crossing the road Archives - Owl Medicine: Shamanic Healing

Big Guy On the Road

Oh my goodness – the weather today. It was simply one of those singularly stupendous examples of summer-on-the-cusp-of-autumn perfection. And as we embarked upon our usual round, Karl and I encountered this big guy on the road, a creature not commonly found making its way unscathed across the macadam of our country road. At least, not commonly found by us anyway!

Spartacus was the first to spot it. He seems to recognize that it’s praying mantis babies getting squished by cars season, so for the past few days he’s been frantically darting from one inert splat on the road to the next. Praying mantis roadkill was always Sheila’s most favored delicacy. She was uncannily adept at prying them off the road at the perfect angle to keep them fully intact, rewarding her with an entire mouthful of green goodness.

I’ll be honest: Over the past few days I’ve pried a few dead mantises off the road and brought them back to Sheila. She may be too frail to walk very far anymore, but she still gobbles these seasonal treats with astonishing gusto.

Leopard Snail

Which leads me back to our discovery of this magnificent specimen today. Spartacus approached it enthusiastically but immediately eschewed its plump moist body as definitely not the hoped-for praying mantis carcass. It caught my attention, though. What was that odd…thing?

As can be seen, I dutifully documented our discovery for all our benefit, at first just giving it its due. But its rather gargantuan heft could not be appropriately appreciated without context, so I provided my toe for perspective. It should be noted, I am not one of dainty feet. This snail is a monster.

As I extolled the snail’s unique beauty, documented same, and debated with Karl the merits of messing with its destiny by moving it across the road in the direction it appeared to be heading, I also managed to locate a small plastic bag in my pocket that enabled me to pick it up and help it cross the road. (I’ll admit, it’s inability to deftly dodge cars nudged me in the direction of potentially interfering with its karma.) I carry this snack size zippered bag in my pocket precisely so I have a place to store the praying mantis detritus that I bring home for Sheila to remind her of better days.

See? Everything is related.

Look at that Face

At this point, it feels important to state that in eastern Pennsylvania I do believe it is a common colloquialism to refer to people in general as ‘guys.’ In ‘these parts,’ as they say, when we use the term ‘guys,’ we are not making a specific reference to friends (usually) of either male or female persuasion, but rather ‘whomever’ – in other words, everyone in the general vicinity to which we’re referring.

So you might have bristled somewhat at my reference to this being a ‘big guy’ – but in fact, as an in-depth reading of this link on Leopard Snails reveals, they are in fact hermaphrodites. So, even more appropriate that I referred to this specimen with the colloquial expression ‘guy.’

And wow – they’ve got quite the acrobatic means of reproducing, too.

Finally, I ask you: how could you not love that face? And its name: Limax Maximus.

See, you just never know what you’re going to read about from one day to the next with me. It’s all part of the magic, you guys.

(T-447)

Praying Mantis – Photo: L. Weikel

Come At Me!

This is Sheila, my Boston Terrier’s, favorite time of year. Why? Because she delights in the opportunity to indulge in a diet of crunchy greens, and for a few days (perhaps a week?) each year, there are an abundance of such ‘crunchy greens’ just waiting for her to discover them.

Young Love Gone Wrong

I know, it’s unseemly to make light of the grievous massacre that occurs each and every year at this time.

I’m actually not sure if it’s a ritualistic ‘crossing of the road’ that drives this species specifically at this time of year to cross the road in droves – consequently getting smooshed in droves by oblivious human drivers.

Or is it the heady euphoria (pun intended) of mating with one’s beloved, knowing deep down inside that once your primal urge to pass along your genetic material is sated, you will literally get your head bitten off by your partner in gratitude for your winged passion?

Roadkill Buffet

Whatever the cause, Sheila is delighted to offer her services as canine cleanup crew.

No kidding, it probably took us 15 minutes longer than usual to get around the circuit (the walk around – 2.2 miles) precisely because Sheila was busy prying up dead bodies from the macadam surface and relishing her favorite annual delicacy: Praying Mantis (PM).

Honestly, it was tragic how many Praying Mantises did not make it from one side of the road to the other.

One, however, was entirely affronted when Spartacus (Sheila’s enthusiastic son, who actually doesn’t care for the taste of Praying Mantises and would much rather prefer a random crushed hickory nut) ran up to it to determine whether or not it was alive.

BACK OFF! – or – Come At Me!*

Indeed, it was very much alive, thank you, not only whirring its wings at him in indignation, but also ‘putting up its dukes’ in a bellicose and authentically pugnacious attitude. Not having a taste for PM to start with, and not necessarily looking for a fight with anything for a second thing, Spartacus was easily swayed to leave it the heck alone. (*This is a ‘PG’ translation of my perception of just what that PM was saying to Spartacus when he went up to it and sniffed it.)

I immediately took its photo, trying to capture the indignation.

Of course, as I stood there, no fewer than three automobiles came through and passed us. The fact that we were seeing untoward carnage as we walked, necessitated I break my usual rule of non-interference. So after nudging the Praying Mantis failed to get it to move to the side of the road, I decided to gently grab one of its wings to toss it into the grass beside the road.

Aiding and Abetting Survival

This effort seemed to work well enough to at least save this one, very full-bellied, Praying Mantis. (I only noticed the girth of its abdomen when it landed almost upside down in the tall grasses beside the road.) I’m hoping it was a female, so I can imagine having saved millions of nymphs.

Anyway, since the primary lesson of Praying Mantis is ‘stillness,’ I’m going to close this post out and find some stillness myself – with my head on my pillow.

While the Circle of Life can be harsh, I at least took some comfort in Sheila’s exuberant appreciation of these “Zen Mantises.” (You know, the ones that were “one with the road.”)

Not everyone who aims to cross the road makes it to the other side. But at least there’s a lovable Boston Terrier willing to run cleanup on Tory Road.