Finding Shelter From Storms

   All of us have our times where we feel the need to take shelter whether it be from bad weather, other people or simply from our own emotions.  I have been feeling like that lately.  It feels like I am being twisted by a violent maelstrom that is pulling me deeper and deeper into the depths.  I am tired.  I am overwhelmed.  I am bewildered. When I feel like this, I stroll the Small Gardens and think.  The brain can wander without constraint.  Any number of magical events can occur and bring a bit of peace and happiness to my heart.  The gardens are where I seek shelter...they are my refuge. 

  A couple of days ago, my sweet niece came to visit.  She and I seem to be kindred spirits in more ways than one.  We can see the beauty in the simplest of thing and can pray away our troubles while meandering among the botanical wonders that surround us.  After she left, I headed back to the vegetable plot to check the squash.  It had rained the night before and the leaves were still drippy wet.  Most were hanging low over the blossoms as if they were offering shelter.  As I pushed aside one large leaf, my heart gave a little flutter.  Nestled deep inside of the large, yellow squash bloom were two tiny bees.  Snuggling together, the two had sought shelter from the overnight storm.  The squash plant had offered a safe-haven for them and they were reluctant to leave since the raindrops were still dripping from the leaves.  Gently....ever so gently, I lowered the umbrella leaf back over the two tiny beings and smiled.  I had found refuge simply by observing bees that sought shelter, as well.

  Folks, be kind.  It all goes back to that old saying "If you wouldn't like something done (or said) to you, don't do (or say) it to others.  

Rainy Days and "Not Moe".

   The fishing has still been a no-go...today more than ever.  I would have loved to be on the pier but as soon as I rolled out of bed at 4am, a torrential downpour could be heard pelting the rooftop of the Little Bayou House.  I probably should have just gone back to sleep but that, too, was a no-go.  Coffee was calling!  So, I tumbled out of bed and headed to the kitchen.  While the coffee brewed, I made a batch of bread dough.  Baking is always good during rainy weather!  It keeps me from traipsing about the place in the pouring rain.

  Yesterday, however, the sunshine drew us to the pier.  While we did not catch much in the way of fish for our lunch, Mark and I had a lovely visitor.  A Great Blue Heron came to beg for handouts.  With the fish elsewhere, the bird, too, was having difficulty catching lunch.  By sheer luck Mark caught a nice sized mullet in the net, dropped it in the bucket and threw for another.  After coming up with an empty net, he turned to see the heron snatching the mullet from the bucket!  The bird had lunch and we did not!

  While this heron looked very similar (they all look alike) to Moe, our resident heron friend, it was an entirely different bird.  This was a young (first year as an adult) bird and Moe is about 5 years old.  It always makes me happy to know we have yet another critter friend, here on the Bayou.  Welcome new friends and keep the old.  Life is good.

Praises for Rain!

   After weeks of no rain, I was beginning to fret a bit about the garden.  You can only water so much before it becomes pointless.  I was at the point of letting things be and hoping for the best.  Last night, however, that all changed as we had a good old-fashioned thunderstorm that lasted for hours.  All in all, three inches of rain poured from the sky and soaked the gardens thoroughly.  I slept well.

  This morning, I wandered through the Small Gardens in awe.  The once near drought-stricken plants had been revived and with each step, I was astounded at the beauty.   It is amazing how just a bit of rainwater can pump new life in something nigh on dead.  Blooms were bursting forth on just about every plant, the birds were happily singing and myriads of frogs and toads were trilling in the little ponds.  The gardens were alive again.

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.

It's Coming!

  The day started off on a perfectly decent note.  The predicted rains had not started yet and a visit with Darling Daughter was the happiest way to begin the day.  Occasionally, she comes before work to share a cup of coffee with her mom!  My day is always better when she is around regardless of the weather.  Along about 10am, she headed to work and shortly after, the skies darkened.  Twenty minutes later, it poured...and poured.  Torrential rains hit the Bayou for nigh on two hours.  

  During a short break between that and the next rainstorm, Son and I rushed to the pier to tend to the small skiff.  There had been so much rain that the boat was nearly full of water.  The pump was stuck and no water had been emptied.  He repaired the pump then started bailing.  I stood and watched helplessly since two of us in the tiny boat would have been too difficult.  I kept watch on the Bay and incoming storm.  The thunder was drawing nearer and I could see a wall of rain inching closer and closer across the water.  "Hurry!  We have got to get back to the house!" was met with "I have to finish."  So, I waited in the drizzling rain with him.  Finally, he jumped from the skiff and said, "I am just going to pull the boat ashore then pull the plug."  That sounded like a grand idea so the two of us hauled the boat up the bank.  It was heavy and hard work but we finally situated it in a safe place, tied it to a tree and he pulled the plug.  "Let's go!" I said! 

  We made it to the door when another storm let loose.  The winds were terrific with this one.  Limbs were being ripped from the trees and tossed about the yard.  Suddenly, there was a loud clattering on the rooftop.  "Uh, oh!  Hail!"  Some of the largest hail that I have ever seen pelted the house.  Son spoke..."I am glad we made it inside.  That may have hurt a bit."  Yep.  It may have.  

  All said and done, we received over four inches of rain in less than three hours and there is more on the way.  We will stay snug and safe in the Little Bayou House and not worry about what is happening outside.  The boat is secure, the cat is inside and all is well.  Stay safe, folks, stay safe.

Probably Not The Best Idea

  I found long ago that bumblebees and other flower bees sleep deep inside of flowers at night.  Here, they are snug little bugs!  In the morning, they have a ready source of pollen for breakfast before they go about their daily business.  Most flowers, such as lilies, squash blossoms and trumpet vine blooms are sturdy and provide shelter against rains and the chill of night. However!  Sometimes, the choice of bloom can be a mistake.

  Last night we had torrential rains.  Everything became soaked.  This morning's hike proved to be rather soggy with the leaves and blooms still dripping water.  One small bumblebee was quite soaked.  It had made the mistake of choosing the bloom of the Althea bush as its nighttime quarters.  Normally, while this would not have been the best choice, it definitely would not have been the worst.  The blooms of this shrub are "one time only" blooms.  They open during the day and then close...for good...at dusk.   If a bee climbed inside the bloom, the soft folds of petals would gently caress it like soft blankets as it closed for the night.  In the morning, the bee could still wiggle its way out of the petals.  With the rains, however, the petals would almost "glue" themselves together making a tightly enclosed "cocoon" around the bee.  Obviously, our little bee had sense enough to climb out of its bed and "ride out the storm" on the outer edge of the shriveled bloom.  Poor, little bee was covered with water droplets but was still clinging to its bloom!

  It seems that this summer has had two things going for it.  It has been hot!  We have had near record temperatures.  It has also been wet.  Rainstorms pop up almost every evening. as of late.  These storms have a lot of wind, lightning and thunder.  The little bee endured quite the ordeal last night so I am in hopes that it finds a safer place for tonight's slumber.  Perhaps it should try the new hotel called "Madonna Lily" down the garden a ways.  I hear tell that its "open all night" and is touted to have strong petals.  Sweet dreams, Little Bee!

Mr. PJ And Rain...He Was Not Amused

  It has always amused me to see dogs frolicking in puddles after a rainstorm or even playing out in the rain.  They seem to be having the best time just being dogs.  The animals are purely blissful and have no worries at the moment.  They are not worried what others think, how dirty they are or if they are getting chilled to the bone.  They just want to play.  People need to be more like that.  

  "I don't like the rain!"  Not me....that comes from the old dog, Mr. PJ.  While I love a good rainy day (or night), he simply hates them.  He is not prone to go gallivanting through the puddles nor likes to be muddy in any sense of the word.  Lord help us if his feet are dirty.  In fact, with the rains of late, he would just as soon stay in bed as venture outside.

  This is not by my doing.  I assume, as a puppy, he never had the opportunity to be "free and wild" in the rain.  Our old Bayou Dog, Ms. Ezzy, loved the rain.  She loved any water and would lounge in a pool, mud puddle, pond, bay, tub or just on a soggy blanket.  Of course, she was a "water dog" being part Labrador.  Ms. Ez was at her happiest when she was swimming.  I am hard pressed to get Mr. PJ in the tub to bathe him.  He sulks the entire time.  

  Yesterday, while out for a potty break, Mr. PJ was a bit agitated.  He did not wish to be outside and was determined to let me know that.  It was for only a split second that the door closed between us but you would have thought it was a lifetime.  The glare that I received because his feet were in a puddle was something else again.  If looks could kill, I would not be around to tell the tale.  I figure I am still here only because he cannot open the door himself.  He was not amused...at all. 

Hold it!

  After a day of drizzling, our weather took a turn for the worse and the tornado sirens, once again, sounded on all sides of us.  At 4pm, the sky was pitch black, winds whipped the treetops and thunder rolled.  Then...the rains started.  At first, there was a nice shower but then, as Pop would have said, "The bottom fell out!"  Raindrops pelted the rooftop with such vengeance that it was difficult to hear conversation with the person next to you.  It was perfect!

  The only thing I can see bad about a nice stormy day is that the old dog, Mr. PJ, refuses to go outside.  If forced, he immediately turns and tries to bolt back in the door.  While I do not mind him being on his comfy bed, I am sure bodily functions should be attended.  Nope.  It is not happening.  Three times, I tried to get him out and down the hill.  Three times, he stalled at the door, reluctantly took a few steps out and then tried to return.  Twice, I managed to coerce him halfway down the hillside by going with him.  This worked somewhat but still no deed was done.  I found the dog sneaking back up the hill.  He was sitting at the door by the time I came through the gate.   Later in the afternoon, Son attempted to get the dog out.  He was smart and brought the leash.  Yep, Mr. PJ dutifully followed but did not "doo-tifully" do anything.  So, it is now dark, pouring rain and he is curled up on his bed as if he does not have a care in the world.  Hope he can hold it!

  As I said, hard rains are pelting the rooftop and thunder sounds in the distance.  It looks as if we are in this for the long haul and the weather forecast calls for much the same tomorrow.  This, my friends, is the start of "Winter in the Deep South".  The weather pattern will be much the same...warm, fog, rain, cold (well, our version of cold..."cool" to my northern friends).  Then the cycle starts over again.  I sure hope Mr. PJ gets over this determination to stay dry or else he will be doing a lot of "holding it".

Poor Moe!

  Moe, the heron that comes to feed at the pier, was not overly happy with the turn of events of the day.  He usually waits for me to come down to catch minnows for him.  Yes, he has gotten to be quite the lazy bird, here lately, and refuses to work for his breakfast.  He gets to the pier long before I do in the mornings as I need that first cup of coffee before I head outside.  Once the coffee is sipped and Mr. PJ, the old dog is fed, we head outside.  That is the routine of every morning.  Moe on the pier, me sipping coffee, Mr. PJ eating then we all meet together.  This morning that did not happen and Moe was extremely agitated with me.

 That "turn of events" happened to be a nice rain pelting the Bayou.  Since we have not received any rain in several weeks, it was much appreciated and deserve a bit of "rain watching" which I promptly did!  As soon as I made the first mug of coffee, I heard the gentle rain pelting the rooftop.  Ahh, nice!  I headed to the living room, threw open the French doors that overlook the Bay and pulled up a rocking chair.  Those three things got a burr stuck in the craw of Moe.  While I lounged in the rocking chair watching the rain through the screen doors and sipping my morning brew, Moe sat perched on a pier post IN the rain with no breakfast.  All I could think was "Go catch your own breakfast! I am going to sit right here."

  Obviously, Moe did get a bit miffed at me as later when I finally made it to the pier, he refused to come eat.  Mr. Smartypants Moe sat and glared at me from my brother's pier.  He was having no part of my laziness and he was going to let me know that!  Well, so sorry, Moe.  You will have to fetch your own minnows this morning if you are too high and mighty to come eat when I offer.  In the meantime, a second cup of coffee and that rocking chair sounded mighty fine.  Mr. PJ and I headed back to the Little Bayou House and poor Moe went hungry.

Trapped!

  My day started out with a bang!  I was up before dawn, had breakfast and started working.  It was to be a day that I accomplished what I set out to do.  My first goal was to decorate the storage room for the clue hunt.  This windowless room was to become a shop of sorts and I needed to redo everything.  Yesterday, I had made a clean sweep of the area.  Everything was removed from the room which left me with a clean slate to use.  I had incredible ideas of just how it was to look so I set my mind to creating the perfect spot.  Boxes and boxes of "stuff" were hauled from the house and shoved in one corner.  I wanted everything close at hand so I could delve right into my task. 

  Both doors to the room were flung open so I could take advantage of the cool breeze.  This was perfect.  I started filling the shelves with my props when suddenly Ms. Nycto, the Bayou Princess (aka cat) came barreling into the room.  She scooted under a chair and was not about to even look at me.  Well now! I wondered what had gotten into that cat?  Boom!  Uh, oh.  Suddenly a torrential downpour started pelting the rooftop.  I was trapped!  There was no escaping the store room.  If I made a dash for the house, I would be soaked to the bone!   So....Ms. Nycto and I stayed put for the next three hours!  

 It was not all bad, though.  In those three hours, I completely transformed the store room into a "Shop of Curiosities".  I feel good about my efforts and hope those attending the clue hunt appreciate my being cut off from the world for three whole hours!  I, also, got in a good amount of petting time with the cat.  She decided that my company was rather nice during a thunderstorm! 

  Tomorrow sees me transforming the greenhouse.  My day will start about the same as it did today AND we are predicted to have more rain. I might become trapped in the greenhouse for most of the day....guess I had better pack a lunch!  Fun stuff!