Swarming Red Bugs!

One day last week, my daughter called me to the backyard.  She was staking a rose bush and noticed some red bugs  swarming on the tire of her sister's car.  "WOW! was my first response.  I hadn't seen this particular bug before.

After doing some internet research, we identified these busy red bugs as Boxelder Bugs.  Not really a problem bug, so we just watched them and let them be.  For more information about Boxelder Bugs, visit:

Boxelder Bugs vs. Lady Bugs
OR
http://angelasentomlabnotebook.blogspot.com/2010/06/boxelder-bugs-vs-lady-bugs.html

Black bears spotted!

About a week ago, in one of our local golf course communities, Carolina Trace, two black bears were spotted.    First, a full grown bear was seen.  The resident turned on some outside lights which scared the bear away.   Then, about twenty minutes later, a cub came into the yard.  It left, too, without incident.  Others in the community have also reported seeing bears this spring.  Just imagine if you were on the golf course and saw a bear on the green.  What a story to tell!

Black bears are common in North Carolina's coastal and mountain regions, and sightings in central NC happen.  It will probably become more common in the central region, though, as the bears' mountain and coastal territories are shared with more and more human development.  According to Steve Godfrey, the park ranger at Sanford's San-Lee Park, "black bears aren't typically aggressive toward people," but "it is important to remain calm and avoid approaching them."  Godfrey says they will fight if they get scared.

The quoted portions of this blog entry come from The Sanford Herald, 19May2011.

For more information about black bears in NC, including how to prevent confrontations with them, go to:
http://www.ncwildlife.org/Wildlife_Species_Con/WSC_Black_Bear.htm

Update from Our Place on the Map

Not long after my last post in January, our one-of-a-kind 3-legged black miniature poodle, Cajun, began going downhill.  She had been sick with breathing problems, and continued joint pain in her remaining back leg.  It became apparent that the breathing and the pain were too much, so we again did the hardest thing for the second time in about 8 weeks.  Afterwards, Cajun was laid to rest in our yard, under the pine trees, alongside her frenemy, Jake.  She is sorely missed, so much that words cannot describe the loss.

I expect, though, that Rusty believes he ran those two dogs off all by himself!  He continues to be the mighty hunter.  This spring he has already captured several critters, including a small live snake that he brought into the house.  One of these times, I need to video the capture and removal of one of Rusty's live presents.  It is always an amusing episode!

Now, onto the opposite of amusing.  On April 16, an F3 tornado came through our town.  My home and property was spared, but the tornado destroyed half of a neighborhood around the corner from me.  The tornado warning came over the weather radio, sending my daughter, Katie, and I (and Rusty) into a protected hallway.  Soon afterwards, we heard the sound of a train, and the lights went out.  A few moments later, we heard a high-pitched whistling sound as the tornado left our area and headed to the next neighborhood in its path.  Our town has been in an upheaval since.  Business and homes will be rebuilt and repaired but the landscape of the town cannot be fixed.  And the lost lives and possessions cannot be replaced.

So, that brings us to now.  It is a glorious afternoon here.  My garden has been started.  It will be a small venture this year - tomatoes, herbs, bush beans, and garlic which was planted in the winter.  The garlic has another month or two to go.  From my office window, I am watching a pair of twitterpated cardinals, the male feeding the female.  So sweet!  It rained earlier today, so Rusty is curled up in a chair in the kitchen, waiting for the grass to dry a bit more.   I am thankful to have a kitchen chair, and an office, and a garden, and all the rest.  Tornadoes make you notice and make you thankful, too.