Help Comes In All Shapes

   This past year has been a rough one in so many ways...not just for me but for people everywhere.  While others faced a world-wide pandemic, I faced more personal storms in the way of illness and, well, storms.  Generally, the year 2020 has officially been marked down as a pretty rotten year for most folks.  Still, we have to look at things in a different perspective if we ever wish to get past our troubles.  I, for one, refuse to let things linger long. 

  All along the top edge of one section of the garden fence, there are dozens of cormorant feathers tucked safely in between the wire and railing.  Why?  Well, it all started as a way of coping with the massive cleanup after Hurricane Zeta.  I had found a long, black feather in the debris.  Not thinking much about it since surely a few feathers were lost during the storm, I stuck that feather into the crevice of the bark of a pine tree.  I promptly forgot about the feather until I found another.  That, too, was stuck in the tree bark.  Then another...and another.  About this time, Son was becoming a bit confused and questioned my actions.  Flippantly, I replied that I was saving the feathers in case I came across the whole bird.  "The bird will need its feathers once I find it!"  It had already become clear that the bird had not survived.  As I worked, I kept poking feathers along the tree trunk. It was Son who first stuck one in the garden fence and I soon followed suit.  Thus, our feathered fence became a thing.

 After a few days, finding and collecting the feathers sort of blocked out the reality of the devastation around us.  We could focus our attention on retrieving the feathers and not the huge piles of debris.  Silly?  Probably to most folks but to us, it was simply an act to relieve stress.  (It still saddens me that the bird perished during the storm.)  Now, the top of the fence proudly wears the feathered crown and I am reminded to not let stress get to me.  I assume that the feathers will stay as long as Mother Nature allows them to do so.  The wind and rain have split and curled the feathers into curious shapes so that now they are more of a point of interest in the yard...a point of interest that saved a bit of my sanity.

Time to Show A Little Kindness

  Along about midnight, I was awakened by a strange bonking noise.  Thinking that the screen doors were not latched, I roused myself to check.  It was then that I realized the wind had picked up and was slamming things around a bit.  Ok, so it was time to grab a flashlight and start taking down things that might cause problems.  I had already dropped the hanging plants but had gotten sidetracked before I took in the wind chimes and other decorative yard items. Well, my lapse in commonsense now saw me in the midst of tropical storm force winds trying to do what I should have earlier.  It is all good, however, as Son came to my rescue and gave a helping hand.  Ten minutes and I was back in bed enjoying the sound of rain pounding the rooftop and wind rattling the windows.  

  When I awoke this morning, it was well before sunrise so I had no idea if the outer bands of Hurricane Delta did any damage here on the Bayou.  I knew it would pale to the damage that the good folks in the path of the storm received but I was curious.  It was nigh on 7am before the sun lightened the sky enough for me to venture out.  Dark clouds still rolled around the sky and the winds, though calming, were still quite brisk.  I checked around the Little Bayou House and was happy to find that it held once again.  The pier, on the other hand, did not fare so well.  

  Entire sections of our pier are missing.  Usually, we have planks that are washed free but this small squall literally did major damage.  At some points, we have posts...just posts.  When Son came down to "survey" the damage, he simply replied, "No problems.  A little work but it can be fixed."  This man has the best attitude about things.  I have never seen anyone remain so calm in the face of calamity. 

  Once again, folks, be kind.  Reach out and help those in need.  Those in Louisiana and Texas are in dire need of help.  Even if you are miles away, do the neighborly thing and help.  Send a donation, lend a helping hand, say a prayer for those that are facing a massive cleanup.  Trust me when I say, their lives will never be the same.  Been there...done that...don't wish it upon anyone.  Be kind.  Just be kind.