News of the Weird: Gigantic Insect Buffet

Our friends on the East Coast are enjoying an every 17-year emergence of extremely large insects called 'Cicadas.'

This invasion is being referred to as 'Swarmageddon.' Judging by how large they appear to be, I can see why.

Cicadas - formerly known as locusts - are huge insects that hibernate underground for years, eating the roots of trees, vegetables and shrubs. They emerge from their underground lairs to shed their skins and mate. Female cicadas lay eggs deep in tree branches, which scars the trees and causes damage. They are generally dreaded for this, and for the strange noise they make. Apparently the sound is quite loud and annoying.

However, for some, this emergence of gigantic insects is the perfect opportunity for a feast. According to a recent article published on NBC Philadelphia's website, cicadas are apparently quite nutritious: the "shrimp of the insect world."

Online, you can learn how to make Cicada German Chocolate Cake, and there is an actual cicada cookbook called, "Cicada-licious." Yikes.

Entomology professor Mike Raupp says, in the article, "Boiled they’re going to taste a lot like shrimp. If you eat them au naturel, raw, they’ve got a delicate nutty flavor; a buttery texture,” he said. “I like the soft-shelled ones.”

Entomologist Isa Betancourt suggests trying to grab them fresh from the ground before their shells harden to get the best flavor. *shudder.*

Say what they will about eating these protein-rich, low fat bugs, but I think I'll take a pass.  This story reminds me of how much I love living in the Northwest, where the insects are small, and therefore likely hard to find on any local menu.

The Lighter Side: "You don't look so good, honey"

My dad had another episode of congestive heart failure. He was hospitalized. My parents weren't the best of friends, but they were always there for each other through their 40 years of marriage. This episode was at year 37.

My mom, dressed to the nines as usual to please my dad took her cheerful self to the recovery room after his surgery.

There were several 'stalls' and she came to his side, held his hand and was shocked at how he was doing and looking. She couldn't help herself - my never-very-tactful mother leaned into my dad, kissed his cheek and said, "Oh honey, you don't look so good." with tears brimming in her eyes.  From across the room she heard, "Josephine! I'm over HERE!"

Halloween Costume Ideas for Those Who Use Walkers

• Go as a grocery shopper. You could use the walker as part of a shopping cart and be shopping.
• Or cover the walker with brown butcher paper and BE the groceries in a bag!!
• Putting on a Texas Ranger (or other cowboy type costume) costume and going as "Walker, Texas Ranger".
• Use pieces of cardboard to build a haunted castle or haunted house and you can dress as frankentstein or a ghost or witch etc...looking out the window.
• A robot which includes the walker which would take account of limited mobility.
• Build it up into a haunted tree and you could be an owl.
• You could also put some mountainous pictures on the walker and when people ask what you are, you could say "The Walker Mountains in Antarctica of course!" Or some pictures of a lake and go as "Walker Lake" - there are a number of Walker Lakes out there.
• Get a large stiff piece of cardboard to attach to the front, shaped and painted or colored to look like a coffin with a small opening for you to look out of. Old fashioned coffins used to have a little window, sometimes shaped like a bat with screening in it!
• How about french fries and a drink? The fries are the walker and the drink is you.
• You could be a Christmas present. The box is opened and you are coming out as a doll or jack-in-the-box.
• Put a little model of a city on top of the walker, then dress up as Godzilla or some other monster coming towards the city about to CRUSH it.

 

Halloween Costume Ideas for those in Wheelchairs

• How about going as the painting "Whistler's Mother"? You would wear a black dress and the white scarf. See: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Whistler's_Mother
• Wrap a foot in an ace bandage. Get some mittens or ski hat. Instant injured skier costume!
• Drummer Costume. Attach containers (e.g ice-cream containers, empty paint-cans) to a wheelchair with rope, duct-tape or similar material. Use a hoola-hop with card-board for the bass drum (over the front of the chair). Use paint-brushes or large pencils for drum-sticks. Dress in appropriate attire for the music to be played (e.g. rock, 50s etc)
• Pirate Ship.  Jimmy has CP, MR, is deaf and blind, but still wanted to participate in Halloween - here's what he did: 
• Fred Flintstone and car costume. Obviously dress as Fred with a pre-purchased costume. Create the sides and top of the car from cardboard or light wood. Ditto for the dash. Cover the side-wheels in grey plastic. Voila, Fred Flintstone driving his car.
• King or Queen and throne costume. Wrap back and rests with gold or silver paper. Attach garland, plastic jewels and the like to the cart. Dress up regally in velvet or velour. Buy a crown and scepter and even the costume at a costume store.
• Pumpkin Costume. Get a big orange leaf bag, cut a hole in the large end and put it over a wheelchair. Instant pumpkin!
• Robot or evil machine type of a costume.
• Dress up as an astronaut, and make the wheel chair up to look like the moon rover.
• Surprised Bather Attach a pole to the back of the wheelchair.  At the top of the pole, mount a large wire ring and a shower head.  On the ring, hang a shower curtain, adjusting it so that you can still see to move.  Put on a bathing cap, wrap a towel around you, and carry a scrub brush.  You now look like you were surprised in the tub!

Laura Medcalf of Indianapolis was the belle of the ball three years ago when her mom transformed her wheelchair into Cinderella's carriage. Some foam board, paint, tape and a few glued-on jewels did the trick. Laura, now 9, was dazzling in a baby blue dress with silvery accents. Indianapolis Star/ News Photo by Kelly Wilkinson.

Nico Toscano, 13, of Rochester, N.Y., with the help of his family and nurse, built a 1934 Bugatti of foam core around his wheelchair. The one-of-a-kind vehicle also featured flashlights for headlights, an old-fashioned bicycle horn and a go-cart steering wheel.

 

Michelle Cohen Lev of Baltimore has put together a book based on the wheelchair costumes she's made for her son, Ofek. Here's Ofek, now 7, as a train conductor and Aladdin on his magic carpet. Each costume can be made for $10 or less, Lev says, using things around the house such as boxes, wrapping paper and spray paint. All costumes ©1998 Michelle Cohen.

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  Many Halloween costumes can be adjusted to fit a wheelchair.  Just keep in mind not to use anything that might get caught in the wheels and interfere with movement.