• Latest

Not Bugged by the First Bug

April 21, 2014
Turtles on the Roadway Need Your Help

Turtles on the Roadway Need Your Help

May 30, 2023
African Queen (1951)

Wuthering Heights (1939)

May 30, 2023
Just Some Thoughts

On This Rainy Afternoon

May 30, 2023

May 30, 2023

Youth Risk Behavior Survey Offers Insights into Pandemic Era Student Health

May 30, 2023

VDOL Workforce Development Celebrates 164 Graduating Apprentices

May 23, 2023

Funding Now Available to Support Arts and Social Cohesion Projects in Vermont

May 23, 2023
Community Safety and Understanding De-Escalation

Community Safety and Understanding De-Escalation

May 23, 2023
African Queen (1951)

Yankee Doodle Dandy (1942)

May 23, 2023

House and Senate Democrats Override Veto Of S.5

May 23, 2023
Turtles Must Be Left in the Wild

Turtles Must Be Left in the Wild

May 16, 2023

Governor Phil Scott Announces BIPOC Business and Workforce Development Program

May 16, 2023
  • Home
  • Disclaimer
  • Privacy
  • Sitemap
Wednesday, May 31, 2023
The World Online
Advertisement
  • Home
  • News & Features
    • Local News
    • Letters & opinions
    • George Shuman
    • Max’s View
    • Local Sports & Outdoors
    • Births
  • Calendar
    • Art Exhibits
    • Calendar of Events
    • Ongoing Events
  • Obituaries
  • Submit
    • Submit Calendar Listing for Non-Profit Events
    • Submit An Article To The World
    • Submit Letter To The Editor
    • Submit Sports News/Photo
    • Submit Birth Announcement
    • Submit Engagement Announcement
    • Submit Wedding Announcement
  • Advertising
    • World Rates and Ad Sizes
    • World Distribution Map
    • World Deadlines
    • Audit and Reader Surveys
    • Advertising Inquiry
  • Classifieds
    • Place Classified Ads
    • View Current Classifieds
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
No Result
View All Result
  • Home
  • News & Features
    • Local News
    • Letters & opinions
    • George Shuman
    • Max’s View
    • Local Sports & Outdoors
    • Births
  • Calendar
    • Art Exhibits
    • Calendar of Events
    • Ongoing Events
  • Obituaries
  • Submit
    • Submit Calendar Listing for Non-Profit Events
    • Submit An Article To The World
    • Submit Letter To The Editor
    • Submit Sports News/Photo
    • Submit Birth Announcement
    • Submit Engagement Announcement
    • Submit Wedding Announcement
  • Advertising
    • World Rates and Ad Sizes
    • World Distribution Map
    • World Deadlines
    • Audit and Reader Surveys
    • Advertising Inquiry
  • Classifieds
    • Place Classified Ads
    • View Current Classifieds
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
No Result
View All Result
The World Online
No Result
View All Result

Not Bugged by the First Bug

vt-world by vt-world
April 21, 2014
in George Shuman
0

 

Yesterday afternoon I was briefly entertained, by a fly. I know, I need to get a life. But this fly was a special fly, as it was the very first house fly I had seen alive since before the winter of 2013 ice age occurred, here in Vermont. He or she, I’m not sure which gender the fly was, or even why I said he or she, was just leisurely walking around on the outside of my windshield, as I sat in my car, waiting for my wife to return from the pharmacy. The fly was, apparently, simply getting some exercise for its little fly body, and was totally unaware that a creature of immense intelligence (everything is relative) was watching its underside as it did so.

I don’t normally enjoy insects, or spend much time thinking about them or watching them. But, about fifteen minutes before yesterday it was winter here in Vermont, and I was sick of that fact. The Bible says that someday “they shall beat their swords into plowshares, and their spears into pruning hooks.” Truthfully, I’m ready to beat my snowblower into a lawn ornament, or something.

I guess I don’t belong this far north, but so far, the far south is far from where I am. As strange as the following may seem (and be), I am a person who thinks it’s normal to plant spring veggies and flowers, in winter, in his house, just to see something green, alive, growing. I love the smell of a seed tray full of fresh, moist potting soil, warming in window-pane sunshine. So sue me. For several years I made it a habit to grow a pumpkin plant in a pot, in January, from a leftover jack-o-lantern seed from the previous fall. I also often walk around our neighborhood, in the evening, at this time of year, and look for the first blades of other-than-brown grass on some lawn, any lawn, anywhere, and for the first buds of spring. Yesterday I was simply being entertained by one of the first BUGS of spring, or at least the first one I had seen. You people in Florida just don’t know what you’re missing. Well, maybe you do.

So, I actually welcomed seeing that little ‘bugger,’ as he scurried around on my car’s glass. His (or her) actual purpose was probably simply to find something disgusting on the glass, to eat. Unfortunately for the fly, my car had recently had most of the disgusting stuff of winter washed from its surface, so that windshield must have seemed to be a huge wasteland of no-waste, from his tiny point of view. How sad, to walk on, nearly forever, (flies have short lives – again, everything is relative) and to find nothing to sustain you.

In a few weeks I will certainly forget about the first fly of spring, on my windshield, and hopefully, by that time, you will also have forgiven me for writing this column. After all, my fly looked a lot like most other flies, in fact, pretty much exactly like most other flies. In those few weeks from now, whenever I see a fly, I will think only of just how nasty they really are, and of the kinds of places they normally like to walk around. Piles of doggie-do, bodies of dead rodents, and other such lovely landing spots will come to mind the first time a fly lights on my cheeseburger. But, for now, to me, this first fly was my harbinger of a spring which might actually be beginning in Vermont; the first living bug I had seen since that last fly of fall, about a hundred years, and six hundred bags of wood pellets ago. It was good to accept my fly as that first promise of warm weather ahead. He was quite welcome on my car yesterday, and I refrained from using the windshield wipers to whisk him away. When he did leave, I didn’t actually raise my right hand in a Vulcan salute, but did think the words: “Little fly… live long, and prosper.” Like I said, I need to get a life.

 

“George’s World,” a new 740 page collection of George’s columns from The World, is available at xlibris.com, amazon.com, barnesandnoble.com and your favorite bookstore. “The Smoke And Mirrors Effect,” George’s first novel, can be seen at amazon.com and barnesandnoble.com. Happy Reading!

 

Previous Post

Morris-Janawicz

Next Post

Reiss’s Pieces

Next Post

Reiss’s Pieces

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This Week’s Ads

  • Home
  • About Us
  • Disclaimer
  • Privacy
  • Sitemap
The World
403 US Route 302
Barre, VT 05641
Phone: (802) 479-2582

Copyright © 2019 The World Online. All Rights Reserved. Powered by CoolerAds.

No Result
View All Result
  • Art Exhibits
  • Audit and Reader Surveys
  • Births
  • Calendar
  • Contact Us
  • Daily Horoscope
  • Fall Guide
  • Food & Recipe
  • Home
  • Obituaries
  • Ongoing Events
  • Pay Your Bill Here
  • Senior Living Edition
  • Showtimes
  • Submit Birth Announcement
  • Submit Calendar Listing for Non-Profit Events
  • Submit Engagement Announcement
  • Submit Listing to our Local Directory
  • Submit Sports News/Photo
  • Submit Wedding Announcement
  • Testimonials
  • The World Coupons
  • Weather Forecast
  • World Deadlines
  • World Distribution Map
  • World Rate Card
  • World Rates and Ad Sizes
  • Disclaimer
  • Privacy
  • Sitemap
  • About Us
  • Vermont Lottery
  • Advertising Information
  • The World Staff
  • Advertising Inquiry
  • Submit Letter To The Editor
  • Local Directory
  • Poll Results
  • Local Deals
  • Classifieds
  • Submit An Article To The World
  • Events
  • The World – This Week’s Online Digital Edition
  • The World Auto & Sports

Copyright © 2019 The World Online. All Rights Reserved. Powered by CoolerAds.

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Fill the forms bellow to register

All fields are required. Log In

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In