Sunday afternoon was so gorgeous we had to stop and take a canoe trip down the bayou. The temperatures were in the 70’s which we won’t likely see again for a while as December begins to roll in on cooler waves. I really believe that the cypress trees are more beautiful this year with their bronze needles that still cling to the branches. We stopped by a neighbor’s house and chatted with her while a fat water snake slithered from a nearby bush. Yes, it freaked me out, and I became jumpy. Everything became a snake: branches, leaves, jumping fish, scurrying squirrels. But soon my heebie-jeebies subsided, and I enjoyed the scenery. With the still water, the reflections were picture perfect.
December on Bayou Teche by Margaret Simon
Dusk, hawks are hunting,
Scouting a slithering snake.
Keep paddle moving.(c) Margaret Simon
Reflections on the Teche 
Loveliness parallels danger
Yes, keep that paddle moving! Our day was beautiful too, but no canoe for me this day. I love that you got out!
Love this haiku! But you know me….if I see a slithering snake, my canoe is going to be flying through the water! There will be no more calm paddling…it will be fierce digging into the water to get moving!!!