If cats could talk, they wouldn’t – Nan Porter, fine arts painter

A small visitor wearing a crimson cape, brighter than a cherry, smaller than a grape. – Joan Walsh Anglund, American poet, children’s book author/illustrator (1926-2021)

The cool morning warmed up quickly but was still comfortable. Sam had just barely gotten over a sinus infection; ‘tis the season, dust, dry leaves covering the ground and filling up the gutters. Just a few sinus medicines and a Neti pot and he was off fishing. You can only go for so long missing fishing days. With Wilhelmina at my side, I waved goodbye.

Before I could turn around Wilhelmina had disappeared. I sat on the porch reading, listening, and enjoying the day until the clouds went away and the harsh sun arrived. The sun burned my bare feet, so I moved to the back porch in the shade. I called and called Wilhelmina, but she didn’t appear. It was time to put out the birdseed, check the birdbaths, and feed the pond goldfish. Back at the porch there was Wilhelmina. She sat beside me and bathed herself. That’s a nice thing about cats, they’re self-cleaning.

The Prairie is a wonderful place to live but like most everything it is not perfect. Gazillion leaves fall in autumn bringing with them allergens, dust, pathogens, slippery wet leaves everywhere. It’s just the price you pay weighing the good with the not so good. Some critters slip in about this time of year. We took a walk through the woods enjoying the changes in the season only to find we had been attacked by chiggers also called “red bugs.”

Chiggers are tiny parasites in the spider family. They come out in the fall where they appear in grass fields, along lakes, and in the woods. They have tiny little claws that pierce the skin then “spit” saliva into the skin usually around areas of the body with tight fitting clothing. They don’t carry diseases, but they do cause pain and irritating itching. The desire to scratch is unyielding but will cause inflammation, sores, and swelling. There’s an abundance of common remedies that may help some relief-wash hardily with soap and water; soak in Epsom salts, try calamine lotion, aloe vera, Vaseline, apple cider vinegar, Benadryl or other antihistamines. Best used if the chiggers have been discovered early.

On another note, the ladybugs also called lady beetles are starting to arrive. I’ve caught five bugs already and added them to my bug box complete with shrub branches, sliced apples, and a misting bottle. Ladybugs are coming inside the house looking for warmth to survive the winter. Were it not for misting the ladybugs would likely die of dehydration. The population will grow as the temperatures cool down. There are numerous kinds of ladybugs, some have up to seven spots, others have no spots. The “two spotted ladybugs have two spots.” The Asian ladybug can have up to 22 spots. I’ll enjoy the ladybugs when the greenhouse is filled with plants and flowers. Ladybugs will be released to have their fill of insects like aphids, scale insects, mealy bugs, and spider mites. And so, the cycles of seasons continues.

Shannon Bardwell is a writer living quietly in the Prairie. Email reaches her at [email protected].