31. Lamenting the Lost Ladybugs of my Youth

October 22, 2012October 20, 2014 / Apple Hill Cottage / 8 Comments

Ladybug Lament

One ladybug is delightful,
Two ladybugs are nice,
Twenty-one ladybugs are frightful,
Thirty ladybugs will quite suffice.
Fifty-two ladybugs are a nation.
Seventy-four ladybugs are an
INFESTATION!

I lost count at 74 ladybugs last week. We were planning on painting an outside wall of the cottage; the day before we had finished scraping, caulking, and priming. Getting a coat of paint on that northwest side of the house, before the really bad weather set in, seemed judicious. As we were priming, there were a few ladybugs here and there, but nothing to remark about. Although Michael did say “Now that I’ve caulked up all the holes, the bugs will either be inside or outside.” Very prescient.

The next morning ladybugs were everywhere — inside, outside, on the ceiling, on the floor, on the windows, on the new door…
Yes, I know, bad poetry abounds. Bad times call for bad rhymes.

Remember when you were a kid and a ladybug landing on your sleeve was good luck? I remember running into the house with a lovely RED ladybug on my hand, shouting for everyone to look. We had to say the rhyme, “Ladybug, Ladybug fly away home, your house is on fire and your children will burn” before she flew away.
No, all ladybugs are not girls. This picture proves it:

Adult ladybugs, Harmonia axyridis. (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

But all ladybugs in this country did used to be red, not orange or yellow or plain. Remember? The first ladybug I saw at the cottage this summer was red. I thought, “Yes! I am back in the countryside where there are real ladybugs again.” I haven’t seen another red one since. They are all that sickly rust-colored Asian ladybug Harmonia axyridis. This Asian lady beetle was introduced in the seventies (by the U.S. government) to control aphids on several agricultural crops, including pecans and soybeans. They are larger and more aggressive than our native ladybugs coccinella novemnotata, more commonly known as the nine-spotted ladybug. They not only eat aphids, but also crops (grape growers are calling them pests) and they are being accused of eating the larvae of the native ladybugs as well.

Most people believe the imported species has caused the decimation of the native species. Cornell scientists are studying the problem and are trying to reintroduce colonies of the native species. You can read about the Lost Ladybug Project here, and perhaps even become a Citizen Entomologist! I’m joining up!

For more information about the lost native ladybugs you can link to these articles:

1. Coccinella novemnotata, Nine Spotted Lady Beetle

2. Is That Ladybug Carrying a U.S. Passport?

3. Ladybugs : What Everyone Wants to Know

and don’t forget to read Eric Carle’s classic picture book The Grouchy Ladybug. No wonder she’s having a bad day — she’s being eaten by non-native species!

Never did get that side of the cottage painted… We didn’t want it to be spotted! We’re hoping for good painting weather for at least another three weeks…

24. Charlotte’s Lot

September 13, 2012September 8, 2016 / Apple Hill Cottage / 5 Comments

We’ve been watching Charlotte on our porch for the last three weeks.

She’s been there. Spinning and waiting, waiting and spinning; I could learn patience from her.

She hasn’t moved more than an inch or two in all these days, unless she goes off dancing midweek and then comes back on weekends to pretend that she hasn’t gone anywhere.

She does her spinning and waiting on the porch, very close to the steps. Her spot is protected, although she faces north and when it’s windy, she certainly rides the north winds fairly well. You can see that she isn’t a very good writer yet — or perhaps “It is quite possible that …(she) has spoken civilly to me and that I didn’t catch the remark because I wasn’t paying attention…”

The first time we met her, we I was not expecting a friend. In fact, I considered, uh, getting rid of her somehow. But the more I thought about it, the more I liked the idea of knowing where she was — right there on the porch by the steps in plain sight. She is an ordinary black and yellow garden spider (argiope aurantia), but neither of us think she is ordinary at all.

Michael started throwing her bugs last weekend. She doesn’t act grateful, but how do I know what grateful is for a spider? I do wonder if she wonders why she gets all these good treats on the weekend. She won’t bother with stink bugs though; apparently no one likes stink bugs.

This weekend, overnight, a little something appeared in the top corner of her domain. At first look, we thought it was just a big, rolled up treat, saved for winter.

But then I remembered the real Charlotte, her namesake, and realized: Of course, it is her egg sac, filled with ~~hundreds~~ thousands of tiny spiders. More potential friends! If only they ate stink bugs…

I’ve looked it up, and I know that once Charlotte has laid her egg sac, she will die. But her children will hatch and stay in the egg sac until spring. At first I thought that maybe we could move them to a nicer spot for the winter? (Away from the house!) But baby spiders fly away on little balloon strings — the real Charlotte called her relatives aeronauts — so perhaps that isn’t necessary and they will fly away on their own?
Charlotte and her children eat lots of nasty insects — aphids, flies, mosquitoes and the like — and they hardly bite friendly humans at all. Especially ones who throw them food…

I don’t remember reading Charlotte’s Web as a child. But I do remember reading it out loud with my children. When we finished the book, I closed my eyes and thought, ‘that’s the perfect book.’ A young, runty, good-for-nothin’ pig is saved twice by friends: the first time by Fern, a young girl who is trying to “rid the world of injustice”; and the second time by a spider whose life was a mess, but who told Wilbur that “…by helping you, perhaps I was just trying to lift up my life a trifle. Heaven knows anyone’s life can stand a little of that.”

This crisp, clear picture of a black and yellow garden spider was not taken by me, although this is the first time I’ve put in someone else’s photo. I just wanted you to see how lovely they really are! (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

I’ve been re-reading G.K. Chesterton‘s essay on fairy tales, “The Ethics of Elfland” in Orthodoxy. This essay is deep and complex, and I have to go back and re-read every single paragraph to get it — and even then I can’t say I get it. There could be a month’s worth of posts just on this essay, and I won’t go into detail except to say that everyone should read it. Janey Cheney from Redeemed Reader summarized it like this: “…Here’s what he learned from generic, plot-driven, ages-old fairy tales: 1) The world is magical; 2) the world is meaningful; 3) the world is beautiful; 4) the world is worth our gratitude; 5) the world is to be cherished.”

I would add that these truths are not just descriptive of fairy tales, but any story, written or told, lived or loved, true or not. E.B. White knew it. The words Charlotte wove in her web to describe her friend Wilbur were: Some Pig; Terrific; Radiant; and Humble — all words of love between friends. All words that describe magic, meaning, beauty, and gratefulness. And when Charlotte wrote those words about Wilbur, he became what she wrote about him.

I’ve rambled a long way from Charlotte appearing on the corner of our porch — a seemingly insignificant trifle (and one that truthfully didn’t thrill me at first) — but this much has been made clear once again: As busy adults we forget the magic, the miracles, the beauty that are all around us. In the middle of the book, the wise Dr. Dorian tells Fern’s worried mother, “Children pay better attention than grownups.” That is also his quote at the beginning of this post — Fern’s mother asks him if he really believes that animals talk — and he replies that they very well could have spoken to him, he just wasn’t listening.

So listen. Be childlike. Turn off whatever needs turning off and hear the quiet. Be thankful for the ordinary. Cherish the mundane. Be grateful for the spectacular. Don’t miss a miracle because you weren’t paying attention.

(Thanks to Janie Cheaney from Redeemed Reader on the post The Invasion of Fairyland — it sent me back to re-read Chesterton’s essay.) All other quotes are from one of the best children’s books of all time, “Charlotte’s Web” by E.B. White. And I have to include the last lines — “It is not often that someone comes along who is a true friend and a good writer. Charlotte was both.”

5. There were sure to be foxes in the woods…

June 19, 2012December 15, 2014 / Apple Hill Cottage / 8 Comments

It was a slow week at Apple Hill as far as actual work goes.

I’m still sanding (but I’m on the LAST cabinet!) and Michael was spinning his wheels this weekend too–he needed a specific measurement from our stove in Pittsburgh that we are moving to the kitchen at Apple Hill. Gotta have a gas stove and the one here is electric, so we are switching them. But the stove was there, and we were here.

And Sunday was Father’s Day–there’s no working then! So the work goes in fits and starts just like life. We both have to keep remembering to enjoy the moment and not worry about a timeline, plans, our agendas. It’s easier said than done. So far, when one of us gets in a funk about it, the other one can do the reminding. And when that doesn’t work, Jesus Calling always does the trick. I have to quote Sarah Young here: “Learn to laugh at yourself more freely. Don’t take yourself or your circumstances so seriously. Relax and know that I am ‘God with you’…Laughter lightens your load and lifts your heart into heavenly places. Your laughter rises to heaven and blends with angelic melodies of praise. Do not miss the Joy of My Presence by carrying the weight of the world on your shoulders…” This week I read it out loud to Michael because we both needed to hear it.

So this week, we have a CONTEST: The first one to post where the title of this blog comes from (There were sure to be foxes in the woods or turtles in the water…) gets a… gets ahhhh…. gets uhmmmm…..

a free all-expenses paid vacation to Apple Hill Cottage????

No, I don’t think everyone would like that, especially after reading the rest of this post! I think I have to add a Caution here: This post is about critters and it’s not for the faint of heart, the bug-a-phobe, or the die-hard city slicker. I’ll start off with the cute little furry critters and then it will go downhill from there, so the reader will be able to tell when to stop reading…

Cats and Kittens

He is the friendliest, most mellow kitty we’ve ever met. This picture was taken about 5 minutes after we were first introduced.

Our kitty got a name this weekend courtesy of granddaughter Olivia (Joce, Pedro and the kids celebrated Father’s Day with us with grilled hamburgers and a day of fun in the country.) We haven’t committed to the name yet, but we both kind of like it. As Michael says, we have to do some research on it. She suggested Phineas, and I added a T, so we’ve got Phineas T. Her Phineas is from the kids tv show Phineas and Ferb. I added the T for Phineas T. Fogg, an adventurer who goes Around the World in 80 Days. It’s a Jules Verne classic, which I now have to admit to never reading. (Ouch!) Of course, it could also be for Phineas T. Barnum, but he was a known swindler… We have already spent quite a bit of money on Phineas T., this part-time cat (well, he’s really a full-time cat–he’s only ours part-time) but I think we’ve both felt that naming him was a big commitment. A name signifies ownership for sure, instead of just feeding him and enjoying him when he shows up (or when we show up…)

We’ve got a big dinner bell on the porch that we ring when we get here, so he knows we’re home and he can come and get it. Michael suggested an electronic kitty feeder???? Footnote: Amazon says I can get Around the World in 80 Days and read it for free on the Kindle; but the reviewers all call the main character Phileas Fogg. This is most disturbing–I was sure it was Phineas–and this is why Michael said we had to research it…

Foxes in the Woods

These long nights in June are so wonderful, although on at least one occasion I have bemoaned the fact that I was so tired, I couldn’t even sit on the porch and enjoy them. On Saturday evening though, we ate late and were still sitting at the table at twilight enjoying the fireflies and the birdsongs, when a small red fox came out of the wood’s edge and sauntered along the tree line right in front of us. I mean 20 feet away! We didn’t get a picture of him; I quietly opened the door and grabbed the binoculars, but our phones weren’t handy. We are really hoping he returns, and I’ve been trying to keep my phone within easy reach.

Moles

Oh, the devastation!

Yep, we have ’em. They make terrible pesty divots in our otherwise perfectly manicured lawn. Michael has purchased Mole-Away sticks, but then the moles just move away a short distance and another part of the yard is dug up!

He also tried drowning them out of their holes with the hose. We’ve been watering our precious new fruit trees every day we are here. Michael was walking by a mole hole, carrying the hose, and just thought he’d try it. It didn’t seem to work, BUT he did discover a new technique for getting rid of them with a hose! A few days later he was moving the hose so he could mow the yard. While standing under one of the older apple trees and investigating one of the holes, a mole popped up. Michael had nothing in his hand but the hose, so he bopped that mole with the hose nozzle. Got him! Broke the hose nozzle, but score Michael 1, Mole 0. (Think Whack-a-mole–you can play it here: http://www.addictinggames.com/action-games/whackamole.jsp)

We had lunch the next day with Diane and Jim at the Panera in Washington and as Michael was telling the story we were all laughing so hard we were snorting Iced Tea out our noses. People were staring. You know, readers, we’re supposed to have a good belly laugh at least five times a day. As Joce said the other day, “I’m way behind!”

Wasps

There’s one in every corner of the porch!

Yep, we have these too. IN ABUNDANCE! They seem to have an affinity for my cabinet-sanding workshop. In fairness to them, they were there first. In fact, they have been able to be there, undisturbed, for probably at least five years or so. But the newcomer wins out here–the wasps have to go.

I know that we are supposed to be green and all that; I know that all insects have a purpose; but I draw the line at a wasp dive bombing me while I’m sanding cabinets. The sander is very loud, so I can’t hear the wasp’s warning whine. I have on my safety glasses and they are steamed up because I’m also wearing a breathing mask, so I can’t see it very well either until it buzzes my head. Nope, the wasps have to go… Luckily, Michael has in his bag of “ungreen” materials–Wasp Killer! (There’s poison ivy killer in that bag, too.) He pointed at the nest, sprayed the foam, and the wasp fell down dead with a thunk in three seconds. Part of the nest fell down too. Score Michael 1, Wasps 0.

Inch long brown worms

Not the greatest shot, but I didn’t want to get too close!

Well, I don’t really know what they are. But they are IN THE HOUSE. In the bathroom; in the basement. We’ve only just started finding them this past weekend. There were three in the bathroom (on the ceiling!) Michael said he found a whole parade of them in the basement going from the hot water heater to the (unused) shower. Michael’s vote was for millipedes, and millipedes do like water/wet/damp, which is where we seem to be finding them. It seems too fuzzy to be a millipede, though. They curl up into a ball when you try to scoop them up or step on them. Inchworms are brown also, as well as green, but these don’t exactly hump up like inchworms do when they are moving. Ugh, they are disgusting.

Bugs too odious to call by name

This is the most horrible to admit. Ron found the first one in April, so we can blame him, at least for the discovery. I don’t think I would have known what they were, if he hadn’t pointed it out and looked disgusted. (Thanks Ron!) Since then, we’ve been very careful about food, and garbage, but taking out the walls of the kitchen seems to have disturbed them. I wouldn’t say we’re infested–we didn’t see any last week, but this week I saw one in the kitchen sink. Neither one of us can actually call them by name–we just call them “those bugs”… No pictures of these either, you’ll be glad to know. We are just hoping that covering holes, tightening up walls, and putting in new floors, ceilings, and cabinets will get rid of them. Otherwise, we’ll just have to send Michael out to buy Roach Killer. (Read Gregor the Overlander by Suzanne Collins–her “other” series–for a great cockroach main character!)

So now, don’t you all want to come and visit? Put your finger on the comment button and tell me where this lovely title came from! And the winner is….