Lights! Pheromones! Action! (Behind the Scenes with Fireflies)

Some days I just have to ask – do humans live in an insect world, or do insects live in a human world?  This may seem like a dumb question to anyone not familiar with my world, where both insects and humans leave a lot of room for improvement, but at least I don’t go

Do Ya Think I’m Sexy?

As best I can tell, life evolved to be an endless series of choices.  This would be fine if it hadn’t also evolved parents to endlessly criticize those choices.  Announce that you’re choosing to become a writer if you don’t believe me.  But I really don’t think things would get any better if we could

Pigeons vs City People

In the countryside where I live, people generally have a fleeting but positive view of birds.  We live our lives and they live theirs, or they would if the birdwatchers would ever leave them alone.  We live in our houses and they live in the trees and shrubs, so at least even the non-birdwatchers know

I’m Only Half the Man I Thought I Was

OK, so I woke up this morning and it sure seemed like a typical day.  I mean, I felt like myself, as near as I could tell.  Not that I ever felt that I really KNEW myself, if you know what I mean, but I was pretty sure I could still recognize myself in the

Beavers vs the Army Corps of Engineers

It probably comes as no surprise to anyone that North America was once ruled by giant beavers.  It should also come as no surprise then, given the state of things today, that there are many people who wish for their return.  These peaceful, bear-sized rodents reigned for quite a long time, from 1.4 million years

In Vegetables We Trust. Or Do We?

There has been some disturbing news of late coming out of the Vegetable Kingdom that all is not well, that, in fact, there may be a traitor in its midst.  This may not strike the average meat eater as surprising, much less worrisome, but for those upstanding vegetables and such others as feel a close

Some People Know How to Spoil Everything

Have you ever noticed how every now and then adventurous humans seem to discover an exciting new hot spot, and before you can even think about taking a selfie there, everyone’s  already on the way?  Isn’t that just like us humans – never satisfied where we are.  Always wanting to get to the new “in”

When Scientists Fight

            “Nasty, Brutish, and Short” was not the name of a 17th century law firm, and neither was it a completely apt depiction of the six foot Thomas Hobbes (1588 – 1679), who coined the phrase to describe life in mankind’s natural state.  What he thought about lawyers, accountants, and others who tend towards some

Have You Hugged a Cow Today?

It’s a truism in the dairy industry that not all cows are created equal.  If it’s not, it should be, especially now that cow hugging is here.  It seems that some cows are born to be great milkers, some are born to be not so great hamburgers, and others, apparently, are born to provide sustenance

GET LOST!

Do you know who you are?  Do you know why you’re here?  Do you know where you’re going?  If you answered yes to this Holy Grail of questions, you may be one of those unfortunate people who either found yourself in a sea of Self-Help books, or who found yourself laughing at those who ask