Celibate and Sane: Dang that noisy bug!

December 18, 2010

Dang that noisy bug!

In the two years we've been living at our new home, I have never heard nor seen a cicada. In the last month, a bunch have taken up residence in the tree in the next door neighbour's yard, right next to the window of our lounge-room. These beggars would have to be the noisiest cicadas I've heard in my life.

The other night, one of the cats started clawing at the screen in an attempt to get at one of the cicadas which had landed near our back door. Here's a photo of it which I understand is a razor grinder, a fairly common cicada and Gladstone is at the northern limit of their range.

Razor grinder (Henicopsaltria eydouxii)

I found a fantastic website called www.cicadamania.com which has lots of photos and information on cicadas. They are quite fascinating creatures and have some equally fascinating names such as Green Grocer, Floury Baker, Double Drummer and Black Prince.

While cicadas are known often for their loud noise, the reason for their noise-making remains unclear although the suggestion is that it may be a defence against predatory birds, and because they all sing as a group, individuals are not able to be targeted.

Some fascinating facts about cicadas:

Wanna kiss? I just wish I knew if I had lips.

To attract others of their own species, they have developed their own songs;
When adults, the usually only live for a few weeks;
It's only the boys who sing;
The major part of a cicadas life is spent underground for several years as a nymph;
They are not harmful to people although they may accidentally bite one if the confuse it with a plant;
There are more than 200 species of cicadas in Australia; and
Their name is derived from the Latin word cicada which means buzzer.

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Personal Quotes from Vicki-S

"Occasionally I find my breakfast a little bitter, and sometimes it's difficult to chew and swallow; though at other times it's sweet, but it’s very satisfying and always sustains me. My most important meal of the day, is feasting on God’s Word and drinking up His presence."

I love me, because God loves me. It's not that God doesn't see my flaws, they are like blazing torches in His eyes, but rather that He sees past my imperfections and still loves me. And who am I to argue with the perfect God that I am worthwhile, that I am worthy of love, and that He accepts me and wants me to be His child, His beloved daughter? When I understood this, I began to accept and embrace His version and His vision of me, and not the world's.

"The silent treatment and sulking are simply two other weapons in the arsenal of the manipulator."

"Often people use the metaphor of a butterfly emerging from its cocoon to describe how we can grow from difficult experiences, but what they don't mention is the fact that at first we start off as an ugly caterpillar."

"We so often just get caught up in trying to just get through each day, that we forget to pause and be thankful for the fresh one that is presented anew and untouched each morning."

"Contrary to what we might think, forgiveness isn't so much about healing our relationship with that other person, but about healing our own broken heart."

"The purpose of school reunions is to show off how much you've achieved in life, to laugh at the once popular kids who've aged more quickly than you; and to wince at the guy who was a bully in school and who aptly became a policeman."

"I've found in many organisations where volunteers are needed, including the modern-day church, that 80% of its people sit back and let everyone else do most of the work, then there's the 10% who actually make the place run, and the remaining 10% just like to whinge about the 10% doing the work, especially about how they could do it better."

"When traced back to its source, every sin, every despicable act, and every war was motivated by someone's selfishness."

"I do not want to think of man, for that would distract me from God. But if I focus on God, I cannot help but think of my fellow man, and each day God keeps the scales balanced so that I have enough within me to do both."

"Overcoming depression isn’t about changing ones attitude, or just ‘getting on’ with things, it’s like removing one’s personal black shroud one thread at a time, with ones teeth.”