Cicada Season!
This post from Onion AV Club superstar Tasha Robinson reminded me that this plague of locusts some places are experiencing was once a major highlight of my childhood!
Cicada season was a particular delight to my brother and me. We looked forward to it every summer. One of us would find the first husk of the year, and then the great hunt would be on! It was my favorite pastime to go out and collect the shed husks. It was like an Easter egg hunt, only the benefits were, um, less easily explained to the casual observer.
Back then, I saved every husk I harvested. I had boxes and jars full of the things. I called it my collection of "locust shells." Particular treasures were the extra-super-big ones and the extra-super-tiny ones. We would each stick our most interesting and anatomically perfect finds of the day on our shirts by their little toe-hooks and wear them as jewelry.
I never liked to wear more than five at a time. Too gaudy.
For decades afterward, despite having reached adulthood and moved at least seven times since those days, I still find the occasional box of locust shells. They make great compost.
And... still great jewelry. I can't resist wearing them whenever I find one.
Cicada season was a particular delight to my brother and me. We looked forward to it every summer. One of us would find the first husk of the year, and then the great hunt would be on! It was my favorite pastime to go out and collect the shed husks. It was like an Easter egg hunt, only the benefits were, um, less easily explained to the casual observer.
Back then, I saved every husk I harvested. I had boxes and jars full of the things. I called it my collection of "locust shells." Particular treasures were the extra-super-big ones and the extra-super-tiny ones. We would each stick our most interesting and anatomically perfect finds of the day on our shirts by their little toe-hooks and wear them as jewelry.
I never liked to wear more than five at a time. Too gaudy.
For decades afterward, despite having reached adulthood and moved at least seven times since those days, I still find the occasional box of locust shells. They make great compost.
And... still great jewelry. I can't resist wearing them whenever I find one.