We found a great website that will help a person identify bugs by pictures. This website has increased the motivation of our children to locate and capture bugs.
It’s all in the name of education, you see. Studying the parts of insects, how many legs, what they eat, how they are classifed. How can I refuse this sudden interest?
Yesterday we found a big black beetle. See picture here.
Then, this morning, the children found another beetle just like it. David was hoping they would mate. Tonight after church we discovered only one beetle remaining in captivity. We let this one go, however, the other beetle was nowhere to be found.
Putting thoughts of big black beetles out of my mind as I coontemplate getting ready for bed, I sat down with my family to eat dinner. Suddenly, an excited shout drew my attention to a moving object in front of my plate. We had found the missing big black beetle.
Maybe there are good reasons not to capture bugs and bring them inside. There’s a battle within: between the educator and the woman in me. Thankfully, my faithful bug crusher captured the beetle and took him outside where he will eat many bugs more loathsome than he.
All in another day in the Chihuahuan Desert. If you find a vinegaroon, we’re looking for a replacement.
The scorpion is alive. Apparently all the crickets and roaches we’ve been feeding the praying mantis have brought the scorpion out of hiding. The children are excited, and David is thankful the the praying mantis spends most of its time on the screen off the dirt.
I’m always amazed at the resiliance of desert creatures. I suppose it’s possible that the vinegaroon has survived, too. We’ll see.
Lee went to the pet store to see if there was a humane society in town, and met a lady inside who was giving away her neighbor’s dog!
Apparently the family was gone all day and left the dog in a small kennel outside without shade and the woman threatened to turn them in if they didn’t let her find a better home for her.
She’s about two years old. She’s been trained (although she doesn’t always obey… sounds like our children), and she’s very sweet. She has a lot of energy, and keeps the children hopping. She loves having a yard with grass to run and play in.
David’s been picking up the dog poop faithfully. Yesterday he said, “This poop is really stinky. I’m not complaining, but it does not smell good at all.” I laughed. He’s happy to do it because that makes her “his” dog and he gets the privilege of having her sleep in his room. I’m thinking though that he’ll probably need to share the dog poop job before long.
Really, I could live all of my life without a dog and not miss a thing. But she’s been good for my family, so I’m glad she’s around.
The mother duck has disappeared. We discovered it too late to save the eggs.
The cooper hawks have stayed clear from our house for the time being.
David and Bethel have started kindergarten at home. I’ll probably do two years of kindergarten for Bethel, but it keeps her busy and happy to do it with David.
Laurel is now pacifier free, thanks to my husband. If it were up to me, I’d never take that pacifier awake. It hasn’t been traumatic, although I now have another daughter who sings herself to sleep.
I love New Mexico summers. Other than an uncomfortably hot June (although nothing like the heat of Pheonix), summer around here is quite pleasant. The mornings start out cool, with clear skies, gradually warming until noon, when afternoon clouds start developing. The wind gusts, rain falls, arroyos fill with water, clouds blow up against the mountains, and rainbows appear. I could sit outside every afternoon and not get bored with the drama.
Speaking of drama, we have a mother Mallard duck who decided to nest in the empty lot next door. She’s sitting on about five eggs, and they should hatch in the next week or so.
We also have a family of Cooper’s hawks nearby. They’ve become regular guests at our back fence, much to the irritation of the local robins, who dive bomb them whenever they stay for too long. Maybe that’s what happened to the mother and baby rabbit who took shelter in our yard a few weeks ago. Today the juvenile hawk flew straight into our kitchen window. He was stunned, and I was afraid he had broken a wing. But after hobbling across our yard, he hopped on the fence, fell off the other side, and then flew across the field to a large tree. Excitement abounds.
Actually, it’s not just the summer, I love New Mexico. When I think that I never asked to be here, I am thankful that God knows better than I where I belong. Now I’m off to roast some green chiles.
We had vacation Bible school last week. The teacher for Laurel and Bethel twisted a pipe cleaner in Laurel’s hair (since she had pulled out her barrettes) and gave her a little halo. Another teacher told Bethel, “Doesn’t she look like an angel?”
Bethel replied matter-of-factly, “No, she looks like a quail.”
We do have quite a few quail. A few weeks ago, we stopped for a family of quail, mommy, daddy, and about twenty two-inch high babies crossing the road.
I knew I’ve made good progress in my quest to be a better homemaker, but the confirmation was funny…
David: Let’s play “spider and house cleaner.” I’ll be the spider, and you be the house cleaner. You have to try to kill me.
Bethel: Okay. Clean, clean clean. I’m cleaning. Oh, there’s a spider! I must kill him”
Now they’re just playing “hummingbird and kid.” Bethel is sitting on a rock with the bird identification guide, and David is a hummingbird flying around. Bethel has to identify him: He’s got a blue back. She also is trying to coax him into the “house.” I have some food for you. I left the door open, so you can come inside.
They’ve also played “scorpion and vinegaroon” tonight. (Bethel was the scorpion.)
and the woman threatened to turn them in if they didn’t let her find a better home for her.
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