Well, it worked the last time though I think my beginning led me down strange pathways. And it seems to be working again today. I think I recorded my experience with the three stink bugs, so I'll skip that and go on, though I have a good computer picture of a stink bug that I may include since the bug walking down my newspaper is not too thrilling.
On the other hand, when I took the mail out of the mailbox yesterday, I happened to glance down at my left hand and there, sitting on my thumb, was a wasp. Nothing in nature terrifies me quite as much as a wasp. They carry nasty shivs in their thoraxes (two words I have no clear idea on how to spell); I probably have the anatomy a bit off too though it sounded more interesting than having them carry shivs in their butt cheeks or rear ends. Nature, sharp, black and yellow without teeth. In any case I managed to blow the wasp off my thumb without getting stung, for which I am truly grateful.
Pause to regroup. Yesterday our warrior dachshund, Simon the significant, found a very long rat snake in the backyard, in the garden. We have a friend who, if she knew of such a thing, would never come back to Kentucky let alone Berea. Some people! Mary came and called me out of the house. Apparently, just as I got there, the rat snake climbed, Climbed very quickly, up a six to seven foot arch overgrown with the effects of winter freezes. The snake disappeared into the dried leaves on the top of the arch. I, of course, could not resist poking the dead stuff up there, just to make certain we had seen the swift ascent. We had. The snake tumbled down in front of Simon who was beside himself with enthusiasm for the chase and chase it was. Note: we do not kill garden snakes or let our dogs kill them, but restraining Simon this time was not easy. It seemed as though Simon had twenty feet, all moving various directions at once. Mary finally grabbed him while I followed the snake through the garden growth, toward the back fence. There, he disappeared and we got Simon the hunter into the house.
Simon spends all his time outside in the spring searching for snakes or anything else chaseable. This morning, Tuesday the eleventh, after I let him out to do his "business" I heard him barking at the back of the yard. Since he kept it up, I took Frollie and we went back to see what hapless creature he had cornered this time. We found him with his nose under the back wooden fence. When Simon was small he would find ways to escape the yard under that fence. We filled in all his escape routes, but this time I suspect he must have found a snake that escaped under the fence, since he was vigorous in his persistence to the point that even Frollie got involved. Well, eventually I convinced them that it was in their best interest to return to the house with me and no one was more astonished than myself that they agreed. That could only mean that the snake was long gone, probably, or had merely been a leftover scent from yesterday's adventure. Rat snakes are very interesting creatures though I don't like picking them up without gloves on. Neuropathy produces strange sensations in my hands when I grab one, so I don't anymore, without gloves. The bare skin of my hand against the writhing feel of snake flesh actually gives me the shivers. So I wear gloves now, though I don't feel very heroic doing that.
The sky overhead seems to be clouding over, which is too bad since the ISS is due for a flyover at 9:51 tonight. I enjoy spotting them. Last night was clear, mostly, and Jupiter and the Moon were sailing through space side by side, or so it seemed from Earth. Orion and Sirius were still visible overhead too. I think Sirius is the most beautiful star in the heavens though if I remember correctly it may be several stars together. And what can you say about Orion to do it justice?
Today (that would make it Wednesday, the twelfth) we took the dogs for a walk on the Stephenson trail again. We know sooner got out of the car than Schuster had an enormous BM next to the sidewalk going out of the parking lot and toward the trail. Guess who carries the plastic bags and bounty paper towels. Right! I didn't know one little dog could hold that much poop, but at least he made it out of the car and to the parking lot, just! I had to use two plastic bags and carry the stuff down the trail to the first trash receptacle. I always put Simon's lead over the handle of my cane and then stand on the cane while I'm going the cleanup. Simon usually cooperates very well after all our outings together, and he did so today.
My most interesting experience with Simon occurred farther down the trail. We had reached the third trash container. Simon enjoys investigating each one no matter how many times we have been there. Today I had stopped to let him sniff when I happened to look down to see what Simon was doing. He had found a thin, dry, curved three inch twig that he was approaching as if it were a snake. He would sniff it, quickly jump back, approach it from a different angle and try again. Dementia seems to be claiming both of us.
Yesterday as I was out walking, checking the sky for clouds and clarity, I happened to see six turkey buzzards flying, I am certain, just near the edge of space. Goodness they were high, just gliding around one another, black specks against the white clouds. For an ugly bird it can behave very gracefully. Frollie and Simon still sit at the front window and bark at them as they soar over the neighborhood. That behavior I can understand in the buzzards, but what are they doing at such very high altitudes? Perhaps they are just enjoying the wind and sun, as I was, and wishing they were jets rather than birds as they could then soar even higher. Ah well. Time to move.
My kids gave me a Fitbit for Christmas, I think it was, which I wear proudly on my left wrist. The goal is set for 10,000 steps a day, which I sometimes achieve. The machine goes wild for a "bit" when I make it, sending up all sorts of pyrotechnics and awarding me badges of various sorts for having walked so many steps in a lifetime, or at least since I have owned the device. One of its goals is to walk 250 steps each hour from 11 to 8 pm. I usually get 8 out of 9 and about half the time getting all nine. Yesterday I was so engrossed reading something that I forgot about the time and missed one hour. This time I have made them all so far with only two more hours to achieve, hoping I don't fall asleep somewhere first. So, before time runs out one way or another, I shall find a photo of either a dog or a stink bug, and end this chapter of my exciting life.