Attack of the dragon flies...bzzzzzzz

Summer - or at least the growing season - is in full bloom now. That means stuff grows and that means it has to be maintained. I think I mentioned in earlier posts that I canceled my lawn service since I thought I could do it myself. It also saves some money which is now more important. So far it has been a tolerable Time Killer. We have one acre of land. It's not all grassy but there are many jungle-like areas that need wacking or agent orange. Most times the yard job takes a minimum of one hour to twice that. I try to get it done when the thermometer is below 90. Today was a close call.

On this warm, overly-humid day I attacked the growth at about 10 am. I try not go make too much noise early which can disturb the neighbors.. HA..I think there's maybe ONE person at home and she's about 90. HER lawn service starts at 8 so I don't know why I care. Since it was so hot today I initiated my minimal one-hour treatment. Sounds like a spa doesn't it? I have many neurotic preferences as far as which way to mow, when to rest, when to change directions.. It's all too stupid to detail. Today I had a new variable to consider..

It's a buggy time of year. I've learned to ignore wasps - my #1 enemy. They will hover but leave you alone if you don't swat at them. I do most of my reading on the deck and have learned how to be wasp free even when they land on me.. I haven't been stung in 5 years. So, I feel kind of bold and only make squealy girly sounds when I am alone out there and a flying thing approaches.

Today I took all my bug knowledge and proceeded to do the lawn thing when in the back yard I was noticing there were many Dragon Flies. I remember as a kid we called them Darning Needles and we mispronounced that in many variations - Dyning Needles, Flying Needles. I recall that they weren't stingers so as their numbers increased I remained calm. They seemed to group up in formation and I was their main target. I kept my cool and could almost hear the freakish music from the chopper attack scene in Apocalypse Now. I estimate there were about 15 of these prehistoric bastards and they were swooping at me as I mowed. I was hoping I was right about their stinger less status. I think I was BUT they were flying into me - ramming me like they were working for Greenpeace and I was killing whales. I had to stop for a bit and let them return to the mother ship..

So I did finish and survive to write this account. I never got bit or stung but I did break the swat rule and tried to get them to shoo. I forgot my limitations and swung my left arm with the bad shoulder. It felt like electricity from my neck to my knee...Damn Dyning Needles...