Fireflies and Skeeters

It is definitely that time of year again.... when... the fireflies are out and the skeeters... aka mosquito's... are biting!  I LOVE the fireflies... want to build a bat house for the skeeters!  I have that really sweet blood that not only attracts the skeeters... but they literally eat me up!  FYI.... I read that if you wear white skeeters will leave you alone... they don't like white fabric!

Fireflies, Lightening bugs, Glow bugs..... whatever you call them in your neck of the woods... they are one of my most favorite things about summer!  The neighborhood where I used to live in Kentucky had millions... and I do mean millions of fireflies.  One night when we were coming home late from a cookout... I noticed that the trees looked like someone had strung up twinkle lights... I thought this was such an odd thing to do during the summer... I would expect that more at Christmastime... but then... I realized it wasn't twinkle lights, but fireflies in the trees... seriously that is how many fireflies were in the trees.  After that... my daughters and I would wait til dark and take a "firefly watch' walk.  The fireflies would arrive in June and last through late July.  Anytime we would have visitors staying at our house.. the "firefly watch" walk was always a MUST!!  We have many memories of many "firefly watch" walks.  I have just started to notice the fireflies here in the woods behind our house... and while they are always sweet to watch.. I still have never seen anything like the fireflies from our old neighborhood.

Of course... everyone remembers back to their childhood when catching fireflies in old mayonnaise jars was the thing to do each night while our parents sat in lawn chairs under the carport drinking iced tea and/or coffee and chatted/visited... my Dad drinks coffee from the time he gets up til the time he goes to bed... Winter, Spring, Summer and Fall!!!!  Pots of it.... many many many pots of it!  I myself, drink gallons of sweet tea... which is a very 'southern' thing!

As a child, I would run around all summer long barefoot... as much as possible... and hated it when summer break was over and it was time to don shoes again for school!  We lived in a subdivision and all of the neighbors would gather at night... alternating houses each night... the parents talked, the kids played "hide and seek"... "ghosts in the graveyard".... "tag"... and "firefly catching".... and I also remember keeping the fireflies in a jar in my room at night to serve as a night light... my Mom always made us release the poor dears free in the morning.  On those hot summer nights when the neighbors gathered in our yard and under our carport, my Mom always made kool aid ice cubes as treats for all us kids, and they were the PERFECT refreshment when you are hot and sweaty on a summer night.  When it was time to go in for the night and take our baths... the bottom of our feet were literally black!  Ahhhh.... but those truly were the good ole days... and I have to say that I think I had the absolute bestest childhood ever!

As an adult... I still enjoy watching the lightening bugs and remembering my childhood days, the days of my girls childhood, all our firefly walks, and looking forward to my Grandsons first summer when they ask GG for a jar to catch fireflies in.... and I'll make sure I have a couple on hand just for that purpose!

Fireflies always have, and always will bring a smile to my face as they remind me of the most perfect free summertime entertainment.  But then... I've always been a sucker for twinkle lights too!

Twinkle Twinkle little firefly...