"...but the process of living is an art as well as a science, with strands of love and sorrow and resilience woven into each person's unique tapestry."

Monday, August 21, 2006

Well, it happened. It’s just good it happened later in life. It would have been difficult to handle at the tender age of sixteen. It’s just so embarrassing. It’s rarely seen. Well maybe in a movie. Of course, Hollywood is so dramatic. Today there are all the safety measures in place. It’s a wonder what they did in the past. I suppose it spewed everywhere and all present were faced with the possibilities of fire and a final explosion. It’s everyone’s fear at some point in life. It would have been nice to glimpse it happening to someone else. None the less, there it was the gas nozzle still hooked up to the car, the other end disconnected from the pump, dragging about three feet behind. All that could be done was to lift the nozzle from the car, scoop up the other end, take it to the attendant, and simply say, “It broke, sorry.” And walk away!

Sunday, August 20, 2006

Summer Time

Summer is the time of year for science. Well life science anyway, specifically the study of insects and a few amphibians. We currently have two Pacific Tree Frogs, one green and one grey ; two Praying mantis, a boy and a girl; a California Root Boerer, he's a big one and he hisses too; and a Tree Cricket, a very loud "singer." The frogs are going to need to go back to the wild soon. We are feeding them flies but this is becoming a weary task. I’m not sure they are getting enough food either. The Hissing beetle (what some around here call'em) needs to go very soon, he is just plain creepy. A bug should not be that big! The cricket will probably become food for the frogs or more likely the praying mantis. It was fascinating to watch it move his wigs to make the chirping noise. It came in the house uninvited and interrupted our Jerry Lewis movie. We are keeping the praying mantis for a while. I just fed the male a bunch of moths. The female has a grasshopper left from yesterday. I would like to see if the female would lay an egg sack. It would be so intriguing to watch it hatch in the spring. It could be a little creepy too because there could be 20-400 little babies. Then we can let them go in the garden to eat the bad bugs.