Bird-of-Paradise-1
|

Bayou Blooms

Well, lots of folks from Denham Springs westward to Crowley are now getting down to the nitty gritty of dealing with the flooding aftermath.  I don’t envy those unfortunate souls one bit.  As I said, been there, done that, and hope not to do it again anytime soon.  I know that sounds selfish, but this bayou woman isn’t getting any younger, and the last double whammy of storms in 2008 ’bout did me in.  

Furthermore, the Internet images of the wide-spread flooding, gutted homes, and people’s lives piled high along the curbs are overwhelming, and depressing, to put it mildly. So, for a little distraction and a bright spot in an otherwise dismally hot September, let me show you what’s blooming down the bayou.  

My Bird of Paradise.  (Remember Rowan and Martin’s “Laugh-in”?  Uh-huh!  I KNEW you did!)  If you know what I’m talking about, leave their quote in the comment section, and I’ll enter you in a drawing for a little bayou prize!

bird-of-paradise-1

Below is a Bromeliad bloom.  I’ve had these plants for so long, and even after I leave them exposed to the elements all winter, they forgive me every late summer by putting out their lovely show of hot pink flowers with those funny little hangie-downie purple and green things!  I know, not very botanical sounding, but they’re so pretty!

bromeliad-1

And right next to those, and now naturalizing throughout my flower pots and yard are these simple little delightful Mexican Petunia flowers.

mexican-petunia

And not to leave them out, there are the stunning Cajun Hibiscus that managed to survive the winter.  Even though they are a cultivated hybrid, they are still a gorgeous addition to my potted plants.  You can see a few of the blue flowers of my Plumbago to the left–another old-fashioned potted flowering bush that I adore.)

cajun-hibiscus-1

BAB, my tour boat, is once again blocked in by a severe inundation of water hyacinths. Before September arrived, I went to check on things to see if maybe I should go ahead and take the boat off the lift, put it back on the trailer, and launch it for every tour.  Alas, I was too late.  BAB was already socked in.  That’s what the heat does–promotes rapid growth of these floating non-native aquatic plants.  The leaves are bigger this year than last.  *Big sigh*, so, I won’t be doing any tours this month.  Even though they produce appealing purple flowers resembling the grape hyacinth, I still can’t bring myself to forgive them for being such a nuisance.  Sorry, WH, no can do!

water-hyacinth-1

I’ve been told time and time again by my Wonderful Web Wizard that I should post these in thumbnail size to allow for faster loading and better visibility on mobile devices, but I LOVE my flowers, and I just can’t help myself.  I figure most of you my age are viewing this on a desktop, laptop, iPad or Kindle device, so maybe you won’t mind a few extra seconds of loading time in order to share in the beauty with me.  Feel free to correct me if I’m wrong; unless you are my WWW, then you may fuss me via email after while!  And maybe I’ll come back later and reduce them to thumbnails.

It’s been a long, hot, humid summer; and altogether a pretty weird year.  I don’t think I’ve ever said I’m ready for a year to end; as though the marking of said year would also punctuate the end of bad stuff and somehow usher in a year abundant with blessings, fair weather, and good fortune.

Well, a Bayou Woman can wish, can’t she?

sardines-1Excuse me while I enjoy a few tiny fishes while I’m wishing . . 

BW

Similar Posts

Leave a Reply to Kaye Hoffman Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

25 Comments

  1. I love your flowers. Especially the hibiscus. I have the Mexican Petunias too. Have you ever been standing next to one when the seed pod pops open? I have gotten covered in the seeds from those things! They will take over the beds and yard if you aren’t careful. They have spread from one area of the flowerbed, across about 75 feet to another one and along the far side of the house.

    1. No! I haven’t seen that. I’d like to, though. I don’t mind them spreading, because I really like the way they naturalize. Maybe one day I’ll regret it, but not yet! The original I received from a little Houma Indian bayou woman. She taught me so much, and every time I look at the flowers, I’m reminded of her and her life. She was a strong and amazing woman.

  2. Lovely photos and a great post, as always. In fact, there is no reason ye must post thumbnails (except for a “gallery”, then it’s a default). Ye upload properly optimized photos and the site takes care o’ presenting them so they fit each screen, so the size these are at is perfect!

    Shame there isn’t some safe way to get rid o’ those Water Hyacinth…bloody nuisance, especially when it cuts into yer livelihood!

    1. ‘Twould be grand if nutria ate them, then the problem would be solved. The local solution is spraying a broad-leaf herbicide, but it kills everything, and it can’t be good for whatever else is in the water. So, I just bear it like everyone else. The problem will only get worse as more freshwater is diverted into these brackish areas, which is prime habitat for faster reproduction. At least when these waters were saltier, they weren’t so prolific. But, we can’t have it both ways. You get the bad along with the good in this, too, it seems.

  3. The flowers are great. I actually have a black thumb when it comes to flowers. I’d have to plant something and immediately take a photo to see its potential for beauty. Lol
    “Sock it to me”! On the photos anytime.
    As far as that photo of the non flower, my comment follows…
    All that fresh seafood around you and you resorted to those stinky, yucky little fish! You must have REALLY been hungry! I shutter!

    1. Sock it to me? Ha!!! That’s not the quote I was looking for! Well, I must confess about those little sardines. They were special order, because the ones in the stores are way too big. These are the tiny kind. The confession is that I ate them to make up for too much recent carb consumption! I needed the 14 grams of protein and the Omegas, doctors orders! I’m not grand on taking “supplements” every day, as in Omega 3s, but I really LIKE sardines, if you can imagine, which I take from your comment, you cannot. Last week, we had oysters one night and shrimp another so it’s not like I’m not enjoying my fair share of fresh seafood! Sardines provide me a quick and easy lunch of protein!!

      1. I won’t allow Hubby to even put an empty can of those smelly little things in the kitchen garbage. He rinses the can then brings it to the outdoor garbage can.
        I’ll sock it to him if he forgets. Lol!

        1. Steffi, I am with you on the sardines! UGH. Hubby and daughter love those things and would open a can and pile them on a plate with crackers, Chinese hot mustard & diced onions. They would take a cracker and layer it with mustard, sardine and onion. I made them wash the dishes and take the can outside. Every cat in the neighborhood loved it when they ate those!

          I’ll take smoked oysters. 🙂

      2. Been rackin my brain about that quote…the only other one I can remember is “Here comes the judge”.
        Btw, I’m still “judging”your taste in seafood. Lol

        1. Judge not, lest ye be judged, girlfriend! I don’t consider this seafood, anyway. It’s a quick, protein-filled lunch and an acquired taste, for sure! I bet you don’t like anchovies, either, right? DING DING DING!!! Check out Kim from Canada’s post!!! You’re gonna kick yourself when you see the right answer, DUH!!!!!

  4. For the life of me I can’t come up with the “Laugh In” thing. Of course when I hear it I’ll slap my forehead. Moving on…..I like sardines, too! I grew up eating them for Saturday lunch with Papa. Sardines, crackers, a sliced tomato, green onions and iced tea. Yummy. My Bird hasn’t bloomed this year. Seems as if it only blooms every other year. It’s neglected in a root-bound pot, tho. And I never did know those flowers were Mexican Petunias. I had some growing but they died a slow death. Last, but not the least, I adore your full pictures! I’m on a computer so I really appreciate them.

    Thanks and see ya soon. Later Gator!

    1. Awww, we have sardine love in common! LOL! Must be a Wilson thing . . . although we did not grow up eating them. They are also called “wild” petunias, I guess because they just go WILD if left untended! Yep. see you next month!

  5. All respect to your webmaster, but I just ran your URL through Google’s “is your site mobile friendly?” test, and it is. You can see that here.

    Also, I ran a speed load test. Your site loads in 4.49 seconds — but that’s from Melbourne, Australia. I suspect you don’t have many readers there, and if they are interested in your site, four seconds isn’t going to deter them. From Dallas, it loaded in 1.25 seconds — faster than 86% of websites tested.

    So there! You’re find. Keeping the size of images down a bit helps, but yours clearly aren’t too large. Post away!

    I’ll be back later to look at the pretties. Off to work I go….

    1. Well, look at you using your Google tools and analytics like a pro! You never cease to amaze and impress me with your skills! My webmaster is great, and sometimes I just misunderstand his explanations, which is probably the case, once again, as confirmed by your findings! Thanks for sharing. Hey, isn’t it kind of hot out there to be working so hard?

  6. I , too, love sardines ! But not the big kind in stores ; would you please share your source for the Tiny Tots sardines ?

    1. They are a little pricey, but there was a method to my extravagance! I had a woman carpenter working for me, doing excellent work, and she mentioned she eats sardines for a quick and easy lunch on the job but she can’t find the tiny sardines in stores anywhere. So, I did a search on Amazon and ordered a case of 12 cans to share with her as a bonus! So, just do a search on Amazon, and you’ll find more tiny sardines than you can choose from!

  7. My grandmother’s FAVORITE flower: “May the bird of paradise fly up your nose”! Yes, I’m THAT old.
    Enjoy your day my friend <3

    1. Ah, yes; however, you’re one of those “oldie but goodies”!!! AND WE HAVE A WINNER!!! You got it right, and rather than do a drawing, I shall proclaim you the winner right here and right now. I can do that because this is my blog and I do what I want! So, what would you like me to send you? Some Cajun boxed dinners? A photograph? A piece of jewelry made with gar scales? Your choice!

      1. You are sooooo sweet my friend. I love reading your blog because it reminds me of our conversations and visit, though short as it was~ as for your question, well, I don’t know. 🙂 Surprise me <3 and Thank You!

  8. I think the song by Little Jimmy Dickens was what I remember the saying by most.

    One fine day as I was a-walkin’ down the street
    Spied a beggar man with rags upon his feet
    Took a penny from my pocket
    In his tin cup I did drop it
    I heard him say as I made my retreat
    May the bird of paradise fly up your nose
    May an elephant caress you with his toes
    May your wife be plagued with runners in her hose
    May the bird of paradise fly up your nose

    1. Oh my goodness! I will have to look this up and here it sung because at this moment, I’m not familiar with the lyrics! I had no idea the saying might have originated in a song! Thanks for the enlightenment, Cammy!

      1. Here he is live on The Bobby Lord Show, Oct. 1965! (Little) Jimmie Dickens, “May The Bird Of Paradise Fly Up Your Nose” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZfYFx6MOTYU

        This pre-dates “Rowan & Martin’s Laugh-In” by 2 years (140 episodes from January 22, 1968, to March 12, 1973, on the NBC television network).
        As it happens, I follow Ruth Buzzi on Twitter – both she and her Husband, Kent, are quite active (and still hilarious): https://twitter.com/Ruth_A_Buzzi

  9. I love the waterlilies. Living on Bayou Lafourche means I get daily bouquets as Hubby knows how much I like them. I’m always worried that he’ll show up soaking wet from a fall off of the wharf trying to retrieve a few blossoms. Very pretty pictures. Thank you for sharing.