National Day of Service

I tend to feel a bit meloncholy on 9/11.  I really like Obamo's declaration of 9/11 as a National Day of Service.  It seems like helping others could not only do the obvious, of creating a better society, but also be a healthy part of the continued healing process from 9/11.  Last night I tried to figure out what I could do today for service.  Go to a thrift shop and help out?  Would they see me come in with 4 yo DS and 11 mo DD and request that I'd be of greatest service to them if I left the shop?  Perhaps.  Could I go to the preschool and help the teachers prep for projects?  Again, they might see us as a hazard.  I decided on a simple, close-to-home service.  We'd walk the neighborhood in search of trash to pick up.  Late this afternoon we did go on a brief walk.  Happily (and yet, sadly too) we found no trash dispose of.  Did someone do this before we did today?  Hummm...  We did find an elderly neighbor's water valve box leaking.  We knocked on the door, had a neighborly chat, showed her the leak, and told her how to have the city fix it for free.  Karmicly, I wonder if that counts as service.  Did you do some service today?

Figeater Beetles

I keep wanting to start a blog, but the task of a grand introduction is too daunting.  Therefore, I'm starting right in.  This weekend, DH and DS harvested our first batch of homemade compost this year.  In it they found 45 fat wiggly larvae.  I goggled and called the local nursery.  Figeater beetle larvae.  They were about two inches long and as wide as my index finger.  Since the larvae can eat your lawn roots and the beetles can eat soft fruits (likes figs, peaches), the larvae ended up being pitched into the street for the birds to eat.  I'm sorry to say that the birds didn't show a great deal of interest and the street sweeper got most of them on Tuesday morning.