Moonlight on the Lake

It is amazing the changes you see living by a lake. Over the weekend the storm sent rain pounding the balcony in sheets. Visibility was zero.

Tonight, its a different planet. An almost full moon is casting silver reflections on the ripples covering the lake. Now and then a boat serenely passing by. Before the sun went down, the water was a deep blue. Then I saw a baby bird sticking its head out of a dead tree branch, a few feet from the balcony. Mama blackbird showed up with some dinner, then flew off again.

On the balcony is a small lighthouse I discovered at a WalMart (for an amazing $20--yep, probably made in China). But its clever. It has a solar panel on top -- so it collects energy during the day, then at night a small light comes on, powered by the rechargeable battery charged by the solar panel. Then it charges again from the sun the next day. It costs nothing to operate and seems to entertain adults and little kids alike.

Despite the inches of Memorial Day rain it did not flood down here. But it did have me thinking of an escape route should another Rita or Katrina arrive in the Gulf. We only have 146 and I45.

But there is something about water that draws people. It is dynamic, not static. The wind is blowing and the water is always moving. It is so relaxing to wake up to -- and come home to after the usual work stress. At Babins on the bay, the Pelicans fly by, sometimes in formation, inches away.

Hurricane season opens this coming Friday. We'll see what happens but we are due for a hit --we've been lucky so far. Now the word is "Shelter in place" ---hmmm, in that case I hope this place FLOATS. We need a Houstonian to invent a floating car (or a boat-car) as well...