Dark Clouds Overhead!

   The Bayou has been catching its share of storms for the past year and now they tell us that the season for hurricanes is going to be rough...so rough, in fact, that the season is starting in May instead of June.  Well, now.  That does not sound promising, does it?  But...we will deal with it as we always do.  No problems as it is a part of living where we do.  

  This afternoon, we had a "winter" storm come through and dump yet more rain.  The rains are not a problem here as it runs off into the Bayou but my dear friends to the north of us are pretty much flooded.  My heart breaks for them as they are literally trapped in their homes.  Thankfully, no water has encroached into the houses but having roads blocked is never a favorable thing.

  The storm clouds are curious things and are always a cause to take a gander outside.  While I have sense enough to stay out of harm's way, it is always a fascinating thing to watch the storms roll across the Bay even when they come from behind us.  Now, the winds have shifted from the north and you can feel the chill in the air.  Come morning, it will be nippy!  That nippiness caused me to cover the tiny tomato and pepper plants and hope for the best on the squash.  For the next few days, I guess I shall have to pull out the flannel shirt again.  Nice!

Enough Board Hunting!

   It seems that 2021 took lessons from 2020 in what weather to throw at us.  Just two days ago, Son struggled to haul the massive pier joists up out of the marsh where a storm tossed them.  These things are a couple of hundred pounds bone dry but let them become waterlogged and they are easily twice that.  The lifting was bad enough but to do that lifting in sloppy mud and sinking up to your knees in the muck and the job becomes an ordeal.  He managed to retrieve the planks and even toted a few more to the pier thinking surely there would be a few days of clear.  There was...a few days...but other duties called and the pier boards sat in place without being nailed.  Now, another storm is on the horizon.  This one will, once again, push the tide high enough to float the joists off the stringers.  

  Thinking ahead this time, Son went down and temporarily bolted the joists to the stringers.  They are not in the exact places but, hopefully, will stay in place.  He does not need to be tromping about in the marsh to retrieve them for the eighth time within as many months.  Our poor, little Bayou has been pummeled recently.  

  The storm that is to hit tonight and tomorrow is predicted to come in on high tide just as the last one did. That means the pier will be underwater and anything on top will be gone.  Thankfully, we had a bit of warning this time.  Everything is secure.

  To top it off, just last night, I heard that the 2021 Hurricane Season is expected to be another busy one.  In fact, some meteorologists are calling for a more severe season than last.  Not good...not good at all.  We do not need it.  No one on the Gulf Coast from Texas to Florida needs it.  The good folks in Louisiana are still reeling from the damage done there.  Mississippi is much the same.  We need a break.

  The storm tonight is not going to be near the strength of a tropical system but will bounce things around a bit.  It just gets a bit frustrating to keep having to find our pier!  After Hurricane Zeta, we salvaged over 3000 boards...ours, our neighbors' and some from parts unknown.  That was enough salvaging!  Time now to finish the rebuilding without mucking in the marsh!  Stay safe, folks, stay safe.

A "Shoulder" To Lean On....

  Every now and again, even the toughest of us needs someone with strong shoulders to "lean on".  We need the security, the reassurance, the comfort of just knowing someone is in our corner.  Those shoulders can be the big burly guy like Mark or the soft..umm...well-padded shoulders of a grandmotherly type.  The type shoulders matters not.  What matters is they are there when we need them.

  For the past two days, storms have pounded the Bayou.  We have seen hail, gale-force winds and torrential rains.  I did not need the "shoulders" for support as I love a good storm and this one fit the bill to a T.  We had all of the trappings of a squall without major damage!  That is my kind of storm!  Still, when I headed to the pier this afternoon, it was good to see that a strong "shoulder" was there when needed.  And, yes, I am speaking figuratively here as I am giving personification to part of the pier.  One of the broad pier posts was in the right spot to catch the wooden bench before the strong winds pushed it off the pier.  Had the post not been there, our bench would have gone swimming never to be seen again.  The wooden bench would have been shoved overboard and pushed away by the winds.  It has happened before!

  Everything on the pier took a beating but there is nothing that cannot be replaced or repaired.  Those "damages" are not worthy of complaint.  Instead, my thoughts are with those in the path of this system that have not been so fortunate.  Flooding, wind damage and tornadic activity wreaked havoc on some places.  They will not recover for months, if then.  Hopefully, there will be helping hands and strong shoulders for those in need.  

White Ibises Visit The Bayou!

  Today saw the Bayou being pounded by more storms.  Winds were gusting pretty stiffly and at times the rains were torrential.   All of this storming made for high tides and slippery slopes but, by late afternoon, the skies cleared enough for Mark and I to take a quick walk about the place.  Of course, the first place we always go to is the pier.  It was on the way back toward the shore end that Mark pointed out a large flock of birds overhead.  Looking up, my first thought was egrets but it confused me to see so many flocking together.  Then, I caught a glimpse of the bills of the birds.  Ibises!  Those are ibises!  I was not quick enough to get more than one pretty shabby photograph of the birds before they headed west.  While that was disappointing, the fact that we actually saw this many of the birds made my day.

  The White Ibis is usually found more around fresh water lakes and ponds than salt or brackish water.  There, it will visit the mudflats in search of mud worms, crustaceans and insects.  The ibis has a long, curved bill that it uses to probe the soft mud.  When it senses something, the bill snaps shut and the prey is pulled from the mud.  If it is too muddy, the bird will then go to clear water to wash its supper.  It will also declaw crabs and crawfish and crush their shells before eating them.  

  It has been a long time since I have seen any ibises.  My aunt (actually my mom's cousin) was an avid birder and she often let me tag along on her excursions.  We would search for any bird and Fairie Lyn would quickly and accurately identify it for me.  I learned a lot about birds from this lady!  In her later years, she depended on me to take her birding...which I gladly did as often as I could.  We had fun!  I remember how excited she was on one outing when we came upon dozens of the White Ibises.  She started pointing out the identifying factors of the birds and gave me a brief history of their lives.  This afternoon, I thanked my long-gone auntie for teaching me to appreciate the beauty of birds.  Fairie Lyn, your love of birds lives on through me.

Just Another Day

  I awoke to the sound of a storm pounding the Little Bayou House.  This was the first of a day long siege that the Bayou would see.  It was not too bad and, personally, I usually like a good storm.  Today, however, I wanted to be outside!  I did not want to be pent up like a chicken in a coop!  I wanted to be like the free birds that flit around in the treetops and take flight at whim.  Well, there was nothing to do about it other than don a jacket and escape the confines of the house.  I did.

  Once outside, the drizzly rain ran down my face and soaked me to the bone!  After just a half hour hike, I was shaking like a leaf in a windstorm so it was back to the house for me.  First, however, I needed to make one last run to the pier to check the small skiff.  It was on that path that I found the perfect description of the day.  A solitary bird sat fluffed against the rain and wind.  The bird had sought a meal from the seeds of the popcorn tree (Chinese Tallow Tree).  The few dead leaves, fat seed pods and sweet bird were set against the dreary, grey sky making it the perfect photo of the day.  Both the little bird and I needed to seek shelter so I bid it goodbye and hoped it found a safe place to spend the night.  I told it that there was plenty of room in the greenhouse if it wished to dry out and sleep safely.  How lucky I am to have the Little Bayou House to protect me even though there are times that I wish to escape.  Tonight, the storms are still raging. I am sitting snug thinking of my little bird friend. Hopefully, it found the greenhouse's protection and is warm and cozy.  Life is good.

Deep South Winter?

  The weather on the Bayou sometimes is not as agreeable as we wish.  With family here for the holidays, it would have been nice to have sunny days so the kiddos could play outside.  Instead, we are having storms.  Not winter storms by other folks' means but Deep South Bayou winter storms.  Storms with rain and strong, gale force winds....and warm temperatures.  While I love a good storm, this mess could have waited until I could sit back and enjoy it.  Silly storm, what were you thinking?

  The good side of this is that Old Santa brought enough toys to entertain the kiddos for months.  They are fine.  They are squealing, running, jumping and playing until they drop.  The adults are mostly wishing they could nap the days away...except for me.  I am going stir crazy and this is only the first day of many of predicted storms.  A week!!  Yep, a week of storms should be pounding the Little Bayou House so I guess I will have to slip out in the rain if I want to keep my sanity.