Where Did All The Water Go?

   It is a well-known fact that a strong north wind can drive the water lower than usual in the Bay.  Sometimes during the winter months, our pier sits "high and dry" with nary a puddle beneath it.  Mud...that stinky, sloppy mud...surrounds everything and anything that was hidden by the dark waters is evident.  Tree limbs, derelict crab pots, even old boat parts are left visible once the tide is extremely low.  I have lived near this Bayou my entire life and have witnessed that old wind drive the water sometimes a good hundred feet from the pier's end.  The water returns with the next high tide if the winds have subsided but that lack of water does indeed put a kink in any fishing plans!  

  Saturday morning, the tide was at its low at around 7:30 in the morning.  We had an incoming cold front so the winds were out of the north and were sustained around 18mph.  Yes, the tide was low...really low!  Mark actually took pictures and made the remark that it was "the lowest I have ever seen!"  I checked and had to agree.  That water was way out there!  It was interesting to see but, since I had no plans of fishing, the phenomenon soon flitted from the brain.  There was no use in pondering low tide....until a few hours later....those few hours made a bigger impact.

  Around noon, Mark made a trip to deliver a pot of beef stew to a sweet old lady.  While he was gone, I glanced out the window and was taken aback.  Where did all the water go?  It was low tide before but this was getting ridiculous!  There was absolutely NO water!  I mean NOOO water at all!  I hurriedly made my way to the end of the pier to check this further.  There literally was no water!  The entire part of the Bay known as Magnolia Bend" (our part!) was nothing but mudflats!  I peered across to the air base...there...there was a wee bit of water in the industrial channel that runs parallel to the opposite shoreline.  That water seemed to be nigh on a mile away!  In fact, if you look closely at the photos that I took, you will see a glistening streak on the far shore.  THAT is the only water in our whole Magnolia Bend area.  The rest of what is seen is mud...purely mud.

  As I sat there pondering the lack of water, I had to giggle because, just last week, Mark made the comment that he would like to extend our pier so we would be in "deeper water".  Yeah, right!  I guess a mile long pier would be fine just so we can fish in that channel so very far away!  I am thinking he would be better off just jumping in that little skiff and puttering over there.   North winds and low tides are always going to be a thing around here but we just have to take it as it comes.  (I have to admit that I much prefer this type tide over the tidal surge that comes with a hurricane.  This one leaves no messy debris piled in the yard!)

Bayou Tranquility

   Sometimes when I view the photographs of the day's happenings, they bring back vivid memories of other times.  This morning, the rising sun streamed through the pines on the opposite shore casting shadows on the water.  Several years ago, I took almost the same photograph...then, last year, the image was nigh on identical.  The only difference is the grove of trees is getting vastly thinner with all the "progress" on new houses.  No one seems to understand that we actually NEED trees but, what they do across the way is none of my business, I suppose.  So, I turn a blind eye to the ruination of the woods and try to find a positive side of it.  This is a fault of mine.  Let others fret over what is being done since I am old and possibly won't have to deal with the outcome.  They can deal with their own mess. 

  I do not turn a blind eye to everything, however.  I am one of those weird people that just looks at things a bit differently.  I figure there is beauty in all things if we only search for it...hence, the photograph of shadows on the water.  Life is too short to go around viewing ugliness.  That brings forth only despair.  It is far better to seek out beauty and fill the spirit with tranquility.  In this old, angry world, look for serenity and happiness.  Find your peace wherever you can.  The Bayou is where I find mine.

Strong Winds and Mudflats!

  Where did all of the water go?  The walk to the pier this morning was not only a tad difficult due to frost coating each plank but was disappointing since there was no water!  The storm system that hit the Bayou for the past few days did a fine job of pushing water in to the Bay and Bayou when the wind was coming from the south but, once that direction changed, it pushed it right back out into the Gulf.  Yesterday's winds were from the west and, then last night, the winds turned from the north.  The winds were blowing a gale and coming from either of those directions pushes the water far from our pier.  The pier sat high and dry.  The large boats moored at my brother's pier were sitting on bottom.  Son and I were smart!  Yesterday while the tide was high (before wind direction changed), we pulled the small skiff well up into the yard and tied it off to a tree.  Now there is no strain on the lines and we have no worries about it breaking free.  Since it is just a small skiff, it will be easy to put back into the water if needed.

  With the tide being far from shore, there was a clear view of what is normally hidden by water.  We try to keep the area around our pier clear of trash, logs or anything that may snag our lines.  It always amazes me how much stuff is washed in without us seeing it until it has settled into the mud.  Within a few months, more PVC piping, bottles, cans, tree limbs and other debris have wound up next to the pier.  Once the boat is returned to the water, a good cleanup is in order.  This is other people's trash but Son and I are the ones to dispose of it properly.  At least today, I got a good idea of how much is there.  If nothing changes, this should be a quick and easy job!

 

Fun in the "Pool"!

  I have finally taken the time to fetch the wicker chairs from the greenhouse where they were stored for the winter months.  After arranging them in the front yard to take full advantage of the Back Bay breezes, I plopped down to "test" them.  After all, we sure do not want "non-working" chairs!  From this point on, these chairs will be my resting spot after doing the daily chores.  It is too hot to stay inside and the breezes are too inviting.  It is also from this spot that I can view a multitude of wildlife that comes to the yard to feed or get fresh water from the birdbath.  The camera will always be by my side to take advantage of the steady flow of photo opportunities that cross the yard.

  During my first sitting, I was fully entertained by a male cardinal that came to enjoy the cool waters of the birdbath.  I keep an old jug filled with water propped in the bath so that the bowl is not emptied too soon.  With the spout of the jug under water, it does not drain quickly.   Only as the water is emptied from the bowl of the bath does the water slowly feed from the spout to refill.  It is sort of a "fill on demand" method that seems to work well at keeping a two day supply of fresh water for the critters.  Today, the male cardinal took full advantage of that bath.  At first, he splashed happily about in the water but, then, I noticed an unusual behavior.  The cardinal would fluff out its belly feathers, soak them and then take off to where Mama Cardinal was setting on the nest.  After a moment or two, Papa Cardinal would come back to the birdbath to repeat the process.  Both to and from, he was careful to not let on where the nest was located just in case a crow or hawk was watching.  The male cardinal followed this routine 6 times.  

  It seems that birds can indeed carry water in their feathers.  They do this so their mate or offspring can get life-giving water during the heat of the day.  In areas where water is scarce, a bird can carry the water great distances to provide for his family.  My little cardinal friend only had about a hundred feet to fly before he was home.  Mama Cardinal could sip the water from his feathers and he could shake his feathers to sprinkle the nest.  He is such a good daddy! Later, he will teach his little ones that fresh water can be found at the birdbath and my entertainment will continue.

Lost in Space?

  Why, oh, why is it so difficult for salesmen to think it is beyond a woman's capability to know a thing or two about building or mechanics?  I am beginning to think I shall never go to the local home supply place again unless I find a woman employee to assist me.  Case in point...a couple of years ago, Darling Daughter and I needed two wooden circles about an inch in thickness and twenty four inches in diameter.  I knew the place had them but when I asked two male employees, I was told "We do not have those.  Get your husband to come in and get what you need."  That did not sit too well with Darling Daughter and, needless to say, she was a bit more calm than I would have been about their courtesy.   I felt like having a "board meeting" right up side their heads but knew that might get me arrested so I let her handle it.  She calmly told them that their attitude was unprofessional and one she could do without.   One of their managers overheard the conversation and, well, that was that.  We got our boards and, to be honest, never saw the two employees again. 

  It was in this same store that I asked a salesman where I might find a wood plane and received the reply that they did not sell toys.  "No, sir.  I need a wood plane.  It is a woodworking tool."  The man looked at me and point blank said that they did not sell woodworking tools.  "WHAT???  You are a lumber yard and do not sell woodworking tools?  What do you call saws, hammers, drills, sanders and routers?"  He just looked at me blankly and said "Oh, those are tools.  What did you need?"  Never mind...I will find it.

  Then, today...I called the same place about an air volume control for our well pump.  Thankfully, a woman took my call.  I had hopes that all would end well.  I carefully explained what I needed and asked if they had any in stock.  "Let me check" she confidently answered but things went downhill from there.  She asked an associate to help her find the item.  He then proceeded to act like I had no idea what I needed and tried to sell me a shutoff valve.  "Nope. I need an air volume control not a shutoff valve."  He asked for my husband.  Grr! Yes.  My husband is usually the one that has to deal with these salesmen...thankfully.  I would not have the patience.  He does.  My immediate thought was, "Dude, I am about to smack you silly!" (No, I did not actually say that but so wanted to.)  Instead, I gave him the model number and asked if that helped.  Get this!  HE asked if it was a "little thingy that looked like a spaceship."  Oh, my....I shook my head and said "Yes!  And if you look really close, you might actually see the little aliens that operate the thing."  (Yes, that really did slip out of my mouth.)  Our conversation quickly ended.  I do not think he was amused.  I was.  Perhaps he was just lost in space.

  To be totally honest, the air volume control did slightly resemble a spaceship but I was not expecting that to come from someone who just assumed that I had no knowledge about the pump part.  It seems to me that if you are going to be helpful to folks, at least be slightly familiar with what you are selling and DO NOT make the assumptions about the capability of ANYONE!  Aside from all of the (almost) humorous interactions with sales people, I still do not have my pump part.  Son had to jury-rig the pump to keep us with water until the new part arrives in a week.  

There is no water!

  My goodness!   When one thinks of a bayou, usually a bit of water winding through marsh comes to mind.  When one thinks of a bay, usually a large inlet of water comes to mind.  Not today.  Today, there was no water.  Nope.  The Bayou and the Back Bay were almost devoid of the wet stuff.  The water was gone...nowhere to be seen...vamoosed.  Overnight, the water had disappeared almost into thin air.  Where has all of the water gone?

  While there is definitely a lack of water here, it is no mystery.  Overnight, a cold front made its way southward until the north wind visited the Bayou.  It blew and blew.  Limbs crashed to the ground, outdoor furniture toppled and the water disappeared.  The north wind blew the water far out into the Gulf of Mexico and left mudflats nigh on as far as you could see.  Mud!  Lovely, mushy, quicksand-like mud now was laid bare by the winds.

The red arrow shows how far out the water was from the end of the pier this morning.  Mud flats!

  It always amazes me when this happens.  It is interesting to see what hides beneath the murky waters of the Bayou and Back Bay.  Exposed were all of the logs, derelict crab traps that (irresponsible) people leave behind and garbage that (stupid) people dump into the water.  Also to be seen was the myriad of critter tracks left behind by those in search of an easy meal.  Raccoons, fox, otters, herons, egrets and any other hungry critter could dine upon small fish and crustaceans trapped in the small puddles.  

  By late afternoon, the winds died down and the water returned to normal.  The temperatures started plummeting as soon as the sun set behind the pines and we will be witnesses to a tad bit of winter...albeit a short lived bit of winter.   With the cold tonight, the critters will surely appreciate the feast they found on the mudflats.  With their bellies full, they can hunker down in some snug spot and wait for the chill to pass.  I plan on doing the same. 

As Slick As Glass

  Quite often, something will suddenly jog a memory that has been lurking back in the deep, dark depths of my brain.  I think memories hide behind the cobwebs of time that fill our minds and then, like some secretive spider will come bouncing out to surprise us.  It does not take much...the smell of fresh baked cookies, the sound of tinkling bells or even the softness of a piece of scrap velvet.   Our senses can make that bouncy spider become ecstatic and cause memories to flood our brains.  My brain was joggled into a whirlwind of memories of Pop the other day simply by calm waters.  

  Back in the day, Pop fished a lot.  He would rise before dawn to fish a few hours before heading to the fields.  Then, sometimes late in the evening, he would slip the old wooden skiff back out on the waters of the Bay and fish until darkness chased him back home.  Even though he fished most every day, he never neglected his work on the farm nor shirked the duties with his motor repair business.  But it was that fishing that tickled the brain.  

  As I sat looking at the gorgeous reflections on the Bayou, I could almost hear Pop saying "Its as slick as glass out there!"  Yep, the water's surface did resemble a pane of glass as it mirrored the horizon.  Without a breath of wind, the water was calm and had a glassy appearance.  As slick as glass....its a Deep South thing...one of those sayings that is passed down from one generation to the next...from Pop to daughter.   I miss Pop.

Staying Hydrated

  Pondering the weather's desire to douse us with lots of rain over the past week and its continued wishes to keep doing so for at least another week, I am counting my blessings.  So far, July has not been overly hot (by my standards, at least).  The daily rains and extensive cloud cover have kept things at least down in the low 90s.  That, my friends, is nice and cool here in the Deep South.  Some folks do find the mugginess intolerable but locals are so accustomed to it, that we barely notice.

  The constant rains have had their downsides, however.  One being I forget to stay hydrated.  Drinking water seems to be a moot point when it is pouring from the sky and I am getting drenched with each hike.  Still, it is necessary and I literally have to remind myself.  Another irksome side effect of the nonstop showers is that my yard now closely resembles a rain forest of some sort.  There is no mowing, trimming or straightening in weather like this.  The rose bushes have a mind of their own and their long canes are drooping to the ground on either side of the arbor.  Where these touch the ground, they are sprouting roots.  The jasmine vines and wisteria vines are covering the house, trees and fences.  We managed to rip out one wisteria but the others are acting akin to the dreaded kudzu that has engulfed entire cities in the South!  Then, there are the gardenias and willows that are sprouting roots inches above the ground! 

  One willow is a rooted cutting from a friend. The young lady brought the cutting all the way from her folks' home some fifty miles to the north.  This sapling is still in the pot where I first stuck it.  The young tree rooted well but has not flourished...until now.  A Corkscrew Willow pretty much  loves to have its feet in the water.  As long as the rain keeps filling the pot to several inches above the dirt line, the willow is slap happy.  New roots are sprouting up the small trunk which will give it great stability if I add a bit more soil to the pot.  These willows are notorious about being a bit flimsy during rough weather so any extra roots could come in handy.  

  So, the rains will continue, the plants will grow by leaps and bounds and soon you may not be able to find the Little Bayou House!  I promise it is there...somewhere hidden beneath all of those leaves and vines!  Its a good thing I love rainy days!  This is my kind of weather.

Just Another Mud-covered Bottle

  We all see bodies of water and marvel at the beauty but we rarely think about what lies beneath the surface.  Sure, we realize that there are any number of critters living there and that way down deep there is a bottom of either sand or mud but do you ever ponder what else the water may be hiding?  I do.  I do simply because eventually whatever is under the water winds up on my shoreline.  The mud cannot hold things forever.  A good strong tide from a gale can churn up the bottom and send all sorts of...umm...treasures (yeah, I wish) my way.  

  The other night, we had a strong east wind that whipped things this way and that.  This was one of the first high tides that we have seen since the start of winter.  Usually, the north wind pushes the water far away from the pier but this wind did just the opposite.  With that wind whipping the waters into a frenzy, the mud was churned and a multitude of junk came floating to the top.  One has to wonder just where the stuff comes from in the first place.  A milk jug, a myriad of beer cans, drink bottles, tennis balls, logs and one mud-covered, unidentified bottle all made their way to the pier.  Most were fished out and discarded properly (something some folks obviously cannot do).  The mud-covered bottle bobbed just out of reach and, to this day, remains unidentified.  I was in hopes that it was another old milk bottle, an antique medicine bottle or a vintage soda bottle from years and years ago.  I guess I will have to wait until another storm enters the Bay to retrieve the bottle.

  It amazes me just what the mud hides.  Each hurricane that pounds the area dumps literally tons of stuff into our little bay.  There it sits just long enough to become mud covered and then slowly sinks out of sight.  Some of the stuff has been there for decades before it is suddenly roiled from its grave and shoved to the top. Once it resurfaces, it rides the surf onto shore and becomes mired in the marsh.  There, it sits if I cannot reach it with the long-handled net.  Eventually, another storm with higher tides will shove the junk far up into the yard and leave it in a debris line that is sometimes ten or more feet deep.  Yep, just another one of those lovely perks of living on the water.  I get to clean up other folks' mess.  Just once, it would be nice if there really was a treasure and not just a mud-covered bottle.

 

Oh, This Weather!

  As of late, we have been having a lot of weird weather here on the Bayou.  By "as of late", I mean this whole past year.  Things have just not been right.  By the first of August, we had already received as much rainfall as our yearly total should be and it just keeps on coming. Things are soggy, to say the least.  Instead of our usual late afternoon thunderstorms, we are having deluges.  Inches of water pour from the sky almost daily.  The rain gauge is in constant need of emptying as are any other receptacles about the place.  Everything is filled with water and that only encourages mosquitoes to lay more eggs.  They are not the only ones, though.  I even found tadpoles in the folds of a tarp covering lumber!  Tadpoles, mind you, in little pockets of water.  Geez!

 This evening was not unlike any other day.  Our clouds came.  The rains poured.  Thunder pounded.  Lightning blasted.  It was another rough storm.  It does seem like we should get used to the things eventually but, since each one comes from a different direction, they all exhilarate.  This evening after the particularly severe storm, I noticed that the sky looked a bit different.  Hmmm?  Time to brave the elements and take a look.  Sure enough, the sky had an orange glow about it and the yard seemed extremely bright even though dark clouds were still gathering and thunder threatened.  

  Now with several tropical systems moving across the ocean, I have to ponder if all of the aforementioned rains will have ill effects on the place.  Since the ground is already mush from so much water, will our trees withstand gale force winds?  Can the rivers, inlets, bayous, lakes hold any more water?  Will the already flooded neighborhoods survive more rain?  It is all something to think about, folks.  Best to prepare now since the next two months present a good chance of a hurricane whipping into the area....a soggy, water-soaked area that probably cannot endure much more of this.  I am so thankful that we live on a high hill above the Bayou.  Now if our trees can dig their roots a bit deeper into this mushy ground, things may be ok.  Mark and I were joking about needing pontoons under the Little Bayou House!  Hang tight, folks, and keep a weather eye on the horizon!

The Live Bridge

  Early this morning, we decided that the swimming pool that we purchased for the grandlittles' visit needed to be given a new home. First. we had to empty the thing of the couple of thousand gallons of water.  Not a problem...or so we thought.  The emptying was easy.  The finding a place for that much water was not easy.  With all of the recent rains (we have received well over our average yearly rainfall quota already), the ground is saturated.   Although we live on a high hill above the Bayou, the ground is soggy.  You can only pour so much water on something before it gets full and refuses to soak up any more. (As I am writing this, rain is once again pelting the Little Bayou House...oh fun!) The water draining from the pool was more or less just sitting in a huge puddle.  Imagine three inches of water just puddling on top of a hill!  Crazy!

  After about half of the water drained through the opened plug hole, I noticed that we had a shimmering, squirming, living bridge thing happening on the north side of the pool.  Obviously, some ants had made a nest somewhere under the azalea bushes nearby and they were being flooded out of their home.  With nowhere else to go, they clung to each other to make this mass floating bridge.  From there, a single file of ants of was making its way to the top of the board path and then on to find a new homesite.  

  With ants, it is all about the survival of the colony instead of the self.  Inevitably, some ants would die because of their selfless act of being the lower ones on the bridge but the colony, itself, would have enough survivors to recreate a nest.  (Well, in most cases this would happen.  Not this time.  I could not take the chance of letting this many fire ants live this close to the Little Bayou House.  There are too many children that visit.  So, as much as I hate to kill any living being, the ants had to go.  A can of spray obliterated the bridge.  Hopefully, any remaining ants will journey a good ways away from the house to continue their lives.  

Evil Beneath the Calm Surface

  Sometimes it is hard to believe just what lurks in the waters of the world.  It is easy to think of fish, crustaceans, marine mammals, corals, seaweeds and even plankton but other things dwell beneath the waters. Some of those "other things" are not so nice.  A lot of folks will argue as to what is the most dangerous sea-dwelling thing is with some claiming sharks or others saying rays.  But there is one unseen thing that can strike and take down the strongest of folks.  It has happened and is happening more often, as of late.  It is not good, folks.  In fact, warnings are being posted that fishing, swimming, boating is a "do at your own risk" pastime.  Advisories are out to take care or just steer clear of the water for the next couple of months.

  A tiny bacteria has been causing a lot of trouble for folks on the Coast. This bacteria, Vibrio vulnificus is not something you ever wish to contract.  Called a "flesh-eating" bacteria, it is found in the warm, shallow, brackish waters around the Coast.  Vibrio vulnificus enters the body through any small lesion (as small as a pin prick!) and then quickly multiplies causing the flesh to deteriorate rapidly.  The bacteria is not choosy.  Healthy folk as well as those immuno-compromised can be affected by the bacteria.  Those with preexisting illnesses are hit the hardest and the bacteria can prove to be fatal.  Most folks, who contract the bacteria, suffer blistering skin lesions that literally kill the flesh which often leads to amputation of limbs.  Oh, and it seems that humans are the only thing affected by the bacteria.  Critters do not seem to have a problem with it.

  The bacteria can also be found in the mud and shellfish, such as oysters, crabs, clams and shrimp. Again, not good.  The Coast depends on its shellfish for survival.  Seafood is our leading industry here.  The fishermen and women are all at risk but so are folks who eat the shellfish.  Eating raw oysters or handling shellfish puts one at risk.  It is advisable to be extremely careful!

  When on the pier this morning, I watched the sun rise over the calm waters.  Sitting there, with all the beauty and peace around me, I found it strange to think how that very water can be so deadly.  What lurks beneath that calm surface can wreak havoc on life.  The Gulf Coast Research Lab reports that there are around 95 cases of infections (both food borne and wound related) per year.  I have no medical background but have lived on the Bayou all of my life and my advice is during these hot months is to use commonsense.  Avoid the water if you have open wounds or are ill, do not eat raw seafood and immediately seek medical care if there is any chance that you have been infected by the bacteria. Enjoy the beauty and serenity of the water but be careful!

Nothing A Little Hard Work Won't Fix

  Whenever life handed him a blow, Pop would always say "Its nothing that a little hard work won't fix."  He was a firm believer that most problems could be overcome by just working at them.  He usually was right.  Too many folks shy away from tackling a daunting task but sometimes that is the only way to mend things.  Pull yourself up by the bootstraps and jump right in.  There is nothing a little hard work won't fix.

  I thought of Pop and his "can do" attitude today when Mark and I were on the pier reviewing the storm damage.  The storm surge had completely covered the pier making it impossible to even tell if we had anything standing but now, we were able to observe just what all needed repairing. Seventeen boards had been ripped up and nine had floated off to parts unknown.  Many more may be missing by morning since the wind and storm surge are still pounding the poor pier with all the gusto the storm can muster.  I am sure Pop would have already been gathering together his tools, more boards and a bucketful of nails to repair the pier as soon as the storm eased a bit.  Mark and I have the same idea as do others who live along the Bay.  None of us wait for others to do the work for us.  We just jump in and get it done.

  The pier is our enjoyment and is of high priority.  Its repair will be forthcoming as soon as the tides recede.  Then, if others need help, we will gladly take our tools to lend a helping hand.  That is just what neighbors do....at least, that is what we do down here in the Deep South.

In Perfect Unison

  After another rainy, rainy night, Mark and I headed to the pier.  It was quiet with only the birds acknowledging our arrival.  We watched as the sun peeped through the clouds and hoped that the rain was through for the day.  This was wishful thinking that did not come to fruition,  About mid-morning, the clouds gathered and the showers pelted us once again.  Things are getting a mite soggy here!  This weather routine has us all watching the Gulf.  It is that time of year again where any bit of low pressure that makes its way into the Gulf has a potential of becoming a storm.  This one?  According to the weather folks, does not have much chance of becoming anything major but may be "just a rainmaker".  Wow!  Just what we need!  More rain....

  As we headed back up the hillside, Mark called my attention to the water droplets that were slowly slipping down a smilax vine.  Like a well trained marching band, the droplets stayed in perfect step.  Not one droplet bumped into another as they slowly marched down the sloping vine.  They stayed evenly spaced until they came upon a joint in the vine where a tendril curled its way up and over the main stalk.  The droplets halted, slowly squeezed between the loops then continued marching down the vine.  

  Some folks think I spend far too much time enthralled by the wonders of Mother Nature.  They think that perhaps the time would have been better spent doing chores. I say that sometimes you just have to let go of what you "need" to do and do what you "want" to do regardless of what others think.  Personally, I think that observing and learning of the wonders of nature is far better than feeling obligated to do chores. Those who think otherwise can just get over it.  Had I not spent the time as I did this morning, the spectacle of the rain droplets marching in perfect unison would have been wasted.  Maybe Mother Nature knew I would appreciate her effort and put on this show of perfection just for me!

Mother Nature and Foggy Mornings

  Walking around on a foggy morning lets one think about many things.  Pondering seems to be one of those things that I do best.  I ponder...I may not know the answers to what I am pondering...but I ponder.  The absence of a "view" around me keeps the mind thinking instead of just peering at things.  One of the things I reflected on during my most recent foggy hike was water.  Water...that wonderful, life-giving substance that is all important.  Since our bodies are made up of about 60% water, it stands to reason that without it, life would cease.  Water is in practically everything around us.  Without it, Earth would be a barren wasteland. Then again, since water is never really "used up", we are sitting pretty good...quantity wise but maybe not quality wise.  Think about it.  Water is basically always recycled even if we don't really do our job of conserving it.  The stuff is in a constant flow between the rivers, oceans, humans, animals, plants...it never stops.  Dump water on the ground and it soaks into the soil, is taken up by plants or filters through and makes its way to underground "rivers" (hopefully as pure water again) only to be pumped back up to be used again.  Leave it sit in an open container and it evaporates into the air where it accumulates only to be rained back down upon us.  It passes through us, it passes through plants, it passes through animals to be filtered by the soil and sand, purified and reused.

  While thinking this, I came across one of the peach trees that had droplets of water dangling beneath each limb.  The moisture from the heavy fog had accumulated to form droplets on any surface available.  What is not absorbed by the tree will soon become a large enough droplet that it will fall to the ground.  The cycle would start all over again.  The water may change a bit in its journey but it is always there.  

  Don't get me wrong.  This does not mean that we should be careless and overuse or abuse our water.  While the water, itself, will still be around, being clean, usable water is a different thing.  That is where the problem arises.  Too many folks have no qualms about dumping toxins into our rivers and oceans.  They do not think of the runoff from their pristine lawns, busy factories and even kitchen sinks.  What we dump into the water takes time to remove.  Mother Nature can only do so much and to hurry her is ridiculous!  Filtering water through sand can take years upon years.  Pollute the water we have at our disposal and trouble begins.  Duh!  It makes more sense just to take precautions before doing something stupid.  Don't ire Mother Nature with your lackadaisical attitude toward keeping our water clean!!  Use a bit of commonsense! Mother Nature will appreciate it...and so will every living thing on Earth!

  Yeah, I ponder a lot of things while out hiking on foggy, foggy mornings.  Some good...some bad...but I ponder just the same.  Most of the time, however, my thoughts mean diddlysquat to anyone else but I just thought I would throw this one out there for anyone interested.  






 

Lost in a Surreal World

  This morning's sun was completely blocked by a thick blanket of fog.  A total whiteout of calm had taken over the Bayou after the severe weather that had ravaged the area last night. Once again, high winds, hail and torrential rains pelted the Little Bayou House but, once again, it held strong and kept us safe.  The fog brought with it peace.

  The morning hike served as a good time to reflect on things as nothing could be seen further than about twenty feet ahead.  The footsteps were soft on the wet leaves and drips could be heard echoing through the woods.  Once on the pier, things felt strange.  Calls from mergansers and geese were the only things that broke the stillness.  The damp air over the Bay proved to be too much for my light jacket so I headed back to the woods.  There, the overhanging branches provided at least some shelter.

  It was here that I found spiderwebs suspended between the branches of many of the low lying branches. As usual, the simplest things enthrall me.  Each web was strung with droplets of water that had accumulated overnight.  These droplets sparkled like jewels even in the low light beneath the canopy of tree limbs.  The strength of the thin webs was remarkable.  Even with dozens and dozens of droplets on a strand, the web held.  Yet, with the whisper of a breeze or the gentlest of touch, the droplets would shower down to the ground like pearls from a broken necklace.  The web held yet the jewels fell and were broken into a thousand pieces. I was in deep thought about the spiderwebs when the sudden bark of a coyote sent my thoughts whirling back into reality.  Time to head back closer to the house.

 

 

Life Giving Rain...Even If It Is Fake

  After a summer of nigh on daily rain, fall has come with a severe drought.  The fall garden was delayed for some time now but is finally planted.  After clearing the boxes of dead plants and planting the new ones, I figured the sprinkler could do its work.  The new little cabbage, broccoli, Brussels sprouts and collard green plants would appreciate a good soaking to get them started.  I had no idea who else would be thankful for the artificial rain.

  The sprinkler was not on for five minutes before several visitors came to visit and take advantage of the nice shower.  Thrashers and mockingbirds flew into the garden and started singing while showering. While the mockingbirds stayed high on the arbor, the thrashers kept well hidden under the overhanging roses.  Once the baths were finished, all of the birds started sipping the droplets of fresh, clean water from the leaves.  They truly seemed happy!

  The birdbaths were immediately cleaned and filled and several pans of fresh water were set out on the ground for other critters.  It is easy to forget about our animal friends' needs during times like this.  A shallow pan of clean water can make life a bit easier for so many wild animals. Watching the birds today made me realize that I have been negligent in helping the critters.  Since I had stopped filling the feeders due to the Cooper's Hawk making meals of my fine feathered friends, the birdbath had also sat empty.  The poor birds struggled to find fresh water and had resorted to using the brackish water in the Bayou.  This was probably not the tastiest of treats.  I promised my critter friends that I would be more attentive in the future.

Take Off and Splash Down!

  Dawn on the Bayou is a peaceful time.  Its quietness is usually on broken by the call of a loon, the occasional squeal of a raccoon and the humongous splashes of the pelicans.  Brown Pelicans dive after their breakfast with headlong splashes.  Contrary to popular belief, they do not actually grasp anything in that initial dive but rather scoop up disoriented fish swimming in the wake of the dive.  That splash is huge merely because of the size of the bird.  When you take into consideration that their wingspread can be up to eight feet, it is easy to understand the force hitting the water.  Water droplets are sent flying.  In the early morn's sun just coming over the horizon, those droplets gleam like diamonds.  This was my view this morning.

  The rising sun had cast a golden glow over the entire Bay.  It brightness made it difficult to see anything but silhouettes when looking toward the east.  This was fine by me as I was familiar with what was making those huge splashes but anyone not from here might have thought differently.  I managed to get a few good photographs of my friend pelicans as they frolicked in the rosy dawn.  

  I counted thirty-one Brown Pelicans this morning.  They are here since the Bay and Bayou are both filled with an abundant food source.  Small mullet and menhaden are schooling in the shallow water making them easy prey for the large birds.  It does not take long for the birds to fill their tummies and put on an extra layer of fat for the winter.  While they are here, they do indeed put on a good show for me during my early morning trek to the pier.




 

Bayou Christmas!

Christmas on the Bayou! The house is decorated..not as much as in the past, but decorated. The candy is made, cookies baked, gifts wrapped and the tree is on the pier. The tree is on the pier? Yes..the tree is on the pier! Not a real tree but a Christmas tree made from an old cast net and a few strings of lights. I managed to steal a few minutes this evening and finally get my pier decorated. It is a bit late but still I wanted to look out my window and see Christmas on the water as well as in the house. The "tree" is my cast net strung on a cross rope between two posts. Lights were then attached to the mesh of the net and artificial poinsettias were wired into place as ornaments. This makes a perfectly divine Christmas Tree! One that is basically weather resistant and sturdy enough to withstand the North winds that whip down the hill and over the water. I did look for solar-powered lights but could only find two strings in the local department store so I dragged an extension cord down the length of the pier. (The pier is over two hundred feet long!) That is one long extension cord! (Actually, it took three cords that were each one hundred feet long and a short ten foot cord to make the distance.) I made a wreath to hang on another post and I will hang it in the morning! The pier is decorated..I am happy! The hard part of decorating the pier? It was cold..very cold! I almost froze out there! Of course, if I had used a bit of sense and done it in the middle of the day instead of at night, it might have been a tad warmer. But I didn't and I froze! That is ok though, because a mug of hot cocoa warmed me once I was back inside! Besides..I like to decorate outside at night..the lights just look so pretty! Now that it is finished, I can sit by my fireplace, sip my cocoa and stare at the lights on the water! Christmas on the Bayou..like none other!