The Felling of a Mighty Oak Tree

   Back between the original greenhouse and the shed, there stands the remnants of a tall oak tree.  The tree stood strong through hundreds of storms only to fall to a tiny bug.  Insects can do more damage than the raging hurricane sometimes.  A couple of years back, Son noticed that a lot of our living oak trees were infested with termites.  Yep....living trees.  This was a bit disturbing, to say the least.  He set to work trying to save the trees by using the same spray that we have had to resort to for the house, shed and any other outbuildings around here.  As much as I hate to use chemicals around the place, there comes a time when it is absolutely necessary if we want to save the place.  So, he mixed his concoction and set to work.  Well, that was a lot of work as we have a lot of trees.  Some, like the aforementioned one, were too far gone to try to save.  He still sprayed thinking maybe he could contain the infestations. Hopefully.

 Needless to say, the tree died and was soon infested not only with the termites but with black carpenter ants that were eating the termites.  We quit spraying to allow the ants to do their job.  They worked tirelessly in the dead tree but were, at the same time, preyed upon by the woodpeckers.  The entire tree soon became riddled with the drillings of the birds.  The food chain was at work.  Soon, the tree started falling bit by bit. Now, a new form of life has come to the old tree.  On one of the upper parts of the tree, there is a large hole that appears to be the nesting site of either the pileated woodpecker or a family of squirrels.  Down below among the roots, lizards, snails and beetles are enjoying life hidden under the palmettoes and shards of tree bark.

  While out back, I noticed that bracket or shelf mushrooms are rapidly taking down the tree.  The entire southern side of the tree is literally a ladder of orange mushrooms.  These mushrooms are doing the final takedown of the old oak tree.  The fungi will rot the tree as it, itself, thrives.  Soon, the old oak will come tumbling down and that will be the end of it.  However, in the meantime, the tree, even in death, is providing for the life of others.  

Something Other Than A Pretty Face

   I admit that mycology is not my strong point.  In fact, I do not trust my identifying skills of mushrooms any more than I do a cottonmouth in the marsh.  There is just too much that could go wrong.  Oh, I can name a few of the stinkhorns merely by their stench but I leave the others to the experts.  This is probably a throwback to my childhood days when Pop would tell me to never eat a mushroom that I found.  So...I never have eaten a mushroom that I found.  Never.  Now I find that foraging for mushrooms has been and is now a rapidly growing hobby for many folks.  I admire them.  I purely admire those brave, knowledgeable folks.  I stand in awe of those who can confidently identify one from another.  My interest in the fungi is merely from a photographer's standpoint.  They are pretty, interesting and easy targets for the camera.

  I have a friend who is highly interested in learning this fine art.  This beautiful, young lady has taken to studying the mushrooms and even teaching her young daughters which are safe to eat.  So it was a no-brainer for me to ask her the name of a clump of mushrooms that I found growing in the yard.  They were pretty.  They were yellow.  Something ate them...not me.  That was about as far as I got with my idea of what they were.  Amy, on the other hand, told me that they were chanterelles...but "ask an expert before eating them!" she carefully added.  Then, she proceeded to recommend a group on social media that was full of these fine folk.  So...I posted my photo.  Amy was correct and urged me to grab my mushrooms and eat them.  Well, the torrential rains made that an undesirable quest for an old lady but I promised to look for more once there was a break in the weather.  Once collected...I shall try them since all these experts assured me they are, not only safe, but delicious.

  To be honest, I was pleasantly surprised at the genuine niceness of everyone in the mushroom identification group.  They honestly seemed to appreciate my request and, also, showed great interest in my pretty, yellow mushrooms.  Some went so far as to inform me how to prepare them and actually urged me to share more photographs.  That...I can do.  That...is what interests me.  So, I shall continue to photograph the Bayou and share with those who are keen on seeing it.  Thank you, Amy!  You have started something.  Always keep learning, folks.  Always keep learning.

Firewood, Wood Ear and Cardio Workouts!

   It was another wood-cutting sort of day!  The sun was shining and the woodpile, though still well stocked, can always use replenishing.  So...I cut wood!  Now let me clarify something here about all of this wood cutting and splitting.  I do it because I enjoy being able to do it.  We have a log-splitter that may come in handy some day but, for now, I do it the "old-fashioned" way.  It is my idea that it is best to be able to do things for yourself instead of always being dependent on others.  Son and Mark cut wood but if they are off working on other things...I CAN DO IT!  Plus, it is one of the best cardio workouts you can do!  It seems that the previous posts caused some concern among folks, and while I appreciate that concern, it is far from necessary.  I split firewood.  I can use a chainsaw.  I garden.  I push a lawnmower.  I paint the house. I put up fences. It is my choice...I do it...I enjoy it...'nuff said.  

  Like I said it was another wood-cutting sort of day so I was out as soon as the temperature reached 40 degrees.  I grabbed the tools and headed to where I had stacked several logs from the hike yesterday...and...I was distracted by some lovely mushrooms.  On the wood I had just stacked, wood ear fungi had sprouted up overnight!  They were huge!  In fact, I have never seen any quite this large and, this time, Bat was still indoors!  That cat would have already torn my beautiful mushrooms to pieces had he been out before me.  After taking several photos of the fungi, I decided that those particular logs would not be cut today.  I had to skip down to the next pile.

  The logs were cut into firewood length with the saw then split with the axe.  After grabbing a drink of lemonade, the logs were hauled to the woodpile and neatly stacked.  Twice, I filled the wheelbarrow with my lovely firewood.  Yep!  My cardiologist will be proud!  I am proud.  I do not want to become fat, lazy and dependent on others, if I can help it.  That day will come soon enough.  I will keep doing what I can in the meantime.

Bat Attack On The Mushrooms!

   The trouble with inheriting cats from other places, is they are curious as to the doings of the Bayou and surrounding areas.  The "throwaway" cat that came to live at the Little Bayou House is no different.  Add to the fact that "Bat" is still actually a kitten in a rather large. adult-sized body and that curiosity can often get out of hand.  He is never still.  Bat climbs, explores, falls into and literally obliterates almost everything he contacts.  Poor buddy has a long way to go before becoming a true Bayou Cat.

  Today, I cut firewood.  This is getting to be a tiresome chore for an old lady but if I expect to keep the wood-burning stoves chugging along relentlessly, it is a chore that needs to be done. So, I do it.  After cutting and hauling several loads to the woodpile, I came across a dozen or so large oak chunks that needed to be split.  THAT is even harder for me to do now.  Swinging an axe is something best left to younger folks.  Still, since it was there, it could not hurt to give it a try.  I did fairly well and got enough split for at least a few burnings.  

  It was on one of the logs that I noticed some very large mushrooms.  Even though they were a greyish brown, the things were rather lovely...in their own right.  They appeared to be so soft and velvety!  Thinking I should photograph the 'shrooms, I traded the axe for the camera.  At the very moment I tried to photograph the mushrooms, Bat decided to attack!  The mushrooms were soon a matted, flat mess!  That crazy cat is not the best friend of any camera toting person!  He is a rascal!  Grow up, Bat!!

Wondrous World

   I braved the mosquitoes yesterday morning to venture back behind the canebrake.  Down in this part of the woods, there is always something interesting.  Yesterday morning, it was what was beneath my feet as I padded along the soggy pathway.  With the copious rainfall of late, the ground was literally covered with mushrooms and other fungi.  All were brilliantly colored but so tiny that you could not see them from a distance of about forty feet.  Also, dotted here and there were tiny flowers that I have yet to identify.  Had the biting critters not been so vicious, I would have loved to linger there longer just photographing this "Land of Miniature".  

  Perhaps, after dousing myself with mosquito repellent, I will venture to the back of the property once again and find more treasures on the "forest floor".  The nigh on constant rains have kept me, more or less, housebound and I feel as if I am missing out on so much.  I was not made to be kept inside.  I need to roam the swamps to clear the mind and salve the soul.  A free spirit was never meant to be trapped within four walls.  I have to breathe.

Conditions are right!

   Back when Hurricane Zeta rolled through and did major damage to the Bayou area, the debris was endless.  It still is endless but progress is being made.  The decision to cut the smaller stuff into a mulch worked out rather well.   After pulling all trash and boards from the mounds, I used an old lawnmower to literally cut the stuff to a fine mulch.  The wheelbarrow was used to tote the stuff up the hill where it was dumped into the garden and pathways. Now that the debris mulch is starting to decay a bit, it is becoming a delightful mix of fertile soil.  It is sort of the ultimate of recycling.  

  The rich soil, warm weather and copious fog has made the fungi around here spring up like bad weeds.  The whole hillside is starting to look like a gigantic faerie garden with toadstool benches everywhere.  Mushrooms of every color, shape and size are pushing their way through the one foot thick layer of mulch. 

  It does make me wonder where all the spores came from since the place was covered with water during the storm and, if the spores stayed on the ground, how in the world are they pushing through that thick mulch?  Fungi is resilient, for sure!  If the conditions are right, the mushrooms grow. They are, indeed, amazing creations.

Back To The Small Gardens

   Way deep in the dark forest that surrounds the depths of the Bayou, is a mystical, magical world that often goes unseen.  I wish I could tell you some incredible story that took place there today but that is not happenin', folks.  Instead, you will have to marvel at the mystical, magical world of the gardens.  A minor setback in the health kept me from venturing far from the place.  Son objects to me wandering off by myself if/when the body is catawampus.  So, I meandered the Small Gardens once again and was reminded of how I reigned as Queen here for several months.  This was my realm.  Today, it was once again.

  During the stroll, I did manage to find several interesting spots.  One was by far the most intriguing and could have very well been seen in that descriptive place in the opening sentence.   In the midst of a dead Black Gum Tree, I found a most beautiful (to me) cluster of shelf mushrooms that were bordered by some similarly colored clump mushrooms.  This seemed to be the perfect spot for the fungi to thrive.  It was damp, dark and secluded.  It could have been the unseen world that included gnomes, faeries and elves!  (Yeah, when feeling decrepit, the brain turns to a fantasyland to compensate.  Since long physical hikes are out of the question, I tend to travel in the mind.)

  In reality, the mushrooms were breaking down the dead wood.  They hasten the decay, then the nutrients go back into the soil to be reused by new plants. The stump of the dead Black Gum Tree has been at the edge of the gardens for some years. I never removed it as numerous birds used it as a feeding spot.  A plethora of insects tunnel in the rotted wood drawing the birds.  Now, it is the mushrooms turn to feed upon the old tree.  Life goes on in one form or another.

Just a bit of observation...

  This afternoon, a short hike was in order.  Son and I worked all day in the yard ripping out yet more fencing and arbors.  In fact, the place looks quite different now.  Once we completed our tasks for the day, I headed down to the pier.  Along the way, a pungent odor stopped me in my tracks.  Always alert for sounds and smells, I needed to find what was the source.  Critters and plants all have distinctive odors and it is best to know what lies in the path ahead.  It is my habit to never fully depend on sight since my eyesight has been waning somewhat in recent years.  This was more of a stench than the flowery aroma of most plants.  Watch the step!  Once the source was found, it caused a fit of giggles.  Under a tall pine tree, two mushrooms grew side by side.  One was a a red-capped beauty and the other was a type of stinkhorn.  That stinkhorn, of course, was the culprit that was making the lower yard a stinky place.  It is surprising just how large of an area can be affected by such a small thing.  

  This is a Column Stinkhorn meaning it burst out of its egg-like sac with columns or fingers.  Some folks call them Devil's Toadstools while others refer to them as Devil's Fingers.  Both names seem accurate especially due to the color and smell.  The Column Stinkhorns are usually red, pink or orange and the smell is akin to a mountain of smelly socks combined with rotting flesh.  I was fortunate that only one of the mushrooms had "hatched".  

  There is one thing that confuses me with these mushrooms.  Granted, the stinkhorn "eggs" (before they burst out with their orange "fingers") resemble some sort of critter egg, it surprises me just how many folks confuse the two.  Countless times, I have been asked "Are these snake eggs or duck eggs?"  Neither!  Critter eggs are not attached to the ground by root like structures called mycelium.  It takes a good bit of talk to convince some folks that their "find" is going to hatch into stinky mushrooms and not a bundle of fluffy ducklings or a clutch of highly venomous snakes.  Oh, people.  Observe!  Notice things!  Investigate!  Be aware!  Whatever...whatever.

The Stars Underfoot

  Several of my friends are avid hikers who often drive to wilderness parks or find nearby areas to do their exploring.  They discover wondrous things along their chosen paths and love to share their finds via photographs.  I find these pictures enthralling as they spike the curiosity and make me ponder if I can find such things here on the Bayou.  Sometimes, it just takes a kick in the right direction.  I know I will never find the snow-filled wonderlands that my cousin, Libby, does on her hikes nor the historic "man-made" finds that my daughter-in-law's Uncle Mark stumbles upon but there is always the outside chance that I can find a few of the same plants or critters in the photographs of an (unmet) friend, David, who lives in Florida.  All three of these folks inspire me to keep searching even though my hikes cover just the area around the Bayou.  

  I have taken to searching more for the "unnoticed" among curiosities along my hiking path.  The tiny spider that lives in a hickory nut shell, the small brown skink that scurries under the leaves, the minuscule bluets that grow beneath the taller grasses all pique the interest.  I want to know more about this often overlooked world of magnificent entities...the tiny tidbits of life that, more oft than not, go unseen, are trampled upon or merely ignored.

  Today's masterpiece of Mother Nature is none other than an earthstar!  Earthstars are mushrooms that closely resemble the familiar puffballs only they go one step (literally) further in releasing their spores.  An earthstar uses the same method of a puffball that "poofs" spores out of a tiny hole in the top of the ball.  The only difference is, the earthstar has an outer covering that protects the spores when it is not time to release them.  Usually, the spores are pounded out of the ball by raindrops.  The spores need the moisture to grow so earthstars are adamant about not letting them "poof" before the time is right.  The outer covering of an earthstar stays tightly closed around the ball until it "feels" the rain coming.  Then, it splits open and folds backwards revealing the inner spore ball.  This flattening of the outer cover is how the earthstar gets its name.  When it splits, the outer covering is somewhat star-shaped.  That extra "step" is that the earthstar can and does fold back up over the ball if the rains quit before the spores are all released. This action protects the spores from drying out too much.  As soon as another rainstorm threatens the area, the earthstar springs into action and folds the "star" back open to let the raindrops do their work.

  I was tickled to find the earthstar this morning.  This one was just the outer covering as the hard rains of last night obviously emptied the spore ball and the high winds ripped the ball from the covering.  My little earthstar had completed its life cycle and left its spores to renew the next generation.  It is tiny things like this that make life interesting.  Just think of how many wonders of the world are stepped on, walked over or ignored on a daily basis. 

Hiking Forgotten Paths

  Sometimes, my hikes with the old dog get to be a bit repetitive since he is not able to do a lot of strenuous climbing over downed logs or worming his way through underbrush.  I have to stick to the clear trails which makes for seeing the same things over and over again.  However since he is feeling poorly from the bronchitis, I left him inside today.  Son and I headed out to the back woods to get firewood.  I have not been on this part of the property in months so it was an adventure...almost.  There were so many new things to see!

  One of the things that impressed me was the variety of turkey tail mushrooms that were on most of the felled trees.  The colors were so varied!  One log had a cluster of the mushrooms that scaled the cut end of the log.  It was actually beautiful!  I was hesitant to let Son cut the fallen trees merely because it would mean a loss of habitat for these mushrooms.  I had to do some heavy weighing here...warmth. mushrooms...warmth, mushrooms.  Warmth won so he cut and I hauled.

  Being able to expand my hiking trail was like finding a long lost friend.  Although, I recall every step of the path from previous hikes, the area was filled with new and exciting things.  The change of seasons does remarkable things to woods.  Being away for just a few months, made the changes jump out at me.  I was like a kid in a candy shop!  It was all I could do to stop exploring and start hauling firewood.  Hopefully, I can slip out again tomorrow and explore a bit more before the bad weather sets in on the weekend.

 

Fungi Fields!

  As I am writing this, we are in the midst of yet another thunderstorm that is dumping a torrential amount of rain down upon us.  The roar of the water hitting the rooftop is almost deafening.  This type weather has ruled the summer making things seem a bit soggy around here.  Over the past four months, we may have had ten days without rain.  Today appeared to be one of those days but as night fell, so did the rains.  For nigh on the past hour, It has been pouring nonstop and there seems to be no let-up in sight.  We are in for another long night of high winds, lightning and inches of rain.  Thankfully, we live on a high hill overlooking the Bayou.

  Just this afternoon, Mark and I noticed that the hillside was quickly turning into a mushroom farm.  As far as you could see, thousands of the fungi were dotting the ground.  In just a small area, I found about thirty different types.  Big ones, tiny ones and every size in between...red ones, white ones, tan ones, brown ones, spotted ones...you name it, we have it.  In fact, some of the mushrooms even have mold on them so it is almost like two for the price of one!   Yep, that is a lot of rain!

So, while we are being inundated with rain, I decided to take advantage of the mushroom fields and get a few photos.  All of the above photos were taken in a small area of the yard in less than five minutes.  There were tons more but the old dog decided that he did not want to be a fungus photographer so we headed back inside.   I am not sure of any of their identifications but they are interesting!

 

Pinch Pleats, Ladies' Hats and Mushrooms

  While wondering about the hillside on my thrice daily hikes, many things catch my eye and deem further investigation.  Always on the lookout for unusual patterns in things, the artist in me will drop to my knees to photograph even the smallest of finds.  Recently, a mushroom sort of "jumped' out at me and demanded attention.  Well, maybe jumped is too strong of a word here but the mushroom was quite different than any I have photographed before.  This one seemed to be upside down.  It was firmly attached to a dead branch but its gills were on the upper side instead of below the cap.  This gave the thing a quite ruffly look almost like a lady's hat from years past.  In fact, it looked a lot like one that my grandmother used to wear.  Well, the top of the hat did not look like it but rather the lining was pleated and just about the same color as the mushroom.  Since I was a mere tot when I first noticed the hat, I saw the underside of the brim of the hat more than the top. 

  As I sat looking at that tiny mushroom and  thinking about Grandmother's pleated hat lining, I had to giggle a bit about the similarity.  That hat made quite the impression on my young brain.  I thought Grandmother was the most stylish lady in town with her hats, purse and pumps.  In reality, Grandmother's hats were all handmade.  Her father (my great-grandfather) was the proprietor of the only hat shop in Biloxi for a number of years.  "Carter, the Hatter" was renown in the area for his fine hats...both men's and ladies'.  Grandmother literally grew up making hats so whenever she wanted a new headpiece, she simply sat down and created it.  The pleated one so firmly implanted in my memories just happened to be one of her favorites.  Each tiny pinch-pleat was precisely measured and hand sewn for the lining and the hatband held a silk nosegay of small roses.  I wonder if she got her inspiration from a similar mushroom?

  The mushroom is one of many that belong to a group called split gill mushrooms.  Not that the identity means anything to me as I cannot get past that hat thing.  Still, it was a fine way to spend a few minutes.   Memories are great like that....just saying.

Little Glowy Mushrooms!

  Today never really happened.  Mother Nature decided that we should live in darkness so she rolled in the clouds, dumped copious amounts of rain on us and threw in a couple of fun things like tornadoes and waterspouts. The clouds were dark, rolling type that just kept coming.  Needless to say, there was not a lot of roaming about the hillside.  Going a bit stir crazy inside, I slipped out to the greenhouse.  (Probably not the safest place to be while tornado sirens are sounding but I figured that one place was as good as another. Besides, in between downpours I could slip out and pick the figs that were growing just outside the greenhouse!)

  It was during one of the torrential downpours that I noticed the sky darkened to almost pitch black but two tiny mushrooms were just as visible (if not more so) than they were with the slight bit of light filtering through the windows.  Ok, that was just too adorable!  These two mushrooms were growing in a flowerpot that held the Night-blooming Cereus. While everything else in the greenhouse was shrouded in darkness, the mushrooms were like little nightlights!  I wondered why I had never seen these before but that was easily explanable.  Two things came to mind.  One, the mushrooms just popped up since all of this rain and, two, I am rarely in the greenhouse after dark!  Well, that made sense.

  The way I figure is that even though Mother Nature was being a bit contrary today, she decided that one little bit of nicety never hurt anyone.  She let the tiny mushrooms appear at the perfect time to add a bit of happiness to my day.  Despite the ornery weather that pounded the Bayou, I was able to find the one (literal) bright spot and that was right in my greenhouse!  No wonder this is one of my favorite places to be!

The Elves Were Dancing!

  Fairy Rings, Elf Rings, Sprite Rings...they are all names for a large circle of mushrooms that spring up in yards and fields. These usually make their appearance during a rainy season and can reach thirty to forty feet in diameter.  Once established, the rings will reappear with each rainy season during warm months.  

  I was out meandering the hillside when I noticed a long row of mushrooms.  The row curved into a huge arc bending around the trees and down under the brush.  I bent down to see just how far the row went and then realized that my row was actually a large circle...a Fairy Ring or Elf Ring!  How big?  Well, I would have had to climb up on the rooftop to get a full view of the thing!  It was huge and half hidden beneath bushes but was still a circle.  Those little mystical folks were busy!

  There are several folktales attached to these phenomenons.  One being that the rings are guarded by giant toads that would devour anyone stepping inside the circle.  Oops!  I guess I can debunk this as pure myth as I was slapdab in the middle of the circle before I realized it was even there.  Another tale says that elves made the rings by dancing during the rain.  Hmm...could be.  I was not out there during the recent downpours to watch for any elves.  If there were any dancing, they sure got their exercise with the size of this ring!  Yet another tale tells us that the rings grow above an underground fairy village.  Hmmm...I always figured there was something under this hill!  Now we know!  The circle of mushrooms edges the village and lets us know to be careful while digging there.  Yup!  Sounds logical!  

  Then, again, the spores of the mushrooms probably just get spread from one place to another until there is a vast circle that reseeds itself over the years.  The spores keep spreading outward and the ring keeps growing larger and larger.  Scientifically, this makes sense but you have to admit that it is more fun to believe the mystical versions. 

Cleaning up the Woods!

  Behind the house far down below the cane brake, is a wooded area. This includes the creekbed that stems off of the Bayou.  The creek runs from miles up north of us and finally dwindles to a mere trickle through our place.  During especially rainy seasons, this trickle escalates into a full blown running creek.  I love it when it is like this.  Hearing the water as it splashes over the roots and moss mounds, watching  the water as it makes new rivulets around the clumps of palmettos and just knowing that my critter friends are thankful to have a ready drinking spot all makes for happy times.  This area is also home to a lot of downed tree limbs and even some entire trees.  It is not my habit to clear out the woods as these branches and logs make handy homes for so many creatures.  At times, though, the sheer amount of fallen debris makes it difficult to find a path if one wants to hike in the woods.  This is where Mother Nature takes control.

  Just recently, I wrote about the Turkey Tail Mushrooms.  These are just one of a bunch of mushrooms called the polypore mushrooms and are so called because they create spores in little tubelike structures instead of having gills.  Included in this group are the bracket fungi.  A bracket fungus sort of resembles an oyster shell plastered to the side of a tree or log.  Shelf fungus, bracket fungus, polypores...all are basically the same. The good news is that these mushrooms are sort of the janitors of the fungus world.  They help to clean up dead wood.  Bad news is that they can and do sometimes infect live trees.  But to be honest here, the live trees found with the fungus are, more than likely, already weakened from some other disease.  The fungus is merely hastening the demise of an otherwise unhealthy tree.  

  On our walk today, Mark and I found some bracket mushrooms growing on one of the Bay Trees that grow near the marsh edge.  While I am not sure of the identity of this fungus, it was quite interesting.  Near the marsh edge is the perfect spot for the mushrooms as it stays relatively damp and shady.  While I am saddened that our little Bay Tree is obviously going to meet its demise soon, I fully understand.  The constant battering from the extreme high tides and strong winds of late possibly have damaged the little tree beyond hope.  It is time for Mother Nature's janitors to get to work and clear the area.  In the meantime, I do think the mushrooms are quite pretty!

That's why....

  The other day, someone asked me why I get up so early.  I have a tendency to rise before the sun and make my coffee. Then, that cup of coffee is enjoyed as the sky starts to brighten in the east.  Why do I get out of bed so early?  I have no definite answer.  I just do.  Then again, maybe I have more than one answer.  I suppose if you stop to think about it, this could all be Pop's fault.  Back when I was just a kid on the farm, we were rousted out of bed when the roosters crowed.  "Time to get up!" Pop would call as he started cranking on that old wall-mounted coffee grinder.  (That thing made enough noise to get anybody out of bed whether they wanted to or not!)  Pop knew that there was a lot of work to be done and he needed all five kids to be up and ready to work at an early hour.  You are just not lazy on a farm!  Now, however, it is not the chores that awaken me.  I have this built-in alarm clock that seems to sound at a predawn hour.  I just cannot sleep!  So, I am up and ready to go as soon as I down the first cup of coffee. 

  Personally, I love the way the sun casts shadows on just about everything as it is starting to peep between the pines.  I see things that most never experience.  The way the light filters through the trees, illuminates the palmettos or causes fungi to almost glow never seems to disappoint me.  I am like that proverbial "kid in a candy shop" as I can always find something to delight the senses.  

  I love to hear the birds as they start to chirp their happy calls and I love to hear the last yelps of the baby fox as Mama calls them back to the den.  I love to see a dragonfly stretch its wings for the first time as it transforms from nymph to flying beauty.  I love to find fresh berries or other fruits as the morning dew glistens making them look like jewels. I love the smell of the earth that has just been refreshed by the coolness of the night or the sweet aroma of gardenias (or magnolias, jasmine, roses, wisteria..you name it!) as the buds begin to open.  I love the coolness of moss under my bare feet or the bite of frost on my nose depending upon the season. 

 I just love morning...early, early morning  I love the peace, the calmness, the solitude.  It is "my" time of the day.  My time...made just for me...my time to revel in all of the Good Lord's magnificence.

They're Back! (And I am not happy!)

  Sometimes I wish that I was an expert on identifying mushrooms.  I am quite sure that some of the ones that pop up here and there on the hillside are edible.  I am just a tad uneasy about trying anything that I cannot positively identify.  For instance, there is a whole cluster of the fleshiest-looking mushrooms growing down near the pier.  I figure that they must be somewhat edible simply because the squirrels and rice rats nibble on them and I have not found any dead rodents lying about the place.  I have seen the squirrels tote the huge things up trees.  Why else would they bother carrying something that probably weighs more than they do?  I am tempted...tempted but still uneasy and I have another reason not to taste these fine specimens.  I am quite sure these would be the most unappetizing mushrooms.  Reason being, they smell bad..really bad..well, horrible.  Not so much when they first pop up out of the ground but a bit later when they start to wane. It is then that they acquire an odor not unlike three-day-old roadkill. 

  While out and about this afternoon, Ms. Ez decided that she should nose about on those very same mushrooms.  NOPE!  NO WAY!  NOT HAPPENING!  I am not having another night of a violently ill dog like a couple of years ago.  She had eaten some mushrooms down by the old oak tree and they just about killed her.  Son and I spent the entire night dosing her with herbs and pumpkin.  It worked, she lived and all was well.  Also...NOPE!  NO WAY!  NOT HAPPENING!  She was not going to roll in those stinky 'shrooms this time!  I had no desire to be in the same proximity of a foul-smelling dog.  Yep, she has done this before on several occasions and it is not something I wish to have repeated.  It takes several washings before that stench is overcome.  

  I yelled at her to "Leave those things alone!"   With that she barreled back up the hillside looking a mite sheepish.  I took a sniff and was wholly relieved to find that there was no vile stench emanating from her!  Whew!  I think we caught this in time!  For the next couple of weeks, I will have to keep a constant watch on the dog while we are out hiking.  She manages to find some of the most disagreeable things!  No wonder I like the cats so much!  They do not like to be smelly!

The Imagination Wins Again..

Yesterday..it rained. What was once a near dead

garden suddenly looks so much better..so refreshed! The first thing this morning, I hurried out to plant pumpkins and squash! A few cucumbers, watermelons and tomatoes soon followed! I am hoping to get in another summer garden before it cools off for the fall. While in the garden, I noticed several things different. One being the fig tree! I had finally picked all of the figs that the birds allowed me to have and ceded to the fact that fig season had come and gone without me getting my fill. Then today, I notice that the tree is full of tiny figs! A second season seems to be occurring! Perhaps the drought had put a damper on the tree producing all it should and now, with the rains, the tree decided the season was right to produce more. Whatever the reason, I am hoping that perhaps I will get a few of these! The birds and I will battle it out again. My uncle told me to hang some shiny pie pans with a few old forks or spoons in the branches. According to him, when the wind blows, the utensils will clang against the pan and scare the birds. The flashing of the sun on the shiny pan would also help! I will try this as I am desperate to taste some fig jam on my morning biscuits!

Then I went off on a tangent..mushroom hunting! Not to eat..just to photograph. The rain seemed to have caused a rampant sprouting of fungi in the yard! Under the tomato plants were the prettiest white mushrooms! A nice cluster of the bright white beauties! Each entire mushroom was covered with little bumpy things!There were actually two sets..each looking slightly different from the other. Both very white but one set more tightly closed than the other. They might have been the same sort but one set could have been just older. I am not an expert when it comes to mushrooms..I just think they are interesting! There is something fascinating about them! I do have the unsettling feeling that these might be poisonous so they can stay in the garden and not on my plate!

For some reason, I am intrigued by the world beneath my feet or in this case..about eye-level! There was a whole forest of little 'shrooms in one of the hanging baskets that also held the Swedish Ivy. It would have been the perfect setting for some fairy tale! I could just imagine some little elf or fairy living among these little umbrella-like mushrooms! I would not have even noticed these if one of the little birds had not landed on the chain holding the basket.

Then on the mulch pile, there was another. This one was quite tall and had the most unusual burgundy blotch right in the middle! In comparison to the ones in the hanging basket..this one was much sturdier. It had a nice strong stalk whereas those had almost wispy stems. This one stood a good five inches tall and right in the top of the pile as if to proclaim itself "King of the Mountain"!

Then literally under my feet were these tiny button-like fungi. These tiny things were not bigger than a pea! What caught my eye, were the ones that were "opened". The tops had split open and revealed a mass of dark blue "spores" or at least I am assuming that is what it was. They looked like a bunch of little bowls filled with some (unappetizing) soup! These were everywhere! I could not take a step without smashing the smithereens out of a whole slew of them!

So what started as a productive day ended with me in search of more mushrooms to photograph! I blame it on the rain!

Why April is late this year!

Today was supposed to be Thursday..not Friday! I need another day this week as I will never accomplish all that I wanted to do by this point in time. I blame it on April being late this year! For all of you who do not know..April is definitely later in arriving this year. This is not because of any astrological or astronomical anomaly but just sort of an inside joke between Sweet Daughter-in-law and me! During one of our lengthy conversations (this particular one about when Easter happens to occur this year) a minor slip of the tongue made April and not Easter be late in the Calendar year. So April is late..today is Friday not Thursday..and I have not done all I wanted this week.

Now that the timeline is established, it explains why I was out trimming with the weedeater as Son cut the grass. If I had known it was Friday, I honestly would have paid the bills, picked up milk from the store and stopped at the Post Office to mail a package. But..I cut grass! As I was trimming near the clothesline, I noticed a small cluster of mushrooms that I had not seen before. I had to take a picture! The weedeater was tossed to the wayside and the camera was whisked into play! Now, some people stop to smell the roses. Some people brake for turtles. I will stop everything if I see anything to photograph. I was down on my hands and knees trying to get the best angle to photograph the entire mushroom when Son stops his mower and calls to me. "Hey, are you alright?" Alright???? I just found a mushroom! That answered that question!! He shrugged his shoulders and continued on pushing his mower. These little mushrooms look like they were dusted on top with a coating of frost. That could never be since it was a good 70 degrees...hmmm.

Since the weedeater was in the process of taking a nap, I meandered the garden! The Azaleas brightened the area immensely and sent a sweet aroma wafting on the breeze! I think these have to be some of the most vividly colored flowers on the planet! I have heard all sorts of rumors of how these bushes may be poisonous. Some say they are highly toxic..to everything. Others tout that they are only poisonous to cows, horses and sheep but not dogs and cats. Then, out of the blue, I find that in Korea they make wine from the blossoms! Perhaps the dogs and cats are just smart enough to not drink the wine..and perhaps the horses, cows and sheep just have hangovers. Personally, I think I will just enjoy them visually and not go ingesting any.

Just to prove my point about April being late this year..the first picture of the Azaleas was taken on March 26th of this year. I took several today, but on March 26th, the Azaleas were already in full bloom. The second picture was taken last year on April 9th. That is several weeks different and considering that Azaleas only bloom for at the most two weeks, the bushes bloomed early this year..or if you have a twisted sense of perspective..April is late! I am quite sure it has something to do with the moon...hehe!

More Random Thoughts

Moss Land

When was the last time that you dropped to your knees and peered at the ground beneath your feet? There is an amazing world down there! Today, I noticed a beautiful little clump of green moss growing between the planks on the boardwalk that leads to the pier. This velvety soft mound is such a pretty little thing in the greyness of midwinter that I had to actually reach down and touch it. Aaaahhh.. it brought back memories of "Faerie Houses" that a favorite aunt used to help me design when I was a child! She and I would dig up all sorts of mosses to serve as seating for the faeries that attended the balls that were held in our faerie houses. Pretty stones, leaves and flowers were all added as adornments and I just knew that in the evening the faeries were dancing the night away. I miss Aunt Helen..I think she played a huge roll in developing my imagination. She always told me it was ok to dream..and I do.

Pretty Mushrooms

In the back by the woodpile, I found some of the prettiest little, brown mushrooms that you would ever want to see. They are a beautiful golden brown and about three inches in diameter. I have no clue as to the type of the mushroom and I sure have no desire to munch on any but to me they have always been a source of wonderment. Then a thought flitted through the brain.."How in the world do these things not freeze?" We have been having some really cold nights lately, but these little mushrooms still stood firm and did not turn to mush like so many of the other plants and fungi. Perhaps scientists need to do a study of the "antifreeze" mechanisms of certain fungi and then can come up with something to keep my tomatoes from turning mushy and brown with the first frost!

Table Pixie

I found another "face" today! I told you earlier how my grandpa used to show me faces in all sorts of places and how this habit of searching for hidden faces stuck with me throughout the years. This "face" reminds me of a little pixie! I think she is most adorable with her funky little hair and mischievous expression. She was discovered on the bottom of my mother's dining room table. I had dismantled this table to do some repairs on it when I discovered the "Table Pixie"! You might have to squint a great bit to see her, but with my imaginative brain, she is quite visible. It seems as if I am surrounded by these poor little imps that are trapped at times in inanimate objects. There is no shortage of faces to be found in the knotholes of planks, the woven threads of fabrics and reflections in the window panes. Still I am quite happy to have a pixie living under my table..I think she shall stay as long as she likes!

Red..the color of winter

Most of the time, we have a tendency to think of winter in terms of white (snow/frost) or grey (cloudy skies). The other day, my sweet sister-in-law came to the House on the Bayou. It was a briskly cold day and she had on the brightest red pair of gloves. As she held a steaming hot cup of coffee and I thought.."That is the color of winter! Bright red gloves!" I had to convince her that I was only going to snap a picture of her hands. She is a bit camera shy, and I fully understand this as I do not care to have pictures taken of me either. She sat drinking her coffee and I sat snapping pictures! Something about those gloves and the way she held that mug of coffee made the whole day seem a bit warmer!

Crackling fires!

Speaking of warm..the little woodburning stove is doing its job well. It burns bright and keeps the house nice and toasty. This is the little cast iron parlor stove that needed major refurbishing.I am happy to say it works perfectly! I did make the mistake of picking up a few cedar limbs that the road crew cut. I tossed them on the fire, not thinking that it would be any different than any other wood. They sent up a shower of sparks that reminded me of fireworks on the 4th of July! So pretty to watch but not to safe if left unattended! The fire was shooting sparks out on the floor so the screen had to be put in place until that piece of wood burned out. Oh well, it was a good excuse to sit with a cup of tea and prop my feet up for a few minutes until the popping stopped!

The sun is a star!

Just north of here today, there was a major fire. As far as I know there were no injuries, thank goodness, but a business burned and several others received damage. Although I truly feel for those that suffered damage as I have gone through losing a house to fire, the smoke made for a beautiful sunset. I did not use any type filter to get this picture..this is just the way the sun actually appeared. I took way too many pictures of this one sunset but every five minutes or so, it changed. Each change brought about another breathtaking view. It truly looked like a huge star and the reflection on the water was gorgeous. Maybe it was a sign that things were going to be alright after this fire. Maybe the Good Lord just decided to do some incredible painting of the sky. Maybe it was just a fluke of nature. Or perhaps I just see things a bit differently than most people..I don't know.

And finally

"Farewell"

A fond farewell was bid to Agatha. If you recall, she was actually the first of the Will-O-The-Wisp dolls that I made. She has been "adopted" and is on her way to Holland! I was a bit saddened to let her go but knowing she will be with someone who loves her made it a bit easier. hehe I had grown to love her! I am sure she will be happy in her new home and perhaps will be a great ambassador from the Bayou! Hopefully, we will receive a picture of her in her new land!