Critters in the crawlspace and pretty much everywhere else too

Now I don’t know if bugs and moths can properly be called critters but I do know they can be called neighbors, even roommates, at this time of year – along with midges, junebugs, wolf spiders, bunnies in the bushes, and whatever it is that burrowed under my foundation into my crawlspace. I haven’t had the nerve to go looking for it yet, but it has to be pretty big, judging by the size of the burrow.

Then there are the mosquitoes. I have a fine crop this year – had to take measures, though, when a couple of them tried to make off with the spaniel.  But the prize has to be over at Katy Newman’s place. She told me she sent away for special flies to plant in the manure pile. Clearly this required further explanation, and it was forthcoming. The special flies eat the not-so-special flies that typically congregate around manure piles. We didn’t explore the matter in depth, but I suspect the mosquitoes at my place will be over there soon to eat the special flies, and perhaps one of the horses if Katy doesn’t keep a wary eye on them.

A few years ago Barbara Kingsolver, one of my favorite writers, published Prodigal Summer, a novel awash in the profligate fertility of Mama Nature. I think of it every time I take the dogs for a walk and find new swarms of fellow critters waiting to accompany us along the greening path. It’s all pretty amazing, when you think about it.