The summer is not yet over, already it’s one for the history books. Thanks to the record temperatures, wildfire smoke and one of the best summers for mosquitoes in a while. I have been coming to work very early, hoping to catch the mosquitoes resting as I walk to work. The plan has not fully worked, still having to deal with the few blood thirsty females. While the male mosquitoes go after flower nectar, sap, honeydew and anything else with sugar, the females to quench their thirst and to get the protein they need to produce their eggs, need our blood. Some of the things mosquitoes have a greater attraction to are people with O type blood, beer consumers, those wearing dark-colored clothes and I think my chocolate rich blood.
Being out early, I have been watching some pretty surreal sunrises with the wildfire smoke. A few weeks back, the Sun was rising when I saw a Common Raven on the very top of one of the belvederes of the bathing pavilion at the Cave and Basin NHS. I crossed my fingers the raven would stay in place, as I quickly moved into place to have the raven between me and the Sun. I got the picture just as the raven was calling out. Probably calling out to tell me to get the picture before it was too late as the mosquitoes were making a beeline toward me.
