{ The Fruits of Our Labors }

What do we do when the daily work is done? Enjoy the fruits of our labors...literally. This is what we've been up to:

Fruit picking...which leads to freezing, jam making, cobbler eating and weight gaining...

swimming...

more swimming...

reading... 

baseball watching at Camden Yards...

meeting up with old friends...

helping with the dishes...

exploring (isn't his crawl strange? He's so fast though)...

and listening to these giant bugs. You're not watching for anything in this video. Just listening. 

Do you hear the whirring noise in the background? That is not static, or air conditioners, or traffic. It this giant bug called a cicada.   

There are swarms of these disgustingly giant bugs and they make that noise constantly all day and all night. It is so loud I can even hear it through the walls, especially while I'm lying in bed at night. Thank goodness they stay in the trees. These bugs are huge and they absolutely terrify me. They are 2 to 3 inches long. I hate bugs, especially exceptionally large ones with wings. I can see shells of their bodies all over the side walk. Thanks to wikipedia I learned why: 

"Cicadas live underground as nymphs for most of their lives, at depths ranging from about 30 cm (1 ft) down to 2.5 m (about 8.5 ft). The nymphs feed on root juice and have strong front legs for digging. In the final nymphal instar, they construct an exit tunnel to the surface and emerge. They then molt (shed their skins) on a nearby plant for the last time and emerge as adults. The abandoned skins remain, still clinging to the bark of trees."

Yes, clinging to trees, or sidewalks or anything. Blah! If you like bugs this would be heaven for you. Even if you don't you should definitely read about them HERE.