I shall...

   You know it is not a good thing when I began to think that a tropical storm...not a hurricane...but a tropical storm might not be such a bad idea.  With tropical storms comes rain and usually lots of it.  As is a good bit of the country, it is dry here...bone dry...so dry that things are withering.  Add to that the triple digit heat blasting us and it makes for a most miserable time.  I can handle the heat but the dry...not so much.  Droughts are wicked things that cause suffering in so many ways.  My heart aches with each step outside as the ground literally crunches.  Plants are shriveled a brittle.  Even the pine trees are dropping their needles which usually does not occur until the end of September here.  The heat and drought cause suffering for my critter friends, as well.  With the creeks dried, some animals have taken to drinking the brackish water from the Bayou.  A little of this may be ok but to survive, they need fresh water.  The two little, decorative ponds in the yard are their only source of a cooling drink.  Despite my efforts to water the plants and fill the ponds, birdbaths and any available pans, it is not enough.  We need rain...badly.  I have even taken to dumping dishwater and stale coffee in the gardens and have buckets catching the drips from the air conditioning to use on plants. So, if it takes a tropical storm to dump that much need water, I shall deal with it.

  The gardens have gone the wayside with the exception of a few diehard plants that get a daily dousing from the water hose.  Even that did not save but a handful.  The potted plants are doing better but the "in ground" ones have already met their demise.  I am not accustomed to this.  Normally, my little shaded nook is lush and green.  Now, it is sere and crunchy.  You can imagine my surprise this morning when I found a single daylily in bloom. My heart swelled as I dropped to my knees to "embrace" the flower.  It was almost as if the little flower was trying to thank me for my efforts.  Seeing the lovely daylily gave me hope.  It gave me strength.  I can do this.  I shall do this.  I shall continue to help my friends as much as possible.  At times like this, the flora and fauna of the area need a helping hand.  I shall try my best.  I shall.

She is a good one!

   As is my habit, I rise well before the sky begins to lighten in the east.  This gives me time to collect my thoughts over that first mug of coffee.  The cat and I tend to be the only two awake at the bright and early time of 4am so we have the place more or less to ourselves. After breakfast for both of us, he goes his way and I go mine.  His way is prowling around to find any lackadaisical night critters that he can "hurry on their way" and my way is prowling the gardens to see what work needs to be done.  Usually, there is just enough light by the time we exit the house to feel relatively safe against those "larger night critters".

  This morning, it was necessary to drag the hose about the gardens.  The heat and drought have been brutal to the plants even with my efforts to help.  Sometimes, I think I am just prolonging the suffering of the plants but it pains me to know they so desperately need the cooling water.  While hosing down the last remaining zinnias, a slight movement was enough for me to put down the hose.  A praying mantis was clinging to one of the zinnia stalks as it searched for breakfast.  Ahh, my friend!  I love these critters and was only too happy that Bat, the cat, had made his way down the hill to the pier.  The mantis would live to see another day.  

  While pondering the mantis, this morning, it dawned on me that, while I love them, they are kin to two of my least favorite critters!  Praying mantes are kin to both cockroaches and termites. Those, I can fully do without...especially the termites as they are in the process of eating, not only the Little Bayou House, but every tree on the property.  (Yes, LIVE trees.)  In all fairness, however, the mantis would gladly dine on either of the other so perhaps I just need more of these critters.

  It was not long before the praying mantis made its way deeper into the zinnia bed and well out of sight of the cat.  Now it just had to be watchful of the little ribbon snake that also inhabits the gardens.  Life is not the easiest.  

Shade is Good

   Here it is midsummer and the whole country is feeling it.  The weather is no different here.  The heat and humidity make the day almost stifling.  With all this comes the never-ending round of complaints from the very same people who were complaining about the cold six months ago. Pop always said that you cannot change the weather by complaining.  So...why bother?  I figure it is better to just keep busy so I do not dwell on the uncomfortableness of the day...or night. There is no use in letting tempers flare just because of the heat.

  Today. just as the past three days, I cut grass.  That was my way of "beating the heat".  Pushing a lawnmower or swinging the trimmer is indeed hot work but I figure that I may as well have something to show for all that sweat.  At least, the yard looks nice. Cutting grass also gives me time to ponder things.  With an engine running, you cannot talk with others so you have to pull thoughts from the dusty corners of your mind.  Ponderance of the Day?  Why do people cut down all the trees?  To my way of thinking, a yard just looks better with dozens of trees...or in our case...hundreds.  Those trees provide shade and that shade is cooling.  It has been proven that places with lots of trees can be 20 to 40 degrees cooler than those without.  Perhaps we would all be better off by planting trees instead of cutting them.  Be cool! Plant a tree!  Sit in the shade!  Be happy. 

Seeking Shade

   We are sweltering here on the Bayou just like most of the rest of the Deep South.  When the temperatures rise to the triple digits in the morning, it is time to seek out coolness where you can find it.  Most folks say to "Stay indoors!"  I cannot.  There will soon come a time when I can no longer roam the property in search of magical sights so I try to cram every bit of nature into my day while I can.  Doing my indoor chores before the sun rises and then the outdoor chores before the heat slams me, I am pretty much left to my own whims by midday.  Then, I seek out the shade where I find it so as to while away the hours in a wonderland of beauty.

  Earlier, I slipped down behind the canebrake to check on a small turtle that had gotten itself in quite a predicament yesterday. As turtles are known to do, this one had rooted around in a boggy area enough to entrap itself.  The poor thing was stuck without an exit.  So, it was up to me to gently shove the poor critter from the muck with a broken cane.  Once free, the turtle seemed mighty grateful but was a bit slow-moving...even for a turtle.  Today, the critter could not be found so I am assuming it finally came to its senses and headed for the underbrush.  Since I was this far down, I figured I may as well nose around a bit.  At the base of an old live oak tree, I found the perfect "fairyland" of enchantment.  Between a few rogue sprigs of old asparagus ferns and the twists and turns of a trumpet vine was an adorable mushroom.  It was no more than two inches tall and had most velvety red cap.  Obviously, the snails had thought the mushroom was perfect, as well, as something had nibbled on it just a bit.  Still, the sight was enough to bring a smile and cause me to linger for a bit under the umbrella shade of the oak limbs.  

  This, my friends, is what I consider the perfect way to escape the heat and the confines of the Little Bayou House.  While I adore my little home, slipping away into a magical world of nature is the perfect diversion.

Late Summer Beauty

   The entire spring and first part of summer was extremely rainy.  It rained so much that our hill was even starting to get a bit mushy which is strange since the water runs right off into the Bayou or Bay.   Still, the gardens had standing puddles and that rotted the plants at the roots.  Most of the summer garden was a bust.  I got enough tomatoes to restock our supply of jars of sauce and catsup so all is well.  We can stretch the pickles for another year since the cucumbers succumbed to the root rot.  Regardless, those months were good since the rain kept it a bit cooler.  Then came SUMMER!  I knew the weather was going to take a swing in the other direction and made preparations by not planting a late garden.  Watering it would have just been too much.  So now the veggie patch sits empty.

  Still, other plants are doing well regardless of the dryness.  Most "in-ground" plants can adapt, especially trees.  Their roots are deep enough that it takes an endless drought to do damage.  Their adaptability was shown this morning.  We had a good soaking rain yesterday evening complete with lots of lightning.  It was that rain that did the world of good for the trees.  This morning, I found where the pear trees were trying to bloom again!  One rain and out popped blossoms.  I have come to expect this as it happens almost every fall.  Not much will come of the blossoms as their season is over but that does not keep the trees from trying.  If nothing else, the trees add a bit of beauty to a yard where other flowers are starting to wane.

As Cool as a Dragonfly?

   Today was full of chores even though I felt like I should have stayed in bed.  The past week has seen me feeling quite poorly.  The body is getting old and has to have the brain reprimand it sometimes.  "Get up.  Get moving. Get better."  Good thoughts, anyway.  So, I got up canned peaches, did the laundry and swept the floors before daybreak.  Then, it was out to pick plums before the squirrels and coons got them.  Seems such a waste that they will not eat the whole fruit.  One bite and drop.  Frustrating, to say the least.

  While picking the plums, I noticed that the Frog Pond was completely being overrun by the water hyacinths so that became the next chore.  Pull out about half of the plants and compost them.  The pond would be a much happier place after being unclogged.  While there, a blue dragonfly kept flitting about my head.  Finally, it came to rest on the top of a dead branch of the small willow.  By this time, the sun was beating down upon us both.  I was sweltering!  So a break was needed.  Sitting on the old bench beneath the plum tree, I had the perfect view of the dragonfly.  

  Have you ever taken note of how a dragonfly perches itself on a branch?  Usually, the critter is horizontal with wings spread (always) but if the day is extremely hot, they take a different position.  The tail is pointed straight up and at the sun!  Unusual but effective as a method of keeping cool.  By pointing the tail at the sun, it reduces the surface of the dragonfly that the sun can hit.  The dragonfly literally stays cool by "making itself smaller".  Not that it changes size but it reduces the surface where the sun hits.  Smart critter!

 As I sat there pondering heat, dragonflies and chores, it hit me that I needed to get myself out of that heat and get a drink of cooling water.  Perhaps the next chores should be done indoors.  Folks, stay hydrated and cool!  It is hot out there!

Adventuring!

   This afternoon, it was just too hot to be indoors.  Even with the AC going full blast, it seemed stifling.  So...I turned it off, opened the windows and doors and headed outside.  There, I could breathe freely.  With work being out of the question, I meandered the hillside and down near the creek.  The swamp can always be refreshing.  The canopy of trees overhead keep it relatively cool.  Very little sun dapples the ferns and lilies growing there.  It is the perfect hideaway from the heat.  

  At one point, I came across an empty eggshell.  It appeared to be the egg of a brown thrasher by the size and color.  The eggshell was not near any nest but I knew exactly how it got there.  Whenever the eggs hatch, the parent birds "clean house".  They remove the shells (and later any droppings from the baby birds.)  This keeps their nest tidy and babies healthy.  The empty shells will be dropped a good distance from the nest in hopes that they will not attract predators to the nest.  Finding the shell made me smile as it let me know my bird friends are doing well.

  On my wanderings, I also found the fox den.  It has been some time since I have seen the mama fox so I was happy to find her den even though she was not nearby.  She had been careful to cover her tracks at the opening of the den but left several distinct tracks in the soft mud about ten feet away.  At least, I know she is alive and well.  Since I stumbled upon the den unaware it was there, I simply backed off and left the area.  There was no reason to disturb the fox and make her have to move her kits. 

  After about an hour, I meandered back to the yard all-the-while thinking of my critter friends and my love of the swamp.  What a wonderful way to spend a sweltering afternoon.

The Distraction

  It has been hot around here lately.  The temperature gets in the triple digits during the daytime hours and only drops to low 90s or high 80s overnight.  This is fine by me but I have to admit that it would be nice if we got a rain now and again.  It is dry...hot and dry.  That is not my kind of weather.  Anyone who knows me well will tell you that I love a good storm occasionally.  That is the type weather that clears the mind.

  With the heat, my day's outdoor chores are kept limited to "what needs to be done".  Puttering around in the garden sure beats cutting grass or painting the Little Bayou House.  This garden thing also gives me a chance to find critters!  It seems that they are being about as lazy as I am so critter photography just got real easy!  This afternoon, a lovely blue dragonfly whiled away the hours on one of the leaves of the red cordyline plant.  This potted plant sits on a bench with a few other plants and must be a happy place for insects.  Bumblebees, honeybees, grasshoppers and, of course,our dragonfly all took refuge in the leaves.  The dragonfly stuck mainly on the cordyline but would make a "hop" if I got too near. 

  This dragonfly is called a Great Blue Skimmer and this one is a male.  How do I know that?  Well, the female has a good bit of brown on her and may even be completely devoid of any blue hue.   Another big clue that this is a male is the aforementioned "resting".   The males are not particularly industrious critters.  Finding them like I did this one is nothing from the norm.  The little brown female, however, is probably off "flicking" her eggs.  She picks up a droplet of water and then goes about flicking eggs on the dirt near water.  The eggs hatch then the nymph crawls to the water where it will reside for up to two years before changing to an adult.  Weather conditions can dictate when a nymph decides to make the transformation from aquatic insect to airborne insect.

  So goes the tale of a Great Blue Dragonfly who helped me be distracted from an otherwise uncomfortable day.  I am grateful for small blessings.

Fun in the "Pool"!

  I have finally taken the time to fetch the wicker chairs from the greenhouse where they were stored for the winter months.  After arranging them in the front yard to take full advantage of the Back Bay breezes, I plopped down to "test" them.  After all, we sure do not want "non-working" chairs!  From this point on, these chairs will be my resting spot after doing the daily chores.  It is too hot to stay inside and the breezes are too inviting.  It is also from this spot that I can view a multitude of wildlife that comes to the yard to feed or get fresh water from the birdbath.  The camera will always be by my side to take advantage of the steady flow of photo opportunities that cross the yard.

  During my first sitting, I was fully entertained by a male cardinal that came to enjoy the cool waters of the birdbath.  I keep an old jug filled with water propped in the bath so that the bowl is not emptied too soon.  With the spout of the jug under water, it does not drain quickly.   Only as the water is emptied from the bowl of the bath does the water slowly feed from the spout to refill.  It is sort of a "fill on demand" method that seems to work well at keeping a two day supply of fresh water for the critters.  Today, the male cardinal took full advantage of that bath.  At first, he splashed happily about in the water but, then, I noticed an unusual behavior.  The cardinal would fluff out its belly feathers, soak them and then take off to where Mama Cardinal was setting on the nest.  After a moment or two, Papa Cardinal would come back to the birdbath to repeat the process.  Both to and from, he was careful to not let on where the nest was located just in case a crow or hawk was watching.  The male cardinal followed this routine 6 times.  

  It seems that birds can indeed carry water in their feathers.  They do this so their mate or offspring can get life-giving water during the heat of the day.  In areas where water is scarce, a bird can carry the water great distances to provide for his family.  My little cardinal friend only had about a hundred feet to fly before he was home.  Mama Cardinal could sip the water from his feathers and he could shake his feathers to sprinkle the nest.  He is such a good daddy! Later, he will teach his little ones that fresh water can be found at the birdbath and my entertainment will continue.

A Bit of Warmth...

  I am one of those weird folks who does not mind using whatever I find to remedy a situation.  It is not in my nature to run buy whatever is needed.  I usually can find a substitute for any given missing element to a problem.  It all goes back to having a bit of ingenuity and being able to survive without outside help if the need arises.  I figure what Pop taught me so many years ago still rings true today.  If something is broken...fix it.  If something needs doing...do it.  If something is needed...get it.  Nope...no buying back on the farm.  We used the brains instead of spending hard earned money.  

  This morning was downright chilly.  The skies were still grey and a slight drizzly rain fell from the sky.  With the north wind blowing a gale, the Little Bayou House was cooling down quickly.  Son had split a lot of wood for the cast iron wood stoves but I had a different idea of what to burn.  Earlier when I had the old dog out, I noticed that thousands of hickory nuts had fallen under the tree on the east side of the house.  Yep!  I was going to burn hickory nuts!  This is nothing new for me, however, as I have been doing it for years in the old stoves.  The nuts put out a lot of heat, burn long and smell great!  It was the memory of all three that had me scooting out in the misty morn to gather a five gallon bucket of the nuts.  That would last me all day and well into the night.

  The burning of hickory nuts would probably not be the smartest idea in an open fireplace as they do occasionally explode and send shards about the place but the cast iron wood stove is completely enclosed so let them pop away!  Once the fire was started and the nuts caught, the slow burn started and the Little Bayou House warmed and smelled nicely!  That, my friends, is thinking!  Pop would be proud.

Gotta Get Those Chores Done!

  It was instilled in me as a child back on the farm to rise early in the morn, jump right into chores and then kick back a bit in the heat of the day.  Even now, my day starts long before the sun rises.  As the coffee is brewing, laundry is done, cat fed, dog fed and breakfast is made.  Then, as the dog takes his hike down the hill, I go to the pier to watch the sun rise above the pines.  Twenty minutes later, it is back to the house to complete the inside chores before heading to the gardens for a few moments and then on to the major task of redoing the Little Bayou House.  Carpentry work is tiring to me but if I want it done, I need to help.  So goes the day.  Then about 1pm, when the heat of the day starts to get so stifling that it is hard to breathe, I grab my lemonade, iced herbed tea or sweet tea and head to the yard.  There, in the shade of the big black gum tree, I can find a bit of respite in the cooling bay breezes. 

  This downtime also gives me time to observe the happenings of the Bayou and surrounding wooded areas.  Critters don't seem to mind the heat as much and keep on their daily tasks.  This afternoon, a small, female gray squirrel was one busy little camper.  She was building a nest where an oak limb wrapped around a pine tree.  The nest was basically complete but obviously needed a bit of interior design work.  She would scamper up the large oak branch, gnaw off a few twigs, stuff them in her mouth then hustle back to her dwelling.  Inside, she meticulously lined the nest with strips of the leaves.  This is only one layer of the abode.  It all started with some rather large branches that were bent to form a dome.  Then, small but long twigs were woven into a thatched roof.  The sides were filled in with yet other branches.  Two doors were left.  One to be used as the main entrance and the other (a hidden door) as an escape route.  Now that the nest was sturdy  and enclosed, she gathered leaves to line the inner walls.  Each single leaf is tucked into place until the entire inner chamber is covered.  This step is much like shingling a roof but she does the entire inside of her nest. The last step is to be completed tomorrow as she will gather soft grasses to make a bed.  Here, she will give birth to her young and nurse them until they are strong enough to venture out of the nest.  For twelve weeks after giving birth, she will take total responsibility for raising her little family.

  The female squirrel does it all.  She builds the nest and cares for the young.  She, also, gathers and stores nuts, seeds and fruits to tide the little family over during the winter months.  The male...does nothing.  He will even go so far as to steal her stash of winter supplies if she is not careful.  As I watched the little pregnant squirrel build her nest, I gained a new appreciation for her.  She is one hard-working little mama unlike that deadbeat dad.  I guess I had better put out an extra helping of sunflower seeds for her enjoyment.  She deserves it.  She was working hard to get her chores done and she has a pretty important deadline looming ahead of her!

I Love Wintertime!

  Summer has descended upon us like a ton of bricks.  Our weather is hot..puredee HOT..more like July or August hot..not May or June hot.  Factor in the high humidity and it is almost stifling. Even the air conditioner cannot keep the Little Bayou House cool so there is not much to do other than pull a rocking chair up to the screen door, grab a glass of lemonade or sweet tea and hope the breeze is coming over the Bay.  After the chores are completed, that is usually where you will find Mr. PJ (the old dog) and me.  We try to find the coolest spot while he enjoys a treat of cold watermelon and I have my cooling drink.

  This is all fine and dandy for the two of us but just imagine being a long-haired, black cat during a heatwave such as this!  Poor Ms. Nycto, the Bayou Princess, is suffering.  Since she is most insistent on staying outside during the day, she has derived her own ways of keeping cool. On several occasions the cat has actually taken a dip in the Frog Pond.  Once she is soaking wet, she sprawls under a shade tree and naps.  This method works well except it does cause matting which means getting a haircut and that is not something she likes.  Her other method of cooling is to simply lounge on the lawn furniture with her belly facing upwards.  The cat will let the cooling breezes waft over her underside.  The only downside to this is that the chairs are near the bird feeders so the impertinent squirrels rarely let the cat rest.  

  The weather forecast for the upcoming weekend calls for even more heat.  Our temperatures are predicted to be in the high 90s with heat index well above 100 degrees.  That will be a tad uncomfortable for all of us.  It is just too early for this heat!!  I think winter needs to hurry along its way!

 

Green Carpets and Monkey Faces

  Without the daily rains, our weather has turned hot...really hot.  So hot that I nigh on wilted while pushing the lawnmower this morning.  (And to think, I have about four more days of that chore before this whole place is nice and tidy.)  It was the heat that made me quit working at 10am.  I needed water and coolness!  The water was easy to come by but that coolness just wasn't happening.  Nary a breath of wind was stirring the leaves and the shade only harbored hordes of mosquitoes.  So, once the sun started sinking a bit in the west, I headed to the pier in hopes at least there would be a cooling effect on the water.  Nope...sweltering there, as well.  But I did find green carpeting and a monkey face to keep me entertained.  If you have to be hot and sweaty, at least find something to keep the brain occupied.  That way, you have a tendency to forget for a few moments the discomfort that your body is enduring.  For those who complained about our daily rains...you are crazy!  Two days without the cooling showers sure made a difference.  Give me rain any day over the sweltering heat!

  The green carpet was nothing more than algae that had covered the surface of the mudflats.  Yes, I am easily amused and was fascinated by the whorls and ripples left by the receding waters.  The algae gave the mudflats a new look that almost resembled a piece of heavily brocaded fabric.  Well, maybe my imagination was being affected by the heat and humidity but I could see it!

  Then the monkey face appeared!  As I was lying prone on the pier examining the algae carpet, a dragonfly decided to examine me.  Just inches in front of me, the critter alit and stared at the crazy lady on the pier.  Well, there was nothing to do except take pictures. While I was staring at the dragonfly, I realized that it, indeed, did have a monkey face!  (Yep, the heat really must be frying the brain!)  

  Funny little Monkeyface and I continued our visit for some time before I figured that I had cooked enough.  I headed back up the pier.  The dragonfly decided that he and I were good buddies so he tagged along for a while before flying back to the marsh.  Nice little Monkeyface!

Frogs Are Cool!

  Frogs are cool!  Disagree?  Well, think about it for a minute.  We are in the midst of our hottest part of summer.  Each day, the temperatures rise to the high nineties or even hit triple digits here on the Bayou.  Most days it feels like it is hotter than a slab of salt pork sizzling in an iron skillet.  We sweat, change shirts a dozen times a day and try to find ways of beating the heat.  At times like this, there is nothing better than an ice cold glass of water from the well!  But, still, it is HOT!  That is where the frogs are a lot smarter than us!  They are cool!

  This afternoon, I had a bout of pity for the tomato plants in the garden. Even with the nigh on daily afternoon thunderstorms, the plants are withering.  The sad looking plants looked as if they needed a good dousing with the water hose.  As I sat about doing just that, I could hear a lot of splashing and croaking coming from the Frog Pond.  Time to investigate!  

  Even the water level in the pond was showing the effects of the heat and the water lilies were "burnt to a crisp" from the hot sun. Those frogs, however, were having a joyous time!  I do believe they were actually playing!  One would climb up on the hollow stump that sits in one corner of the pond and start to croak victoriously.  As soon as the others heard the cacophony, one would leap from the pond edge or from a lily pad into the water and swim to the stump.  That frog would start to climb up the side of the stump.  As soon as it would get to the top, the "King of the Hill" frog would leapfrog over the top of the newcomer and into the water.  The new guy then took the position on top of the stump. His croaking would immediately draw the attention of another frog and the game would progress.  It was a never ending game of leapfrog!

  While I stood there watching (water hose in hand), the frogs all enjoyed a shower.  They never even slowed their game as I sprayed the cooling water on them.  What fun!  Yep, frogs are cool! 

Severe Summer Storms!

  It was hot.  Stifling hot.  Not a breath of wind hot.  I usually do not complain about the weather no matter if it is icy cold, pouring rain or just plain old hot but I did today.  I did not complain to anybody else but I did spend a good bit of time muttering about how sweaty I was and how I wished it would come up a good thunderstorm.  It did.  Well, sort of a thunderstorm anyway. 

  Late evening saw me heading to the pier in hopes of cooling off a bit. Perhaps a bit of a breeze was stirring down there that was not reaching the house.  On the way down, I marveled that there was only one small. poofy white cloud in the whole sky.  I figured we were in for a hot, dry summer because the storms lately have been moving north of us.  I sat for a few moments before deciding that the wind was not going to cooperate. It was when I turned to go back to the Little Bayou House that I saw the entity that had taken over the north sky.  Wow!
  
  Black clouds were swirling in a large circle and drawing closer and closer with each passing second.  Before I could even get to the shoreline, the storm was overhead and the winds were threatening me with pushes and shoves.  It was all I could do to race toward the house. For a few moments, reaching it seemed doubtful. This was one fast moving system!

  As soon as the screened door slammed behind me, all of the windows in the house started rattling.  Papers, curtains and even pamphlets were being tossed about like an mischievous imp was ransacking the place.  A vase of gardenias toppled over and spilled water on the rug and framed photographs fell to the floor.  This storm was strong even inside the house!  I raced around slamming down windows, latching the casement windows and closing doors.  This thing was wild!

  Outside, the winds wreaked havoc on the garden.  Tomato plants were ripped from their cages and potted plants toppled.  Limbs started cracking from the straightline winds.  From the window, I could see birds being slung about like ragdolls.  

  This storm came out of the blue to smack us.  We had no warning that anything this powerful was going to hit us.  Still, even with all of the potentially dangerous winds, something good came from the storm.  The temperatures started to drop.  Our suffocating heat was being relieved even if it was just for the evening.  And the rains came.  Soft and sweet to start but with promises of more to come. But the rains came.  I am thankful.  And I am thankful for the strength of the Little Bayou House and the shelter it provides.

Being Rude? Or Just Being Cool?

    So we are not even truly into summer here and the temperatures are already reaching the high nineties.  These kinds of temperatures make me glad for the nigh on daily thunderstorms that pop up in the area. Each afternoon, the winds grow stronger, the clouds thicker and the thunder rolls.  More oft than not, it does not rain on us but our neighbors just north of us receive the brunt of the flooding.  We just get the cooling breezes and lots of lightning.  Still, it is nice.  That break in the heat sure does wonders for the body and mind.  After a morning of working in the garden or jelly-making in the hot kitchen, it is nice to relax under heavily clouded skies.

  Obviously, I am not the only one enjoying a break in the heat.  Early today, I heard the usual screams of the ospreys as they were out hunting.  I figured since it was too hot to work, I would meander down to the pier and check the birds.  In a tall pine right next to the pier, a handsome male osprey screamed his loudest.  As I drew near, he quietened and just stared at me.  These birds are majestically beautiful and always enthrall me.  I sat on the old board path and watched the guy for a while.  I was thankful to be sitting in the shade but the bird was not so lucky.  His perch in the top of the pine did nothing to block the sun. Poor bird.  After short time, I noticed that he opened his mouth and literally stuck out his tongue!  Hmmm...was he just being rude to me or was this some cooling method?  A few moments later, my question was answered.  The bird was not being ugly at all.  This was a way for him to cool his body.  He ruffled his feathers which allowed the slight breeze to aid in cooling but it was that mouth agape bit that tickled me.  

  The opening of the mouth is definitely a cooling method for some birds. It can sort of be compared to a dog panting.  Heat is transferred from the inside of the mouth and cooling air drops the bird's temperature.  And....yep, I tried it.  It works!  Although it may make you look a tad strange, opening the mouth does indeed make you cooler!  I do not recommend you go around all day with your mouth open but at least it gives you an idea of what the bird is doing.  Birds are obviously pretty smart critters.  They know how to beat the heat!  

The "Do-Nothing" Day

  This was one of those days that warranted doing nothing...nothing at all.  Too bad that did not happen.  I was up bright and early peeling shrimp.  Mark had brought in another sixty pounds.  At least I did not have to head these..only peel.  As I whipped the peels from the critters, Son washed and bagged them for the freezer.  I informed Mark that this is the limit!  There is absolutely no more room in the freezers...yes, freezers.  I have four chest-type freezers plus the two small freezers above the refrigerators filled to capacity.  I cannot...will not...shall not need any more shrimp...nor shall our kids.  Seafood abounds in the Gulf so it does here as well.  Besides, I am tired of dealing with the stuff!  I never thought I would ever say that but I am.  At least until the shrimp move into the Bayou.  Then, as little as I need them, you will most likely find me on the pier throwing the net. 

  But, like I said, this day warranted being idle if for no other reason than it was hot.  It was far too hot to do many chores and definitely no outside work but I get real antsy sitting inside.  About one o'clock in the afternoon, Ms. Ez and I headed outside.  We wandered about the hillside for a bit when I noticed she was panting rather hard.  Mark had taken her for her annual checkup earlier and she received her shots so I imagine she was feeling a tad under the weather.  Well, that ended our hike. I made my way to the benches under the oak trees.  There we could sit in the cooling breezes from the Bay.  Ms. Ez eased herself up on one bench while I sat on the other.  She loves to rest on the old benches because it puts her high enough to see out over the water.  I rested my hand on the old dog's head and thought of how she has been around for quite some time.  We got her right after Hurricane Katrina. The family that had Ms. Ez's mama was going to kill some of a litter they allowed her to have.  Elizabeth could not stand the thought of that so she rescued the runt of the bunch.  Elizabeth named her Esmeralda. (I shortened this to Ez as it was easier to call.)  I have cared for this dog since she was a wee pup.  

  After a bit, Ms. Ez nodded off into a deep sleep.  She seemed to feel better and I guess that is one way to beat the heat.  Me?  I just sat beside her and continued to rub her ears.  Poor old dog.

The Welcome Storms

  The daily pattern of heat, high humidity and evening thunderstorms has hit the Bayou.  During the daytime hours the temperatures rise to near (if not above) 100 and with the humidity hovering near 90%, that makes it quite stifling.  Our chores are best finished in the morning because being outside after that had better be spent not working.  Son and I worked yesterday building a deck on the back of the greenhouse and clearing some brush between there and the shed.  It was not an easy task and required many water breaks.  Since we wanted to complete the deck, it was nigh on noon before we quit. Both of us were drenched in sweat.  

  By late afternoon, the clouds start to build and thunder starts to roll. Lightning strikes are most terrific with a good many making contact. Several trees have been split asunder by the force of the lightning.  It is a good time to be inside where it is safe and sound.  The good thing about these storms is that it does cool the air a bit.  Temperatures drop dramatically in just a few minutes making for a much cooler night. 

  At the moment, thunder grumbles off in the distance and threatens to douse us once again. The sky is black. It is all good, though.  Life giving waters will fall upon the gardens and revive the plants that were wilted by the day's heat.  Thunder on, Storm, thunder on!  You are welcome here.

Share and share alike!

  As a rule, tempers flare more often during the heat of the summer. There is just something about being miserably hot that also makes us "hot under the collar".  On the Bayou, we have more than our share of hot days and add to that extremely high humidity, well, you get some pretty uncomfortable days.  Now take two beings that are not extremely fond of each other and throw into the mix and that can spell trouble. This is why I found two of my critters in an rather unusual situation today.

  I walked into the living room on about one o'clock in the afternoon, to find Ms. Ez, the Bayou Dog, and Ms. Put, the Bayou Queen, sprawled out on the floor just inches from each other. On any other day, the two simply tolerate each other.  I am sure Ms. Ez would not mind being friends but the Bayou Queen simply does not abide by commoners. She would just as soon bite or scratch the "nothings'" heads clean off as look at them. The intolerable heat had made the two adversaries become mutually tolerant of one another.  This was the only space in the entire house that had a nice breeze and each wanted their share.

  I enjoyed the truce while it lasted.  Once Ms. Put realized that I was in the same room, she demanded that I open the door to let her escape. She put on airs and pretended to be miffed that she had been forced to share accommodations with a mere dog.  Ms. Ez, on the other hand, let the Queen pass undeterred.  As matter of fact, the old dog did nothing but thump her tail a few times and went back to snoozing.  

  Yep, it is only the first part of June and the heat has already changed attitudes here on the Bayou.  Hopefully, all attitudes will stay as peaceful as these two.  I guess there is really no reason to go fighting like cats and dogs....errr...well, you get the idea.

They did a study for this?

  Sometimes I worry about the logic behind all of the money spent in the name of research. Sure, it can be a good thing if it is meaningful but some of these studies are a tad ridiculous!  I mean, think about it here, why not save a heap of cash and just ask some "old-timer".  Or better yet, give that same person the money you spent for months of research and save a heap of time!  I am quite sure that the person would delight in getting a few cool millions to answer a silly question.  Take for instance, speaking of cool, the recent, earthshaking discovery about koalas.  Yep, we all needed to know that koalas hug trees to stay cool.  Not one of us is going to run out during the next heat wave and hug a tree, now are we?  Nope...thought not.  

  Anyway, why didn't these brilliant researchers just ask me? I am not some scientist or not even highly educated but I do qualify as an old-timer and Pop told me a long time ago why critters "hug" things during summer. I could have given them the same answer that took months of study, millions of dollars in thermal imaging equipment and a lot of head-scratching discussions.   Duh, anyone who has casually observed local wildlife would know the simple answer.  Yep, critters find the coolest place to spend the hottest part of the summer.  Take gray squirrels, for instance.  They do the same thing.  This is common knowledge.  (At least among people who pay attention to their surroundings.) They "hug" tree branches as a method of cooling.  Of course, they hug smaller branches since their little front legs are a lot smaller than those of a koala! Or they go all out "spread eagle" and flatten themselves against a larger branch. But still, come on, did that take a "team of researchers" to discover?  I think not. Hey, and guess what?  Critters, also, have a tendency to seek out a shady spot during the heat of the day! It is called commonsense.

  There are far too many over-funded "studies" done on everything from koala cooling methods to housefly mating habits.  Who cares?  Why not take those same millions to help the needy?  To fund college educations? To care for the elderly?  To clean the planet?  To rebuild cities ravished by natural disasters?  Ok, so you get the idea.  I do honestly believe that koalas are smart critters but no smarter than my lowly gray squirrels. Now the researchers, on the other hand, don't even ask me what I think about their intelligence if it took a "study" to figure out the obvious answer to the question of why koalas hug trees.  (Ok, you researchers! Here is another tidbit of information for you!  Critters also seek out the warmest places to ride out cold winters!  Duh!  That should be worth a few millions, don't you think?)