The arrival of spring has brought predictably warmer weather and fresh growth and with it other elements most are not fans of—humidity, allergies and bugs.
Ah, glorious spring!
Now, I am not one to want to kill any living creature. Trusty Husband will attest to the fact that I will go to great lengths to take a creature from our home to a safe place outdoors. Most creatures, that is. There are exceptions. A couple of nights ago I was reminded of this.
There is nothing like the sound of a wasp in the dark of night as it comes close enough to land or bite before it zooms just out of reach and you can’t find it. I flicked on the light on my bedside table.
Wasps like light. Hee-hee! I was on the hunt. That bug was not going to keep me up for long.
I rolled up the last chapter of my current work, yes, and prepared to swat for dear life. The wasp landed on the lamp. My frugal side—and the ICK factor—took over from my inner hunter and I decided it wasn’t worth smearing wasp guts on the shade, which is white. The wasp flitted near the bulb, teasing me. My patience wore even thinner. Finally, the bug emerged. I had my chance the moment it landed on the wall. Something came over me. I had a sudden change of heart. I used my rolled chapter to steer it toward the open window.
I bit back the laughter so not to wake Wise but Sleeping Husband who once told me, “Every mosquito moment deserves attention.” By ‘mosquito moment’ he was referring to the ideas, like a detail about a character or a fun turn of phrase, that pop into my mind during the middle of the night, of course, niggling me to get up and write them down. If I try to ignore them, like a bug they annoy me unless I do something about them. If I don’t, I stay awake ticked off at myself because now the idea has disappeared. No matter what I try, I can’t get it back.
Pen and pad in hand, I made a note. Hence this blog...
After countless scribbled notes from my mosquito moments, I’ve come to realize not to ignore a single one. I keep a pad and pen within reach wherever I rest just in case. Every idea is worth consideration. Most are intriguing. Sometimes they’re good. Once in a while, I find an iridescent dragonfly in the bunch.