“When I catch up to that Russell, he is going to get a serious chewing out by me!” said Mavis Earwig out loud. She was steamed. “He knows I have a hard time keeping up with him. If he thinks I’m going to be speaking to him after leaving me behind for the umpteenth time, then he’s got another think coming.” Mavis doesn’t take this kind of inconsiderate treatment lightly.
Mavis kept trudging along….up over dirt clods and then down into the depressions made by the rain dripping from the trees that lined the river. Going through the rough terrain didn’t improve her disposition any, either. “Boy, is that Russell going to get it!”
Russell was almost to the top of the big log by this time. He stopped just short of the summit and looked back towards the trail from which he had come. “Oh, man,” said Russell, “Mavis is nowhere in sight! I’m really going to hear about this later, I’ll wager. Well, it’s her own fault……always stopping and gawking at everything along the trail. I guess there’s no sense in worrying about it now, I’m already in trouble. I might as well go on and wait for her at the feeding grounds.”
He couldn’t wait to get to the feeding grounds. That’s where all the tender areas were in the log…..easy to get at some good soft wood to chew on. “Mmmmmmm!” He was getting those rumbling sounds in his tummy. “Well, Mavis will just have to be mad….I’m hungry! If we don’t hurry up and get there before the crowd gathers, it’s going to be pincer to pincer.” And with that he started moving even faster towards his goal at the other end of the big log.
“”Finally, the Big Log!!” Mavis said sarcastically. “Big deal! There are about a hundred other logs in the woods that are just as good as this one, and about ten times easier to get to. I don’t know why Russell insists on coming to this one every time we go out to eat. When I catch up to him, I’m going to give him such a pinch!!”
“Well, I might as well get started up this stupid log. If I don’t beat the crowd to the feeding ground, He’s going to say I’m to blame for being late, and that would take the edge off me being mad. I can’t have that, so I’d better hurry.” Up and up she climbed, past the same twigs and mossy areas that she always passed when they came up here.
She finally reached the top and started on the long walk to the other end where the GOOD SPOT was. Whoopee, she could hardly wait. She was really in a sarcastic mood now. And, she was going to take every bit of it out on Russell.
As she neared the end of the log, she noticed a large wet area that sometimes appeared on this portion of the log. It usually happened on hot summer days, although she didn’t know why. It didn’t hamper her progress any…..that’s how mad at Russell she was. But now, along with the wet spot, she also felt the presence of a twig moving in her direction. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw it just before it struck her in the side and sent her rolling towards the end of the log.
She caught herself just before she tumbled over the brink and into the great unknown below. “Wow! That was lucky that I grabbed hold of this piece of bark! Oh, no!!! Here it comes again!” It stopped short of hitting her and instead just pushed up against her and flicked her out into space. She fell for a long ways but didn’t pick up a lot of speed because she was so light. “Thank goodness for that,” she thought just before she hit the water.
Well, she had finally found Russell…here he is down here treading water with a large variety of other bugs. She started paddling towards Russell. “Boy, is he going to get it this time!!”
“I’m getting bored with this.” thought Little Bobby. Flipping bugs off the log was fun for awhile, but not as much fun as being in the water on a hot day. Little Bobby had been in the water earlier but his inner tube had gotten a hole in it and now lay lifeless beside the big log. He knew there was a tire patch kit in the garage, but he had used all the glue playing with some ants.
“I know!!” he exclaimed, “I have half a tube of airplane glue left from my last model. If that stuff can hold on a bandage, it should hold on a tire patch.” Little Bobby grabbed the inner tube and started trudging back home to try out his theory.
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
Friday, August 21, 2009
Angelo...Bumblebee Extrordinaire
Angelo Bumblebee liked his ability to fly here and there. Most of the Bumblebees he knew took flying for granted, but not him. It had gotten him out of a lot of trouble. Like the time that bird had swooped down on him at the edge of the pond. He had seen it coming and had quickly changed direction to avoid it. That’s one thing about Bumblebees, they could fly at right angles if necessary. Not all birds could do that except for little hummingbirds, but he didn’t get any grief from those guys.
He had spent all morning buzzing around a large field of flowers. With his hairy little legs packed with pollen, he had flown to and from his nest. He had to be especially watchful when he was loaded up with pollen so he wasn’t attacked by the number of predators always on the lookout for him. The extra weight really slowed him down, as if having short wings didn’t make him slow enough already.
After making about a dozen trips, he got very thirsty and thought he would fly down to the pond to get a drink and rest for awhile. It wasn’t very far away and it was a nice place to relax. Especially on a hot day like today.
Angelo sat in the cool mud by the pond drinking water and thinking about all the work that lay ahead of him this afternoon. It would be worth all the effort this winter, though, when he was hungry. Then he could get all the rest he wanted and then some.
He finished resting and decided to head back to the field. But he wasn’t in a big hurry so when he flew by a large thistle that grew near the pond, Angelo settled on a blossom. It was a nice purple color and smelled good on a warm summer afternoon. He walked around and around the blossom looking for just the right spot to get some sweet pollen.
Just then, he got the feeling that there was something behind him. Before he could even look to see what it was……..BANG!!! Suddenly, he was riding atop a hot bullet going faster than he even knew was possible. His eyes were wide open with fright and were full of tears because of the wind hitting his face. He had his six little hairy legs wrapped around the bullet and was holding on for dear life. His antennae were laid back flat against his head and his wings were flapping so hard he thought they would fly off. He could do nothing to slow the bullet or change it’s direction.
After about a mile the bullet started to slow down. Through the tears in his eyes, Angelo could see that he and the bullet were heading straight for a tree. Even in the state of total fear that he was in, He knew that hitting the tree at any speed would probably hurt. As the bullet slowed further, he saw the opportunity to jump off the bullet and narrowly miss the tree.
Ten minutes later, still dazed by the experience and not comprehending what had just transpired, he started flying back in the opposite direction towards the pond. Maybe, by the time he got back to the pond, he could figure out what the heck happened.
Meanwhile, back at the pond, Little Bobby was getting bored with shooting bees off flowers with his rifle. He thought he would start walking back up to the house and see if he could talk Mom out of a piece of apple pie.
He had spent all morning buzzing around a large field of flowers. With his hairy little legs packed with pollen, he had flown to and from his nest. He had to be especially watchful when he was loaded up with pollen so he wasn’t attacked by the number of predators always on the lookout for him. The extra weight really slowed him down, as if having short wings didn’t make him slow enough already.
After making about a dozen trips, he got very thirsty and thought he would fly down to the pond to get a drink and rest for awhile. It wasn’t very far away and it was a nice place to relax. Especially on a hot day like today.
Angelo sat in the cool mud by the pond drinking water and thinking about all the work that lay ahead of him this afternoon. It would be worth all the effort this winter, though, when he was hungry. Then he could get all the rest he wanted and then some.
He finished resting and decided to head back to the field. But he wasn’t in a big hurry so when he flew by a large thistle that grew near the pond, Angelo settled on a blossom. It was a nice purple color and smelled good on a warm summer afternoon. He walked around and around the blossom looking for just the right spot to get some sweet pollen.
Just then, he got the feeling that there was something behind him. Before he could even look to see what it was……..BANG!!! Suddenly, he was riding atop a hot bullet going faster than he even knew was possible. His eyes were wide open with fright and were full of tears because of the wind hitting his face. He had his six little hairy legs wrapped around the bullet and was holding on for dear life. His antennae were laid back flat against his head and his wings were flapping so hard he thought they would fly off. He could do nothing to slow the bullet or change it’s direction.
After about a mile the bullet started to slow down. Through the tears in his eyes, Angelo could see that he and the bullet were heading straight for a tree. Even in the state of total fear that he was in, He knew that hitting the tree at any speed would probably hurt. As the bullet slowed further, he saw the opportunity to jump off the bullet and narrowly miss the tree.
Ten minutes later, still dazed by the experience and not comprehending what had just transpired, he started flying back in the opposite direction towards the pond. Maybe, by the time he got back to the pond, he could figure out what the heck happened.
Meanwhile, back at the pond, Little Bobby was getting bored with shooting bees off flowers with his rifle. He thought he would start walking back up to the house and see if he could talk Mom out of a piece of apple pie.
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
Blue Feets are made for walking
Vito centipede was out of breath. He had run farther and faster than even he thought was possible. He had stumbled over rocks, twigs, leaves and even a little cricket that happened to be in his way. Boy, when a bird that size swoops down on you, all you can think of is to get away as fast as possible. He didn’t know where he was but it didn’t really matter. After all, he was a centipede, it wasn’t like he had a job. He didn’t even have any family in this area. It was probably a good thing being that all his feet were blue. How could he explain that to anyone……he didn’t understand it himself.
I think that I’ll go back across the gray expanse tomorrow, but I’m going to try and get there before it gets too hot. I don’t like this side……….too many strange things going on around here. Vito found a spot in the green meadow that was nice and quiet with no one else around. This will be a good place to spend the night and since it is so close to the gray expanse, I can get an early start.
When Vito finally woke up the next morning, the sun was already shining bright. He had overslept since he had been so tired the night before. Vito decided to go ahead and cross anyway since it would mean spending another day here if he didn’t.
Up onto the gray expanse went Vito. It was pretty warm, but not as hot as yesterday. He walked for quite awhile before he noticed that his blue feet were starting to stick to the gray expanse a little. He looked back and could see that he was leaving a set of blue footprints. ‘That’s good,’ thought Vito, ‘At least that blue stuff is coming off so maybe I won’t look so stupid having all these blue feet.’
Getting down close to the sidewalk, Little Bobby noticed that there was a really tiny set of blue footprints going across it. “That’s weird! I’ve never seen anything like this before.” he said aloud. Following the trail, he soon came across Vito slowly and arduously moving along the sidewalk.
“WOW!! A bug with blue feet!! I need to look at this closer through my magnifying glass.” SIZZZZZZLE……….”OOPS”
I think that I’ll go back across the gray expanse tomorrow, but I’m going to try and get there before it gets too hot. I don’t like this side……….too many strange things going on around here. Vito found a spot in the green meadow that was nice and quiet with no one else around. This will be a good place to spend the night and since it is so close to the gray expanse, I can get an early start.
When Vito finally woke up the next morning, the sun was already shining bright. He had overslept since he had been so tired the night before. Vito decided to go ahead and cross anyway since it would mean spending another day here if he didn’t.
Up onto the gray expanse went Vito. It was pretty warm, but not as hot as yesterday. He walked for quite awhile before he noticed that his blue feet were starting to stick to the gray expanse a little. He looked back and could see that he was leaving a set of blue footprints. ‘That’s good,’ thought Vito, ‘At least that blue stuff is coming off so maybe I won’t look so stupid having all these blue feet.’
Getting down close to the sidewalk, Little Bobby noticed that there was a really tiny set of blue footprints going across it. “That’s weird! I’ve never seen anything like this before.” he said aloud. Following the trail, he soon came across Vito slowly and arduously moving along the sidewalk.
“WOW!! A bug with blue feet!! I need to look at this closer through my magnifying glass.” SIZZZZZZLE……….”OOPS”
Monday, August 17, 2009
Anton Ant is on the move
It had been two days since Little Bobby had stepped on the nail. Needless to say, it had also been two days since he last got a tetanus shot. That was the story of his life, step on a nail…tetanus shot, step on a rake….tetanus shot. His little arm looked like he had been using heroin. At any rate, here he sat on a blanket in the front yard reading the book his grandmother had bought him…..I guess for stepping on the nail.
Two days reading had gotten him to page five. Not that he was a poor reader, it was just that he was easily distracted. Especially with all the bugs crawling around the blanket. He noticed a long line of ants going by. Apparently, in a hurry.
“Boy, I hate moving,” thought Anton Ant. “We’ve lived on this hill for I don’t know how long and now, all of a sudden, it’s not big enough for us. So, here I am way back here behind about fifteen thousand ants going to who know where. And do they care if I get tired of packing this egg? No, they just continue leading and we all blindly follow. I’m about sick of this and if we ever stop to rest I’m going to walk up there and give those guys a piece of my mind!”
It was very risky making a move like this. Especially near the gray expanse and the home where that Fenimore kid lives. It wasn’t that long ago that he took a large group of Antons’ friends and placed them in that red colored flat sand hill. No one he took was ever heard from again.
He also was the one that was involved with poor Elwoods disappearance. Only a few remnants of him were ever found. It was a sad day for Anton because Elwood and he were very close. That Elwood was one in a million, literally.
Up over small twigs went the long column of ants. On and on through the green meadow until they were finally on the trail that led to the gray expanse. Everyone was getting hot and tired and it seemed that the leaders were nowhere near the point of calling it a halt. “It was probably a good idea anyway,” thought Anton, since it was so dangerous here. Once they were on the gray expanse, he was planning on making a run for it.
Anton kept trudging along until, finally, he could see that the column had made it to the crossing point. He could feel the tension building in the ranks until suddenly, they were there and he was almost at once at a dead run clutching the egg he had been assigned. They were moving so fast that some of the less than gracefull ants were tripping over each other. After awhile all Anton could see were legs and antennae flying in all directions as he scrambled to maintain his footing and still hold on to the egg.
All the ants behind him were pushing and shoving trying to get to the front. Anton was trying to keep ahead of those guys, stay on the lookout for trouble and watch where he was going all at the same time. Then, as suddenly as it had started, the pace slowed again. Anton was across the gray expanse and safe. Rumors started filtering back towards him from the front of the line that they were nearing the end of their journey. Anton hoped so, he was almost exhausted.
But now he was getting the feeling that something was amiss, although he couldn’t put his feeler on what it might be. There was something different about the trail they were now on. It appeared to be a very smooth trail, but it was red….and seemed to be going in a circle. Anton couldn’t figure out what was going on but everyone liked the easier walk so they weren’t complaining. The only thing was that it just went on and on with no end in sight. Anton trudged on, packing the egg. “They are the leaders……they must know what they’re doing.” thought Anton.
“WOW!!! Look at the ants on my hula hoop!” Little Bobby was going to have himself some fun.
Two days reading had gotten him to page five. Not that he was a poor reader, it was just that he was easily distracted. Especially with all the bugs crawling around the blanket. He noticed a long line of ants going by. Apparently, in a hurry.
“Boy, I hate moving,” thought Anton Ant. “We’ve lived on this hill for I don’t know how long and now, all of a sudden, it’s not big enough for us. So, here I am way back here behind about fifteen thousand ants going to who know where. And do they care if I get tired of packing this egg? No, they just continue leading and we all blindly follow. I’m about sick of this and if we ever stop to rest I’m going to walk up there and give those guys a piece of my mind!”
It was very risky making a move like this. Especially near the gray expanse and the home where that Fenimore kid lives. It wasn’t that long ago that he took a large group of Antons’ friends and placed them in that red colored flat sand hill. No one he took was ever heard from again.
He also was the one that was involved with poor Elwoods disappearance. Only a few remnants of him were ever found. It was a sad day for Anton because Elwood and he were very close. That Elwood was one in a million, literally.
Up over small twigs went the long column of ants. On and on through the green meadow until they were finally on the trail that led to the gray expanse. Everyone was getting hot and tired and it seemed that the leaders were nowhere near the point of calling it a halt. “It was probably a good idea anyway,” thought Anton, since it was so dangerous here. Once they were on the gray expanse, he was planning on making a run for it.
Anton kept trudging along until, finally, he could see that the column had made it to the crossing point. He could feel the tension building in the ranks until suddenly, they were there and he was almost at once at a dead run clutching the egg he had been assigned. They were moving so fast that some of the less than gracefull ants were tripping over each other. After awhile all Anton could see were legs and antennae flying in all directions as he scrambled to maintain his footing and still hold on to the egg.
All the ants behind him were pushing and shoving trying to get to the front. Anton was trying to keep ahead of those guys, stay on the lookout for trouble and watch where he was going all at the same time. Then, as suddenly as it had started, the pace slowed again. Anton was across the gray expanse and safe. Rumors started filtering back towards him from the front of the line that they were nearing the end of their journey. Anton hoped so, he was almost exhausted.
But now he was getting the feeling that something was amiss, although he couldn’t put his feeler on what it might be. There was something different about the trail they were now on. It appeared to be a very smooth trail, but it was red….and seemed to be going in a circle. Anton couldn’t figure out what was going on but everyone liked the easier walk so they weren’t complaining. The only thing was that it just went on and on with no end in sight. Anton trudged on, packing the egg. “They are the leaders……they must know what they’re doing.” thought Anton.
“WOW!!! Look at the ants on my hula hoop!” Little Bobby was going to have himself some fun.
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
Blue Feets
Perry T. Dragonfly flew across the green meadow and came to rest on the gray plateau. As he looked out on the meadow that stretched before him, he thought of his friend Little Billy Cricket. They had spent a lot of time together down by the river at the end of the trail. Billy had told him about the strange things that had been happening here in the green meadow. Like the different colored pools he discovered one day and about the person who had put them there.
"Ow! Ow! Ow..ow..ow..ow..ow..ow..ow..ow..ow..ow..Owie..owie..owie..owie...Youch..yowie..ow..ow.....OW!!!!!"
Little Bobby watched as the centipede ran across the hot sidewalk. "Man, I bet he's got some hot feet! Maybe I should smash him........nah....he's been through enough."
Vito Centipede finally made it across the gray expanse and boy, did his feet hurt. Luckily he had gotten smart about halfway across and only used about fifteen of his feet and kept all the others raised up. " Owie!! These feets are really hurting....I think I'll see if I can find some water."
He walked and walked through the green meadow looking everywhere for some nice cool water to soak his feet in. Shortly he ran across what looked like a big blue pool of water. It was right in the middle of a large flat rock. Even though the rock felt a little warm, at least it wasn't as hot as that area back there. He scrambled up on top of the rock and headed for the inviting blue pool.
The very instant he entered the blue pool he felt that something was not right. This water was very thick and sticky. Vito squirmed around and headed back out as fast as he could. When he was able to free himself from the pool he noticed that now, not only did he have hot burning feet, but they were also quite blue.
"Oh, great!! What the heck did I just step in??" Vito walked back out into the green meadow shuffling his blue feet along the ground trying to wipe off whatever was stuck to them. "Boy," thought Vito, "This is all I need."
Little Billy Cricket was all excited. Not only was today his birthday, but Louise Beetle had told him that if he came over today she would go down to the river with him on a picnic. Little Billy loved going on picnics, especially with someone like Louise. He would bring along some of his mom's aphid pate'.....they could spread it on some nice tasty leaves. Mmmmm, boy! And he knew his mom wouldn't mind making some for him because he was a good little cricket.
Billy couldn't wait to get home and load up on the fixings for his picnic. His little cricket head was in the clouds thinking about that wonderful Louise Beetle. He really had a thing for her. Ever since he first laid eyes on her he had wanted to lay feelers on her. Maybe someday he would get the nerve up to do just that. Billy walked faster and faster towards home.
"BLUE FEET!! I can't believe I have blue feet." Vito looked first to one side and then the other. "All I can see back there is blue feet. Maybe this stuff will wear off, but until it does, I'm going to look pretty stupid. I wish I knew wat this......." WHOOSH!! Over Vitos' head went a large brown object. Vito only caught a glimpse out of the corner of his eye, but he knew right away what it was........"BIRD!!!!" Vito yelled. He did a one eighty and was off like a flash. TRAMPLE.. TRAMPLE.."HEY!..WHAT THE...!" TRAMPLE..TRAMPLE.
Little Billy was on his back. He didn't know what had just ran over him, but it had more blue feet than he had ever seen on any creature. In fact he had never seen blue feet on any creature. There must have been a hundred or more. "What the heck kind of bug has blue feet anyway?" Billy pondered. He was totally confused and lay there for quite some time waiting for the dust and his head to clear.
"Hey! This is kind of neat." Looking at the blue pool of crayon that he had melted earlier with the magnifying glass, Little Bobby noticed that something had walked through it and had left little blue footprints on the flat rock he had used.
Perry got goosebumps just thinking about the awful thing that had befallen Vito.
"Ow! Ow! Ow..ow..ow..ow..ow..ow..ow..ow..ow..ow..Owie..owie..owie..owie...Youch..yowie..ow..ow.....OW!!!!!"
Little Bobby watched as the centipede ran across the hot sidewalk. "Man, I bet he's got some hot feet! Maybe I should smash him........nah....he's been through enough."
Vito Centipede finally made it across the gray expanse and boy, did his feet hurt. Luckily he had gotten smart about halfway across and only used about fifteen of his feet and kept all the others raised up. " Owie!! These feets are really hurting....I think I'll see if I can find some water."
He walked and walked through the green meadow looking everywhere for some nice cool water to soak his feet in. Shortly he ran across what looked like a big blue pool of water. It was right in the middle of a large flat rock. Even though the rock felt a little warm, at least it wasn't as hot as that area back there. He scrambled up on top of the rock and headed for the inviting blue pool.
The very instant he entered the blue pool he felt that something was not right. This water was very thick and sticky. Vito squirmed around and headed back out as fast as he could. When he was able to free himself from the pool he noticed that now, not only did he have hot burning feet, but they were also quite blue.
"Oh, great!! What the heck did I just step in??" Vito walked back out into the green meadow shuffling his blue feet along the ground trying to wipe off whatever was stuck to them. "Boy," thought Vito, "This is all I need."
Little Billy Cricket was all excited. Not only was today his birthday, but Louise Beetle had told him that if he came over today she would go down to the river with him on a picnic. Little Billy loved going on picnics, especially with someone like Louise. He would bring along some of his mom's aphid pate'.....they could spread it on some nice tasty leaves. Mmmmm, boy! And he knew his mom wouldn't mind making some for him because he was a good little cricket.
Billy couldn't wait to get home and load up on the fixings for his picnic. His little cricket head was in the clouds thinking about that wonderful Louise Beetle. He really had a thing for her. Ever since he first laid eyes on her he had wanted to lay feelers on her. Maybe someday he would get the nerve up to do just that. Billy walked faster and faster towards home.
"BLUE FEET!! I can't believe I have blue feet." Vito looked first to one side and then the other. "All I can see back there is blue feet. Maybe this stuff will wear off, but until it does, I'm going to look pretty stupid. I wish I knew wat this......." WHOOSH!! Over Vitos' head went a large brown object. Vito only caught a glimpse out of the corner of his eye, but he knew right away what it was........"BIRD!!!!" Vito yelled. He did a one eighty and was off like a flash. TRAMPLE.. TRAMPLE.."HEY!..WHAT THE...!" TRAMPLE..TRAMPLE.
Little Billy was on his back. He didn't know what had just ran over him, but it had more blue feet than he had ever seen on any creature. In fact he had never seen blue feet on any creature. There must have been a hundred or more. "What the heck kind of bug has blue feet anyway?" Billy pondered. He was totally confused and lay there for quite some time waiting for the dust and his head to clear.
"Hey! This is kind of neat." Looking at the blue pool of crayon that he had melted earlier with the magnifying glass, Little Bobby noticed that something had walked through it and had left little blue footprints on the flat rock he had used.
Perry got goosebumps just thinking about the awful thing that had befallen Vito.
Saturday, August 8, 2009
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