Golden Rule

It won’t stop raining!  It’s becoming oppressive!  Oh, now I feel guilty.  People in areas close by have lost their homes and I’m feeling “oppressed,” even though our power is on and our basement isn’t even flooded.  What a crazy couple of weeks this has been—an earthquake, a hurricane, flooding, and even a tornado—all these natural disasters have brought boatloads of misery to this area. 

 

While my heart goes out to all who are suffering, I find myself feeling very blessed because we’re not suffering.  Is that wrong?  People from our church have gone out to help those in need.  They have shoveled mud, hauled ruined furniture out of flooded homes, and given money, among other things. They’re going again in a couple of days and I guess I should join them.  It’s hard to sit contentedly, wrapped up in your own warm blessings when you know there are people out there feeling cursed.  And I'm well aware that the next time, the positions could be switched.  So whatever you wish that others would do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets. Matthew 7:12 (ESV)

Die, Slugs, Die!

As you may have ascertained from the title, this blog entry will document violent acts committed against one of nature’s most despicable creatures.   It happened this way—The Man and I were working on our never-ending slate project in the backyard.  I was pushing aside the soil next to the porch to do some measuring and what should my eyes behold?  A pile of nasty, wet, slimy slugs, that’s what!  It shouldn’t have surprised me.  I’d noticed lately that something creepy had been chewing holes in the Ajuga’s (a.k.a. Bugleweed) beautiful leaves...I just wasn’t sure what.  

Hope they enjoyed that last meal....

Well now I knew.  So the hunt was on.  I started grabbing those things out with my bare hands, which I can hardly believe as I write this, but it’s true.  And let me tell you something—they are 
D-I-S-G-U-S-T-I-N-G!    Make that, times four.  And they were all over the place!  So I was parting leaves, grabbing slugs, and tossing them onto the cement.  Parting leaves, grabbing slugs, and placing them in direct sunlight, hoping they would fry and never again fill their greedy little tummies (assuming they have tummies) with my leaves!  Then I was parting leaves, grabbing slugs and tossing them onto a dust pan.  When the pan was full and they were trying to crawl over the side, I ran to the back fence and flung them into the woods.  The ones that refused to let go were treated to a smashing on the fence post. 

Well, at some point it came to my attention that I was supposed to be measuring and cutting slate.  So I went into the house to wash the slug goo off my hands.  Did you know that slug goo could easily lubricate the most complex machinery?  Well, I don’t know that for a fact, but it sure seemed to be the case as I tried to wash that gunk off.  It was like trying to wash off Vaseline!  Soap, water, scrub.  Nope—still there.  More soap, water, rub a little harder.  Some came off, but some was still left.  Reach under the sink, pull out the cleaning toothbrush.  Soap, water, scrub with toothbrush.  Ah, it finally came off.  Wow.  That’s potent goo. 

I went back outside to work on the slate.  After a while I found myself strangely drawn to that patch of Ajuga.  What if there are more slugs hiding in there?  I’d better take another look.  So more parting of leaves, more discovered slugs.  This time I used my noggin and plunged a skinny piece of slate in the leaves where the slugs were and guess what?  The stickiness of the goo worked in my favor this time.  They’d stick to it and I’d pull them out, place them gently on the cement and proceed to smash their little bodies with the slate stick!  That sounds horrible, I know, but let me ask you this—if it was so wrong, why did it feel so very right?  Aren’t there such things as justifiable rage and revenge?  After all, these monsters were attempting to chew my plants to the ground!  All I know is, those particular beasts won’t try that again.  Apparently they didn’t know who they were messing with….

    

My New Bling

What a great day!  I took a bike ride this morning.  The sky was blue.  The air was fresh and cool.  It felt good to know I was burning calories like crazy and enjoying myself at the same time!  Upstate New York is pretty beautiful in the summer—there’s no question about it.   A man was opening his garage sale, so I stopped to ask a question about the recent flooding caused by Hurricane Irene, and ended up buying a ridiculous piece of “bling” that I’ll probably never wear, but that I liked.  (Always carry money with you when you ride.  You never know what you’ll happen upon that you desperately need.)  I don’t know what it is about being on a bike on a beautiful day, but it’s just heavenly.  It leaves you feeling so happy and relaxed.  The feeling has lasted the whole day.  

 (Of course, the afternoon nap might have helped a little too….)  

Here’s my fancy new necklace! 

Don't be jealous--I'm sure there are garage sales in your area too!