Dog Days of Summer

Which, in the eastern part of the US also means Dog day cidadas.  They emerge during the hottest part of summer and start "singing", which involves moving their wings to produce an amazingly loud noise that sounds like a buzz saw.  The cidadas themselves are also rather alarmingly large - when I first saw this one come flying in and land, I thought it was a hummingbird.  Not that hummers are big, but an insect that is hummer-sized is formidable.  

Dog-day cicadas have a life cycle of 2-5 years, most spent in various nymph stages underground, some as deep as 2 feet.  Once they emerge as "adults" they live only a brief 6 weeks or so.  Long enough to breed and ensure a future generation of these rather fascinating insects.

Today is Hubs last day on the job, the company having sold the assets he was assigned to work with.  We knew it was a probability, but still not welcome news.  However, onwards, as they say.  

Still having yellow jacket wasp issues although I think we may be winning the war.  Hubs went out after dark last night, wearing a respirator and lots of protection and sent the "dust" up into the vent where they are entering the nest area.  Finding more dead wasps in the basement (and the house - yikes) and seeing less flying around.  Will probably need one more application of dust.  I shudder to think how big this nest must be.  As much I like most all insects, I don't like these at all.

Day 3 at the gym today - another long session on the treadmill while watching The Handmaid's Tale.  It's a dark show but I find it strangely engaging.  

As if someone hit a switch, we are suddenly saying many more hummers in the yard.  No doubt this signals the beginning of the migratory movement as birds from further north start making their way south.  Anyway, I hope to be posting some decent hummer shots soon...

Happy Hump Day.

xo
Debbi

On depression...having lived with depression for a number of years, I try to be as tuned in to my mental health as I am to my physical health.  In the same way that I make time for exercise to keep my heart and body in shape, I take time for photography which is my personal zen time, balm when my mind is racing out of control.  When I was seeing a therapist a number of years ago she tried to get me to meditate and I found I could just never really shut my mind off.  Fast forward... when I pick up a camera and start looking through the lens, all the noise just goes quiet and I can feel my mind settling down.  Does this resonate with anyone else?