6/4/11 Nothing like a quiet morning walk to "unmuddle" one's mind---or so I thought. It started with a droning sound from afar, progressing to a high whirring sound---a sound not likely to be forgotten. It steadily rose to a crescendo * somewhat akin to a 100 kindergarteners shaking aluminum cans filled with poptops---in both hands. (*To hear the sound, click the link & scroll down to video #6 cicada wall )
As I walked directly under a tree, my shirt became dotted with light, wispy, little winged creatures. A few "crisp" ones crunched under my feet.
"Our 13 year locust," a passer-by informed me. "The red-eyed ones are all around but a few blue-eyed ones are here too. Cicadas. Spittlebugs. Pests. " she informed me. "You Tube is full of videos of folks eating them with drawn butter or chocolate coated."
A very informative morning walk---now I had new things to whir in my mind and at my feet. Prior to these insights, my locust info came only from the Bible story of God sending the plague of locusts on the Egyptian pharaoh and the description of the apostle John in Mark 1:3-8 as one who ate "locusts and wild honey."
I picked up a locust carcass for close inspection. I gathered more. The educator in me and the "hope" in me, knows that if they come out from underground only every 13 years, then I need one for each of my grands' future 4th grade entomology projects. I envision them pinned to the poster board with the entomological name underneath and the date, June 4, 2011, Bellevue, TN.
That's my locust story, what's yours?
