T'other night, I looked at my nightstand, and there was a ladybug crawling around the base of my water glass. I figured she was thirsty. (I'm always having to rescue bugs when they fall into the glass at night and swim around frantically trying to escape.)
So I dipped my little finger into the water a couple of times and made a nice big drop of water close by the bug. She hustled right over and started drinking it!
I could see the drop of water pulsing as she sucked/swallowed (?). She drank up the whole thing, so I made her a second one, which she drained, too.
Then she proceeded to nibble on the edge of the cork coaster upon which the water glass rested. There probably was a little sugar from a spilled beverage on it.
Who needs a dog when you have bugs?
Today, Paula sent me the lyrics of one of her favorite songs: Burl Ives's "The Ugly Bug Ball." I've never heard or or heard OF it until now. A quick search of You Tube found it right away, so here it is, over at the right.
Paula also said that once I'm retired and having to do without a lot of money (??), I can put my brain to work discovering all the things I can do for fun that DON'T require money. Paula does that herself. Among other things, she's a lawyer, and she spends her blessedly free time--now that she doesn't go to the office every day-- working on various committees to help others. If that sounds like a lot of work and not much fun, Paula is one of those people who ENJOY committees. She loves the give-and-take and the opportunity to speak truth to power in her quiet, gracious way.
Thanks, Paula, for your advice and example and for introducing me to the "Ugly Bug Ball."
Cute! Was that Beaver Cleaver singing along??
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this from paula:
ReplyDelete"Thanks for the nice words. I'll tell you its about Xtreme English: what could be more more charming than the short "u" sounds of "ugly" and "bug" together and the incomparable assonance and alliteration of the "worms fancy dancing with the fleas." Along with the syncopation of the first two lines flowing out into the romantic sweep of the second two. It's phonemes and language and rhythm and the down-and-outers getting together to have a ball with the culmination of two in love. Add in the connotation of folk with Burl Ives. Add in the memory of my own darling grandnieces who loved it all unselfconsciously when they were little. What could be more artfully human than these bugs? I know you read in all your own connotations. It's what English is all about, right?"
see? i told ya. this is one brilliant, articulate woman. we've been friends for more than 50 years. what a gift!
I remember this song being requested and played on "Children's Favoutites" on BBC radio when I was kneehigh to a grasshopper.
ReplyDelete"Who needs a dog when you have bugs?" You could be on to something here. Have you ever seen "A Bug's Life"? One of my favorite supposed-to-be-for-children movies.
ReplyDeleteYour ladybug story was delightful! I've always liked them - one of the few kinds I'm not afraid of.
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yes, i've seen and enjoyed "a bug's life," but my favorite bug movie of all time is "microcosmos"....
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