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Thursday, June 5, 2008

Trouble Even in Paradise

First there was the invasion of the wood ticks. After a triple digit infestation count, trips to the wilderness have been curtailed for concrete walks, at least until hot weather kills off that first batch. That should be right now - except for the unseasonable spats of cool weather and now forecasted rain.
Which of course only makes another Saskatchewan favourite happy.
Yes, the mosquito is out in swarms, droves, small armies. Saskatchewan bugs may not have all season to grow to any size but they make up for that in numbers.
We don't have helicopter size mosquitoes or bird size moths, at least not yet. But what we do have is mighty. Mighty annoying!


It is the time of year for bugs. So add to the already lengthening list, the canker worm.

I hope you're not squeamish, some folk are, but I'm betting they're not from Saskatchewan. We're hardy around here. We have to be. It's a whole lot of work to brush cobwebs and annoying little worms away with any walk down the sidewalk from now until mid-June while keeping an eye on the mosquito that looks like a small hover craft about
to land on your other arm.

Sounds bad, right? Never mind, I heard they have their problems even in paradise. Koh Yung, a small island paradise off the coast of Thailand has tourists evacuating by mid afternoon. Why? The black clouds of mosquitoes that appear at sunset.

At least in Saskatchewan, six months of the year are insect free. Unless you have winter boots and a scarf, the people and the insects prefer to hibernate.

In a journey into Borneo, I heard a saying that seemed so apt for that enchanting place where even the insects, or especially the insects, were totally enthralling. The insects were huge and amazing, moths were small birds dancing in the night lights. They say that in Borneo even the children don't fall asleep in science class. And after being there and almost knocked over by a bat size beetle, I can see why.

Make new travels from old paths. Love where you're at.

Ryshia

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