Do I Dare??

   One of the banes of living on this property is the overgrowth of Smilax.  Those thorny vines are everywhere and can grow about a foot every day if left to their own doings.  Son has dug out so many of the large root balls that it has become a sort of standing joke when I find yet another vine engulfing a tree, building or garden.  The things are relentless!  They seem to have an undying desire to take over the whole place no matter how hard we try to keep them in check.

  This morning, I found that the goofy vines have taken root in the marsh and have made their way up into the live oak trees that line the property where yard meets marsh.  Just a mere five years ago, I had cleared this area after Hurricane Zeta ruined the tree line.  I carefully cleared everything down to the marsh edge and was a happy camper with my work.  Then one thing or another got in the way of my keeping it nice and tidy.  This morning's discovery also gave sight to the billion or so berries that are soon to drop as seeds.  More smilax.  More aggravation.  So...there was nothing to do but research these plants a bit more.

  While I knew that the roots and new shoots of the vines were edible, I had no idea the extent of uses of its parts.  Supposedly, the new shoots taste a lot like asparagus and the roots can be boiled, roasted or used to make a flour.  Those roots are also the base of Sarsaparilla.  Come to find out those lovely berries are also edible and are used to make jelly.  Who knew??? I sure did not!  

  Now the question...do I dare?  With close to a thousand jars of home-canned goodies (including jams and jellies) on the shelves, it seems pointless to add yet another batch of jelly...but I am curious.  Will this taste good?  Have I been missing out on a delight that has literally been handed to me time and time again?  Perhaps I should stop looking at the Smilax as a curse and see the gift that Mother Nature has been trying to give to me.  Smilax jelly may be in the works this week!  Now to figure out how to pick the berries while avoiding the wicked thorns.  Wish me luck!

*Update:  It appears that I got this wild hair of Smilax jelly a bit too late as the "berries" are already past their prime.  Obviously, I needed to pick them in the late fall. I shall try again in 6 to 8 months...if the hurricane season plays nicely and I do not get sidetracked by cleanup.  I shall post again then about the adventures in Smilax as a foodstuff!

Happy Vines

  Sometimes, it seems as if we do things in vain.  Our hard work accomplished nothing...nothing at all.  Earlier this spring (and summer), I was on a mission to get the place looking better.  My year off due to health issues really dealt a blow to the Little Bayou House and the yard.  It was high time to get that ship back in shape! So, I was working like a whirlwind...until that big blow came and knocked me off my feet again.  Health is one of those funny things that can pop one way or another at a second's notice.  My work came to a grinding halt until the malady worked its way to oblivion.  After an entire month of nothingness, I am finally beginning to return to my old self.  Work is, once again, getting accomplished.

  Back in June, I had trimmed back a good bit of the smilax vines that take over the hillside if given their way.  Once you let them get away with that inch, they take the proverbial mile overnight.  So, I trimmed.  With things neatly done, I moved on with the satisfaction that the chore would be much easier from that point onward.  Then, that break came into play and the vines bounced back with a vengeance!  Smilax usually blooms early spring and then produces the berries that ripen late fall.  Thinking I did a smart thing by trimming off the blooms, I was hopeful that not nearly as many berries (seeds) would be produced.  Duh...I think trimming the vines just made them bloom more!  Today's walk made me realize that if I wanted the prolific growing vines to remain contained, I was going to have to trim them constantly.  It did not happen.  Vines everywhere.  Vines in bloom again.  Vines happy.  Me...not so much.

Web of Protection

  Down near the marsh edge on the east side of the house, there is a large clump of underbrush and palmettos.  Entwined in all of that are dozens of large smilax vines.  These vines twist and turn through the shrubbery and palmettos creating an almost impenetrable mesh.  The whole lot looks a total mess and I really should break down and cut it.  I don't.  I don't for one simple reason.  It is a fortress of sorts.

  In that clump of tangles a brown thrasher has made her nest for the past few years.  While she is vulnerable to snakes not much else can reach her or her nest.  The eggs are safe.  Once the eggs hatch, her little ones are well protected against most predators. Even after the little ones fledge, they have the instinct to return to the tangles when threatened.  Land critters such as fox, bobcats and even feral cats cannot slip through the tangles without calling attention to themselves.  Large birds seeking attack from above cannot maneuver through the web  The thrasher did a good job choosing this site for her nest.  I do not have the heart to destroy her world simply for the sake of having a "clean" yard.  

  In fact, the tangled mess is rather interesting.  My daily hikes take me around the back of the clump where I never  know what may be in the path.  Even the tangled vines serve as a point of interest.  With that in mind, I can fully convince myself that the "habitat" needs to stay.  The web of protection shall continue to surround the Thrasher family.

Wildly Weird!

  Late this afternoon, I went to review the work Son had done by removing the fence line that once held boysenberries.  For some odd reason, the entire row of vines had shriveled and died leaving quite the unsightly mess this entire summer. I had good intentions of clearing the mess myself but other things managed to get in the way.  He was kind enough to tackle the chore for me.  While out under the grapefruit trees, my pant leg became hopelessly ensnared in a thorny vine.  Even though the boysenberry vines refused to grow, a smilax vine appeared to be quite healthy!  Reaching down to unsnag the fabric, my hand brushed against something that was definitely NOT a vine!  Oops!  That called for closer inspection of the vine.

  At first, I could not find what soft, squirmy thing did not appreciate being smashed.  All I could see was a smilax vine and a dead leaf.  Uh, oh!  That dead leaf wiggled!  Time to put on the eyeglasses.  Oh, my!  I came face to face with the weirdest looking critter that I have ever seen (and I have seen plenty here on the bayou!).  This thing was so ugly it was beautiful...or maybe it was just ugly...in a pretty sort of way.  I had no idea what it was other than a caterpillar of some sort.  Of course, finding an unknown critter meant the camera had to come into play.  After a few photographs to help me identify the critter, I left it to its own resources and headed inside to research my find!

  It did not take long before I found that my critter did, indeed, have a name.  It was the caterpillar of one Curve-lined Owlet Moth.  While the caterpillar looks like some alien from Outer Space, the moth is rather nondescript.  It is brown with a curved line going across the lower part of the wing.  The caterpillar appeared almost evil but not once did it try to bite/sting...it sat acting like a dead leaf.  All of those strange horns and hooks must be for show and not protection.  Perhaps, that is its best defense...be scary looking and be still.  Who knows?  It seemed to work well enough as I let the little guy go on munching the smilax.

Little Flame of Red!

  The old dog is still not doing the best so my limitations on hiking are still in effect.  We slowly meander about a hundred feet down the hill, he sits, I try to find something interesting to pass the time as he gazes at whatever is in front of him and then we return to the Little Bayou House.  This routine is ok as it is all he can muster but it does make for a lack of photographs.  Patience is a virtue.

  This afternoon while he spent ten minutes staring at Ms. Nycto (the cat), I stared at a single red leaf.  The tiny leaf was being back lit by the sun that was quickly sliding down to the western horizon.  In all of its one inch glory, the leaf fought back at the coming darkness.  It literally glowed!  It was a brilliant beacon in amongst the dull browns of the fallen oak leaves...a little flame of red!

  Thinking this little leaf was one that had recently fallen from a nearby tree, I tried to pluck it from the ground.  Nope, it wasn't happening.  This little leaf was the entirety of a plant.  With its roots firmly affixed, there was no pulling this plant!  A baby smilax vine had sprouted and was doing its best to survive the winter (or lack thereof.  Lucky plant).  

  Smilax vines are some of the most difficult vines to remove from the ground.  Their vines are covered with thorns which makes grasping difficult but it is the root system that causes it to be a nigh on impossible task to pull them from the ground.  Even this tiny two inch tall vine with its single leaf has a root tuber about an inch in diameter.  It seems that the root ball grows much quicker than the upper portion of the vine.  Once established, however, the vines can quickly cover anything on which they can grasp!  Tendrils reach out and wrap around twigs of other plants. The sheer tenacity of smilax is amazing!

  I really should have yanked the smilax from the ground and thrown it into the burn bin but something told me to leave it be.  Perhaps it being my bright spot of the day had something to do with that decision...one I may regret come this summer.  For now, however, the tiny red leaf can glow in comfort as I have no desire to remove it.  It whiled away a good ten minutes for me.

Flu Stricken and Pondering??

 When a person is sick with the flu, their brain often does not work clearly.  Mine surely does not!  This afternoon, I peeked out the window to see the sun shining brightly and that did it!  I grabbed a jacket, called to the dog and made yet another great escape.  Being confined to a sick house, even when I am sick, is more than I can bear.  While the menfolks were napping like good patients, I was ambling along the path soaking up that glorious sunshine!

  Although I felt well enough for a stroll, the brain kept coming up with strange thoughts such as "How many baby minnows does it take to make a school?"  Do you know?  I do not but there were thousands of the little jokers playing in the shallows.  They were enjoying the bright sun just as much as I was.

  Another thought..."Why do flying squirrels prefer to gnaw hickory nuts from the pointy end while grey squirrels go to work on the side?"  That is another of life's great mysteries at least to a flu-muddled brain.  If you have the answer, it would be great to know.

  Also, "Why do smilax vines so closely resemble a spiderweb?"  Spiders and vines have nothing in common yet their intricate work can be comparable.  (I should have photographed the vine before PJ rent it asunder with his plodding but I was slow on the take and about as befuddled as a cat chasing its tail.)

  The good news?  I felt much better after being out and about.  Fresh air, sunshine, doggy friend and lots of wonders of the world can make all the difference.  Back to the menfolk...they have the three "C's".... crouping, coughing and complaining.  I guess it is best that I escape now and again to try and preserve what little sanity I have left!  Just how many minnows does it take???

It Is That Thick

  The other day, a cousin from out of state made the remark to me that I had to be exaggerating about the fog.  "It cannot be that thick." he stated with quite an air of insistence.  "Fog lifts before midday." again with a little bit more emphasis that he knew what he was saying.   Well, folks, if you have not lived on a bayou in the Deep South, do not go telling us about winter fog.  It is a real thing and we deal with it...sometimes all day...sometimes for days on end.  Fog!  Thick pea soup fog that shrouds everything and lays a dampness to every nook and cranny of even the tightest of houses.  The wood floors in the Little Bayou House stay sticky and dust clings with more of a vengeance to the damp furniture.  It makes you just want to stay inside where at least you remain somewhat drier than if you went traipsing around the hillside.  Mr. PJ and Ms. Nycto (the dog and cat of the place) have decided that the best way to endure the weather is to nap continuously.  

  Yesterday morning had particularly dense fog.  The sun did not poke its face out until well in the afternoon.  The whole Bayou seemed to be cloaked from the outside world.  Not being able to see what lay beyond the marsh, I felt a bit isolated.  The old dog hung a bit closer when we headed back behind the cane to gather firewood.  Instead of his usual romping and exploring, I think he felt the need to protect me from unseen foes.  

  The fog did make for some interesting photographs.  When nothing else can come into focus, those figures nearest stand out strangely beautiful.  Mundane things such as the tangled smilax vines dangling from a bay tree became the perfect frame for the fog-masked sun.  To me, this is intriguing.  To others...it is probably rather boring.  Still, it does show the density of the fog as this photo was taken about 10 am.  So, Dear Cousin, it really is that thick.

In Perfect Unison

  After another rainy, rainy night, Mark and I headed to the pier.  It was quiet with only the birds acknowledging our arrival.  We watched as the sun peeped through the clouds and hoped that the rain was through for the day.  This was wishful thinking that did not come to fruition,  About mid-morning, the clouds gathered and the showers pelted us once again.  Things are getting a mite soggy here!  This weather routine has us all watching the Gulf.  It is that time of year again where any bit of low pressure that makes its way into the Gulf has a potential of becoming a storm.  This one?  According to the weather folks, does not have much chance of becoming anything major but may be "just a rainmaker".  Wow!  Just what we need!  More rain....

  As we headed back up the hillside, Mark called my attention to the water droplets that were slowly slipping down a smilax vine.  Like a well trained marching band, the droplets stayed in perfect step.  Not one droplet bumped into another as they slowly marched down the sloping vine.  They stayed evenly spaced until they came upon a joint in the vine where a tendril curled its way up and over the main stalk.  The droplets halted, slowly squeezed between the loops then continued marching down the vine.  

  Some folks think I spend far too much time enthralled by the wonders of Mother Nature.  They think that perhaps the time would have been better spent doing chores. I say that sometimes you just have to let go of what you "need" to do and do what you "want" to do regardless of what others think.  Personally, I think that observing and learning of the wonders of nature is far better than feeling obligated to do chores. Those who think otherwise can just get over it.  Had I not spent the time as I did this morning, the spectacle of the rain droplets marching in perfect unison would have been wasted.  Maybe Mother Nature knew I would appreciate her effort and put on this show of perfection just for me!

Death Grip

  Today, once again, saw me in the midst of the yard cleaning.  This is a humongous chore and will continue for the next few weeks as I am literally ripping out most everything.  It is a long overdue task but I am willing to tackle it.  When trimming a red maple tree that seems to have decided to grow long and lanky instead of nicely shaped, a single vine was not cooperating with my efforts.  A large smilax had wormed its way up the tree and was about to strangle the poor thing to death.  It had a death grip around several of the limbs and, no matter how hard I tried, the vine was not budging.  It came down to the small tree being trimmed far more than I had originally intended.  Poor thing now looks a bit lopsided and bald!

  The smilax roots had to be dug out from in between the maple's roots which was no easy task.  Leave just one smidgen and by the end of summer the tree will be engulfed again.  Smilax has a tendency of growing where you least expect and where you least want it.  Once it is established, it is the dickens to remove completely!  The vine twists and turns, grips and strangles until its host prop perishes.  While it is not a parasitic plant, it usually kills any nearby plants merely by choking them.  Even dead parts of the vine are capable of having a strong, strangling grip!

  My red maple will have a struggle to become shapely again but, at least, it is free from its suppressor!  No more will it gasp for life!  Live free, little maple!  Die, smilax!  You can grow all you want anywhere else but not in the yard where you stifle the growth of everything you touch!  Tale your death grip elsewhere!

Its a Regular Fruit Compote Out There!

  Darling Daughter and I took a hike about the hillside the other day as we searched for an injured loon.  My son and husband had seen the poor bird flopping about in the water but, try as they might, they could not catch the bird.  They did, however, get a good eyeful of what was bothering the bird.  Someone had evidently lost a fishing lure and the bird thought it was a tasty treat.  The lure was lodged not only in the loon's bill but also in its shoulder.  This left the bird most helpless so we were all searching and hoping to help it.  When we edged near the east most side of the shore, we did not find the poor injured bird but she spied a bunch of berries dangling from a long vine.  "What are those berries?" she asked.  Well, memory failed me at the moment but after a bit, I recalled the name.  The smilax vine was loaded with huge balls of black berries!  As I photographed the smilax vine, she queried about the red berries that were growing right next to the smilax.  "I remember these berries growing all over the place but never knew the name."  That I knew right off...yaupon!  The yaupon berries were showing their brightest red of the season.

  While there is a thought that the smilax berries could be edible (I have heard this but have not tried them.), it is common knowledge that you better not try the yaupon berries.  Those will definitely cause problems in the way of severe vomiting.  Birds, however, seem not to have a problem with either and will soon strip both the smilax vine and the yaupon shrub of their fruit.  It is about time for the cedar waxwings to visit the Bayou.  Once they arrive, our compote of black and red berries (along with any other berry in view!) will disappear in a matter of minutes.  I am good with that.

  Our search for the loon was in vain, though, which makes me sad, indeed.  I have called my cousin, Michelle, in on the quest and she has been searching the marsh line over her way.  Hopefully, someone will spy the bird and be able to catch it.  There is not much hope for its survival with the hooks embedded as they are.  The poor bird cannot fly, swim or eat.  If not helped, the loon will die a slow, painful death.  This is why I abhor lures with double treble hooks.  Folks, please be careful out there...wildlife depends on us to use a bit of commonsense now and again.      

                           

Be still my heart!

  Ms. Ez and I headed down to the pier late this afternoon to check on Mark's little skiff.  Last night's clouds dumped a good bit of rain down upon the Bayou and I wanted to make sure the automatic pump was being automatic.  It was and all was well.  Since I wanted to play ball with the old dog, our visit to the pier was short but sweet.  We headed back up to find her old softball.  Just as I stepped off the pier, I noticed a bright splash of orange to my right.  Well, this called for an investigation. Anything bright and pretty during these gray days of fog and rain is a welcome sight.  

  Right in the edge of the marsh, the heart-shaped leaves of a smilax vine stood out in sharp contrast to the tangled mess of reeds and other brush.  I had to smile when I realized that I was actually admiring something that normally would bring a grimace and a few choice words.  If this plant had been growing in my garden instead of the marsh, I would have had the shovel out in a second!  Those big, knotty roots take over any space given a half of chance.  Digging them out is the only recourse when it comes to clearing the garden. If you leave one tiny, tidbit of a root, within a year, there will be a problem.  These vines love to take ahold to a plot of ground and never give an inch. 

  Here, however, I do not mind.  In the marsh, the smilax's large, mass of potato-like roots help to hold the soil in place during tidal surges associated with the frequent tropical storms or hurricanes that plague the Bayou. I have heard tell (but have never tried) that these very same roots can be harvested, dried and ground into a flour.  This can be added to other flours to be used in baking.  Supposedly, the roots are high in starch and can also be used as a thickening agent much like cornstarch is used.  Someday, I will be brave enough to eat the "bane of my garden".  Then perhaps, I shall find it delightful and wish that I have been cultivating them all along.  Until then, however, I shall just be thankful that this plant with its lovely leaves resides in my marsh edge!

The Helping Hand

Smilax is a woody vine that can grow up to fifty feet in length.  This length is supported by anything that is near enough to be in its path.  If it is left to its own whim, it can take over a place in a matter of months.  Having vine overgrowth is bad enough but these things have prickles!  One such vine has decided to make itself quite at home on the side of the old shed out back.  Tendrils have reached all the way up to the rooftop and have wound themselves around any protrusion that could be found.  Long-reaching arms have slithered into cracks between the boards and have wedged themselves beneath the shingles.  The vine has become part of the old shed.  It is as if the two have become one.  The shed provides the support for the vine while the vine helps to hold the old building together.  In a weird sort of way, it is a thing of beauty.  This dependency of one upon the other shows that even the oddest of things can become "friends" and lend a helping hand.

Smilax is one of those "love it" or "hate it" type plants.  Although it has huge root balls that cause digging to be impossible and has those prickles that are a tad treacherous, the plant does have some good points.  Other than holding the old shed together, Smilax has been touted to have great promise in the medicinal world.  Although it has long been used in home remedies as an herbal decoction, it is now being studied worldwide as a possible cure for many diseases.  While I do not urge anyone to run out and dig up a Smilax root to use in tea, I do hope that testing continues.  Perhaps a cure for cancer or other dreaded disease can be as close as the "sticker vine" crawling on the back fence.  

Personally, I like the Smilax as long as it stays where it should and does not invade my azalea bushes!  Once it takes root under some bush like that, it is virtually impossible to remove.  It does amaze me however, that so many plants growing wild show promise as cures.  I do believe it is time to rethink how we look at "weeds".  One of those might just save my life someday! (And just to clarify, I am not above running out back to dig a root for tisane.  I have no qualms about using this root.)

Halt! Stay where you are!

  Finally, the sun has made an appearance! This first sunny day in quite some time was cause to get outside and do things! Anything! Who cares as long as the sun is shining and I can make an escape from the confines of the house! Out before daybreak, I decided that there was much yardwork to be done..Son would just have to get my herb garden turned before much longer. Those seeds were ready and waiting to be planted! He and I dug, cut out sod and pulled infinite amount of roots in the new space. I was elated to see some form of progress being made on the small piece of ground. Once we managed to clear the spot, I hauled the wad of roots down to the marsh edge. Here they could become mulch or could take root again and help keep the hill from washing away in any hard rains. While near the Bayou edge, I noticed some bright red leaves. Growing up the side of a small oak tree, was a "sticker vine". Better known as Smilax or "that $&#$% vine", its heart-shaped leaves struck me as being sort of pretty. I knew that if this was growing in one of the garden areas, I would definitely be miffed at the large root system and the impossible chore of removing it. There is just no easy way to kill this vine! I have even resorted to using a chemical spray at one point and I do believe the vine merely snickered at my efforts! This has to be perhaps the toughest garden nuisance to ever try to eradicate. Unless you have a strong back, sharp shovel and vast determination, the vine will get the best of you.

  Smilax is actually found worldwide with many different types. Besides the above mentioned names, it is also known as Greenbrier, Deer Thorn and Catbrier. It is a woody vine with the most vicious thorns that will let you know real quick when you have found a vine! In the early summer it has tiny greenish flowers that develop into clusters of dark, bluish-black berries. The berries will hold onto the vine throughout the winter making good feeding for many birds. The seeds will pass through the bird unscathed and will sprout wherever dropped. Lets just hope the birds decide that the vines should stay away from the yard!

  So..my pretty, red leaves belong to a not-so-nice vine. One that you best not tangle with unless you wish to get pretty well scratched! I looked at the Smilax..."Ok, Smilie!" I thought, "As long as you stay down here by the Bayou, I will embrace you as something beautiful! Just don't weasel your way up that hill!"

  One strange thing that I did not know about this vine is that one type is called Sarsaparilla! Yep, it seems as if Sarsaparilla (the drink) is made from the root of one type of Smilax. The Smilax Regelii or Jamaican Sarsaparilla vine provides the base for the drink. It originally was used as a medicine but later was sweetened and served as the beverage, Sasparilla. Some folks will argue that Sasparillas are none other than "root beer". In a sense, this is so as it is a root-based drink but true root beer in the United States was originally made from Sassafras root.