Every 17 years, millions of creatures, called Brood X cicadas, emerge in the Mid-Atlantic, and 2021 is one of those years. These odd insects are not locus or grasshoppers; they are entirely different insects and do not swarm or even fly very well. It sounds like we are on some alien planet when you go outside, but other than that, luckily they don’t like the sandy soil in my yard, so we don’t get many. This morning on our walk, one flew into the street right in front of Sofie and went, “buzz, buzz, zit,” and she wanted to investigate, but we just moved on. Turn your sound up and you can hear them in the background of Louise’s video below. This was about a week or so ago, at their peak.
They do feel really weird when they grab onto your legs, but they are harmless. Here are a few cicada husks left on a bush that I took this morning.
They are almost gone now, they’ve been here since mid-May and they last about 1 month. See you in 2038 Brood X. (Good riddance!)
It was a strange spring this year. So hot in May with no rain that we had to start watering the plants, then some rain, no rain, cold, then thunder and lightning, then torrential rain, then hot again. But now we have entered the DOGDAZ of Summer! All we want to do is snooze inside the airconditioned house. Sofie won’t go outside half the time because she does not like the heat (but she does love to swim). Louise thinks maybe the front door exits to a cooler place than the back, so she is always trying a different exit.
It looks like a normal day outside until Mom opens the door. Then…. blast! Heat comes at us like no tomorrow (what does that mean?). You would think we live in the tropics not the mid-Atlantic. Better to stay inside with the cats.
These pictures are from 2015 but not much has changed, the gardens look about the same, the pool is blue, oh yeah, now we are older and we have to deal with Charles, the little rug rat of a dog. Is it hot where you live?
I loved to sit on my father’s shoulders. He would walk down the street with me way up top and we would play a game he called ‘high bridge, low bridge.’ He would stoop down when a low branch came so that I cleared the danger.
Someone asked me one thing that I learned from my Dad and I said ‘kindness.’ I was blessed to have this man in my life. He is gone for many years now but I see him every day when I look in the mirror since I look like him.
They clipped my claws! I hate having my claws clipped. I am mad! I am going to hide behind the fish tank. They won’t see me. I am never coming out again (or at least until dinner). – Noel, the Christmas Cat
Our pet whisperer/ animal sitter / groomer and all-time great caretaker, Sonya, gave me a handsome fur cut the other day. It takes a lot to keep me looking gorgeous as I do.
I even posed for Mom when she was taking pictures because I know that I look sooooo good. Aren’t I handsome? – Charles the Mugwump
Every year our Osprey return to mate and have little Osprey.
This is us in 2014 before the bulkhead was turned into a living shoreline, staring at the Osprey platform. Those big birds don’t like us much. This year Mom caught them on video teaching their baby’s to fly. Turn up your volume if you want to hear their little cry drowned out by the 17-year cicada song. The cicadae are very loud but will be gone in a few weeks. But that is for another blog.
This really does redefine the words ‘Teacher’s Pet.’ I teach virtually and video record my sessions. I don’t think there is one session in the last 6 months that Miss Mini Cooper has not attended. And now she has Nine getting into the act.
When summer hits, even if we are in the shade, it is still panting hot.
Every year our Osprey return to mate and have little Osprey.
This is us in 2014 before the bulkhead was turned into a living shoreline, staring at the Osprey platform. Those big birds don’t like us much. This year Mom caught them on video teaching their baby’s to fly. Turn up your volume if you want to hear their little cry drowned out by the 17-year cicada song. The cicadae are very loud but will be gone in a few weeks. But that is for another blog.
DogDaz Zoo 