The Fire Ant Gazette

My Wife is a Squirrel Mule*

One of the things I hated to give up in the relocation was the view from my desk onto our back porch and yard, which provided a reliable tableau of bloggable wildlife action. My new setup has the window at my back, and it looks out on the front driveway, a much less attractive setting… Continue reading My Wife is a Squirrel Mule*

Random Thursday

Wow, it’s been a while since we’ve done one of these. Bear with me while I get my bearings. Today is Trash Day. We’ve never had Trash Day before, so this is a big deal. Our new neighborhood doesn’t have dumpsters, so we have to wheel our city-provided trash cans into the alley to await… Continue reading Random Thursday

Fire Ant Sightings in Austin

The local Destination Imagination teams competed at the state level a couple of weeks ago and did very well. Here’s a report from Cindy Hammond, proud mom of one of the participants (and here’s the back story, via the MRT): The Midland High School level team … ended up taking 2nd at State and are… Continue reading Fire Ant Sightings in Austin

From dust to dust

Want to know what a West Texas spring is like in an under-construction neighborhood on the edge of town during a severe drought? That’s the eastern edge of the Gobi Desert, aka our driveway. The thing that looks like a phone line laid across the concrete and under the occasional dune is, in fact, our… Continue reading From dust to dust

Book Review: “Signed, Mata Hari”

The latest review copy arrived from the publisher a couple of weeks ago, hand-delivered by special courier, and I tore into the important-looking package with eager anticipation. …rewind… The latest review copy arrived from the publisher a couple of weeks ago, deposited on my front porch by the Fed Ex gal’s signature sling-ring-and-run maneuver, and… Continue reading Book Review: “Signed, Mata Hari”

Fire Ant Sightings

It’s time once again for the ultimate in blogging narcissism: Fire Ant Sightings from around the globe! First up, we have that lovable duo, Molly and Colin, who spared no expense in having the accessories for their wedding reception, which took place in Baltimore, done in a tasteful Fire Ant motif: Molly and Colin are members… Continue reading Fire Ant Sightings

Book Review: “Dead Boys”

Do you think your life sucks? If so, perhaps you need to pick up a copy of Richard Lange’s Dead Boys, collection of short stories filled with characters whose lives are so desolate and hopeless as to make even the most committed pessimist feel like he or she is walking on sunshine. Lange’s stories are… Continue reading Book Review: “Dead Boys”