07.18.08
Losing the battle.
Ok, this has become a mission, a battle, and I’m losing miserably. The section of lawn I’ve been watering diligently for the past two days is dry, and the grass is brittle once again. I’ve taken this war of salvation on to the front yard, around the pond, in an attempt to preserve that oasis at least.
At any one time, there are song birds, bees, wasps, butterflies, dragonflies, which have been joined by their cousins damselflies, and who knows what other members of the animal kingdom in a continuous parade to and from the pond in an effort to quench their thirsts. Even the ants are swarming.
I made the mistake of not looking where I stood this afternoon and learned quite quickly that I had entered a battle zone between red and black ants. Both colonies were in the process of destroying each other, and I became a casualty of war from both sides. I thought I had stepped on a thorn, then the sharp stinging moved rapidly to my ankles and up my legs. Soldiers from each side were on the offensive as the battle moved to me. I’m not sure if I became a new front, or an intended target, but I got the hell out of there quite rapidly. Boy oh boy do those bite marks itch.
I’m sure I’ll be recounting this war, my own earth war, not the ants, in the days to come.
O.P.W.