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.
Folks, when it is dry, don't burn. It only takes a wee bit of commonsense to understand that fires have a way of spreading during dry weather. Let one spark lift up into the wind and devastation can be the result. Just don't. If there is a burn ban issued, don't even use that cute little outdoor fireplace. Your entertainment can leave folks homeless or even cause death. Just don't. If the leaves crunch underfoot, don't burn trash (even in a container.) Your yard cleanup could result in hundreds of acres of forest lost due to wildfires and thousands of animals horribly killed. Just don't. One tossed cigarette, one small fireworks (bottle rocket), one careless act...puts firemen in extreme danger. Just don't.
This past weekend, a fire raged through the woods not far from us. Scuttlebutt has it that someone decided to burn leaves even though a burn ban was in effect. Acre upon acre scorched as the fire went crazy with the high winds. Flames shot nigh on seventy feet into the air. Homes, churches and businesses were threatened to be caught up in those flames but, thanks to the brave firefighters, were saved. It was a careless act that should never have occurred.
Last night, it rained. This rain was a blessing, not only for the exhausted firefighters that were still watching "hot spots" but to all of us who have wooded areas. Watching the videos of the fire just to the west of us, caused an uneasiness to settle in as it could very well have been here. When I heard the first raindrops pelting the rooftop, I said a prayer of thanks and know full well that prayer was being repeated the Coast over. I have always been thankful for the rain but, in times like this, it has never been more beautiful.
Earlier today, there came an eerily familiar fracas from deep in the creek bed. It grew in intensity until I had to quit painting, grab the camera and slip unseen through the underbrush. The cacophony reminded me of a saddening situation a few years back. I witnessed a large male raccoon literally slaughtering the young of a small female. It was breeding season but she already had kits. Since the massacre took place high in the top of a dead pine tree, there was nothing I could do to help the sweet little mama. I watched and cringed as I saw the male pull the tiny babies from the nest, bite them and fling them to the ground. Little Mama tried valiantly to protect her litter but it was to no avail. She finally gave up and flung herself from the treetop. She would rather plunge some sixty feet to the ground than watch her babies be so brutally killed. This horrifying massacre lingered in my mind for years to come and, today, it surfaced with each scream.
As I edged my way through the underbrush and down past the palmetto clumps, I was thankful for the cool air. Hopefully, all cottonmouths had crawled back in their warm spots for the day and I would not tread on any. The screaming continued for the full ten minutes it took me to reach the spot where I could see what was happening. Thankfully, it was too early for kits yet but this was equally brutal. Sweet and gentle love is not a common thing in the critter world. Four large males were competing over a small female but she was caught in the middle of the brawl. No matter how she tried, there was no escape. She was bleeding and screaming as the males battled over her. Since no kits were involved (yet), I turned to leave. There was no reason for me to be there and, in fact, it would have been dangerous (and foolish) for me to intervene with nothing but a camera to use as a weapon to protect myself.
As I clamored up the hillside out of the creek, I was suddenly sidetracked. Without realizing it when I was racing down, I had plowed through a virtual fairyland of beauty! Dropping to my knees, I admired the beauty of mosses, ferns and tiny flowers! The overhead canopy of trees and bamboo had protected the area from the elements and allowed this natural wonderland to flourish! Oblivious to the melee going on about fifty feet from me, I started photographing the captivating beauty of the forest floor. Key word here is "started". After only two photographs, the camera went dead and, in my rush to be a "savior of baby raccoons", I forgot to pick up extra batteries. Yep, my wonderland would have to wait until I have another opportunity to weasel my way beneath the thickets. Since it is to be cold tomorrow, it should be a perfect time if the opportunity presents itself. Then, I SHALL remember to grab a pocketful of extra batteries!
