Mountain City Montage
by PAULINE TOM
Cheers to Kiss’Me’, The Great Looooong Red Piebald Scorpion Hunter (and Coral Snake Hunter and Rattlesnake Hunter). He alerted me to a scorpion in the living room while RonTom was in D.C. By the time I got back to the living room with Ron’s tools (a medicine bottle and stiff piece of paper), the scorpion was nowhere in sight. But, Kiss’Me’ tracked him down.
We save the scorpions in closed tight medicine bottles for Aztec Pest Control’s research.
The thing about our scorpions: they’re not deadly to humans. That’s the Arizona bark scorpion. Here, the venom produces a reaction that’s usually similar to a wasp sting.
Speaking of which! Are wasps as thick at your place as at ours? We’ve never seen so many.
A couple weeks ago, Kiss’Me’s short staccato incessant yelping beckoned Ron to the back porch, where he heard an unceasing rattle. Dueling duet. The snake on the other end of the rattles was a thick 15-inches.
Wear shoes if you walk outside at night to move the water sprinkler or fill the birdbath. Look down before you step out of a vehicle in your garage.
What a red, white and blue delight to glance out my bedroom French door windows to see Eastern Bluebirds splishsplashing in a birdbath while I prepared for the Summer Bluebird Symposium in Henderson last week. I stepped outside and their music filled the air. On Monday, Ron pointed out a baby bluebird in the front birdbath.
On these 100-plus days, a fresh birdbath tends to attract a variety of birds.
As of August 14, at least two male Painted Buntings were still seed-gobbling.
The Fire & Ice envelope mailed two weeks ago to Mountain City residents includes dated materials. The event takes place the last Saturday in September. But, the form with payment must be received by the day after Labor Day.
Fire: Salsa, Hot Sauce, Pico
Ice: Ice Cream, Sherbet, Sorbet
Entrants needed for the competition!
Donations needed for the Silent Auction! I’m collecting this year. Please contact me if you’ll provide an auction item.
And, please contact me if you have a tidbit. Email ptom5678@gmail.com or leave a message at 512-268-5678.Thanks! Love, Pauline
