Taking The Easy Road Has Me Tired!

   As I age, the body does not seem to want to keep up with the brain.  In my mind, there are a billion things that need doing during the day but the body is tired and achy.  Today after a migraine yesterday, I decided to forgo the plan of cutting the last bit of marsh near the pier.  That is a hot, strenuous chore best not to be tackled while headachy.  So, I opted to spend the day in the kitchen canning pears.  Seemed to be the easiest route to take.  It turned out to be harder than I had anticipated.  Arthritis is not for the weak.

  The hands were not appreciative of the bushel of pears that needed peeling, coring and chopping.  Instead of dealing with the entire bushel, I took the easy way out and only did half.  Problem is...I still have a half bushel to do (and many, many more on the trees).  Baby steps!  I will do what I can and go from there. 

  Today, I merely canned a mixture of diced pears and pineapple.  This concoction has very little sugar and a good bit of lemon juice.  Later, when the weather cools, a jar of this will be used as filling for pastries.  We do not need any more jars of ANYTHING on the pantry shelves but it is such a shame to let it go to waste.  I was raised during a time when it was "Waste not, want not" and that has stuck.  I have tried sharing fruit from the trees with many folks but there have been no takers.  So...plums, peaches and pears have kept me busy even with my hurting hands!  It is all good...literally!  Yummy, in fact!

She Is Feeling Better!

  A little over a week ago, a longtime friend of Son's came to the Bayou.  We kept our "distancing" by staying outside.  I was running the weed trimmer and Son was repairing the lawnmowers.  Chris sat near the Frog Pond where he could still talk with Son.  Occasionally, I would stop to add my two cents worth to the conversation but mostly I buzzed away with the trimmer.  At one pause, Chris made mention that there was a turtle in the pond.  Ok, so there was nothing unusual about that other than the fact that turtles have a hard time climbing back out.  The sides of the little pond are steep and slippery.  In reality, I forgot about the turtle.

  Fast forward until today.  Yep, that turtle was still in the pond.  She was weary from swimming as the only place she could rest was on the waterlilies.  When I first saw her, she was skittish and went underwater but the second time, the small turtle came right up to my hand and allowed me to lift her from her predicament.  I was a hero!   I had just rescued a Bayou Friend! 

  After setting the turtle on the ground, she soon disappeared.  A bit later, a rustling in the leaves told me that the little one was hunting for food.  She obviously was starving!  Ok, second rescue time.  Since we were near the compost, I found a quick meal.  Fresh pineapple was on the menu!  Who knew that turtles love pineapple!  She immediately started ripping off pieces to eat.  Well, second course needed to be served. I am probably the only one who will go scrounging for food for a critter. Her next course was dewberries!  After a handful of those, the turtle needed a nap so she buried herself under the cool leaves and stayed put for nigh on two hours.  Later, she came back to munch a bit more pineapple and a bit of raw chicken liver.  

   Even though a lapse in memory left her in the pond longer than needed, the little box turtle seemed highly appreciative of the rescue and meals.