A "Wooden Stove" is not to be confused with a "Wood Stove"!

  Some folks do not realize the total amount of work that Son and I put into the clue hunts that we have each October.  Our planning starts the moment the last hunt is completed and the last team goes home.  It takes nigh on a full year to plan and execute the hunt.  A new story line is written, new clues are added, new puzzles created and new props made for each hunt.  While we may use some of the props again as decorations, we have never reused any clues or puzzles.  It takes an extreme amount of time and copious amounts of labor....both physical and mental!  We have already started on next October's hunt and will continue throughout the entire year.  Like I said, it is a lot of work but keeps my mind clicking like a well tuned clock!

  Last spring, I informed Son that I needed a wood burning stove for the hunt.  He looked at me in disbelief, stared a bit then said "Ok".  That was it.  No arguing, No complaining.  Just "Ok".  It was done.  He found an old grandfather clock in the back of the shed.  This had been given to us several years ago and was already dilapidated at the time.  It was not an antique nor even vintage, it was just a clock.  Still, it had some redeemable qualities, namely, a few hard wood doors!  Next he pulled an odd cabinet door and a few boards.  My wood burning stove was in the works!  An hour later, he called me to give approval.  Yep!  It was exactly what I wanted!  I was not planning on using this as an actual heating stove so the wood worked well!  I just needed it to look like a stove and it did!  He added a piece of plastic pipe for a stove pipe and a grating from an old grill.  Afterwards, the thing received several coats of black paint and we were good to go!  The stove was to be used in the greenhouse which was to become "Hattie's Shack" for the clue hunt.  

  Prior the first running of the hunt, I had the brilliant idea of "lighting" our stove.  I rummaged around in my Halloween decorations and found a battery-operated string of lights.  This were one inch in diameter pumpkins that gave off just enough glow to resemble hot coals.  We threw together a small burn pile and charred a few sticks and pine cones for that "touch of realism".  After putting it all together, I was pleased with the effect that the little stove lent to the shack.  It was perfect!

  Now the little stove will become a plaything for my grandchildren (and any other tots that visit) when they come to the Bayou.  Son is adding a few miniature cabinets and a play sink to the set.  This will all be fitted in a play area inside the Little Bayou House for safety reasons.  (Times have changed since I used to let my kids roam the Bayou without worry. This MawMaw is a bit overprotective of tykes nowadays!)  A set of tiny pots, a few dishes and some wooden spoons will be added once the area is set.  I am excited and only hope that my grandchildren will love it as well!  So much for those new-fangled plastic kitchen sets! On the Bayou, kids play with wood stoves and cast iron skillets!

Leave it be!

  It has only been a mere two weeks since Ms. Ez, the Bayou Dog's passing and already people are asking me if I am going to get another doggy friend.  LEAVE IT BE!  While I am quite sure the folks have good intentions and do care about my well-being, I AM NOT READY!  It would sort of feel like I am demeaning the friendship that we shared if I quickly tried to "replace" her.  Nothing will ever come close to filling the void left by this dog.  Sure, we have had animal friends before that have come and gone but none quite as part of the family as Ms. Ez...other than Ms. Put, the Bayou Queen, also known as the cat.  (Not to be confused with the Bayou Princess, Ms. Nycto...the OTHER cat.) I pretty much spent the entire last ten years with Ms. Ez.  Our days were spent together and she slept next to my bed.  Twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week and pretty much three hundred and sixty-five days out of the year, she was my steady friend, partner in crime and sounding board.  I repeat...I AM NOT READY...so don't try to shove another dog down my throat.  It ain't happening...yet.  Some day...maybe.  Just not now.

  Anyway, that said, I awoke this morning with a cat hacking up a hairball next to my bed.  Since Ms. Ez is no longer in her usual spot, Ms. Put has decided that I need comforting.  She sleeps in the same spot vacated by Ez.  It is a big difference.  Ez never coughed up hairballs, for one thing, and I never had to pay attention to where I placed my feet if I got up during the night.  The old white dog was easy to spot even in the darkness while the black cat blends a little too well with the surroundings.  The hacking sound startled me a bit.  I rolled over to check the cat and came face to face with a dog!  Geez!  I was not expecting that!

  The dog in question was not a real pooch but rather the "wolf" or "Rougarou" (which is another fine name for a werewolf in Cajun legends).  This wolf is a shapeshifter of sorts as it was once a wire reindeer but I transformed it into the wolf for the clue hunt.  We needed a wolf prop as part of the clues so the reindeer received a massive makeover.  Black fake fur, handmade red glass eyes and a bit of leather completely turned the deer into a huge wolf.  Since the clue hunt is over for another year, all props have been removed and stored...except the wolf.  Just where do you store a larger than life dog?  For the time being, it is obviously being stored right next to my bed!  Waking up to find a wolf staring at you is a tad unnerving even if it is not real!

  After coaxing my heart to stop pounding, I checked the cat.  She looked at me innocently as if to say "Why did you wake me?  Where is food?" Well, that settled that.  If the nigh on twenty year old Queen wishes to dine, I shall serve.  I tumbled out of bed and headed to the kitchen.   A can of cat food for the Queen and a mug of coffee for me....not a bad morning treat after facing the Rougarou!  And for all you well-meaning folks out there who think I need another dog.....I have one!  I have a large, black wolf and I am perfectly happy with that!

Its Halloween! Almost!

  With the clue hunt falling in the month of October, I do a vast amount of decorating.  Things need to be festive for Halloween but, also, render the impression of the theme of the hunt.  This year, most of the hunt was in out buildings so I was able to do a bit of actual Halloween type decorating.  It made me happy to pull my boxes down from upstairs and sort the accumulated items.  I have a LOT!  Still when it came to doing a tablescape for the clue hunt meal, I was at a loss.  The first hunt of the season saw the table decorated in a typical "Bayou" style with seashells and Spanish moss but since the month has progressed and it is closer to Halloween, I decided to change all of that.  I went strictly Halloween.

  First, an orange base tablecloth, then a black lace over top set the mood.  I had acquired some orange and black dishes that would look perfect so those were next.  My silverware and some cheap dollar store wine glasses were added for a bit of creepy elegance.  Now all I needed was finishing touches.  The same base centerpiece that I had used for the previous hunt came back into play.  I merely pulled off the seashells and the lantern from the top.  A skull and assorted bones were added to the moss and several large spiders were thrown in for fun.  Yep, it is always quite tasteful to have bones on the dining table!  Since I would be using the black bowls to prepare a vegan pasta dish, the plates looked a tad plain.  That needed fixing!  Hmmm.  I tried just about everything I had on hand but always seemed to wind up with one short.  Mini skeletons were meant to be napkin rings but one was missing a head!  Not that this should matter but, hey, my theme was not the "Headless Horseman"!  I pulled some small skulls and, once again, I lacked one.  Geez!  Then inspiration struck!

  Folded black napkins were placed on the orange plate and a single tiny lantern was set on top.  With the miniature lanterns lit, it gave the table a wonderfully warm glow!  I completed the look with lanterns hanging between the windows around the table.  Yep, I am satisfied with my last minute tablescape and think I will use this again for the next running of the hunt. In the meantime, the table will stay decorated!  Love it!

A day late...but a lot of much needed fun!

  My writing got waylaid yesterday evening.  We had another running of the Annual Clue Hunt on the Bayou and time just got away from me. When I finally quit for the day, a new day had already begun.  It was just two hours before sunrise and I was dog-tired. (Where did that phrase originate? Hmm?)  Anyway, instead of making the effort of using my brain any further, I collapsed into the bed.  Two hours later, I was up with the sun and raring to go once again.  

  The clue hunt went well once again with the team being enthusiastic and having a lot of fun.  That is all that matters.  I have found that one area particularly sparks the imagination of each team.  I transformed our storage shed into a "Shop of Curiosities".  This small room seems to strike a chord with each person.  I am assuming that more folks have a bit of Bohemian in them that admit to it.  The unconventional flair about the room lends for an active imagination which is exactly what I was aiming to do...tickle the senses, so to speak.  

  All in all, I think I can safely say, even at this point, that this year's event is proving successful.  This encourages me to continue with the hard work involved.  Next year's hunt is already in the works and, hopefully, will be just as enjoyable.  

A Bit of Bayou Elegance!

  The Annual Clue Hunt on the Bayou is something that I look forward to all year long.  It takes just about that long to plan, create props, decide on a menu and pull the entire thing together.  The thing starts with an idea, progresses into a storyline and then proceeds to become a reality. I scrounge around in flea markets, raid family members' sheds and use a good bit of creativity to make things perfect.  Each year, I worry and fret that I have overlooked something or that perhaps I have "bitten of more than I can chew" but with Mark's and Son's input and help, we manage to transform the place into what I imagine.  It is great!

  The menu usually is something that ties in with the hunt.  I serve a full "sit-down" meal and have the tablescape to fit the hunt.  Last year's theme was "Steampunk Poe" with apologies to Edgar Allan Poe for our twist on his stories.  The dining table was set in Victorian style with crystal and a black lace tablecloth with red underlay.  Of course, beads, candelabras, a skull and ravens had to make an appearance.  This was fun! The heavily ornate table settings were in stark contrast to what normally happens at the Little Bayou House.

  This year's theme is "Legends of the Bayou".  It is more fitting to the setting of the place and the house in general. I had first automatically pulled the black lace tablecloth and candelabras for the meal.  It just did not feel right.  Then, in the middle of the night, it struck me...duh! Bayou!  How simple!  I would go with "Bayou Elegance"!  Some crystal, some everyday.  I had to get up out of bed at 3 am because I was so excited!  Things were whirling around in the head so sleep was impossible.  A canvas dropcloth replaced the black lace tablecloth. This was topped with a piece of trawl netting that I had been saving for some unknown reason. (See!  My "hoarding" does come in handy!)  Everyday offwhite dishes were paired with crystal plates and ramekins.  I was so blessed to be the recipient of my sweet aunt's "shrimp" glasses and they were going to be perfect for this tablescape!  I have the same aunt's large silver plate tray so that became the base of my centerpiece. A tarnished silver candle holder/vase was set atop the platter then a smaller platter on top of that.  A lantern found its way on the tip top of this mountain!  The whole thing was draped with Spanish moss and dotted with seashells.  Yep...the "Bayou" had come to life on my table! Seafood would abound on the menu and for dessert my sweet aunt's crystal wine glasses would be filled with pumpkin trifle!  With the combination of everyday and fine crystal, the setting was perfect....a bit of "Bayou Elegance" at its best!  (Thank you, Michelle, for honoring me with your mother's gorgeous dishes!)
  

  This clue hunt has me thinking nonstop.  As matter of fact, even though we have just started this year's, my brain is already thinking of a year from now. I only hope that my guests have as much fun as I do! It will be a full month of teams coming to try their hand at solving the mystery and tasting a bit of Bayou cuisine!  Fun!

The Fun Begins!

  The third Annual Clue Hunt on the Bayou has started!  Our first run was last evening and I must say it was a success.  Things went off without a hitch and all seemed to have a great time.  The laughter and chatter were sure signs that the team members were having a good time.  

  One of the favorite places in the hunt seemed to be my greenhouse. Since the theme of this year's hunt is "Bayou Legends", this small outbuilding was transformed from greenhouse to "Hattie's Shack".  Son did an amazing job on building a "wharf and bayou" for the team members' enjoyment and puzzling.  Several of his ingenious clue-hiding spots were included in this area.  

  Inside, I removed all of my usual greenhouse stuff and did a major redo of the place.  I imagined myself as Hattie and how she might have lived.  Becoming a character in my hunts gives me a good insight on how to decorate.  I figured Hattie was a simple woman who gathered what she needed from the Bayou so I included items that had washed in with the tide.  This was easy since hurricanes tend to deposit some pretty unique items in my yard.  It is strange how I save these things and then can find the perfect use for them in the hunts.

  I will post more pictures as we progress with the hunts.  (I can't give away any secrets!)  

Pondering the "Man in the Moon"

  Sometimes you just have to wonder about how legends ever came to be.  Some, I can understand.  Others are so far-fetched that reading them makes me scratch my head in confusion.  My reading, as of late, has been filled with legends since the upcoming Annual Clue Hunt on the Bayou deals with mostly "Bayou" legends.  I never realized just how many of the tales dealt with either bayous, bogs, swamps, mires, marshes or whatever.  "The Rougarou", "The Will-o-the-wisps", "The Fountain of Youth" are among a few of the more familiar ones.  (Now that I mentioned these, don't you just want to go read them?)  The Rougarou is sort of a Cajun version of the werewolf tales of old.  Ok, so I see where a spin could be taken on some of the other tales but what makes me wonder is how this was originally a tale to "scare" tots into going to bed.  "You better get yourself in that bed before the Rougarou gets you!"  Yep, that would make me just want to race down the hall into a dark room, jump into bed and expect to get a peaceful night's sleep!  The Will-o-the-wisps is at least somewhat nicer.  In most versions, these are described as faerie lights seen out over the mires. They were pixies that used their lanterns to lure folks into the marshes. More oft than not, these wayward folks were "drunken" sports who lost their way home.  The sots would follow the lights deeper and deeper into the marsh until they were stuck forever.  From my way of thinking, the drunkards were probably seeing a lot more than lights and just did not have enough sense to follow the road.  Of course, there are many versions of the Fountain of Youth...so we won't even go there right now.

  One of the things that really made me ponder was the tale of "The Man in the Moon".  Some say that if you look really hard you can actually see the face of a man looking back at you or you can see the full body of a man carrying sticks on his back.  To this, I say...we must be traveling back to the tale of the Will-o-the-wisps and folks telling the tale are imbibing a bit. If you can actually see these things without a vast amount of imagination, your eyesight is either clouded or vastly clearer than mine. Whichever!  I have stared at that old moon and, for the life of me, cannot see a man.  I do not disparage the fact that perhaps others can see him but not me.  And I especially cannot see his face in a crescent moon even though most of the time he is depicted as a profile.  

  The version with the man carrying a load of sticks comes from long ago and has been handed down through verbal lore.  It seems that European tradition says that this is a man who was caught gathering sticks on the Sabbath.  It seems that he was a poor man who was trying to warm his hearth but a rule is a rule. As punishment for working on that day, he was banished to the moon.  There, he was doomed to circle the earth forever as part of his sentence. To this day, he carries his load of sticks round and round the earth year after year.  That sure seems like a tough punishment for gathering sticks to keep warm. 

  Another version says that it is not a man at all but rather frogs.  I have never heard tell of "Frogs on the Moon" but, hey, we are talking legends here.  Seems that a great flood came and washed three frog sisters from their house.  The waters ran deep and washed the froggies down to a great eddy that swished them to the House of the Moon.  Once there they wished to reach a higher place as to not get wet so they perched themselves upon his head.  Here, they can still be seen each night there is a full moon.  Hmmmm...that one is really a head-scratcher!

  All of this pondering is merely because of a clue hunt and my working on props.  As I sat creating a very rustic version of a crescent moon, a thought went through my head.  I wonder just what the theme for next year will be and if it will be just as entertaining.  What ever possessed me to do legends?  Goodness!