctor/Herbalist. The first of these I suppose is the most accurate while the other two do make me smile!

One of the most powerful medicines that Mother Nature provides is a de-stressing potion. It is free for all that will partake of it, the timing just has to be right. Sunsets provide a perfectly calming antidote to the day's hectic pace. A good sunset takes upward of an hour and who can remain stressed while focusing on the incredible display of ever-changing color?! If your day is not conducive to evening relaxation, perhaps a sunrise, both have the same effect. Try it sometime!

Tonight's sunset was not the most spectacular in the way of color, we had very little cloud cover to act as a canvas for the artist. Still, trusty camera in hand, I ventured to the pier in hopes of a few pictures. What I got was two surprise blips in the photographs..two brilliant splats of color off to one side. Ahh, the romanticist in me decided these were some ethereal orbs, some otherworldly beings while the realist in me should have understood fully that it was merely light dancing on the camera lens. Reality is not nearly as fun as imagination! So, for all creative, imaginative purposes..these blips of brilliance were two faeries dancing among the waning sunbeams! Yes, that made me happy!

The amazing healing powers of Nature..I feel better already!