Yup, it's earwig season. I stood at the front door last night when I got home, pondering the most effective way of opening the door, crossing it's thresh-hold, but while doing so, having the least possible amount of earwigs dropping down on me. And seeing as how the door, door-frame, and surrounding territories were so liberally besprinkled with them, it boded no easy feat to perform. But, with much cunning, stealth, and death-defying bravery (and only one scream of repulsed terror!) I made it into the safety of my domicile.

They haunt me. They crawl on me. They hide in my clothes! They lie in wait inside of straws! Ah! The ugliness, the hideousness, the diabolical feel as they crawl across my foot! It puts me in mind of a comment my neighbor's mother said the other day after finding one doing just that...."and they aren't just normal size like where I come from! Why, they're so big you could put a saddle on them!"

Yup, it's pincher-bug season. Hope you are all enjoying this bevy of bugs more than I am! Have a Happy Pincher-Bug Season day!

When the hippie standing next to you at Wal-Mart, who is looking at the same items you are, starts to be a little too helpful...it’s always a safe idea to make a rapid exodus, and come back later.

There's nothing quite like getting an actual handwritten letter in the mail! What fun!

Front page excerpt from The Trout Times:

The morning of Wednesday the 27^th heralded great excitement in the Trout household. It began as any other normal day, everyone busily going about their respected occupations. But then out through the house, the shout came ringing "One of the tadpoles came out of the water!" With cries of excitement, all crowded around to witness this great and wondrous site. Yes indeed, one of the little aquatic occupants of the tadpole habitat is no longer aquatic, it has fully metamorphed into an attractive little air-breathing frog.

What to do with the first of the new creatures is yet to be decided, as there are many different opinions being given. But for now, we wait with baited breath to witness the continual metamorphosing of the other ten pollywogs.

It was with mixed emotions that I discovered the presence of my first mosquito bite of the year!! Should I be joyous because that means summer is practically here....or saddened, because with it comes the battle with the summer pestilence? Whichever and whatever it may be, I'm ready, and so I say.....

BRING IT ON!!

Entry found in the "Lost and Found" column in The Trout Times:

Missing: A necklace. Brown leather chord, with three small dangly objects: a wooden circle, a white flower medallion, and a pale pink bead.

Me and my man.....

.....isn't he the cutest?

The cool shade of the almond tree was a refreshing balm after the heat of the long walk. We sat, enjoying the peace and quiet. Friendly silence prevailed.

"I love the sound of nature’s silence," peacefully commented one.

< generator kicks on in background >

-Always have dessert first, says the pessimist,                   

because you never know if you will live through the meal.

-Always have dessert first, says the optimist,

as an act of faith that the meal will follow.

-Always have dessert first, says the hedonist,

because pleasure is a cardinal point on the compass of life.

-Always have dessert first, says the puritan,

as a prayer of thanks for the good things in life.

-Always have dessert first, says the child,

because it’s more fun that way."

....and always have dessert first, says Kellie, because if I wait till afterwards, by the time I get there, lots of times it’s already gone.

Walking by the door of the kitchen pantry, I heard the scuffling and scurrying noises of my little brother playing inside of it’s cramped quarters. I quietly grabbed the door handle, and yanking it open, gave out a "ROOOAAAR" that would have put Godzilla to shame! Laughing, (and slightly out of breath from my lion-like efforts) I looked into the half terrified, yet smiling eyes of Stuie. He breathlessly said through his laughter, "You pulled the breath right out of me!"