Went for a snorkel the other day and came home with a bag of sea urchins. I have eaten lots of them in Japanese restaurants, but never done them myself. My sea urchin risotto went pretty well, but the shelling and cleaning of these little pricklies made a mess the like of which I haven't seen in a kitchen since I dissected a frog at Grandma's house when I was ten. So, probably no more sea urchins are in danger from me.
Along with about 20 urchins, I also brought home what I had thought was this beautiful shell for my collection. Turned out to be occupied, and I took Mr. Hermit crab back to the sea, after what I'm sure was an uncomfortable night in the salad bowl.
Happy to report that Winnie, after initially being somewhat put out of sorts, has adjusted admirably to the new flat. I don't think she cares where we are, so long as her chair comes too.
I was doing a little drawing the other night, before I put up the mosquito netting (my flat is now a zanzare-proof fortress) and was suddenly visited by this monster who flew in through the open window about midnight. It was so huge I thought at first that it was a humming bird. When it started dive bombing my head in a fury, I realised what it was, grabbed the cat (who probably couldn't believe her luck...imagine, the birds just fly right into your house here!) and fled the room, shutting off the lights in hopes it might fly back out the window.
The next morning, I thought it was gone, but found it, having died of natural causes, presumably, behind the arm chair when I was dusting.
Yoiks! Never seen anything this big and mean looking anywhere!
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Be careful. I've heard that southern France has introduced wasps from Asia that can be really dangerous.
ReplyDelete(Not American ex-Pats)
Vickie
https://secure.fera.defra.gov.uk/beebase/downloadDocument.cfm?id=276
ReplyDeleteHere is a link
Vickie
He's definitely not one of these. They're the wrong colour and not big enough.
ReplyDeleteI think it's time to send another pic to my friends at the London Natural History Museum.
Hi, Hilary Jane!
ReplyDeleteI'm a bit concerned about the HUGE wasps you are getting in your new home. I sincerely hope neither your nor you cat gets stung.
One suggestion, from your blog it seems you leave your windows open at night. Couldn't you have fine mesh wire window SCREENS installed? That way you could still have your windows open while keeping big nasty bugs out.
Sincerely, Sean
Bug came in the night before the screens went up. It was one of the things that finally motivated me. That and the no sleeping thing.
ReplyDelete