A Lovely Day in Louisiana

I arrived here late yesterday afternoon after a couple of easy flights. It had rained earlier in the day and it was chilly and gray.
It was lovely to see my sister and her husband. The last time I visited was five years ago!

They live in Shreveport, on Cross Lake. The lake is a haven for birds, fish and wildlife. Today we saw herons, mallards, coots, pelicans and various other birds.

There had been a killing frost the evening before I arrived and many of the plants had succumbed. We awoke to brilliant sun, although there was a freezing fog warning and there was a heavy frost on the grass. but the Bald Cypress - Taxodium distichum - still held its leaves. This native tree is hardy, tough and adaptable and appears to live in the swampy water sometimes. A deciduous conifer, It’s noted for the beautiful fall color of its lacy needles.