I like bugs. I think they are very interesting and have a unique perspective on the world. Plus, they have the added benefit of bringing excitement to kids everywhere.
However, I have drawn a line in the gravel at the front door and it seems a few have brazenly crossed it. So, I have called upon the knowledge of my grandparents who a very long time ago taught me about osage oranges (otherwise known as hedge apples or monkey brains) and their ability to ward off insects.
I used to keep them in my bedroom when I was a kid to keep spiders away.
After putting out an appeal to everyone I could think of to help me locate them, they were discovered by my family roadside somewhere between here and Indiana. A caravan of my relatives spotted them. They pulled over and gathered them up for me.
I know plenty of people who believe they work. I’m not sure, but I can say they are a great conversation starter and they look kind of interesting in bowls around my house.
Doing something that has been passed onto me also makes me feel a bit closer to my grandparents. I can’t ask them about things like that any more, so I’m glad when something they taught me comes back into my life. It’s like a hug from the past coming into my today.