July showers bring...

...BUGS!

We had a lovely soaking rain this morning. It wasn't windy, so the rain simply fell straight down in silver streaks, cleansing and bringing a fresh feeling to our dusty dry island. We certainly needed the rain, and I suspect gardeners were very pleased. I hope that their plots produce a lovely bounty (whether edible or merely decorative) as a result of the showers this morning.

Unfortunately, there's another result of rain showers: mosquitoes! And they are out in force. There's an old adage that the mosquito population is worst about two weeks after a rain. Last week, I heard someone at the post office commenting that on Ocracoke, the mosquito swarm starts about two MINUTES after a rain shower. Today, that definitely seems true.

I went out to see the sunset and touch salt water, and had to hurry back inside before I got completely covered in bites. One particularly hardy skeeter (as we call them here in the South) hung on to the back of my hand even as I swiped at him, trying to get him to leave me alone. Nervy thing took 4 swipes before he flew off! Or perhaps I was just not making good contact, I don't know.

I'm sitting in the screened porch now, rejoicing at the sound of many frogs, because I know mosquitoes are their favorite meal. I hope they eat very well tonight.