Windy Days, High Tides and Silly Birds!

   For the past few days, there has been some sort of weather system in the Gulf that has been pounding us with strong easterly winds that pushed the water way up higher than usual.  This high tide presented its share of problems with securing the skiff and with knocking loose a few of the pier boards.  Thankfully, none of the boards were lost as they were simply washed over to my brother's yard.  Once the tide recedes, they will be hauled back and another attempt at finishing the repairs will take place.  This was damage from Hurricane Zeta last fall and here we are looking at another system already.  The hurricane season was started a month early to compensate for what the forecasters are calling a "busy" year.  Great.  Just great.

  Not all is bad with the wind and high tides.  At least, there are no gnats as those rascals have been blown to parts unknown.  That is fine by me.  Now if the wind could possibly do something about the mosquitoes and deer flies, I would be one happy camper.  Speaking of happy campers, the egrets are taking full advantage of the tide being pushed well into the yard.  With the high tide, small fish and minnows are also up well into the yard.  The egrets and herons are "wade-fishing" on the grass!  While Son and I watched several egrets were snapping up minnows and, Moe, the Great Blue Heron awkwardly chased a mullet that had somehow found its way onto the grass. The birds were getting plenty to eat today!

  The tide will be up until the storm goes inland then, hopefully, things will settle down a bit.  It has been a windy week and I am ready for a change.  I have a lot of chores needing to be done that just cannot be safely tended with tropical storm force winds whipping about the place all day.  Until then, I will sit back, enjoy the gnatless days and the show put on by the birds.  

Time to Show A Little Kindness

  Along about midnight, I was awakened by a strange bonking noise.  Thinking that the screen doors were not latched, I roused myself to check.  It was then that I realized the wind had picked up and was slamming things around a bit.  Ok, so it was time to grab a flashlight and start taking down things that might cause problems.  I had already dropped the hanging plants but had gotten sidetracked before I took in the wind chimes and other decorative yard items. Well, my lapse in commonsense now saw me in the midst of tropical storm force winds trying to do what I should have earlier.  It is all good, however, as Son came to my rescue and gave a helping hand.  Ten minutes and I was back in bed enjoying the sound of rain pounding the rooftop and wind rattling the windows.  

  When I awoke this morning, it was well before sunrise so I had no idea if the outer bands of Hurricane Delta did any damage here on the Bayou.  I knew it would pale to the damage that the good folks in the path of the storm received but I was curious.  It was nigh on 7am before the sun lightened the sky enough for me to venture out.  Dark clouds still rolled around the sky and the winds, though calming, were still quite brisk.  I checked around the Little Bayou House and was happy to find that it held once again.  The pier, on the other hand, did not fare so well.  

  Entire sections of our pier are missing.  Usually, we have planks that are washed free but this small squall literally did major damage.  At some points, we have posts...just posts.  When Son came down to "survey" the damage, he simply replied, "No problems.  A little work but it can be fixed."  This man has the best attitude about things.  I have never seen anyone remain so calm in the face of calamity. 

  Once again, folks, be kind.  Reach out and help those in need.  Those in Louisiana and Texas are in dire need of help.  Even if you are miles away, do the neighborly thing and help.  Send a donation, lend a helping hand, say a prayer for those that are facing a massive cleanup.  Trust me when I say, their lives will never be the same.  Been there...done that...don't wish it upon anyone.  Be kind.  Just be kind.

  

Storms. Oarlocks and Strange Happenings

  This is a telling of how storms can create, not only havoc, but strange happenings.  If you recall, a dear friend brought a very unique garden sign to the Bayou.  I have known this lady since I was a mere tyke so the sign was much appreciated and much loved.  It was immediately hung at the entrance of the gardens where it could be fully enjoyed.  Since the sign was created from a huge piece of driftwood, it only seemed fitting to use oarlocks as the hanging brackets.  Two oarlocks were inserted into pipes and used as handy sign posts.  It worked like a charm and made for an easy removal of the sign for the storm event we just endured.  

  This morning, after a very rough night of wind and torrential rains, Son and I went to observe and take inventory of what needed repairing.  One of the first things he noted was that a huge oak limb had fallen and hit the roof of the house.  Then, he spied that one of my oarlocks had been yanked from the metal pipe.  The oarlock was nowhere to be seen.  Son decided that the tree limb must have bounced off the house and hit the pipe sending the oarlock into flight.  We searched and searched but to no avail.  Of course, debris was everywhere and could have been covering the  9 inch oarlock.  

  Finally, a triumphant "Aha!" sounded and Son held up the wayward oarlock.  It had been flung over 25 feet from its station in the pipe!  Imagine the force taken to sling a heavy, iron oarlock some twenty feet....INTO a 50 mph wind!  It sure made me glad that I was inside when this strange event happened!  First, the falling limb, itself, presented danger but, if I had been hit by the 1 lb iron oarlock being flung with that much force, my head may have been knocked asunder!  

  After storms of this sort, one finds all sorts of odd things.  Some are trash.  Some are treasures.  Some simply are purely strange.  Tomorrow begins cleanup and pier rebuilding.  We will have a busy two weeks of hard work.

Tiny, Red Helicopters!

  Down behind the canebrake, there is a good stand of red maple trees.  Usually, these trees are still dormant during February and do not set their samaras until late March.  Our very short winter (which lasted a whopping four weeks or so) and the sudden onset of warm (almost hot!) weather has made most of the trees start to bloom and even set fruit.  The maples have the woods ablaze with their bright red samaras making the hikes back to that part of the property even more enjoyable.  

  Samaras are actually the seeds of the maple tree.  These are sometimes erroneously identified as flowers which is easily understood when viewed from a distance.  The paper thin, winglike structures have a hard seed at one end and are usually in pairs.  These wings and being paired allow the seeds to act like little helicopters when a good stiff wind knocks them from the tree.  The seeds are airborne for a quite a distance before sinking to the ground.  Their flight takes them far from the parent tree. This spacing lets the trees grow large and strong.

  Red maples are somewhat invasive as they make thousands and thousands of seeds each year.  Not too many critters eat the seeds like they do acorns and pine nuts.  The sheer number of seeds that germinate coupled with the trees' ability to grow in any soil type lets them soon take over a forest.  Here, there are many maples far up on the hill where the soil is dry and just as many down in the watery creek bed.  The trees have no preference where they take root.  Some even survive in the salty marshes.  

  My afternoon hike surprised me with the maple samaras but the threat of stormy weather tonight may see the trees stripped of their glory by morning.  The high winds and torrential rains will most likely have tiny, red helicopters flying all over the hillside!

Squeaky Clean?

  Early this morning, I stood looking out the French doors at the fog and drear.  It was not quite raining but too drippy to be outside for any length of time.  My time would have to be spent indoors once again and this was not making me overly happy.  There were things to be done and sitting inside staring outside was not accomplishing one thing.  It was that mindless staring that brought me to the realization that the stiff breeze that accompanied the drizzle was hurdling something across the Bayou.  Something white and fluffy (?) was being whipped about just above the marsh.  Hmmm?  Perhaps I had better don a jacket and venture out regardless of the weather.  Surely, this needed investigating!

  A few minutes later brought me face to face with suds.  Yep, suds.  A fluff of suds about the size of a football had come wafting in on the breeze. This was indeed strange!  Even at a distance of a few feet, I recognized that scent.  Someone else uses Gain detergent!  But, my goodness!  Did their washing machine explode?  Whoever was doing the laundry across the Bayou must have used a tad too much detergent in the machine to make enough suds to have it escape the laundry room and make it all the way across the Bayou!  I had to giggle.  I can only imagine what that laundry room looked like right at this moment!  Suds must be everywhere!  Sure enough, a quick glance at the marsh proved that theory. Fluffs of suds were dotting the tops of the marsh and were bouncing along on the wind.  Oops!  That had to be a mess!

  To be honest, I have noticed that Gain detergent has an extreme sudsing power and I have had to cut my use in quarters.  A mere tablespoon will suds up a large load to the point of needing an extra rinse.  Obviously, whoever was washing clothes used the recommended amount and not the meager amount that I use.  Now I guess the Bayou is squeaky clean?  Or polluted with suds.....

The Storm Has Passed

  About midday yesterday, the storms began to pound the Bayou.  This was after three days of nigh on tropical storm force winds whipped about the place.  The storms brought much needed rain but, also, even more fierce winds.  At times, it seemed like the wind chimes were going to fly right off the arbor!  The sirens at the air base across the Bay sounded off and on throughout the late evening hours, then, as suddenly as the rains started, they quit. 

  Mark and I headed to the pier a bit later than usual this morning.  After the storms overnight, the whole place smelled and looked clean.  We are fortunate to live on a high hill above the Bayou so flooding from rain is not a threat.  Even though the tide was pushed far up in the yard, the rain waters slid right down the hillside to join the tides.  For us, storms like this are more of a blessing than a nuisance.  

  The stillness of the morn, the sparkling water of the Bay and the brisk smell of jasmine soon made us forget the ravages of the night before.  We are indeed blessed.  Life is good.

Tragedy strikes the Bayou

  There comes times on the Bayou that life just seems unfair.  Perhaps it is just me.  I seem to grow attached to wild critters that roam and fly about the marshes and wooded areas so that when something happens, it tugs at the heartstrings a bit.  I know that life continues but at times things happen that make you wonder how critters ever survive at all. This afternoon saw us enduring a rather strong storm.  We have had torrential rains and high winds for the past couple of days but this afternoon's gale seemed much worse.  The winds were well onto tropical storm strength.  It made for a rough time but the Little Bayou House held and we were snug as a bug.  The critters sought shelter where they could but some of those shelters were not so safe. 

  Late afternoon saw a clearing of the skies for a short while.  Mark and I took advantage of this and headed out for our hike.  As soon as we stepped outside, we noticed something was amiss.  The tall, dead Black Gum tree had been knocked topless.  The entire top of the tree had crashed down on my new lawn furniture.  One of the chairs was smashed but I hardly noticed.  On the ground under the pile of rubble was a tiny, lifeless body.  Oh, my goodness!  My poor baby!  I reached down to pick up the small Redbellied Woodpecker when I spied his sibling.  The two fledglings had obviously came back to their nest to ride out the severe weather.  When the wind blew down the top of the tree, their home had become a deathtrap.  The two young birds were crushed beneath the very tree in which they felt safe.  My poor babies.  It was then that I saw Mama and Papa Woodpecker frantically searching the non-existent treetop for their little ones.  This family had endured so many problems during nesting only to have it end in tragedy.  My heart was breaking for the pair.  

  This is just one of the times that makes me realize how fleeting life really is.  The birds perished before their life had really begun.  Ours are just as temporary.  We are not promised tomorrow.  Please take time to cherish what little time there is.  Hug your family members and tell them you love them.  Slow down and take time to do something that makes you happy.  Smile.  Visit that elderly neighbor that sits for hours staring out the window dreaming of days gone.  Bring them some fruit, a flower, a homemade loaf of bread or even just a smile. Teach a child how to play hopscotch, marbles or sew a doll dress.  Take care of your health.  Be happy and thank the Good Lord that your life is filled with so many, many blessings....even those that you cannot see.  I am thankful for you, my friends.

A hefty blow by Mother Nature!

  Sometimes things are just not able to stand up to the forces of nature.  Mother Nature has been throwing a good bit of squally weather at us this spring and some of my fruit trees are succumbing to her winds.  The peach trees in the back are heavy laden with fruit causing the limbs to be much heavier than normal.   Add that to the fact that several trees were attacked by borers a few years back and those limbs are not able to endure any high winds at all.  Two weeks ago, we were dealt another round of stormy days and, sure enough, the largest peach tree bit the dust.  The tree split asunder causing great damage to even the part still standing.  It saddened me to see the hundred or so underdeveloped peaches trying to still mature on this branch.  I hated to make the cut but without some help, the entire tree would die.  I am still not certain it will survive this blow.

  Although for the past couple of years, we have not gotten fruit from the trees due to one reason or another, I had high hopes that this would be a bountiful year.  I miss my peaches!  Peaches are one of the best fruits to eat if you are wanting something sweet yet healthy. Research shows that the pulp in peaches can help ward off obesity related diseases such as cardiovascular disease and diabetes. They are also an excellent source of Vitamin C and fiber which help in the prevention of certain cancers.  Plus the Vitamin C helps to improve the skin and protect it against damage caused by sun exposure and pollution.  Think wrinkles here, folks!  Peaches, with their Vitamin C, help us avoid wrinkles!  

  Barring any other setbacks, the remainder of the trees are looking healthy. Mother Nature needs to calm down a bit for the rest of the growing season and allow the trees to concentrate on producing fruit! Hopefully, the coons, birds, squirrels and deer will find tasty treats elsewhere and leave the fruit alone.  I really would like some of my peaches!

Flying Windows!

Yesterday's storm had me in a tizzy!  The high winds that knocked Mama Dove for a loop and blew her babies to the ground, also did a tad bit of damage to the gardens.  I was extremely proud that so many of the herb seeds that I had planted in the new coldframe were sprouting.  In the past, I have had difficulty getting some of the purchased seeds to ever sprout.  The seeds would just sit there and rot without ever even trying to turn into that nice plant that was on the seed packet front!  Lazy seeds are not for me!  I want flourishing plants to grow from those tiny dots!  This year, with an exception of the Anise Seeds, the herbs were doing well.  Their hotbed seemed to be agreeing with them and they were all growing well.  Then came "THE" storm!  That nasty bunch of winds, torrential rains and then dropping temperatures was just not conducive to a plant growth spurt!

One of the coldframe windows smashed by the high winds.

Actually, as I stood peering out that window watching the treetops bend, I had the unsettling experience of seeing my coldframe being ripped apart by the wind.  All five windows became airborne at the same time!  They twisted and turned in the wind and then crash-landed on top of the squash and radish plants!  Miraculously, only one large pane of glass shattered and then only because of the metal frame of another window came down corner first on it.  But that was enough!  I just knew that my tiny herb plants were goners!  Still, I had no time to even survey the damage as I was in the rescue business!  Those baby birds were of high importance and the garden would just have to wait.

Seeing how the window tossed by the winds gouged out the ground, I am glad I was  safe inside!

This morning, I picked up the pieces of broken glass and gathered together the other four windows.  They seemed intact so I would reuse them.  The hotbed seemed to be in pretty good shape even without its glass top.  The tiny herbs held their own and did not give up the ghost!  They were not washed down into the Bayou!  This morning, the windows were all replaced and a new one added.  Large boards were placed on top of the glass in hopes that the storm predicted for later tonight will not do more damage.

The tiny herb plants are all snug in their revamped coldframe!

All in all, the damage was not as bad as I had first thought.  It seems that plants are pretty resilient.  They can take a pretty rough beating and still survive.  I suppose this just proves that idiom of "What does not kill you will only stand to make you stronger!"  After the storm yesterday...I fully expect to have plants with superhero powers!