Blackflies!

June 6, 2008

Alright, I KNOW I said that I love where I live. I do. I'm surrounded by nature and it's beautiful.

And I KNOW I have talked about blackflies in passing, making it seem as if it were no big deal. After all, they are a necessary part of nature. They are living creatures who deserve ... Blah blah blah.

Oh forget it. They are horrible! They are teeny, tiny insects who suck your blood. They swarm you and attack. There is no mercy. No relief. And it's that time of year when they come out.

I take Aaron out to his bus stop in the morning and in the 10 or 15 minutes that we are out there, we are bit at least a dozen times. I spend all that time brushing my hand around Aaron's head so those little beasts don't get trapped by his hair and bite him. I can't take a cup of coffee out there with me because they land IN my cup and drown in the coffee.

After Aaron's on the bus, I wait an extra 15 minutes for my bus. I walk back and forth, brushing my hand in front of my face to ward them off. Nothing works. You're going to get bit. That's a fact of life. These little, tiny, flying, biting THINGS are going to get you - and get you good.

The only good thing about those little blood suckers is that when they do get in the house, they are too busy trying to get out and end up hanging around the windows and door and don't bother trying to eat you alive.

BUT they ARE living creatures and as such deserve our respect. Right? Well, that's what I keep telling myself.

The Blackfly Song
Wade Hemsworth

"Twas early in the spring when I decide to go
For to work up in the woods of North Ontario.
The unemployment office said they'd send me through
To the Little Abitibi with the survey crew

And the black flies, the little black flies
Always the black fly no matter where you go
I'll die with the black fly a Pickin' my bones
In North Ontar-i-o-i-o, In North Ontar-i-o

The man Black Tobey was the captain of the crew
He said, I'm gonna tell you boys, what we're gonna do
They want to build a power dam; we must find a way
For to make the Little Ab flow around the other way

So we survey the east, survey to the west.
We couldn't make our minds up how to do it best
Little Ab, Little Ab, what shall I do?
I'm all but goin' crazy on the survey crew.

'Twas blackfly, blackfly, everywhere
A-crawlin' in your whiskers, a-crawlin' in your hair
A-swimmin' in the soup and a-swimmin' in the tea
The devil take the blackfly and let me be.

Black Tobey fell to swearin'; the work went slow
The state of our morale was a-gettin' pretty low
The flies swarmed heavy; it was hard to catch a breath
As you staggered up and down the trail talkin' to yourself

The bull cook's name was Blind River Joe
If it hadn't been for him we'd 've never pulled through
He bound up our bruises and he kidded us for fun
And he lathered us with bacon grease and balsam gum

At last the job was over, Black Tobey said, we're through
With the Little Abitibi and the survey crew!
'Twas a wonderful experience and this I know;
I'll never go again to North Ontar-i-o"

Yup! I love where I live. It's beautiful here. I'm just going to enjoy the view from inside my house for the next month, ok?

:) Have a great day all!