Only One Task On Her Mind

   We, as humans, oftentimes find it difficult to stay focused on our task at hand.  Admittedly, I do.  Son laughs a bit when we will be working on a project and I spy something interesting.  His comment is only "Oh, look a bunny!"  It does not even have to be a rabbit that distracted me!  It can be a butterfly, a snake, a frog, a glass of lemonade, a funky shaped cloud....anything will cause me to lose interest in a chore and set me off in a different direction.  Let me clarify that this is not something that has to do with age.  This has been a lifelong thing with me.  So, one can easily see how I came to find the box turtle this morning.  I simply got distracted from the task at hand (also known as throwing scraps in the compost bin.)  Anyway, I did, indeed, find a turtle and did, indeed, have to go greet said turtle.  It is just my way.

  Actually, my visit with the box turtle was quite interesting.  A female turtle had ambled out of the marsh and was still rather covered with mud.  She trudged up the hillside just a wee bit, stopped then peered in every direction.  I greeted her.  She ignored me.  Hmmmph!  That is some way to treat your neighbor!  I plopped myself down on a nearby log and watched her.  Just as I suspected, the turtle started digging a hole.  My turtle was to be a mama!  This box turtle had come from the marsh to lay her eggs.  

  My first instinct was to sit and watch her until she was finished just so I could put a wire frame over her nest.  If this is not done, the raccoons would raid the nest and leave nary an egg.  Yep, my first instinct was to watch...then I remembered that this was a long, drawn-out process and I was sitting right in the midst of about a bajillion mosquitoes and just as many deerflies.  Nope, I was not going to allow myself to be eaten alive.  I would check on our sweet lady and her "birthing" progress later!

  All in all, it took nigh on three hours before she was satisfied with her task....about an hour to dig the hole, maybe another half hour laying the eggs and then the remaining time covering the nest.  Once she was finished, it nearly impossible to see where she had dug the nest.  Nothing was left to lead any predator to her eggs except maybe a scent.  Once she made her way into the palmettoes and then into the marsh, I set the cage over the nest site.  Hopefully, this will keep any marauding critters at bay.  The cage is slightly raised to allow the little ones to make a dash for the palmettoes but is heavy enough to discourage those wanting eggs for supper.  Good luck, Little Ones!  

Just Doing His Job

   The other morning, I was busy cutting out some of the smilax vines that had taken over a clump of palmettoes.  This is some chore since the tubers can be massive and, if you leave one tiny bit, the vines will soon come back with a vengeance.  It is a losing battle on this hill.  Then again, perhaps I should leave the vines and chop out everything else.  Those huge tuber clumps do a fine job of keeping the hillside from washing down into the Bayou during hurricanes!  Maybe I need to rethink my landscaping here.  Anyway, as I was whacking at the vines, a familiar whapping could be heard just behind me.  Looking up, I found the guy that was smacking a tree with all his might.  Ahh, you are a good fellow, Mr. Pileated Woodpecker. You keep working on that tree!  I need it down.

  The woodpecker was hammering away on a dead white oak tree that had succumbed to a termite infestation.  Yep, most of our live trees are being eaten from the inside out and there is not much that can be done.  We have been treating the trees but there is no way possible to get to "the root of the problem"...so the termites flourish and the trees die.  It is sad. Still, the woodpecker is doing his job.  As he hammers away on the tree, he is probably getting rid of more termites, wood beetles and carpenter ants than we will ever be able to tackle.  

  I watched and smiled as the bird bore hole after hole into the dead tree.  Since this particular tree is far from anything it can damage by falling, I am leaving it for Mother Nature to take down.  So many critters can inhabit or forage in a dead tree.  The pileated is only one type of woodpecker that visits the tree on a daily basis.  The birds are doing a fine job of literally "chopping" down the tree.  By midwinter, the tree should come crashing down then the termite nest beneath can be accessed and the varmints killed.  Until then...the carpenter ants can feast upon the termites and, in turn, the birds can feast upon the ants.  Win/win situation for those of us who hate termites!  Good job, Mr. Pileated Woodpecker!  Good job.

Five Dollar Rebate

   I have this grand distaste for women's jeans as workpants.  They just don't work.  The fabric is flimsy and the jeans are far too expensive to be worn in my rough and tumble world.  Working here is not for the weak whether it be in human strength or in manmade items.  The weak simply do not survive.  That said, it is easy to see why my choice in work clothes usually starts with the thick, heavy duty (and relatively inexpensive) men's work jeans.  Those can take a lot of wear and tear without giving in to the rigorous tests that I throw at them.  Two pairs have lasted me for an entire year of almost daily wear (one pair on while one is in the wash).  Today, while Mark was running errands, he remembered that I mentioned needing a couple of new pairs so he brought home three!  I am set for another year of hardcore chores now.  Goodness!  I love that thick denim material as it reminds me of clothing worn back on the farm.

  As soon as I pulled the jeans from the bags, I tossed them into the washing machine to rid them of some of the dyes.  Once the pants were washed and dried, I decided to try on a pair.  Imagine my surprise when I shoved my hand in the front pocket of one pair and found a folded up $5 bill!  Whoa!  That is a weird way to give a rebate but, hey, I will take whatever I can get.  Yes, I did check the other pockets but, alas, no more bills could be found.  Still, a five dollar discount is always a nice surprise.

Dead Tree? Brick Wall?

   I am tired, folks.  It seems that as I age, the workload increases.  Of course, a lot of that workload is nothing more than decluttering but it is taking a toll on me.  For some reason, my greenhouse became a dumping ground for anything that would not fit in Mark's shed or the storeroom.  With the coming (hopefully) of cooler weather, the greenhouse came to my attention.  I need a place for all of these potted plants. When I opened the door, egad!...I could not even step inside!  Everything from old windows to lumber had been stacked inside.  There was absolutely NO place for plants.  Yep, guess who got to clear out all of that junk...me.  For the past few days, I have been lugging stuff outdoors.  Now the yard has a mountain of stuff discarded from the greenhouse.  Personally, it could all make a complete disappearance to the dump but, the menfolk have other thoughts.  Everything hauled outside was met with "That is still good."  I am thinking that THEY need to find somewhere to put it...not me.  As long as it is not in my greenhouse, I do not care.  I am over it.

  Sometimes, folks, even in the midst of chores, you just have to take a few minutes to find a bit of enjoyment.  That happened early this morning.  I had been in the greenhouse since before daylight and was fully growling by the time the sun peaked over the pines.  Sad to say but exhaustion had already set in after only two hours of work.  It was then that I heard a familiar "laugh".  With that, it was time to grab the camera and have a bit of fun.  My friend the Pileated Woodpecker had come for breakfast.

  It is rather weird that termites have killed several of the large oak trees near the pier.  The woodpecker was treating himself to a hearty breakfast of those dratted critters.  Yes, this is a male.  An easy way to tell is to look at the face of the bird.  While both birds have a red crown, the male's extends all the way to the beak.  The female's stops about midway.  Also, the male has a bright red cheek stripe which the female lacks.  

  I love the Pileated Woodpeckers and the fact that we leave enough woods intact so they have a place to nest.  My chores were put on hold for a good half hour while I watched the one bird.  He stayed nearby for most of the morning and brought a much needed smile to my face.  It almost made me giggle aloud to think of how he rapped his head against the tree...sort of like me beating my head against a brick wall to get this place cleaned.  

Take A Few Minutes To Be Kind

   With the summer's heat kicking it in high gear, most outdoor chores are attempted at daylight.  This morning saw me doing some trimming around the little Frog Pond and down around the blackberry vines.  It took nigh on three hours of cutting to finish the task that I had in mind to do but I was determined to keep at it.  While trimming near the little pond, I had to push deep into the ruby lilies.  Once there, I had to linger just a bit to converse with a sweet friend.  On one of the large lily leaves sat the cutest frog ever found!  Even though I was pushing that weedwhacker right up under the critter, it never moved.  It was a good ten minutes beforeI realized the poor thing was there. Once I did, I slowly moved back a bit as to not frighten it any more than I already had.  I felt bad as this must have been a pretty terrifying thing for the froggy!

  Turning off the machine and setting it aside, I decided to "apologize" for the disturbance.  Actually, that apology was more like a photo session but I did calmly talk to the frog.  Hopefully, it understood that I was after the weeds and not it!  Sometimes we all need to be reminded to check our surroundings before just plowing in.  I have a tendency to not do this.  In reality, however, it could save a life...a critter's...or even your own.  Had there been a cottonmouth hiding there instead of a frog, this might have been a different story altogether.  Folks, be careful and simply be aware of your surroundings.  That is always a good thing.  Happily, Froggy was none the worse for wear after this incident!

It Tried...So Can I

   My 4am awakening seemed unduly dark.  While that is still long before dawn and should be dark, it was almost unnervingly dark this morning.  Still, I arose, did the usual (required) stretches and exercises, made coffee and settled in with biscuits and marmalade.  Bat (the cat) and I enjoy our quiet time before the rest of the world shakes out of bed.  After doing the initial morning chores of laundry and mopping floors, our free time began!  He and I headed to the pier then back to the gardens for a while.  I gardened while the cat did cat things.  It was still dark even though by now the sun should have been up and shining.  Perhaps it was still in bed with everyone else.

  Along about midmorning, a sudden shower caught me off guard.  The compost that I was hauling had to wait for a bit to be strewn around the cabbages as Bat and I made a hasty retreat into the greenhouse!  There we sat among the assorted tropical plants and frogs!  Oh, so many frogs have found a haven in the warm, humid greenhouse.  The shower ended so it was time to continue helping the cabbages grow.  This lasted until about noon when I noticed a glint of sunshine trying to break through the clouds.  Oh, how neat that the sun appeared to be cradled in the branches of the hickory tree!  Yep, that was cause for the camera to come out regardless of the often drizzly rain.  If the sun could try, so could I.

  My day was spent trying to replenish the gardens between rains.  Bat and I spent so much time in that greenhouse that I feel I should install a coffee pot out there!  That darkness of the predawn did not brighten much throughout the day.  Then, it made a full-blown appearance again at 4pm.  That signaled quitting time.  Now it was time for a cup of tea and some cat snuggles.  All in all...a perfect day.

Tableful of Marmalade!

   Finally, I can put a major chore behind me for at least another year...maybe longer if the hard freeze of a few weeks ago did extreme damage to the citrus trees.  As of now, they are bare of leaves and not looking so good.  Just a month ago, the trees were heavy laden with fruit.  Since (at that time) both Mark and Son were laid up with injuries, guess who lugged out the ladder and picked all of those bushels of fruit?  Yep, me.  Old ladies and ladders are not the best of friends and the constant up/down and stretching made for much achiness.  Then...what do you do with some twenty or so bushels of satsumas, navel oranges and grapefruit?  After pushing off a dozen bushels on unsuspecting folk who said they would take a "few", my work began in earnest.  Satsumas and grapefruit were juiced and then frozen and navel oranges were chopped and turned into marmalade.  The only citrus fruit left in the house now are about a dozen lemons which will be juiced and used in baked goodies and tisanes. 

  Sometimes I wonder if all of this hard work is worth it but, then, I ponder the state of this country and sit back, sigh and feel a bit of relief that the shelves are filled with foodstuffs.  As Son once said, "There is probably enough food in jars and the freezers to feed us for about three years.  It may not be particularly our favorite food but we can eat."  That last sentence is in reference to his tastes not mine.  I can eat just about anything edible.  

  So, now comes the fun of finding shelf space for forty four more jars of food.  Biscuits!  Buttermilk biscuits and marmalade sound mighty fine!  

No One Will Notice

   If one is watchful on hikes during the early morning hours, a lot can be learned...not only about the wildlife encountered but, also, about life in general.  This enlightening can be applied to oneself, as well.  Take this morning, for instance.  As I meandered the Small Gardens, I had to stop and admire the goldenrod.  (Yes, I am one of those gardeners that lets thing grow wild and free.  Since goldenrod is quite lovely, it is allowed a spot in the gardens.)  The admiration led to the discovery of a small bee nestled deep in the blooms.  This bee was not "busy".  In fact, the tiny critter was still asleep.  (Yes, bees do sleep.)  The coolness of the morn had left it a bit groggy so, until the sun could warm it, the bee would remain idle.  

 Watching the bee and not wanting to disturb it, I left it as I found it.  Bees need rest.  We need rest.  I keep having to remind myself that selfcare is a thing and it is highly important.  Working myself to a frazzle each day is taking its toll on my body and mind.  Hopefully, there will come a time soon that the chores can be shifted aside and I can apply a little selfcare.  The bee, this morning, was simply a reminder that not everything has to be completed during my lifetime.  If it is....no one will notice.  If it is not...no one will notice.  Just that...no one will notice.

A New Crop?

   The canebrake cleaning chore got a bit sidetracked today as I decided it was better to trim up the Small Gardens a bit.  Son was not able to help me so pulling bamboo can wait.  As I was trimming around the shrubs and citrus trees, I came across the most beautiful patch of lyre-leaf sage.  Yep, that "weed" that grows along roadsides in just about every place imaginable has decided that the space under the peach trees is a nice place to live.  I knew the plants were there and usually have them mowed by this time but one thing or another got in the way.  Now, I have a "grove" of purple blooms!  Lovely, lovely purple blooms are everywhere

  No, I did not have the heart to mow them today.  I figured since I use the roots in tisanes, it cannot be all bad to let the plants go to seed and multiply.  If ever the need arises that I wish for a cup of lyre-leaf root tisane, I shall have plenty to dig.  So...those are not weeds!  That is my new "garden" and it is growing well!  Ok...so I promise to not be so lackadaisical and get to mowing again...maybe tomorrow...maybe Monday...maybe after the blooms fade.  

Cleaning the Canebrake

   Most folks do not realize the work involved in growing bamboo.  While it looks nice when it is healthy and green, it can become quite unsightly if a freeze or storm damages the canes.  Our "canebrake" is actually bamboo.  Thankfully, we have the clumping sort and not the runners.  The clumpers simply expand outward in a larger clump each year.  There are no shoots coming up twenty or thirty feet from the original source.  Still, that clump can become a mess if not cleaned.

  Our canebrake is a good twenty feet across with the bamboo reaching upwards of 40 feet.  Over the past few years, we have had numerous storms in the fall and a few (very few) good freezes.  All of that was just enough to kill a good many of the original canes in the middle of the clump.  The new shoots were being forced to grow at odd angles since the old dead canes were falling atop them.  It was a MESS!

  Yesterday, Son decided it was time to "clean" the canebrake.  I was cutting grass when I saw him pulling out the dead canes.  The mower was stopped and I lent a hand with the chore.  He and I worked for several hours and pulled over 250 dead canes from the back section of the canebrake.  We finally had to stop.  Both of us were itching from the fibers being sifted down on us from the dead bamboo.  We are only about half finished.  Tomorrow, we will start again and hopefully get the chore completed.  It is not something for the squeamish as we have already found some pretty huge spiders, a couple of snakes, a rat nest, fire ants and some unidentified critters.  The canebrake will look mighty fine once cleared, though!

Busy After The Peace

   It was a day of getting gardening chores done in preparation of a spring planting.  This meant I was up before dawn to pick peas, cut cauliflower heads and cabbages and pull beets.  Then, for the next 3 hours I mulched oak leaves to put in new rows once the winter garden fades.  (Word of advice...if you do not have a market for cauliflower and cabbage, never....NEVER...plant a hundred of each.  After the first few offerings, you cannot give them away to anyone.  These are not unlike the proverbial zucchini giveaways.)  After all of that, I headed to the greenhouse to check the seedling tomatoes and peppers.

  This was not before I had made my rounds like every other morning.  The water called so I heeded.  The Bayou sometimes has a pull like no other.  This morning, as the moon was setting and the sun was peeping over the pines on the opposite shore of the Bayou, I was mesmerized by the golden hue set upon the water.  The last lingering pair of hooded mergansers were awash in the shimmery glow of the rising sun.  This...this is what draws me each morning and holds my heart during the day.  It was hard to break loose and attend those chores but it had to be done.  Tomorrow will be much the same as I am trying to work around the storms that hit us each spring.  At least, I have the golden morns to start the day even after the mergansers migrate.

Chasing Away The Mulligrubs

  As hard as the past couple of years have been on all of us, we still have a lot of reasons to be thankful.  I admit that things have been rough...they have been not to my liking here, either.  The isolation is taking its toll on my emotions and mental well-being.  While it is not easy, I tend to drown my dejection with work.  It is not hard to find chores to be done so it is a win/win situation.  I forget about the woes of the world and accomplish things that have been neglected.

  Today's first chore started at 4am.  There were 16lbs of shelled pecans that needed canning.  Normally, I would have just tossed the majority of the nuts in bags and in the freezer but both chest type freezers are filled to capacity with seafood.  Nope...ain't no nut worth tossing away a shrimp.  So, the pecans were canned and can sit on the shelf for the duration until they are needed.   After doing these, there are still 5lbs that will be used in baking between now and Christmas.

  After the canning was complete, I headed outside to start building a "temporary" greenhouse/winter garden area.  This will hold the night-blooming cereus plants and enough tomato and bell pepper plants to tide us over until spring.  By the time my work for the day was done, the doldrums had left for at least a little while.  No, it did not solve the many problems facing us but it did give my brain a break.  I am just thankful that I am able to get out and do something...anything...to keep the mulligrubs at bay.  (Wow!  I have not thought of mulligrubs since my grandmother passed.  She always used the term.  Ahh, Grandmother!  Another reason to be thankful...memories.)

Tedious but fun

   Although both of our huge deep freezers are filled to capacity, I still could not resist purchasing 40lbs of shrimp from our usual shrimper.  Mr. Ricky always has the prettiest shrimp for the best prices around.  Once Mark headed to the dock to pick up the purchase, I proceeded to "make room" in the freezers.  It took a bit of ingenuity and a lot of luck but I finally managed to maneuver things around just enough to place the filled bags.  Of course, I now have some pumpkin thawing in the refrigerator to be used in muffins come morning.  Still!  Shrimp!

  Since Mark was to be on his way to work, he would not be here for the task of preparing the seafood.  He dropped the shrimp off here and headed out immediately leaving the heading, peeling, cleaning and bagging up to Son and me.  It was all good since 40lbs is a "drop in the bucket" for us. (Next month, another 60 or so pounds will be bought.)  We are used to doing 100lbs at a time so this was a breeze!   Yes, we do go through this process each time we get shrimp because, if we fully head and peel the shrimp, it is better all around.  One, there are no spines to prick holes in the bags.  Leaky shrimp bags can mess up a freezer fast!  Two, heading and peeling saves a ton of space!  I would never be able to get 40lbs of shrimp to fit in my freezers, otherwise. They stay far too full.  Three, by heading and peeling before freezing, mealtime is a breeze!  Simply thaw the shrimp and you are good to start cooking.  

  As odd as it seems, the hours spent preparing the shrimp is sort of a "bonding" time between the two of us.  Son and I talk and laugh the whole time we are working.  He removes the heads and I peel....we both banter back and forth the entire time.  It makes the chore go a lot faster.  As tedious as the task is, it is almost enjoyable....and those shrimp will make some mighty fine dishes!  A little work...vast rewards.  Nothing better.

Hiding Under A Board!

   A few days ago, Son got hurt and has been out of action while he recuperates.  This means, I have been pulling "double duty" with the house restoration and hurricane cleanup.  Needless to say, I am exhausted but the work has to be done so I do it.  I am getting far too old for this!  I need a break but always feel guilty taking one knowing the work will be there when I go back.  So, I plod through it all.

  Today, I was purely spent.  The stack of lumber that was needing to be burned seemed endless.  Since there is a burn ban in effect, my efforts are slow.  A burn bin can only do so much.  To make the boards fit, I had to use the saw which just made more work.  As I was grumbling to myself about how slow it was going, a friend came along to brighten my day.  Of course, I had to stop and visit.  After the visit, I felt refreshed and was able to continue with my chores.

  My "visitor" was found under one of the large planks that I had to move.  Hiding there, with a myriad of other critters, was the loveliest ribbon snake!  Normally, these snakes are rather skittish and will slither away before you really even notice them but this one stayed put.  I was able to get a lovely photograph before picking it up to move it to a safer place.  Even as I held the snake, it was calm!  Oh, it was such a joy to interact with the snake.  My day suddenly seemed much nicer.

  Ribbon snakes are such slender things that you have to wonder how they ever eat! I have seen them eat tiny frogs but under the woodpile it had to be living off of insects and worms.  There was an abundance of both!  My new found friend is now in the Small Gardens where I know there are two others.  How happy I am to know there are three ribbon snakes lurking in among the plants!

Taking The Easy Road Has Me Tired!

   As I age, the body does not seem to want to keep up with the brain.  In my mind, there are a billion things that need doing during the day but the body is tired and achy.  Today after a migraine yesterday, I decided to forgo the plan of cutting the last bit of marsh near the pier.  That is a hot, strenuous chore best not to be tackled while headachy.  So, I opted to spend the day in the kitchen canning pears.  Seemed to be the easiest route to take.  It turned out to be harder than I had anticipated.  Arthritis is not for the weak.

  The hands were not appreciative of the bushel of pears that needed peeling, coring and chopping.  Instead of dealing with the entire bushel, I took the easy way out and only did half.  Problem is...I still have a half bushel to do (and many, many more on the trees).  Baby steps!  I will do what I can and go from there. 

  Today, I merely canned a mixture of diced pears and pineapple.  This concoction has very little sugar and a good bit of lemon juice.  Later, when the weather cools, a jar of this will be used as filling for pastries.  We do not need any more jars of ANYTHING on the pantry shelves but it is such a shame to let it go to waste.  I was raised during a time when it was "Waste not, want not" and that has stuck.  I have tried sharing fruit from the trees with many folks but there have been no takers.  So...plums, peaches and pears have kept me busy even with my hurting hands!  It is all good...literally!  Yummy, in fact!

As Cool as a Dragonfly?

   Today was full of chores even though I felt like I should have stayed in bed.  The past week has seen me feeling quite poorly.  The body is getting old and has to have the brain reprimand it sometimes.  "Get up.  Get moving. Get better."  Good thoughts, anyway.  So, I got up canned peaches, did the laundry and swept the floors before daybreak.  Then, it was out to pick plums before the squirrels and coons got them.  Seems such a waste that they will not eat the whole fruit.  One bite and drop.  Frustrating, to say the least.

  While picking the plums, I noticed that the Frog Pond was completely being overrun by the water hyacinths so that became the next chore.  Pull out about half of the plants and compost them.  The pond would be a much happier place after being unclogged.  While there, a blue dragonfly kept flitting about my head.  Finally, it came to rest on the top of a dead branch of the small willow.  By this time, the sun was beating down upon us both.  I was sweltering!  So a break was needed.  Sitting on the old bench beneath the plum tree, I had the perfect view of the dragonfly.  

  Have you ever taken note of how a dragonfly perches itself on a branch?  Usually, the critter is horizontal with wings spread (always) but if the day is extremely hot, they take a different position.  The tail is pointed straight up and at the sun!  Unusual but effective as a method of keeping cool.  By pointing the tail at the sun, it reduces the surface of the dragonfly that the sun can hit.  The dragonfly literally stays cool by "making itself smaller".  Not that it changes size but it reduces the surface where the sun hits.  Smart critter!

 As I sat there pondering heat, dragonflies and chores, it hit me that I needed to get myself out of that heat and get a drink of cooling water.  Perhaps the next chores should be done indoors.  Folks, stay hydrated and cool!  It is hot out there!

Let's All Garden!

   Growing up on the small farm, I have gardened all of my life.  It was life.  There was no mollycoddling of kids back in the day.  Kids worked.  We worked....and we were all the better for that work.  Look at the mess the nation is in today and you can sure tell who got their butt whupped when they misbehaved as kids and also who did chores.   Now the world is full of a bunch of whiney babies who cannot do anything for themselves and full of adults who raised them that way.  Sorry, folks, but I call it like it is.  Don't like it, move along.  Chores are not bad things.  Being disciplined is not a bad thing.  The state of this nation is a bad thing...and is probably going to get a whole lot worse.

  But...we are not going to dwell on that.  The whole point of this post is to say that, as old as I am, I decided to try something new.  While the garden here is tended year round, I have never tried raising cauliflower until this year.  Yep, you can bet that will be on the agenda again next fall!  Cauliflower has to be one of the simplest things ever to grow!  Just this week, the heads started "showing" and now they are ready to be enjoyed!  The broccoli is the same.  Both rows decided that the cabbages and mustard greens could not be the only ones being flashy so now they are just as gorgeous!

  Speaking of gardens and plants, now might be a fine time for you folks in warmer climates to take up the hobby and you folks still in winter's midst, to start pondering seeds, garden plots and the likes.  Personally, I now have spinach, beets and sweet green peas sprouting and carrots on the way.  Also, the spring garden is already being planned.  Good stuff.  You can never have too many fresh veggies and fruits to suit me.  

Just Thinking!

   The recent bouts of small storms that have hit the Bayou have left a good deal of work behind.  After each, we have to repair any damage to the place or pier and cleanup a debris line from the storm surge.  This is nothing compared to what the good folks in Louisiana are dealing with but is still a chore to tend.  While Son is making repairs to the storm ravaged pier, I am on cleanup detail.  I get to deal with that debris line and any downed limbs.  

  This morning, I pondered the "marsh mats" that are left behind by the storms.  Dead marsh grass is toss and turned by the waves until it becomes almost woven.   A strong storm makes thick mats.  The recent gale to hit the Bayou picked up the leftover mats from the previous blows and  added to the mass.  Now, the current mats are nigh on two feet thick.  The tumbling of the dead reeds weaves the mats and the tidal surge lifts them and carries them to the shoreline or beyond.  Often, trash becomes entangled in or floats atop of the mats.  Once on shore, this becomes a thick mess that has to be hauled away or burned.

 My ponderings were to the point that something could be done with these mats.  There has to be some use for such things!  Surely, some creative person can figure out a useful purpose!  Then, I can "donate" my marsh mats and be free from the work of removing them!  (Genius at work here!)  If I can only get someone to "want" those mats!  

  In reality, I leave the outer mats as they are.  They do provide shelter for many critters during the winter months and often critters make dens beneath the thick mats.  The woven grass makes an ideal roof to cover the dens and protect the little ones.  Otters love these things! So do the nutria, marsh rabbits and a lot of birds. Anything not up in the yard, can stay for the critters!  (I am just figuring ways to get out of work, in case you have not noticed!)

  

Let The Worm Turn

   Yeah, I know the title does not exactly fit the story but, if you really think about it, the worm is turning...or in this case, a caterpillar so maybe it does.  I went to the vegetable section of the Small Gardens this morning to do a bit more clearing of the spent plants.  As I went to pull a ragged tomato plant from the ground, something caught my eye.  Oops.  Can't pull that one!  Right on the tip top of the tallest stalk was a tobacco horn worm.  Yes, I do usually pull the worms off of the plants and get rid of them but, this time, it was different.  The season is gone.  There are no more tiny tomatoes on the plants so why not let the critter have its fill of the last few leaves?  The worm can then change into a moth that will help pollinate plants.  Yes, I know that this caterpillar will change to a moth that will then lay eggs and make more caterpillars....that eat my plants!  Still, that "live and let live" motto started buzzing about the head. Go for it, caterpillar!

  That said, the garden will have to wait a bit before being fully cleared and prepared for a fall planting. One caterpillar just changed the whole plan for the day.  One caterpillar postponed a chore.  One caterpillar will probably come back to haunt me by laying a billion eggs that will eat next year's tomato plants!  One caterpillar...oh, well.  It is what it is.  Chow down in peace, little one.

A Little Help From Mother Nature

  I have to admit that if someone or something ever wishes to step in and do a bit of yard work around here, I am all up and down appreciative!  Keeping up with the housework and the nigh on five acres (I do not do the woods) of yard work, is a full time job.  Sometimes it is strenuous while other times it is merely relaxing.  Cutting grass is relaxing even though I push a lawnmower for about five hours straight.  Digging out the Puddle Pond and gutter drain is strenuous.  (Digging the small pond was today's chore.  Digging the gravel drain (47 ft) is tomorrow's.)  Good thing about all this hard work, is that it gives plenty of exercise for an old lady and, then when it is complete, it gives a fine sense of satisfaction.

  One thing that I am thankfully NOT having to do is dig out a large oak stump that sits in the east garden.  I should have done this several years ago when the tree was cut but...it is still there. Now, I find that my procrastination is paying off big time!  I shall not have to struggle with the shovel!  The stump is being removed for me.  Oh, how I adore helping hands!

  Mother Nature has decided that I was moving a tad too slow with the stump removal so she has stepped in to help me.  This morning, I noticed that several large mushrooms growing on the roots and side of the oak tree remnants.  These mushrooms are helping to decay the wood so it will not be long before the stump is gone!   Ahh, yes!  The help is appreciated no matter from where or how it comes.  This is one less task for me to do.  Now...pardon me while I go shovel gravel.  The struggle is real.