D'vorahDavida
Yetzirah

Bugs And Benches
Mon Jun 01 2009

Evidently we had a blessed event in the back yard this weekend.

Somewhere in the fruitless pear tree, the praying mantis egg casing popped open.

Two of the little guys landed on Hub Man.

Here's one:

[album 65561 Shirt Mantis.JPG]

Cheeky little insect eh?

And here is another one we found inspecting my new-to-me suitcase that we bought at a yard sale. I was airing it out on the patio. 

[album 65561 Suitcase Mantis.JPG]

No wonder we don't usually see them until they are full grown. That's a tiny little bug.

Though he already seems to think he owns the place doesn't he?

We made another find at the yard sale. Something I have been looking for a long long time. It was a real bargain [I thought] at 35.00.

At last I have my front porch bench.

[album 65561 Bench At Last.JPG]

There's a storage area under the seat. I don't know what I would put in there. Maybe it could be a time out area for the dogs when they become hysterical at the sound of the doorbell. I still haven't won that battle unfortunately.

Though I must mention we are making good headway in another area. Both Sunny and Ben have the bad habit of whining and barking and getting inordinately worked up when they see other dogs while out walking on leash. Sunny especially just loses her composure and makes the most gawdawful yowlings and sounds like we are beating her or something. I have taken to bringing along a hefty spray bottle filled with lemon juice on our walks. They have both decided that a mouth full of sour is a most unpleasant result of making a scene in the presence of other dogs. Can't say we are 100% yet, but we are making real headway.

I was starting to dread taking them out they were both so obnoxious. They were getting downright anti-social. Hopefully we can turn them into good citizens soon. We want to take them both to the Sheltie picnic in July where they really do need to exersize some self restraint in order to play nice with about 40 other dogs in an open play area.

(Good luck with that.)

I'm going to need it.
7 Comments
  • From:
    Mamallama (Legacy)
    On:
    Mon Jun 01 2009
    Those bugs are so cool. So alien like.

    Love the bench!!! Very cool.
  • From:
    Diane (Unauthenticated) (Legacy)
    On:
    Mon Jun 01 2009
    Those leetle bugs are strange! Theresas and Shawn figured out the saga of the turkey in their yard. She had babies in there! Also found a mother quail and her babies. Seems their yard is a breeding ground! Too cute! LOVE your bench! I have to start roaming the garage sales once again. Been too long. You made quite a find witht hat one. Those little buggers (the dogs). Wonder what caused them to start doing that with other dogs? especially Sunny. She used to love meeting other dogs when we walked.
  • From:
    InStitches (Legacy)
    On:
    Mon Jun 01 2009
    Love the bench. It makes the entry very inviting. :)
  • From:
    Welshamethyst (Legacy)
    On:
    Mon Jun 01 2009
    I absolutely love that bench. I'm been wating one for ages and ages but can't bring myself to pay full price for one and haven't run across one at a sale anywhere.

    The little mantis reminds me of something that happened when I was about 6 or 7. I found a coccoon in the back yard and brought it in. Mom put it in a fish bowl. I came home from school every day just absolutely certain I'd find a butterfly. One day I came home and the coccoon had opened. Imagine my horror at finding hundreds of baby mantis where my beautiful butterfly should have been *laffs*. These days I'm positively thrilled to find them in the yard!
  • From:
    Allimom (Legacy)
    On:
    Mon Jun 01 2009
    If they've hatched for you down there, they must be about to here, so it's time to go buy a case or two! The ones I buy, when they hatch are smaller than a grain of rice. Cute little fellas!

    Alli
  • From:
    Nibbles (Legacy)
    On:
    Mon Jun 01 2009
    I put all my yardworking/summer stuff in my bench... hoses, rose food, extra seed packets, gloves, knee pads...

    those branch trimmer things. Balls. A slip and slide. Sprinkler parts, spare popsicles.

    Those benches can fit a lot :)
  • From:
    Pragmatist (Legacy)
    On:
    Mon Jun 01 2009
    I had to LOL at the lemon juice. Once they make the full connection between lemon juice and yowling, I think you'll have a couple well-mannered dogs.

    Praying mantises, eh? Good start on bug eaters. Now 'bout adding a few lady bugs?

    Yes, I think you got a bargain on the bench.


    Bless