Heat and biting bugs

It's hot.

Of course that's a relative term. It depends on where you are and how much heat you are use to. For me, It's hot. It is the first day of a heat wave on the east coast. That's three consecutive days of 90 degrees plus weather. Part of the relative part deals with the humidity and that has been high when the temperatures were lower so the 90 degree mark really doesn't mean that much.

to beat the heat and get some exercise in one must get that task done in the early morning. I step out my MH, spray on the bug spray and start hoofing it. It's not long before the mosquitoes are searching for an opening to feed on. They buzz around my face, which I did not put bug spray on, and my back. I use a stick to fan them away an just keep on walking. They are hungry and non stop. Sometime I deliver more blows to myself than them. And there are times when your reflexes make you swat at phantom mosquitoes. they aren't there but the feeling is.

Added to the little buggers are an bigger bugger with a bigger bite. Silent. The Green head fly. They abode and abound in wetlands and shore areas along the coast. They make a summer at the shore misery. These things bite and I do mean bite. And when they do you slam at the spot the pain comes from without a second thought. Sometimes adding to the pain of the biting bug.

There aren't that many people meandering about under these conditions. As the day goes on some of them, with kids, go to the beaches. some just go to the swimming pool at the camp ground. most do what I do to beat the bugs and heat. Stay in the air condition MH.

More than one way to skin a cat.

A Tail of two Smithvilles

While staying at the NACO campground in Port Republic NJ I noticed signs for Historic Smithville. http://www.smithvillenj.com/events/index.cfm in Smithville NJ. Familiar with Smithville I was wondering how it could be so close to the Jersey shore. The Smithville I knew was near Mount Holly, NJ, some sixty plus miles west. Naturally we had to go see.

It's a tourist trap and that doesn't mean it's not a nice place to visit. It seems to be centered around the Smithville Inn, a rest stop for travelers of yore. The Inn and it's diner are still in operation. Added to that are a plethora of shops to separate one from their shillings. Trinkets and whatnot's of all types. A few rides for the kiddies and paddle boats for the bigger folk. Ice cream shops and a winery outlet. Trinket shops abound with signs that tickle the funny bone.

Over all the area is colorful and great for photos, well laid out and very pleasant to walk through. Worth a visit? Sure. One of the things that surprised me was the size of the town. There is a shopping center about half a mile down the road. Going by the center and into the unknown I ran across the real burg of Smithville. A large residential community that isn't really seen or known by the casual traveler. That's one of the rewards of motor homing into the unknown So if you ever go there make sure to drive into the shopping center and beyond.

Then there is the other Smithville in Easthampton NJ. http://www.co.burlington.nj.us/departments/resource_conservation/parks/sites/smithville/info/index.htm This one is still in the stag of rehabilitation. An old prison and industrial site that has been converted to a nature and recreation center. They use to have jousting contest between different old time reenact groups, trade fairs and demos of early American culture from Native American through pre and post revolutionary day. I don't know if they still do. Their website does not say much about that at this time.

Still if one is in that area it is worth a stop. After all when you are motor homing you just can't always barrel down the road without stopping to smell the roses sometimes.

Little bug. Big Bite

Chestnut Lake NACO campground is not far from Atlantic City and the Jersey wetlands. In our exploration of the area we have found very little in the way of population along the back roads. Nice homes in some areas. Nice, big, expensive homes that one knows the woman of the house does not do the cleaning. The greatest mass of life that I've ran across was the little old mosquito.

The first time I took a walk around the CG I made the mistake of cheating and taking a short cut across the grass. All I did was stir up the little buggers and let them know breakfast was ready. They attacked my legs with gusto and attempted to get their morning tomato juice. With multiple swats and a change of direction I got off the grass and onto the roadway where the sun could beat on them.

On the walk back to my MH I decided to stay on the road but as I walked through a shaded area the mosquitoes came at me again. Looking down at my legs I could see more than a dozen clinging to my socks and more flying around looking for a good breakfast table. Half of them died where they landed and the rests decided to fly away.

All of a sudden I feel this sharp stabbing pain in the middle of my chest. A reflex action made me slam my hand at the pain. As I looked down at my hand I could see blood seeping around my fingers. What did I do?

I pealed my hand back and noticed a black spot on my shirt. A flat mosquito. Surround by my rich, red blood. That bugger must have thought she would get take out for the whole family and those on my leg were just a diversion. It's amazing that something so small can hold so much.

The next time I went for a walk I remembered to use the bug repellent first.

A Small World

The world of flowers. We look at them from a distance and see how beautiful they are, how fragrant they smell. Not always pleasant. But there is a different view of them when one looks closer. An intricate view of design and color that can only be seen up close. And it doesn't matter the size of the flower. the real beauty is deep within its petals.

I'm having a problem uploading photos at this time so I can't really show you what I mean so this is a chance for you to gaze into the mini world for yourself. Look at any flower of a large size and see it's beauty. Look deeper and you will see an inner beauty of color and design. Then go look at smaller flowers. Take a decent magnifying glass to assist you if you don't have a camera that will give you closeups What you see may amaze you and it's better than watching TV.

I find this world fascinating to and for the minds of children. For they are also of a small world surrounded by giants. They are amazed when these smaller things are pointed out and explained to them.

I shall return to this subject when I'm able to upload some photos. Until then, look into the small world.

Time to think

It is hot and muggy at Port Republic, NJ. And the mosquitoes offer no respite. Still with bug spray and a breeze sitting outside watching the birds fly can be acceptable. On this day doing just that, I watch the birds flying around the trees. Darting in and out of the branches as if the were pilots in a dogfight. What speed the are doing this I have no knowledge of but to watch I think of jet fighters. They are fast and very acrobatic in there travels.

And then I begin to wonder. How do they know, without instrumentation, which direction they are going? What altitude they are? How do they get back from wherever they started? What do they use as markers? How can they twist and turn to catch bugs, their food, on the fly? All questions I do not have answers for but questions that keep my mind active and in wonder.