Spotted Lantern Fly – Standoff; Photo: L. Weikel

Face to Face

There are a lot of different things I’ve considered writing about tonight. But it’s a lot. Everything going on right now is calling on us to figure out who we are and what we believe in, and that can be overwhelming on the best of days. Sometimes it feels appropriate to address what we’re all dealing with, face to face, precisely because we’re going through an existential crisis – both individually, in many cases, and most definitely as a country.

But I’m also acutely aware that we can only take so much. At least, I assume you sort of feel the way I do: I care. I am vociferously passionate about the myriad challenges we’re facing as a country (and a planet). But at the same time, it is abundantly clear to me that we need to pace ourselves. We need to make sure we don’t make the mistake that some long distance runners (or even shorter distance, I suppose) make when they spend it all just a little too early and ‘hit the wall’ just short of the finish line. That’s just heartbreaking to watch when it happens (and I imagine it must be an utter nightmare to personally experience).

I’ve met my enemy; Photo: L. Weikel

First Face

So tonight I’m just going to share a couple of different face to face encounters I’ve had over the past day or two.

This afternoon I was searching for a pen on the glider I occupy when I’m working from my porch. I whipped off one of the cushions and this beast was right there looking at me, as surprised as I was. It even raised its little arms in a defensive posture because it knew. It knew it had met its fate. The beast had been discovered by an avowed Spotted Lantern Fly assassin.

I may have been the one to shorten this moth’s life, but if you take a good look at its eyes, you know it would’ve done the same to me had it only had longer legs.

Katydid ready to jig – Photo: L. Weikel

Second Face

The second little one I’m sharing with you is a katydid we encountered on our walk yesterday. Spartacus actually came upon him, thinking he was dead and possibly as tasty as the praying mantises that all too frequently fail to make it across the road at this time of year. (Sheila’s favorite autumn snacks – which Spartacus is developing a taste for in his maturity.)

What I particularly like about this katydid, beyond it’s much less sinister eyes (compared to the Spotted Lantern Fly) are the way its feet are designed. Its feet look like they have little boots attached!

It almost reminds me of something Jiminy Cricket would wear.

Evening Reprieve

So there you have it. A light little photo essay on my recent face to face encounters with the creatures in my natural habitat.

We need to pace ourselves so we don’t hit the wall – not only before November 3^rd, but even beyond. Because let’s face it: who really thinks the nightmare will be over on November 4^th?

Katydid – Photo: L. Weikel

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