Summer Sounds

We had a dinner party a few weeks ago with several people from out of state and out of the country.  After dinner, we took a walk around the yard to look at the flower beds and introduce our guests to Kate, the big, black german shephard.  We were wondering around in the yard and gardens when one of the guests asked if it was always so loud at night. 

My husband and I looked at each other, we lived about a fourth of a mile off a highway and there isn't a lot of noise coming from the cars traveling.  There was also no trains coming through at that time blowing their whistles.  We didn't understand what they were talking about.  Finally, it dawned on us what they were talking about.  Frogs, crickets, cicadas! 

Remember when I told you that living in Oklahoma is almost like living in a jungle? Well, in the middle of deep summer, it sounds like a jungle in the dark.  During the day, the sound is quiet, I think everything has gone to a deep, dark, cool hole so not to burn up.  But as soon as the sun begins to go down, everything wakes up and sings their little heart out!

Oh, and lightning bugs freaked some of them out also.  Imagine several grown men jumping and chasing lightning bugs with pink and green butterfly nets!  They wanted to see one close up.  I told them about being a kid and making lightning bug jewelry.  Yeah, we would actually squish their little butts on our bodies so the luminescence would stick on our arms, legs and fingers.  I know it's gross to an adult but to an eight year old, it was really cool! 

When they finally caught the little lightning bug I think they were disappointed to see how plain the little bug actually was.  Just a plain old black bug with a red head.  Sometimes the coolest suprises are in the plainest packages!