It’s really the humidity that can get to you more than the temperature. Just in case that clammy, uncomfortable feeling isn’t enough, the frizzy hair barometer is letting me know it’s in the upper ranges. A quick check confirms it’s almost 60% humidity at the moment, and while it could be worse, it’s still too yucky for me. The Earworm of the Day is “The Heat is On” by Glenn Frey circa 1984.

The heat is on
On the street
Inside your head
On every beat

It’s a luxury and a blessing to have air-conditioning, yet I still find myself taking periodic breaks to walk outside and sit in the very warm, kind of damp breeze. Unfortunately, those breaks are shorter than they might be, due to the moths.

What is with these moths? Starting today there is a sudden explosion of tan moths flying all over the place. There haven’t been any stripped trees or infestations of caterpillars and their droppings caused by the Spongy Moth (previously known as the Gypsy Moth) in this immediate area, although I’m told by some friends who live about fifteen miles from here that they are being plagued by them. The moths are bumbling around and bouncing into you, flying in crazy trajectories, but they don’t alight, so I really haven’t been able to get a good look at one and absolutely determine if it is them or another kind….although most likely it is. From what I understand, the larger, lighter colored female moths don’t fly, so it would be the male moths careening all over the place searching for females to mate with.

Many years ago, so long ago that it was back when I was in my twenties, we lived through a most horrific Gypsy Moth (now Spongy Moth) plague. They stripped all the leaves and killed the trees that were too new or too weak. What was thought to be a constant rain falling was the relentless, surreal sound of their droppings as they hit the ground. Every surface was covered with those tiny black balls of caterpillar shit. It stained everything. It turned the pools, lakes, any standing water, outdoor furniture, cars – everything – brown. Any sort of picnic or outdoor activity was pretty much out of the question. The stuff would fall on your food. In your hair. Everywhere. Just standing still, the caterpillars would actually start crawling up your body. They laid these spongy yellowish-white egg masses (thus the new moniker) all over the place – on tree bark, in crevices of house shingles, on tables and chairs. We were wrapping the trunks of the trees with sticky tape to try and save them, pulling off caterpillars and scraping off eggs everywhere as best we could. It was a horrible, sci-fi type scenario, but it only lasted that one year and then it was gone. I’ve heard they have been back in surrounding counties over the years, but since that time I haven’t experienced them again. Could these pheromone-seeking, spiraling moths be a harbinger of a future infestation for the following year? If so, life on the Urban Porch as we know it will not be happening next summer.

This morning early, before the heat became too much, I checked on one of my old mushroom spots. I didn’t find any mushrooms at all, and I have a feeling that even if some appear later, there is not going to be much, if any, in that particular place this season. Sometimes it’s like that; you have a banner year or a bust year. However, the woods were filled with crazily flying moths there too. There were so many that it was a rather freaky experience.

Moving from the moths and onto local wildlife, we have a family of raccoons that make an appearance during the pre-dawn hours. There is a pair that often comes through the back yard together. A few nights ago a mother with six cubs paraded down the driveway. But after that I have only seen her with three of them. Not that having a pack of raccoons hanging out here is necessarily welcome, but something happening to them would be a very sad thing. Last week one of my neighbors reported that over a ten day period, a few racoons and a litter of skunks were found in his yard and a few other yards, dying from something possibly toxic. This set off all sorts of alarming conversations and questions – was someone poisoning them? And if so, who?

Whatever it was, it appears to have ceased. I have been routinely checking to make sure the “regulars” who come through here are still present. I haven’t seen the big, fluffy, mostly white skunk for a while, so I am a little concerned about that one. The scent of skunk is in the air, but these days it’s difficult to tell which is animal and which is someone vaping weed out on the street. There is a possum hanging around and then the raccoons and the babies. Perhaps only some of the cubs come out at a time. The other night there was just one, slowly following the mother, who kept stopping to turn around and wait up for it.

Blooming around the house and on the street this week we have pops of orange color. Sneezeweed is growing against the foundation.

Butterfly Weed is along the sidewalk.

Orange Daylilies are opening near the front porch and all along the roadways.

The Bee Balm has appeared, as usual, around Fourth of July. They always remind me of fireworks.

The Gooseneck Loosestrife is bowing its goosey necks. These guys tend to spread and take over pretty quickly if you don’t watch out…..

Stalks rise from the Hostas, flanking the walkway, like crowds waiting for a parade..

And the first buds from the Rose of Sharon prepare to burst forth…

On the cooking front there is not much excitement to report. It’s hot. I’m unmotivated. Meals have consisted of one tasty dinner out with local friends, then takeout Chinese food (with eggrolls!). Next was a quick visit to the corner Japanese place for Spider Rolls. That should probably cover my dining out quota for the rest of the summer. Corn chips and salsa. Watermelon. Tonight it’s probably going to be some kind of salad. Same local friends sent over some deliciously decadent home made lemon bars that will probably send my sugar through the roof.

On the subject of lemons though, I have to share that I splurged and bought myself a “gadget”. Well, actually, more of a “kitchen implement”. It’s a citrus zester! A fancier citrus zester than I had imagined a zester might be, but then, I wasn’t really looking for one. It was all by itself, just one, hanging on a hook with an assortment of other kitchen stuff that I noticed as I walked by a wall display. Since I’ve been zesting lemons like crazy lately, I figured why not? I came home and zested away. And it was such a pleasure! I don’t know what took me so long. It’s amazing how something like this can make one feel so happy….

The other new kitchen implement was procured recently using a birthday gift certificate to an herb shop. Along with a few herbs and spices, I bought a mortar and pestle. Many years ago I had one, but it disappeared amid multiple moves. Sometimes I like to crush up a little cardamom and add it to the coffee grind. The aroma evokes something very déjà vu for me…..

That’s about it for this afternoon. I just stopped to take Rudi out and a rather yummy, albeit warm, bath-like breeze kicked up, making the heat a bit more bearable and signaling the possibility of rain.

The heat is on
The heat is on
The heat is on
Oh, it’s on the street
The heat is… on

~*~