Category: insects

How my Bug Collection Changed a Generation

Posted in best, entymology, firsts, humor, insects, Iowa, junior high school, last, memoir, middle school, Midwestern, mouse, nature, parenting, relationships, science, scientist, worstLeave a comment

When my new science teacher announced on the first day of 7th grade that no one would get an A in his class if they didn’t make an insect collection, I was like, “NOOOOOOOO! I hate bugs!” My mother hated bugs. Her mother hated bugs. They hated mice, snakes, and dog poop, too. I walked… Continue reading How my Bug Collection Changed a Generation

Two Bird Baths, One Fountain

Posted in birds, cats, dogs, gardening, humor, insects, memoir, nature, relationships, treesLeave a comment

I love my yard. When I first bought my fixer house on a fixer third acre, the yard was full of rocks and rose bushes. Now it has trees, plants, bushes, flag stone, one fountain and two bird baths. The fountain is an advertisement to creatures near and far to come into my fenced yard.… Continue reading Two Bird Baths, One Fountain

Help your Mood, Pull some Weeds

Posted in birds, butterflies, California, dogs, foxtails, gardening, insects, lizards, lockdown, memoir, Round-Up, Roundup, weedsLeave a comment

(re-run) Yesterday, I made the short trip to my little downtown beach town, got some cash from the ATM, picked up two newspapers, and headed back home. On the way into town, I saw two city workers spraying Roundup on the weeds in the median strip. They were still at it, in the very same… Continue reading Help your Mood, Pull some Weeds

Help your Mood, Pull some Weeds

Posted in birds, butterflies, California, dogs, foxtails, gardening, insects, lizards, lockdown, memoir, Round-Up, Roundup, weedsLeave a comment

(re-run) Yesterday, I made the short trip to my little downtown, got some cash from the ATM, picked up two newspapers, and headed back home. On the way into town, I saw two city workers spraying Roundup on the weeds in the median strip. They were still at it, in the very same place, on… Continue reading Help your Mood, Pull some Weeds

Help your Mood, Pull some Weeds

Posted in birds, butterflies, California, dogs, foxtails, gardening, insects, lizards, lockdown, memoir, Round-Up, Roundup, weeds3 Comments

(re-run) Yesterday I made the short trip to my little downtown, got some cash from the ATM, picked up two newspapers, and headed back home. On the way into town, I saw two city workers spraying Roundup on the weeds in the median strip. They were still at it, in the very same place, on… Continue reading Help your Mood, Pull some Weeds

Creepy Crawlers and my Sixth Grade Status

Posted in childhood, chorus, Christmas, Creepy Crawlies, farting, insects, Iowa State Fair, life choices, memoir, OCD, Octette, popularityLeave a comment

In 6th grade, my friends all got one teacher, and I got the other. I was put into a classroom with the kids who would grow up to be the popular ones that dominated high school. They were intimidating, even at the age of eleven or twelve. Connie Green had many matching sweater sets to… Continue reading Creepy Crawlers and my Sixth Grade Status

Help your Mood, Pull some Weeds

Posted in birds, butterflies, California, dogs, foxtails, gardening, insects, lizards, lockdown, memoir, Round-Up, Roundup, weedsLeave a comment

Yesterday I made the short trip to my little downtown, got some cash from the ATM, picked up two newspapers, and headed back home. On the way into town, I saw two city workers spraying Roundup on the weeds in the median strip. They were still at it, in the very same place, on my… Continue reading Help your Mood, Pull some Weeds

Spinning a Spider Story

Posted in arachnids, best, California, Carmel, firsts, holidays, humor, insects, memoir, spiders, worstLeave a comment

(re-run) My strength and toning instructor loves to tell us trivia while we work out. Last week she said spiders are the most active between 6 and 8 p.m. and that the female spiders go out looking for food at that time. The males follow. Isn’t that just like a male anyway, to wait until… Continue reading Spinning a Spider Story

Spinning a Spider Story

Posted in arachnids, best, California, Carmel, firsts, holidays, humor, insects, spiders, worstLeave a comment

(re-run) My strength and toning instructor loves to tell us trivia while we work out. Last week she said spiders are the most active between 6 and 8 p.m. and that the female spiders go out looking for food at that time. The males follow. Isn’t that just like a male anyway, to wait until… Continue reading Spinning a Spider Story