Wait Just a Minute

Okay so the pictures of spiders and our friend the scorpian may be scary. But I think Kent forgot to mention that we have not seen these spiders in well over a month. Our exterminators have been visiting the house monthly to spray. So please do not let our spider and scorpian friends keep you from visiting.

Scorpions

I know that all of the bug pictures might be a deterrant for those who may want to visit us. Please do not be alarmed. These pictures have been accumulated over the past 2 months. Also, we are really trying hard to find these creatures. It is not as if we turn down our beds to find them crawling beneath the sheets...or do we...Hoo Hoo Hahahahahaha...

Notice the feared scorpion. This is only the 2nd we have found in our house since moving in:) In the immortal words of Roger Gross, "All together now: Oooooooooooo, Ahhhhhhhhhhh!"

I refrained from posting the picture we took after smashing this little bugger with the 1994 version of Webster's College Dictionary. It was incredible how resilient the hard exoskeleton was considering the estimated 50 joules of force that were applied to it.

This insect resembles a twig - delicate and unpretentious (what am I critiquing wine here?). Clearly it is an example of Mullerian Mimicry, much like the example of the Monarch and Viceroy Butterflies. Or is it Batesian mimicry? I don't remember, I haven't taken comparative animal physiology since 1997.

And of course the very benign lady bug - very common and unexciting.

The Long Awaited Zoo Pictures at Medio Creek

For those who were not aware, apparently we are the reality-t.v. version of the Discovery Channel. With all the animals here it's like FRICKIN' National Geographic right in our backyard!
I am posting the pictures to document this ridiculousness. Notice the abundance of spiders - several different species!
















One of these lighter brown spiders may be the Brown Recluse - very poisonous!

This one is eating something EWWWWWWWWWWWWWW!












This one might be one of the most common ones we see. It also looks pretty mean, huh? It is neither a Black Widow, nor a Brown Recluse. We are not sure what it is yet.

This one looks kinds of interesting and deadly. We are also unsure about what kind of spider this one is. The stripes are remarkably similar to the new autumn upholstery pattern from Ethan Allen named "pumpkin butter!!!"

SINCERE APOLOGIES

I apologize for the lack of updating and fun that we have done to the blog lately. We have been quite busy and preoccupied. Hopefully this posting will redeem us. Meghan is away in Wisconsin visiting with friends this weekend. So I thought I'd spend a little time updating everyone with pictures and antics.

Let's start with antics. For those of you with a crass sense of humor or a penchant for juvenile behavior pay close attention. You will probably enjoy this. For those who are easily offended or have a weak stomach...well just grin and bear it, this is a short posting.

Below I have attached two pictures to represent the attitudes, humor, and grace of perhaps the quintessential Texan. Now I do not like generalizing, but some people enjoy using bumper stickers as a statement to the world. Others dress in a certain way in order to express themselves. Still others prefer to choose one thing that best represents them...something they can display for the whole world to see...something that says, "Hey world, check me out" or "Hey world, this is what I stand for." This may be a bumper sticker that reads:

Honk if you love Jesus

Or it may be a rainbow sticker on the rear of the car. Other people prefer the time-honored tradition of placing a Hawaiian figurine of a woman in a coconut bra on the dash board so that her hips girate as the driver slaloms through traffic. If all else doesn't quite suit your fancy or capture your message to the world, you may decide to simply tint your car windows, hang a flag outside your house, wear a ribbon on your lapel, engage in a public rally or protest, or move to a commune in New Mexico where they share your views, can call you their "brother/sister," and reasure you that we were all really born from the same uterus. Now, because we are in TX one may expect that symbol or statement to be a large "W" in honor of our beloved president. However, in this state they prefer to be much more direct and clear about what they stand for...who they are...what REALLY matters to them.

Please see below:















You might notice below the tail-hitch hanging from a chain is a pair of shiny testicles enveloped in a fashionable brass-colored scrotum! See below for the more intricate detail and craftsmanship of this fine item.



















For those of you who are preparing to rush right out to the store or leave this blog to scour the internet in search of one of these classy accessories, rest assured. They also come in silver and a shiny cobalt color.I apologize for not including pictures of these options, my camera boycotted taking additional pictures of these after taking this one. So unfortunately you will just have to trust me that it comes in a colorful variety! But that's not all!! They are also approximately 6-8 inches from top to bottom, and about 4 inches wide at the lowest part! And, if you act now, you may be able to procure a matching bumper sticker. Often times, Texans also disply a bumper sticker above the trail-hitch that reads:


Drive it like it's got a pair!

I am so honored and grateful to have had the opportunity to live here for the least few months. It's not the vulgarity of Texas that resonates with me, but rather the attitude that it is of the utmost importance to let others around know who you are and what you stand for. Ah, the true American spirit...this is why the fathers of our nation fought to escape Britain's controlling hand and harsh, unfair, suffocating rules...so that we might have the freedom to tell the world what we stand for...by dangling big brass balls from our automobiles. GOD BLESS TEXAS!