Shade Tree Wisdom 11/10/09

Rain washed, cool, the air this morning, and the walking was fine, so I nearly overshot my goal. Not because I broke the rules of the plane I was flying and working with my own computer, but because it was a pleasure to walk in weather like this, and I take my pleasure as it comes, bit by bit, don’t you?

The news tells me that Florida has had its first official Boa Constrictor hunt that netted 37 of the grown beasts. The Boa is not native to Florida, so its presence means destruction of natural habitat. How do they get there? They are bought as pets when they are small, and then people often release them into the wild when they tire of them or find keeping them too much to handle or too burdensome.

In Texas the Texas Parks and Wildlife officials contracted with helicopter crews to begin treating with herbicides floating mats of exotic plants the have invaded the Toldeo Bend Reservoir. The lake stretches between Texas and its neighbor, Louisiana. The invading salvinia has covered nearly 2000 acres of this lake. Some coves are 100 percent clogged. The plant simply smothers all life in the water. Officials hope this treatment will prove effective. Salvinia, imported from Brazil, is a common nuisance throughout the Southwest.

Another note on nature. Houston is mostly flat, so heavy rains easily cause floods unless ways are found to carry the water off. Army Engineers brought in to solve the problem simply widened and deepened the bayous (that is, creeks) and covered them with concrete, resulting in a number of ugly concrete ditches serving little purpose, and that did not carry off the flood waters anyway.

So Harris County and Houston Park officials followed the plans of a landscape architect and made ponds which served as holding ponds and planted trees, grasses, and fauna suitable to attract wildlife and also serve as holding ponds and ways to carry off excess waters. The result are places that are used as parks, places for wildlife to flourish, and give pleasure to the passing eye. Nature lovers find these places excellent for bird watching and simply as places to rest from the daily rat race.

“Help us let go, help us be sill,
In patience may we learn your will.”

Another clip I have is a hint from Heloise on how to fold king-size fitted sheets after washing. I say, put them right back on the bed.

And today is the anniversary of Dr. Martin Luther’s birth.

One final note. Yesterday was my semi-annual visit with the heart doctor, and her verdict: "Keep on doing what you are doing”. That’s always good to hear. May God then continue to allow me to use the days He has planned for me.

GPD 11/10/09