Not Spring Yet!

   I am pushing it.  I am pushing it far too early.  Three days ago, I had the grand idea of taking all of the plants out of the greenhouse.  It was warm!  We were expecting rain!  I had loads of hope and lots of energy!  Then...only after I took every last plant out of its toasty-warm setting, did I look at the weather forecast.  Uh, oh!  So much for the arrival of spring.  That afternoon, I put every last plant back into the greenhouse.  The rains came, the temperatures dropped and the plants were in their happy place under the heat lamps.

  This morning, I still felt the need to wander about the place before daybreak.  My usual hike to the pier was a no-go since a thick layer of frost made it a bit treacherous.  Being the only one awake at that time, I knew better than to go slippin' and slidin' on the pier boards.  If I went headfirst over the edge into that bayou mud, no one would ever know.  My rescue would have been late-coming so I played it safe and puttered around the Small Gardens.  

  While I knew it was cold out, imagine my surprise in finding ice in the birdbath!  Just twenty-four hours earlier, I was cleaning it while wearing a t-shirt.  No, the whole thing was frozen!  At least, it looked pretty!  Now, as our fickle weather mandates, we are to be in a "warming trend" and by midweek have our low temps near seventy degrees....yep, low temps!  Personally, I wish it would hang in the forties for a bit longer but weather is one of those things that does just the opposite of what we wish.  

Gus Needs An Umbrella!

   Son and I were making light of all the fog that has shrouded the Bayou since around the start of December.  He made the comment that while others wish for a white Christmas, we are pretty much guaranteed one...only not snow...fog.  White out fog is the winter rule around here.  Trees stay drippy,  floors stay sticky and my hair seems to always be limp and lifeless.  While the views of my hikes are blurry, I, at least, have the ability to "walk softly" on the molding leaves.  Critters cannot hear me or either they are so fed up with the weather that they just do not care if something else is on the prowl.  We are one...the bayou critters and I.

  Early morning was a bust on the pier as the planks were iced over making it a mite treacherous to make an attempt at getting to the end.  I had to be satisfied with staying on the shore end for fear of slipping into the icy mud where I would become mired for sure.  It was not until the frost melted that the pier was walkable.  Along about 8am, I ventured out once again.  It was then that I found Old Gus, the brown pelican.  Poor old fellow was trying to dry out his wings.  It was a pointless task with the heavy fog drenching his feathers as fast as any drip drying could be taking place.  It was not hard to imagine just how cold the pelican must have been with wet feathers and spread wide wings.  Critters have it rough.  I could always make a dash back to the Little Bayou House.  Which is exactly what I did and, along the way, I grabbed another armload of firewood to stoke the old wood-burning stove.  

The Frozen Pier

   As the sun was rising over the pines on the far side of the Bayou, it cast a lovely golden glow on the pier planks.  I was walking down the hill toward the pier when I first noticed the glimmer.  Strange.  The planks had never glowed before.  Stepping up on the ramp, I soon came to realize that the glow was the sun's ray glinting off of the heavy layer of frost that coated the boards.  Hmmm?  Was it safe to walk any further or would I slip and slide right off into the mud.  I decided to chance it.  Walking was not as hard as I expected as my feet were quite literally freezing to the pier.  If I stopped for longer than a few seconds, my shoes were beginning to become attached to the boards!  Maybe I was to be stuck on the pier forever! 

  Once I was about halfway down the pier, I noticed that someone else had been on the pier before me and had the same problem.  Obviously, a small raccoon had traipsed up the pier and at some point stopped.  The heat from its body had melted the frost and left clear footprints.  That was interesting enough but, as I was photographing the tracks, I noticed what a weird pattern the frost had made on the planks. Long stripes of very wicked looking spikes ran along each plank.  Well, I might as well photograph those while I was there.  

After the pictures, I poked the frosty spikes fully expecting them to be sharp.  Nope. Though thorn-like in appearance, they were extremely fragile and soft.  In fact, they were almost fluffy!  Mother Nature never ceases to amaze me but it was time to get up off of my knees and head back to the warmth of the Little Bayou House.

Frosty Greens!

   Frost on plants is a funny thing.  If the plants are cold hardy at all, most will survive a frost even a heavy one.  Those short-lived cold snaps actually do garden plants good, in my view.  After being stunted by the weather, the plants will kick it in gear and have a growth spurt.  It is all about survival.  Let something threaten plants and they have that innate need to hurry things up a bit.  Plants sole goal in life is to reproduce so when that is in danger, they strive harder to flourish and make strong, health seeds.  Frost on the leaves is not a bad thing, in most cases.

  Lately, the greens in the garden have been frost-laden each morning.  This is due to the heavy fog overnight and the drop in temperatures.  By morning, the cabbages, broccoli, cauliflower and mustard greens are wearing a thick coat of frost.  Then the sun rises, warms a bit and the frost starts to melt.  Each little droplet runs down the leaves to puddle until it is heavy enough to fall to the ground.  There, the dirt greedily soaks it up and the plants are watered.  It is all in nature's plan.  The way most leaves are shaped and the way they are set on the plants causes water to run down to where it is most needed.  Mother Nature is not stupid!  Make the most of what is there.

  Son and I enjoyed the first head of cabbage from the garden this week and been having mustard greens every other day.  The broccoli and cauliflower will soon be ready, as well.  Winter gardens are actually far easier to tend as weeds and plant-munching insects are not as likely to invade the garden plot.  Neither seem to appreciate the frost.  Happy gardening, folks.  Go plant some greens!

Cabbages and Chilly Weather!

   Old Man Winter has decided to pay a visit to the Bayou.  While our "right at" freezing temperatures may pale in comparison to those a bit further north, they are cold enough for me.  As I age, I realize that I now "feel" the cold a whole lot more than in the past.  In fact, I just cannot seem to get warm.  The old wood-burning stove chugs away happily but I am still shaking in my boots.  Age and health gets in the way of feeling good, I suppose.

  For the past two mornings, the temperatures hovered just about at the freezing mark.  This laid a fine frost upon the hillside and caused a bit of concern about the garden patch.  I needn't have fretted, though, as greens of most types seem to do better when it is a bit chilly.  When I went out to check, the cabbages seemed none the worse for wear.  The caterpillars that were munching on a few leaves did not look so good, however, which is all the better for the cabbages!

  Cabbages are some of those odd plants that are pretty cold hardy and that makes growing a winter garden a lot easier.  All of the tropical potted plants have to be toted into the (now makeshift) greenhouse and have heat lamps to protect them while the cabbages and mustard greens sit right out in the garden with the icy winds whipping about them.  Seriously, I would do far better to do away with the silly tropical plants.  Life would be easier and it is getting to the point where I need to think about that aspect.  

  Tomorrow's forecast is rain!  Perhaps it will be a grand time to get a few things done inside and take a break from laboring so on the yard-work.  This hurricane cleanup is taking much longer than it has in the past.  

You Do What You Have To Do

  Early morn found me on the pier as usual.  Here lately, I have had to tread carefully when walking the planks as the heavy frost makes things quite perilous.  Slipping into the icy water would not be a happy thing so I tend to slip off the shoes and go in just the socks.  Although the feet get cold, at least the socks keep me from slipping.  Once the bench is reached, the shoes are donned once again and all is well until the return trip.  This morning, the old dog, Mr. PJ, did not make the trek with me.  I figured his paws would get a mite cold so I left him inside next to the wood stove.  While on the pier, I watched as a small rail hunted for her breakfast.  She waded in the ice-cold water in search of tiny shrimp or minnows.  Watching her made me realize that I had it pretty good.  I had my coffee and breakfast inside the Little Bayou House where it was nice and cozy.  The poor little rail (like all other wild animals) have to brave the elements.  Cold, drizzly days must be miserable for them but they carry on and do what it takes to survive.

  As I sat there pondering the little rail and her search for food, I marveled at the fact that she did not seem cold.  Here I was shivering and she waded about as if nothing was different than a few days ago when it was warm.  What keeps that little one's feet and legs from freezing?  Well, it seems that it has something to do with the placement of the veins and arteries in their extremities.  These lie next to each other so the veins carrying the chilled blood back to the body picks up heat from the arteries that are carrying warm blood from the heart.  It sort of evens things a bit.  Waterfowl also have the ability to constrict the veins in their legs and feet so that the blood flow is restricted.  This reduces the heat loss a good bit.  Weird but true.  My feet being dry were probably a lot colder than the rail's as she stood in the water.

  Cold feet?  Yep, off came the shoes and I ever so carefully made my way back up the frosty boards.  Then...shoes back on...mad dash to the house...feet propped up next to the old stove to warm.  Another cup of coffee and I had to head back outside to cut a load of firewood.  I guess I am a lot like that little bird...you do what you have to do.

A Bit of Cool Weather Does Wonders

  Our recent bout of chilly weather seems to have done the trick on ripening the citrus fruit.  The satsumas are super sweet now and the navel oranges are all turning bright in color  I will have to pull the ladder around to the grapefruit trees to snatch one from the tree for sampling. Those, too, should have sweetened with the frost of the past few nights. While most of the country is snowy and cold, the Bayou is looking for more rain come middle of the week.  Hopefully, I will manage to pick a bit of fruit to can before the thunderstorms roll through the area.  Canning is always a great way to spend rainy days.  Between canning and dehydrating the fruit, the house will smell divine and the rewards for all my labor will be incredibly delicious.  I am ready to get this on the move. Kumquat picking shall commence!

  The plan is to leave dozens of fruit on the lower branches for the grandchildren to pick when they come for Christmas.  They can help MawMaw and PawPaw pick the fruit, then later, may be able to help make orange peel candy.  This is always a holiday favorite around here so the candy jars stay filled.  This year, however, I want to try something new as well.  I found a recipe for candied orange slices! No peeling, removing the pith nor finely slicing.  Just thinly slice a whole orange and go from there.  It should be interesting to say the least.  

  Hopefully, with the unpredictable weather of late, we will not have any hard freezes that will throw my picking plans askew.  I think the grandkids will have a great experience doing a bit of "garden work".  Or, maybe this old lady expects too much from kids today.  That, too, should be interesting.

 
 
 

Jack Frost Visits the Bayou!

The jaunt to the pier proved to be a mite cold this morning. Some time during the night, Jack Frost had paid a visit and left a dusting of ice crystals on the pier. It was a rather thick dusting at that!! Learning a lesson from previous predawn visits, I toted a blanket to sit on while awaiting the sunrise. Ezzy and I have decided that cold, wet boards do not make a good seat. As long as this nutty dog is roaming about, she is oblivious to the cold, but let her sit for five minutes and she is shivering. She will jump up on the bench to sit beside me on the blanket, begging to get a bit closer. This morning, our blanket would not have done a lot of good. The bench was covered with the thickest frost that I have seen in quite some time. Way too thick to sit on..the bench was rendered entirely useless to us. The frost would have merely melted causing our blanket to be soggy and cold. Not exactly what I had in mind for a seat at 6AM with the temperature hovering around thirty degrees.

The frost did make the pier boards sparkle like diamonds once the sun started to peak above the horizon. It was quite the vision! And later, after rising to brilliance, the water glittered like the diamonds had tumbled from the pier boards into the Bay. The sun itself was a welcome sight after almost three days of never making a entrance into our life. We have had the grey, wintry type days..no snow..but still cold. Days that make you want to stay inside near the woodstove with a cup of hot coffee...and that is exactly where Ez and I spent an hour after the morning walk as we tried to warm ourselves.

Old Man Winter

Old Man Winter has come to visit the Bayou early this year. I suppose the post I wrote earlier might actually have been a omen of what was to come. The squirrels and woodpeckers were busy all Fall stocking up on nuts and seeds and padding their nest extra warm. Now, there is frost on the pier boards making my early morning trek a bit treacherous. The dog, Ezzy, is not real sure she even wants to get out of bed before sunrise any more. She would much rather stay put next to the wood-burning stove than go out for a romp on the frosty grass. Still, I head out determine to enjoy as many peaceful sunrises as I can. This morning was no different..I was up and about at 5AM. The coffee pot was sending up the most delightful aroma as I slipped on my boots. I grabbed the heavy jacket and a mug of coffee and down the hill I went. The pier boards sparkled with the beads of frost as the morning light broke through but try as I might, no photograph seemed to capture the beauty. I sat there a bit longer. The sun was up now and to the south I could see a large V-shape in the sky! Geese! Already? It seemed a bit early in the winter for them but we are experiencing some really cold nights. I watched as they came closer and closer. No..not geese but pelicans. Bunches of pelicans! I watched them fly in formation and then swirl about changing positions. It almost seemed like they were trying to decide who was to lead them wherever they were heading. For a good ten minutes or so, I watched as the ever changing pattern of pelicans swooped around over the Bayou. At one point they seemed to collide with each other as they changed formation. I fully expected them to land but eventually they got it together and off they went..eastward. Eastward? Umm..oh, pelicans? Did you choose the wrong leader?

As I headed back to the house to chop some more kumquats for marmalade, a bright flash caught my eye. There in the Black Gum tree was the most beautiful cardinal I have seen in quite a while. Perhaps he is no different than the many others that visit the yard, except this one looked like a picture post card! A beautiful Christmas card! He sat there long enough for the camera to do its job then started fussing at me for not having the feeders filled. Each morning, I fill the feeders..each day the birds eat their fill..each night the raccoons wreck the feeders. This cycle goes on and on. I don't mind though. As long as it brings little bright spots such as this cardinal to my yard, I will continue to dole out the sunflower seeds!

Waiting on a heavy frost!

While it is true that the weather has cooled down a bit and we had a light frost, I am waiting for a heavy frost..a light freeze. Both the kumquat trees and the grapefruit trees are loaded but need a bit of cold to make them to my liking. They are delicious now but..oh, my goodness will they ever be sweet after a freeze! There is a poem with a line about "frost on the pumpkins" well, I am waiting on frost on the kumquats! This is the first year that our kumquats have really had a bumper crop and I cannot wait! As soon as it is cold enough, I will drag the ladder around to the trees (there are five!) and begin to pick! This year there appears that I will get nearly a bushel of kumquats from these trees! After being picked and washed, the fruit will be seeded and chopped. Then with a few other ingredients, the kumquats will be made into marmalade! Oh, the wonderfulness of kumquat marmalade on fresh from the oven buttermilk biscuits..I can taste it already! The grapefruit will need to be picked too but that will be a job for my son and his friends. These trees are about thirty feet tall and the fruit is all the way to the top. My son and his friends will have to climb the trees to pick the fruit. I can get the lower ones with the stepladder but those up high can only be reached by going up the tree. This is no easy task. Grapefruit trees have thorns..big thorns! I am not brave enough to attempt the climb but the challenge seems to intrigue these young men. My son will climb to the top and toss the fruit down like they are softballs. I actually do rather well at catching them before they splat on the ground! Bushel after bushel will be picked. Last year we picked seven bushels off of one tree and it seems as if we will get close to that again this year. Most of these we will give away, some will be made into grapefruit/ginger marmalade and the rest will be dried and ground to be used as a spice and in home remedies. Nothing will go to waste!

I love this time of year..we get the most amazing sunsets on the Bay! The evening sky is almost always a beautiful array of golds and reds. This reflects on the water making the whole thing seem like some artist splashed paint everywhere..it is breathtaking to say the least. I try to catch every sunrise and sunset that I can and I am never disappointed with the show. November always promises quite a performance and always exceeds expectations! I do wish I could share each one with you all!

Green Anoles and Green Persimmons!

I was reading the other day how it is getting hard to find Green Anoles in Florida due to the invasion of Brown Anoles . The Brown Anole is a similar species not to be confused with the brown stage of the Green Anole..boy is that ever confusing! It seems that the Brown is much more competitive and prolific than the Green thus causing territorial feuds. The Green Anole is becoming scarce and some residents in Florida are a bit worried. I am not sure they are scarce..I think maybe they have all moved to my yard. For some reason, I have more lizards than I can shake a stick at on any given day. They seem to be everywhere! The Green Anole is what we grew up knowing as an ordinary green lizard..no fancy name..just lizard. They were great playthings for my brothers, bringing peals of laughter as they would chase my sister through the yard with the lizard in tow. She was and still is..uh..mildly afraid of them or at least has a very strong dislike of these fine creatures. Fair warning, Dear Sister, my yard is a crawling mass of lizards! This summer there seem to be so many tiny lizards with more hatching constantly. I like to think it is simply because they prefer to live in my gardens but I am sure it is more likely that with the gardens there are bugs. Since I do not use any chemical pesticides, I depend on the natural order of things to eliminate unwanted critters. So far, this seems to be working out pretty well. The lizards, birds, garden spiders and dragonflies are eating multitudes of bugs that flock to my plants so I am able to maintain a balance by only using natural herbs for insecticides when needed. As it is, the Green Anoles can have free roam of all the gardens with fear of harm from me.

Outside of the garden and down on the Bayou edge, there is a wild Persimmon tree. Yesterday, I noticed the little green orbs are starting to turn slightly yellow. In a couple of months, they should be dark orange and ripe enough to pick. There is a sort of folk rule that you should not eat these small persimmons before the first frost of the year and this far south that is probably not just a myth. It has nothing to do with the frost making them edible, it just ripens them a bit more. Ripe persimmons are really a delight. I am not overly fond of the large cultivated persimmons but these tiny (two inches in diameter) persimmons are delectable! When ripe and rather squishy, they are unbelievably sweet. Yes, there are several quite large seeds in each one that you need to spit out, but there is just something satisfying about being able to eat these bite sized fruit. It might just be the idea that I have gotten my fair share before the birds and 'possums devoured the entire tree's crop! You can bet I will be watching for these little golden globs of goodness to shrivel a bit to indicate they are ripe. Yum! One word of caution though..if you have never eaten a wild persimmon (or any persimmon for that matter) make sure it is squishy ripe. Biting into a

green (unripe) one is an experience you will never forget! The astringent properties of it will

turn your mouth "inside out"!!! The pucker power of a green persimmon beats anything I have ever known! These pictures are actually from last year. We had so much rain today that it was hard to venture all the way to the Bayou's edge to get a shot of the persimmon tree. Here though, you can see what I mean about the fruit being a bit squishy. The darker orange ones are actually rather soft and are ready to eat! The ones on the tree now are still much greener than these so I will have to wait a bit.