Larvae, please identify

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I recently found, on the outside of my house, these little larvae. Still alive and wiggling, apparently having crawled out, or been kicked out of a hole in the corner of the siding.

Notice the size:

Ice Fishing In Floyd County Virginia?

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Fourth of July weekend. It is hot!!!

The hot dog shriveled before it hit the grill. The bun toasted even under the table umbrella. The sun-tea boiled in the glass carafe. It was so hot, the styrofoam plates curled up with the potato salad in it. The only use for the black lawn furniture was to brown the tati-tots on them. The field corn quickly dried and started to pop. The cows seeing that phenomenon thought it was snowing, they laid down and froze to death.

Phew, it's hot!

July 4th, a good time to think back to January.

Weeks of way below freezing nights. A nip in the nostrils. Ice on my mustache. Snow up to your caboose. Turkeys scratching to survive. The ice on the pond thick enough for ice fishing. (New England, you aint the only ones!)

It was cold!

Stink Bugs

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According to my grandson, they don't taste as bad as they smell. In a salad, especially with Asian-Seseme dressing, they are delightful. The extra crunch is similar to pine nuts, quite mild, with extra protein of course. If this discovery catches on, says my grandson, he will try to market them. A sandwich bag with a dozen stinkbugs ought to fetch a dollar. Storage should be no problem, since the critters survive the harsh winters and thrive in warm weather. 

No kitting, we're open for business!

From Doves to more Doves

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Doves start out early. By that I mean, they lay two eggs even when the weather may snow on them. The dove had nested in our herb-box, under an ever-bearing strawberry plant. By accident I scared her away one cold morning. She stayed gone forever, it seemed. I thought for sure her two eggs would die because of the cold. But, she stuck with it. She sat and sat and sat on them eggs. I know she didn't hunt for food. Her mate must have sustained her.

Meanwhile, the strawberries ripened all around her. As usual, my wife and I didn't get a ripe one. The squirrels have a knack beating us to the crop. I can just see momma dove, after the eggs hatched looking eyeball to eyeball at those feisty squirrels.

Three weeks of sitting and being vigilant, daring cats and snakes, the babies slept under her downy belly. Soon they got too big for the momma to hide them. Their little beaks stuck out the side of the momma. All this time, the daddy helped feed the bunch.

Then in a flutter one flew away. A couple of days later the second one did as well.

Would you believe it, It wasn't two weeks after that, two new eggs were in the same spot. Life started over again. another cycle, with God looking after it all. Was it the same pair of doves?
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Large Mouth Bass

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Just the other day I mentioned to my wife, "I haven't been fishing in several years."
She simply answered, "Why not?"

I didn't have an answer. I'm retired. I am able to walk, or drive down to the pond. I don't need a permit. I got several rods, lures and the rest. . . Soooooo, I went fishing. The rooster-tail was already on the line. The hook was rusted, but able to hold one hooked. Several things were against me however. The reel was so dusty it would hardly turn. The fluttering spoon on the lure did not flutter. The sun was shining, (not too good for bass). There was scum on the pond. But, I flicked out the line anyway, over and over again. Not really enjoying the fishing, but the quietness and the laughing of the frogs.

I flipped the lure to within one foot of the edge on the other side of the pond. Bam! I knew right away supper was on the line.

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Termites in new furniture?

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I've been designing and building furniture out of reclaimed 100 year old wormy American Chestnut. The latest item I built is an eight foot long dining room pedestal table. The top, four by eight feet, is glued together with one inch thick window trim I took out of the old house. (see old post). 

Underside of table top

Floor joists I used.


The pedestal portion I built out of floor joists, a full two by ten inch rough cut oak timber, also out of the old house. I had removed the random width chestnut flooring, and used it to cover the floor in our new cabin. I noticed when I removed the six-teen foot long timbers that it had some termite infestation, but not enough to jeopardize the strength and looks for the job at hand. When I sawed the pedestals for the table, I placed the termite holes on the bottom so as not to be seen when the table was complete. The few holes, along with the normal defects of rough wood, I puttied to get the surface smooth.  I did little to cover the holes facing the floor. 


After taking the final product to the cabin, I left it alone for a week. When we returned, several nice little piles of very fine sawdust lay on the floor. Well, what do you think?


I had the timbers at my house for over two weeks before I started the job. I did not know anything would crawl out of it; or did it? I always thought termites need moisture. Dampness deep in the ground. I know they do not like light.


My question is: do these critters croak after a period of time? Or do they waltz around the house to check out more wood to chew on? 


  

JohnnySlide

Let me tell you about an invention that is so practical, so usable, and in most homes a necessity.

It is a toilet paper holder, mounted on the side of your vanity, that slides out for easy access, and slides back out of the way when done. No more twisting your back. No more reaching across the room. No more knocking over the freestanding holder.

You think sliced bread was a good invention, you need to check this out!

Click here:    johnnyslide.fxbiii.com
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