Inspired by Molly Hogan’s post, “Diary of a Maine Spring,” I am finishing the Slice of Life March Challenge with a diary of a sunset paddle on the Bayou Teche. I’ve lived almost twenty years on this bayou named “Teche” (tesh) for the Native American word for snake. Not so named because there are snakes (there are), but because of its winding shape.
With our busy lives, work, school, activities, dancing, grandchildren, we don’t paddle our backyard as often as we “should”. Saturday offered us a window of time and a perfect weather day, low 70’s and clear skies.
My husband steers the canoe. I sit in the front and paddle most of the time. He allows me, encourages me rather, to stop and take photos. He even pulled the boat closer to the shore to take a photo of the white spider lily which is blooming now. I’m glad you can’t smell the huge dead garfish that was also on the bank caught up in cypress knees.
I nurtured my inner peace (One Little Word ’24) for a few hours of the evening. I let go of all and let God show me Creation at its most beautiful. An Easter vigil, of sorts. A perfect end of a perfect spring day. A sure sign of resurrection and life.
Reflections on the Teche 
What a lovely peaceful slice! I could feel myself relaxing as I read it. Nature offers such gifts and you relayed those beautifully here. The spider lilies are gorgeous, and new to me. Also, I would love to visit you and your river someday, and take a trip out in the canoe! I wonder if we’d both be taking pictures and never get anywhere, but also get everywhere, if you know what I mean…
Beautiful photos. I’m so glad to read about you taking time for inner peace and happy you shared your world with us this glorious Easter morn.
How fortunate to have this beaming piece of nature right there for you to partake in! Your exotic looking spider lily plant is gorgeous, the rounded flower petals remind me of the inside of a moon flower. Your last pic with the tree reflection and bit of orange sunset so calming. Thanks for making time and taking us along!
What a lovely way to float out on the final day of the Slice of Life Challenge – searching for beauty, finding it, sharing it, and knowing that the Creator, the artist of this great universe, got every detail just exactly right, down to the petals of the spider lily, every plant cell there working together to paint a canvas of nature for us to enjoy. Splendid, Margaret!
Margaret – your post made me glide along with you! I wish you peace, beauty, and joy this springtime. My mind is still filled with flowers. Do you know the name of the flowers in the top photo? They look ethereal!
Margaret, what a beautiful Easter Vigil diary. So much beauty. I can see why you feel you “should” do more canoeing. It looks like a lovely and peaceful existence there in the water. Yes, indeed, “a sure sign of resurrection and life.”
Beautiful! There is something about water and nature that is perfect for inner peace. (Great word!)
I;m glad your husband nudged you to stop paddling and take photos. Lucky me to be able to see all that you saw. Just reading gives me a peaceful feeling! Thank you.
To love on or near water is a blessing. I am not far from city lakes but this looks perfect. Just to paddle on a mild day! Thanks so much for sharing.