I actually like the cicadas. Yes, they're deafening, but they're only around for a few weeks every 17 years. They don't bite and are no threat to man. To me they are one of nature's cool mysteries. Millions of them emerge, create the next generation, make their racket, and die on exactly the same cycle, give or take a few days. Even the cycle itself is cool. 17 is a prime number, as is 13, the cycle of another type of cicada. This keeps their most common predators, who have a life cycle of 3-5 years, perpetually off balance. By the time the next generation of cicadas comes around the last generation of predators to remember them is long gone. It's enough to make you think this isn't all happening by accident.

The girls and I got talking about cicadas in the car last weekend and now they are excited about them as well. Emily was not alive the last time and Allie was only a few months old. Next time they will be well into adulthood and me, who knows?


>Ughhh! When I was living in Phoenix, I was there for the lucky return of the Cicadas. They sang nonstop at night and in the morning every tree would be completely covered in clear cicada shells. The only thing worse was the love bugs in Panama City, Florida...
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>>>>>>>>That's just something you've snapped in the Everglades!
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>>>>>>>It was tasty too!
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>>>>>>And so easy to cook: it hovers over its own fire then hops onto the plate.
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>>>>>>Saw a nature prog last night about Florida and esp the 'Glades - 1,000s of sq km, Florida being bigger than England and Wales put together. Truly you live in Paradise.
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>>>>>Except for the hurricanes, of course.
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>>>>Aye but you can't even grow the sour grapes up there in Hyperboria, can you? :-)
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>>>Hah! Shows how much you know. Ontario is fast becoming known as one of the finest wine regions in the world.
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>>>Oh, wait! You're right, you said sour grapes, didn't you. ;)
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>>>Besides I appreciate winter. If it weren't for winter, all my complaining about the cold and the snow would sound really stupid, wouldn't it.
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>>One of the reasons I love this time of year is it's our reward for surviving another winter. The snow melts, the temperature rises, the trees blossom. Today is a picture perfect day. And this year we're luckier than usual -- the 17 year cicadas emerge within the next few days.