Just a Heart

   Here I am in those years deemed to be "the elderly" and I am still learning new things every day.  I guess that old adage "You can't teach an old dog new tricks." is a bunch of hogwash.  In fact, it is good to keep learning.  You know...you have to keep that brain active!  At least, that is what my kids tell me.  So, I research just about everything I come across.  Some of this, I retain.  Some I deem boring so it gets stored in that dusty part of the brain where things go to hide for eternity.

  Today, I found a leaf!  Exciting?  Nope but interesting enough that it brought questions.  The research did not even involve the type of leaf or what caused the odd shaped holes carved into it.  I knew the answers to both.  It is a grape leaf and the holes were the result of pine needles being dropped onto the vine.  Those pierced the soft part of the leaf leaving gaping holes.  Nope.  I did not need any help figuring that.  My research came as a result of me thinking the leaf resembled a heart.  (It did not look like an anatomical heart but rather the cute hearts we all use to decorate things.) Where in the world did that shape come from?  Who thought that a few squiggles should be called a heart?  I had to know.

  Come to find out, the heart shape is all because of a now extinct plant, the Silphium.  This plant was something that was widely used back in ancient Rome.  (This plant is not to be confused with any modern day plant even if it has a similar name. This silphium has gone the wayside.)  Anyway, those ancient Romans decided that the plant was good for a myriad of things but all were centered around "love".  The plant was deemed as an aphrodisiac, a contraceptive and an abortifacient. Hmmm...perhaps that is why it is extinct now.  Overharvesting can indeed cause problems. 

  Still, that does not explain the shape of the cute little emoji heart nor the Valentine heart.  Well...there is more.  Since the plant was tied to all this "love", they needed something to represent the plant and there it was.  What we know as the heart shape comes from the fruit or seed.  The case was roughly that shape.  The mericarp (fruit) was soon representative of the plant itself.  Those ancient Romans started carving the shape of their wondrous plant onto everything.  It became the decoration of the time.  It wasn't long before the mericarp was on the coins used at market.  Geez!  So...there you have it.  What we know as a cutesy emblem came from long ago and depicts a part of a plant.  It has nothing to do with the human heart.

  So, folks...keep learning.  Even if it is something that is just a curiosity and not that useful, learning keeps the wheels of thought going.  That is not a bad thing.

  

Baby Plants!

  Last spring, my nephew sent me some flower seeds (and starts) from Hawaii.  He lives on an island way out there somewhere and was passing through Hawaii when he saw the packets.  Well, he knew I am game to planting anything so I received the very special parcel from him.  One of the packets contained a leaf.  It had seen better days as the shipping took forever.  The instructions said "Place leaf in a shallow dish and spritz with water."  That was it.  The entire instructions seemed a bit vague but I went with it.  Soon some tiny shoots started coming up from the leaf.  Alrighty, then!  I guess I had plants!

  The plant is a sort of weird plant called a "Hawaiian Air Plant" which is supposedly in the kalanchoe family of plants.  Hey!  I know how to grow those!  The plant did, indeed, grow and flourished in the delipidated (thanks to Hurricane Zeta) greenhouse.  All winter, the plant grew until it was about 3ft in height.  As I struggled to get the plant out of the greenhouse earlier this spring, I inadvertently knocked off a leaf.  It fell to the floor of the now empty greenhouse and was forgotten.  For two months, that thing stayed on the floor with no water, no soil and no care.  Today, I found it and it had baby plants growing out of the leaf!  

  This whole thing made me realize that I need to be very, very careful with the plant.  If it is that easy to start new plants from a single leaf, imagine what would happen if the entire plant was strewn about the hillside...say by a hurricane.  The property would be soon taken over by an invasive (yet, pretty) plant!  

  Backing up to earlier in the spring, when I took the plant out of the greenhouse, I stuck it on the back porch.  It never occurred to me that it may present a problem.  After finding that leaf (babies) in the greenhouse, I checked and, sure enough, the recent storms had broken some leaves.  There were LOTS of babies!  Oh, no.  What had I done!  

 

  It appears that if I am to raise this plant, it had better be an indoor plant where I can keep watch on those baby-making machines!  The fallen leaves will have to be destroyed by some means if I do not want the world (or at least the Bayou area) covered in Hawaiian Air Plants!  Happy growing...I guess!

Watching A Spider

   Well, one storm is behind us without ever making itself noticeable.  The weather was beautiful today with only one late rain shower providing us with some much needed moisture for the gardens.  I had hoped for a bit more rain but the "tropical system once known as Marco" played itself out without much ado.  Now we await the other which is predicted to be a tad (or a lot depending on who is forecasting) stronger.  We shall see.

  While out and about, I noticed a large spider in her web on the back of the shed.  I decided to pay her a visit.  As I watched her carefully remove a leaf that had become caught in her web, I had to think of how the spider had to be happy that a hurricane did not come.  If a small leaf could rip a hole in her web, imagine if a hurricane had whipped debris in on her.  As it was, she meticulously removed the silk from each part of the leaf then, literally, tossed the leaf free from the web.  It was amazing to watch.  Then, Ms. Spider went about her business of repairing the damage much like we would repair the Little Bayou House if it had received hurricane damage. 

The spider's five foot in diameter web was so intricately woven that it reminded me of the netting we use in catching fish.  How in the world did a spider have that much patience and finesse to spin such a creation?  It is funny how as humans, we tend to think we are so much smarter than any other creature.  Here, this spider with her eight legs created a web by using "building material" she formed in her own body.  Who of us can do that?  Each leg of the web is incredibly strong and has thousands of cross bands to create the mesh.  Even with multiple repairs, the web is beautifully made and functions remarkably well.  While I was watching her, a horsefly became ensnared and the spider left her work to go bundle it in silk.  Doing that kept the fly from damaging her web even more and also kept it in a safe place until she had the time to dine upon it.  Watching the spider almost made me feel insignificant and pathetically inept.  I stand in awe of her ability.

Its A Leaf...It Is Love

  Sometimes, you come across something that strikes a chord with you or tugs at the heartstrings for no other reason than it is there.   It is almost as if the item was specifically placed for you to find.  My hikes about the Bayou often present me with such treasures...treasures that most would pass over without a second thought but for some reason stand out as special to me.  This morning's "treasure" was nothing more than a leaf but, for some odd reason, it "spoke" to me.  (Not actually but you get the idea.)  

  Son and I were out getting more firewood early this morning.  He was running the chainsaw and I had hauling duty.  Even though toting the wood up the hill, around the side of the greenhouse and to the wood bin is tiring, I would much rather do this than the other part.  I am getting too old to be wielding the chainsaw!  It was on one of those walks with an armload of wood that I nigh on stepped onto the leaf.  Although it was noticed, the leaf did not stand out as anything miraculous until about the fourth trip past it.  Suddenly, I saw the leaf in a whole new light...literally.  The sun cast a single beam of light through the leaves of the old oak tree and brightened the leaf.  By the time I retrieved the camera from the house, the sun had moved on its merry way but the new found interest in the leaf remained.  It was gorgeous...a perfect red heart!  The leaf was photographed and toted back into the Little Bayou House.  I knew exactly what I was to do with the leaf!

  For years now, I have often given a "heart" to my sweet niece when she comes to visit.  It may be a heart-shaped stone, a leaf or flower petal but never anything bought.  Sweet Eva was coming today so I feel the leaf was placed especially for me to present to her. Yes, it seems silly but let me explain. This young lady has held a piece of my heart ever since she was a child.  She would often come stay when she was nothing more than toddler.  Now that she is grown, visits to the Bayou are special to me.  She is the type who would rather have a simple, from-the-heart gift than the most expensive present that money can buy and fully appreciates even the tiniest of gestures.  I knew when I saw the heart-shaped leaf that it was meant for Eva.  Not that a leaf, itself, was worth anything but, still, it was priceless.  The hearts that have been given to this sweet girl show that, even though the items themselves may fall the wayside (leaves whither, you know), the love this old aunt has will hold strong through whatever may come.

  Gracious as she is, Eva accepted my tiny offering with a profuse amount of gratitude.  She understands.  She knows that even though the leaf was simply plucked from the ground, that it represented the fullness of my love.  Oddly to say, she and I are kindred spirits.  We both understand.  

Simply Perfect

  It is simply extraordinary to think of how perfectly made each and everything on this world is made.  I have yet to find anything that needs improvement. True, some things are not as aesthetically pleasing as others but, if you truly look at the detail, you can see the precision involved in the creation.  It is that detail that makes things perfect.

  This morning, I found a tiny lizard that had obviously been trapped for some time between the window and window screen.  The poor thing was malnourished and dehydrated.  I knew just what needed to be done as the lizard would soon die if not helped.  My new found friend would reside in the greenhouse for the winter.  There, it could find plenty to eat and drink plus be warm and snug.  I caught the little fellow and headed out the back door.  With my hands tightly cupped around the lizard, I was in no position to brush off a leaf that dropped from the tree and plastered itself on my face.  I just had to "wear" the thing until the lizard was safely delivered into its new home.  Once I was lizard free, the leaf was removed from my cheek.  Wow!  Perfection!  Maybe I should have just left the leaf be and worn it for the entire day.  It was gorgeous!

  When you think about all of the wonders that surround us each day, it is astounding.  A leaf...simple yet intricately designed just like every other bit of nature...flora and fauna alike.  Folks, stop being in such a rush and take the time to admire...truly study...what is around you.  Don't take any of nature for granted for tomorrow...it may be gone.  One never knows.  

Mother Nature to the Rescue!

  Sometimes things happen in real life that almost seem too weird.  Or, perhaps things happen all of the time and I just notice them more than most folks.  Anyway, some pretty strange things occur here on the Bayou that just about defy explanation.  Maybe there is no explanation. Maybe I should not look for any and just accept things as they are....bizarre or not.

  Years ago, Mom gave me a little terracotta turtle to stick in the garden. It was a cute little rascal until the weather took its toll on the exterior.  I kept the thing even though it was starting to resemble a zombie turtle with its flaky exterior and decaying head.  I did not have the heart to toss it.  After all, Mom bought it for me.  So, the turtle sat in the garden getting more ragged by the day.

My turtle with his new "head".  Good job, Mother Nature!

  One day, I was out raking leaves when I noticed that the turtle had a new head!  Now, terracotta turtles do not just "get" new heads! Something unusual was going on in the garden!  Stepping up to examine the thing, I had to start giggling.  An oak leaf had fallen in the exact spot to replace the long gone noggin!  The placement of the new "leaf" head was odd enough but this leaf was the perfect shape for a head AND had a mouth and eye!  My turtle never looked so good!  

  How this leaf fell in the precise position is a mystery.  How this leaf happened to have a tear right where a mouth should be is most unusual.  How a bug gnawed a hole just the right shape and size for an eye is beyond believable.  But these things did happen.  My turtle lives on to see another day!  At least as long as the leaf stays put!  Mother Nature did a fine job of repairing my turtle!