Dear Diary from the path least traveled…
Hello Diary,
Back again… not a whole lot to talk about after a busy week of getting things accomplished, but thought I would pop in and share a few thoughts…wanted to get the yard and outdoors ready for summer as I have some appointments at the VA first of next week plus perhaps a warm and rainy week next week… after a warm period, a taste of early spring has returned and cool temperatures and wind at the moment…even though it is a bit cool out, went ahead and set out the ovipostion cups for the start of mosquito season…
What are oviposition cups one would ask?..well, I do observations for the USDA as they are trying to keep tabs on mosquitoes and other insects for diseases… one method is gathering mosquito eggs which I do with homemade oviposition cups…
Here is a view of a cup…
I have a cage rigged around the cup to keep birds and animals away from it…
I have two types I made from plastic containers which I change every 6-7 days (to keep mosquitoes from hatching) using a brown coffee filter..I lay the coffee filters on my “drying tray”…
Once the filter has dried, I use my computer microscope to check for eggs, etc…
I enter my observations on USDA’s website and should I find any eggs, etc. like below (taken from last year)…
I send the filter, in a sealed plastic bag, to USDA where they can use their technology to get a better look and even attempt to hatch the eggs ( under controlled conditions)… another little project, along with many I have, that keeps me busy and helps others… 🙂
Still not so busy as to not be aware of what is transpiring in the world today, and I see it is the same old chaos fueled by hate, anger, greed, religion, etc.. seems everywhere one looks, someone is trying to impose their will on someone else, using violence if need be…… so sad!.. all we can do is have our voices heard, in a civilized manner, and hope that one day enough will listen to stop the chaos and work together to make this a better world for everyone!!!.. everyone is accepted for who and what they are!!..
Much like here on the path least traveled…wrote a poem about it… 🙂
It is down the path least traveled I do go
To a rainbow filled horizon I venture,
To seek, to learn, know peace, to enjoy life
A path filled with wonderful adventure.
A place where one is accepted as who they are
A spirit kindled to life, when mortal born,
A being coming from the depths within
And not subject to ridicule and scorn.
A place where I know freedom of thought and being
I am ….what I am, don’t you see,
Neither this one, neither that one, but all the above
In a mortal world, a free spirit, that’s me.
I do not travel the path alone, you see
There are memories and spirits to behold,
Spirits that share… the joy and sadness
As I gather more memories, down that least traveled road.
So how long will my journey be, one would ask
Will I see the end of the path…ever?
The answer, I believe, lies on the horizon
Somewhere past… the 12th of Never….
So shall bring my ramblings to an end
For there is one fact that I do know,
To reach the horizon, the 12th of Never
It’s down the path least traveled I must go!
(penned by Larry “Dutch” Woller 4/22/2017)
So, as the poem says, shall bring my ramblings to an end for now, and venture on down the path..but I shall return one day with more thoughts, ramblings and memories, Fate be willin’ and the creeks don’t rise..
Every evening I set down and listen to some relaxing music while meditating, something similar to Vangelis perhaps… 🙂
onthepathleasttraveled 