Scorpions

Last night Ken and I went on a scorpion hunt. He has this black light flashlight and evidently scorpions glow in a black light. It is interesting to see nature under a black light even if you really don't want to actually find any scorpions. Different minerals glow in rocks. A plain white rock during the day becomes a rainbow under a black light flashlight. Inspiration. Little tiny white flowers that blend in to the greenery and abundance of wildflowers during the day float in a sea of black, little tiny white specks of grace and beauty. We walk almost up to the mailboxes and thankfully have not seen a scorpion.

Starting about five years ago we began decorating our road for Christmas. We wrap tinsel garland around trees, cactus, rocks, really anything that stands still. We also hang huge plastic ornaments from the tree limbs that overhang the road, smaller ones in the cedars that line the road. As you drive towards our house your car lights flash on the tinsel and ornaments and the road twinkles at you. This year we left the tinsel up for year round twinkling. We took down all the ornaments though. The black light picks up every little piece of tinsel that has fluttered to the ground. If each little piece didn't first make me jump and dance away thinking it's a scorpion I'd be enjoying this more. In my opinion the only good scorpion is one that has been ground into mush by a boot heel. I ask Ken again why this is a good idea. Just wait until you see one, they look like they're made of el-wire. 

It is a beautiful spring night in Central Texas. I decide to ignore the fact that we are looking for scorpions and just enjoy the night and the walk. Ken has on slinky long grey shorts. They go almost all the way down to his knees. He likes the feel of them but says they are way too long. He wants me to hem them up to right above mid thigh, or really just a couple inches from where the crotch of the shorts hang. Every time he brings it up I start calling him Coach. He doesn't think I am very funny. I start amusing myself by lightly brushing my finger down his butt cheek. He is so alert for scorpions it makes him jump and swat each and every time. I seem to have lost my ability to feel guilt. 

We are almost back to the house and he finds a scorpion. The little bastard does indeed glow like el-wire. It is also hanging upside down on the branch of a cedar tree. I look around at all the cedar trees lining our road and scattered around our property. I will never leave the road again. Oh good grief Tamara, how many years have we been tromping around through these trees and how many times have you ever been stung? Logic has nothing to do with this. It's all knowledge based right now, and now I KNOW they hang upside down in cedar trees. 

Ken keeps poking at the day glow scorpion until it falls from the tree. I jump and scream and Ken laughs. It seems he has lost his ability to feel guilt too. 

I want to line our house with black lights. Have black light nightlights in every room. Really, I am terrified of scorpions.