April 11 - April 15 Grass Becomes Green

2011-The kitchen is full of ants.  There are a few medium sized ones but most are  the very small (though not the tiniest) kind. I was thinking ant traps when I saw one trying to drag a particle of food longer than himself, struggling and struggling to drag it away.  Suddenly I identified too much to want to put out poison to be tracked back to exterminate the whole nest.  I decided to try to put up with them as long as I could.  My responsibility, I realized, was to keep the counters as clean as possible.  Otherwise it’s just not fair.  I began to think about karma-’instant karma’- because my reward for not killing them was a change in the nature of the whole world I live in; it became a gentler place.  Now I am living in a world where I can open my heart to Sister Ant.  Can I extend this acceptance to slugs eating my garden?  Not yet anyway.
2012-There’s a strange quietness.  The nectarine is all bursting blossoms, but only a single bee. The birds are subdued-intimidated by the grackles?  Even the peepers have retreated into silence.

Thursday Morning

The wall creaked angrily.
The refrigerator,
Totally lacking in consideration,
Cycled aimlessly off and on.
Over in the corner
A fly whined constantly
But refused to better its situation.

In spite of all precautions,
Joy
Leaks in under the doors
And falls in through the windows.

2013- More bug issues. This year the kitchen ants are a bigger two toned variety. About a dozen arranged themselves on the tiles behind the stove and just stood still there for a few days. Then they left.  Reading outside, I observed the life drama of a scarlet-eyed fly that fell into my wine. I fished it out and set it on the arm of the chair  where it began rubbing itself dry with its little legs. At first its wings seemed glued together, but after a while they separated and eventually it was able to fly off. It appeared to have as much concern for its self as I have for mine. And then a little later, an insect flew onto the page that looked exactly like a chocolate sprinkle in two sections. With red antennas. It was so cute I became bug enamored and dwelt for the rest of the day in a marvelous magical kingdom of cross species love and appreciation.
Then I discovered that some branches of my indoor Myer lemon tree were completely covered in ants. Last year this was my first indication of a massive scale infestation that nearly killed the tree. Even though I could find no scale and supposed that the sweetness of the blossoms could be the attraction, I took no chances and brought out the pyrethrin. The tree looks good but the ants are all dead.  I try to feel bad about it but I don't.