Nemesis of my garden

I may have discovered my garden problem; I thought it was deer eating up my plants. Maybe I need to cook some jambalaya. It’s difficult enough, on a part- time basis, to keep my gardening ahead of the weeds. Then, what the weeds don’t choke out, this guy eats. I found him hopping around the yard, apparently checking whether there were any new edibles planted; he doesn’t seem to like squash or tomatoes. I’ll try stringing some wire to keep him out of my fall planting; and a short fence will also keep the armadillos from rooting in the garden. They’ll be easier than contending with deer; I may need to just plant extra for the fence- jumpers.

Summer Solstice: Hike- naked Day

Did anyone out there celebrate the occasion? Here’s a link to some explanation. High summer in Louisiana is almost too hot to hike; better to do short trips that end in a creek or a hammock.

Tickfaw Report

I took a new fly fisher over to Tickfaw State Park today. It’s an excellent location for novices: close to home, civilized amenities, and the fish are biting. The Tickfaw River is fairly easy to fish, too. The current is easy to paddle a canoe in, either upstream or down and there’s lotsa fishing structure to cast to. There are holes and shallows, treetops, logs, cutbanks, sandbars, grass edges, and overhanging trees (I decorate those with my flies sometimes).

It was a nice afternoon trip. We got off of work at 2 pm and got there with plenty of time for fishing. The weather cooperated, too. Deer flies buzzing around us were a bit of a nuisance; one must swat cautiously to avoid upsetting the canoe or embedding a hook. On our paddle back to the landing, there was a log blocking the bayou and we thought we were lost. With no bug spray and no flashlight, that could have turned into a miserable night in the swamp! Apparently, the log was floating around and the free end had swung across the channel. We squeezed around the end of the log and found familiar landmarks. On our paddle back to the landing, we saw a hen turkey and her half- grown chick perched on a log that leaned across Gum Bayou.

The fish were small, but lotsa of bites are good for a novice and the scenery is nice. It’s also worth noting that they have rental canoes… you don’t have to own a boat. I noticed that there is a pond on the park property, too. I must explore that in a year or two; I learned that the pond was built about a year ago and stocked two weeks ago. I have been wanting to set a line for catfish, too. And bass; I have only fished for brim, but I often catch a small bass or two, so I know they are in there. Maybe there are some big ones. The state record spotted bass came from somewhere in the Tickfaw River. Around the state park, there is certainly ample forage for big bass. There are lotsa small brim and we saw schools of mullet or shad popping along the surface. I’m ready to go back!

Take a hike

Summer hikes in Louisiana are best in the mornings. I recently joined the Louisiana Hiking Club (check out the website) and today I went on my first outing with them. We visited several spots without ranging far from home. The summer heat built quickly, but I was back in BR before the afternoon showers began. At Port Hudson SP we hiked the trail to Fort Desperate. Some climbed observation towers on the way to the museum. The air conditioning felt good while we wandered around the exhibits, and we were refreshed for our guided tour of some battlefield sites. We lunched at Audubon SP, saw a presentation on Audubon’s life there, sampled soft- drinks typical of the 19^th century plantation, and had a guided tour of the Oakley House. The Mary Ann Brown Preserve was nearby, and we made a brief visit, mostly to see where the facility is and what it is like. Naturally, I spotted the pond and wanted to learn about fishing possibilities. Today’s trip was a very nice getaway. I enjoyed hiking with old friends and meeting new ones. I’ll definitely involve myself in more hikes with this likeable group.

They’s ticks in them hills

I think I’ve never seen so many ticks; they are in the woods, in the field, in the yard, in the berry patches, in the trees, in the grass. I saw a recent message- board post on the computer, complaining about somewhere out west…. Seems this guy was finding hundreds of ticks while hiking; I didn’t see anything like that. Still, there were more ticks crawling on me than I was accustomed to. I was pondering the reasons why there seems to be so many ticks; I guess it could be global warming. Space aliens seem unlikely, and communist plots are not as threatening as they once were. Maybe our assault on biodiversity has diminished some important tick- predators. Whatever; the ticks were a good excuse to stay out of the woods. I forgot to bring my sun- hat, so I should avoid too much heat and bright sunshine. Lots of birds were out and very busy, so they required watching. Church with the cousins didn’t start until 9 and then there was a sendoff for the pastor who was being replaced. It’s amazing how many reasons require me to avoid work. Oh well, I’ll just recycle my To- Do list… maybe that is a good conservation practice. I was touched by that church visit; I hadn’t been inside there for a long time… it was coming home, and there was a communion service. Mostly it was family, and it was a relaxed and informal atmosphere. Whenever I enter that little church, I think of my grandfather’s funeral there. It is not troubling thought, just a memory that always comes to me. Beside the road this morning, a pair of quail flushed and flew away together… another half- century- old memory… my grandfather was a bird hunter and would save quail to feed me when I visited.

Indian pinks… learn something every day if you’re not careful

I found a labeled picture of these at the Bluebonnet Swamp Nature center (they are celebrating their ten- year anniversary on Saturday, by the way). These native wildflowers are Indian Pinks, Spigelia marilandica. My own picture was taken in the Tunica Hills... serendippity... it was a place where I started down the wrong trail from a hilltop. It is amazing how a small miscalculation at the top of a hill can translate to such a great mess by the time one reaches the bottom, with briar- patches, ravines, blow- downs and sheer distance between you and your destination. My post is rambling… anyway, I happened upon this patch of flowers and was astonished. They were beautiful and their bright colors stood out boldly against the greening of early spring. I’ve seen something like these before, but I didn’t know they were natives; and I didn’t know they grew in my woods. I guess my forays to the forest have always been brief during the spring… too busy trying to make a living… seems I have been missing a lot.

Happy Mother’s Day!

I heard a turkey gobbling across the road this morning. There was a dove cooing and every time the dove would call ”ku-coo, coo, coo, coo”, the turkey would gobble in response. I figured they were both serenading for Mother’s Day. I listened for a half- dozen times, but I had to move on… I, too had mothers to visit.

Another cottonmouth encounter

I saw another snake, perhaps the same cottonmouth as in my recent picture, on the creek bank. He was about the same size and only about 100 yards away. This time he was lying in a small drainage close to my cabin, beneath the foot- plank that I use to cross the stream. It made him nervous when I stepped one foot down onto the footbridge… he reared his head and opened his mouth in his threat display. It worked, too. Seeing that white maw, which gives cottonmouths their name, upsets me… I backed off; it was too close for comfort. He didn’t seem to like my company, either; and slithered off into a hole, allowing me to cross the bridge. Seeing so many snakes certainly keeps me attentive to where I am stepping. Mid- afternoon, I hiked to a high point on Hickory Ridge to get a cell phone signal and check my messages. I took a round- about route back to camp and within 50 yards of that same footbridge, there was a cottonmouth in the trail. Now, I needed to come down off the ridge and that trail was the only reasonable way. The snake was headed up and I was headed down, and we sorta found ourselves at an impasse. I took another quick step toward him and tried to appear as big and as bad as possible… my aggressive, threat- mode. Well, it got his attention and made him nervous, but it was counterproductive, as he held his ground and assumed his own aggressive threat- mode. My adrenaline was pumping, but he wasn’t getting the best of me! I was armed with a hiking staff and a revolver, and I fully intended to come down that trail. I flailed the ground and stirred the leaves with my staff and finally got the snake moving, but he only went up on the bank about shoulder- high and within striking distance of the trail… not good enough! But I could reach that position with my staff, so I goaded him a little. He wagged his tail and gaped his mouth and coiled up; he was getting mad now. This cottonmouth was difficult to convince, but I kept poking him, and he reared his head and gaped his white mouth, and hid under the weeds, and let out a terrible stink. Finally, he moved on off and let me pass. I’m a little uncomfortable about having a poisonous snake hanging around so close to my cabin, but I killed too many of them when I was a kid. They had me believing that all snakes were vermin to be exterminated, and I was very efficient with my pellet- gun. I came to regret that eventually, and don’t like to bother snakes if they don’t bother me. This guy is showing up too often, though. On the other hand, maybe I would like to propagate his non- aggressive genes… he was slow to anger, didn’t come forward to attack, and didn’t strike when I was poking him. We'll see.... Here's an interesting link I found about cottonmouths.

Why am I a morning person?

I love sipping coffee and watching the day wake up. Out my cabin window, I see the first graying of the sky in the southeast. An owl hoots. The gray turns to a vague light, as the stars fade out. There are scattered bird- calls; some critter is rustling around in the grass and leaves… maybe an armadillo. Across the creek a turkey yelps; my cup is empty and I’m feeling lazy… I probably should fix a refill. Light has come from behind Hickory Ridge now, and is gradually filtering across the sky. The birds are singing in earnest now, fluttering around, and hopping from limb to limb. Daytime is here and I have things to get done; it’ll be hot soon and I’m burning daylight… better get moving.

Swamp- walking

I have been seeing the denizens of the swamp from a new perspective (click the pic). My time in the Louisiana swamps has often been in a canoe or motorboat (with a motor everything whizzes by or the noise makes the critters hide). On foot, my typical swamp visit has been a brief rest stop or a hunt during cold- weather. My recent boardwalk excursions are new and interesting to me. Only minimal attention is needed to avoid obstacles, thorns, and snakes, and the elevated platform allows views down into the weeds, water, and brush piles. I'm doing stuff that is pretty tame recently, but it’s better than the frustration of wishing I were someplace exotic, and my swamp walks have contributed much. I have been going to the Bluebonnet Swamp for little strolls, on my way to work; that makes it only 2- 4 times a week, but it’s on a regular basis. The park’s trails are paved with limestone rocks and there are boardwalks that lead into the wet areas. One could walk the entire trail system in less than an hour, but I usually slip along, slow and quiet, and watch for critters. They close at 5 pm, so I go there Tuesdays and Wednesdays around 3:30 or 4:00 and leave at 5:00. That gives me a chance to regroup, to recover from domestic life and rush- hour traffic, get a little exercise, and still get to work early enough to check email, read a magazine, or loaf a bit. This is the way working life should be: the 5- day weekend!

Need more hiking!

I went to the monthly meeting of the Louisiana Hiking Club; they meet the first Thursdays at the Bluebonnet Library. Here’s a link to their homepage. Although I have been interested in this group for years, their meeting times conflicted with my work schedule... now they conflict with my play schedule. There are a variety of interests there: dayhikers, casual strollers, backpackers, even some long- trail hikers. The club has some organized hikes and backpacking, but a lot of small groups link up for various outings. Maybe they'll encourage me to keep strengthening; building some hiking muscle has been helping my busted hip, I think… that extra muscle seems to stabilize it. The hiking club meeting was interesting; a presentation on the John Muir Trail, by a guy from the Lafayette shop, Pack & Paddle. The group will have a dayhike to St. Catherine's Creek in July... I need to go for that. My 5^th- great- grandfather, Christian Bingaman, had a Spanish land grant near Natchez, and I think it was on St. Catherine’s Creek.

More snakes!

Here’s another big cottonmouth in my “backyard”. I’m amazed; I never before saw so many snakes in the hills. This fellow was headed up the creek bank yesterday morning. I guess he had warmed his engines and was off for a frolic in the woods. The blue runner was sunning in the mowed grass of the field. He watched, flicked his tongue, and tolerated me for a while, but he left in a hurry, once he decided to. I have always seen lots of snakes along the bayous, where they leave the water to sun in “public view” on logs and limbs, so their presence doesn’t surprise me. But I am unaccustomed to seeing so many snakes in the hills. Perhaps I am simply out more often, now.

The days of melted GORP

Summer is coming to the hills and bayous; it becomes obvious when chocolate chips in your pack begin fusing the peanuts and raisins into amorphous globs. Such was the case yesterday. I ate my ramen and, wanting something more, pulled out my GORP jar. It was a total melt- down! First time I ever ate my GORP with a spoon; haven’t changed over to a summer formulation, yet. It was a hot session of grass- mowing and I went through a lot more water than I would have expected. When darkness came it was still too hot in the cabin, so I strung up my hammock to sleep outside. I have never camped much in a hammock, but have carried one many times on summer day trips and work sessions. Hammocks are great to rest and cool off during the midday heat. They are light weight, pack small, and are easy to set up. Hammock- camping has become quite popular among backpackers; there are some benefits and some trade- offs to weigh against tent- camping. Among those comparisons, hammocks are cool: much more comfortable than that hot, stuffy cabin. But during the night, the temperature dropped and the humidity increased, and I kicked and scratched for cover the rest of the night… the small- sized foam pad was convenient for packing and my little blanket was lightweight, but I just did not have enough insulation… I guess it’s not really summer, yet.

Cottonback rattlemouth?

This old moccasin was lying in an area I had mowed last week and didn’t seem intimidated by my presence. He just rose up and watched me; didn’t run away and didn’t charge me. He seemed friendly enough; every time I would throw a stick at him, he would wag his tail rapidly. He held his ground, but I wanted him to move so I could better identify him. When I went to look for the proverbial 10- foot- pole, he sneaked away. You can bet I watched where I was stepping when I crossed that area again! I had close visits with three snakes, and I don’t go looking for them; that’s more than I usually see in a whole weekend. I saw a black runner in the camp yard and a large rat snake near the creek.

It was a windy day and, in the woods, it was raining bugs. Inchworms and tent caterpillars were everywhere and were often crawling on me. Something I found strange was that there were no spider webs. Usually, there would be sticky yellow webs stretched across every trail and throughout the woods.

I’m still watching the mayapples

The mayapples are growing, but are still a long way from mature. I continue threatening to put a cage over some, to keep the critters off until I can taste a ripe one. However, I’m not sure how to exclude critters without interfering with the plants.

Meet Toby!

I had a visit from one of my pets in the camp- yard(click the pic for a close- up). This king snake was rather large… must have been 5 feet long. I felt safe getting up close for a picture, since he continued smiling as I crept in on him. He was a beautiful animal, sleek and shiny, with brilliant coloring; he must have recently shed… another evidence of the renewal of life in the springtime. I don’t know where that “Toby” name came from or what significance the name has, if any. My Dad used that name for snakes or snake skins around habitations: “there’s ol’ Toby.”

Bluebonnet swamp

Now that I am working only part- time, I am trying to take advantage of this opportunity to play. The Bluebonnet Swamp area is adjacent to my workplace and, lately, I have been making time to visit. It’s a pretty area, a little patch of wetland, tucked into Baton Rouge’s urban sprawl. I could see it out the window, but their hours always clashed with my work schedule. I’ve been trying to spend some time there, for a long while. The trails are easy to walk, so one can meander though the varied habitats without getting dirty, scratched, or bug- bitten (I suspect that there can be mosquito problems at times, though). Boardwalks keep you out of the water and Gumbo- mud. The Bluebonnet Swamp is somewhat civilized for my tastes, and highway noise is always present. On the other hand, it provides a convenient getaway, and can serve up a quick outdoors “fix” to tide me over until I can get a better reprieve from the city. I’m glad someone managed to preserve this small wilderness before the construction boom gobbled it up, too. Voters renewed the tax last week, to continue development of the local parks and there are other ones I want to visit. Descriptions of this nature preserve and the other facilities are given on the BREC website. They have lots of interesting ambitions, to improve recreational opportunities in the Baton Rouge area. An improvement I have been particularly interested in is rejuvenation of the lakes around LSU and City Park. That project could yield a wonderful sport- fishery, smack dab in the heart of the city.

April fool!

I had a rainy weekend, but it’s mighty pretty in the woods. Everything is greening up rapidly. Unfortunately, part of this flush of spring growth involves crawling ticks and buzzing mosquitoes. That orange fungus was a bright beacon against the green backdrop. As usual, I couldn’t find any springtime turkeys; they walk all around me in the fall, when the season is closed. Then, to make matters worse, there was a hen strolling near the highway as I drove back to town. Perhaps that was another part of the April- fools joke on me.

What's digging those holes?

Something has been rooting along the creek bank. There are wild hogs in this part of the country, but I’ve never seen any on our place. All I see is evidence of digging or rooting; and I would expect hogs to leave some tracks. I guess this could also be armadillo diggings, but I can’t say definitely.

Who? Who was that?

A bird flushed and startled me, coming from a small magnolia tree nearby. It ducked into the butt of this log and stopped to stare at me … a little screech owl. He turned a shoulder to me as I snapped a picture, then he darted away; I can barely make him out. Maybe he lives in that log… I’ll try to visit him again.