FEATURES

"...Seventeen years of chastely hiding underground, then all at once, everyone pops up and sings and flies and loves and dies...." Sex and the Single Entomologist brings us more Bug High Drama from the Shrubbery of Northern Virginia with The Return of the Periodic Cicadas.

The Casual Cook's Strawberry Cheese Pie - "...In our family we’re down to two people but I don’t seem to be able to get it through my head that I shouldn’t buy a six basket carton. Where strawberries are concerned I have no will power...."

Artichoke Wars - I never tried to stuff an artichoke until I found myself embroiled in the Great Stuffing Controversy and asked the scientific question: Is it really worth the trouble?

Mauritius - "...Getting lost on these roads is guaranteed, especially in the surrealistic, Middle Earth-like mountains of the central region, as there are no road signs and villages all look fairly identical...."

Life in Congo, Part IV - Military Danger. Riverman Buck's continuing adventures teaching and living in Africa. "...One of the topics of conversation was how acceptable Kinshasa is becoming, with the streets starting to get repaired and more and better food becoming available. Little did we suspect how ugly and terrifying the evening would end..."

Chiroptera Fishing - Bat fishing offers a way keep those casting skills sharp even when the hatch is off.

Atkins Squirrel - Foraging in the City - McBee just wants to get it right, and ends up on the County Weirdo List. "...What about meat? I watched a squirrel hopping along outside my window, fattened up on walnuts, hazelnuts, and the occasional road-kill pigeon, and asked myself: Why the hell not?"

Carnage of the Cute: Ladybugs invade a rifle range - "...As the sun grew warmer and the smell of sulfur and gun powder filled the air, "they" began their invasion. It was comical at first, as they lighted on our barrels and sneaked into our sights. Occasionally, the little shelled cuties crawled along the rim of my glasses. Then, they started biting, and crawling up our shirts, in my pants and on our necks...."

Marry An Orphan, and seven more excellent guidelines for better living, in The Wendy Way.

Bake yourself an Orange Coconut Angel Food cake for Mother's Day or whatever spring holiday you have, and maybe share it, maybe not - the Casual Cook brings you a sure-fire dessert hit.

Life in Congo, Part 3- Typical Day - "...The most popular dance closely resembles the 'grind', and dark-skinned beauties with perfect bodies will stand there, eyes closed, and slowly, sensually twist and thrust their way through song after song... it’s nicer than I can describe. I pretend to not notice when I’m sitting with my girlfriend...." Riverman Buck settles in to a vibrant life of Africa, the place they invented the color green.

Letter from Japan - Poetry from Ethan Gilsdorf

Feel like there's a weasel in your gut? McBee details Giardia symptoms, treatment and prevention.

SITES WE DIG

Cleveland's historic mounted police patrol the beach of Lake Erie for lucky horse shoes.

Canadian Mountie, by Cheryl Conlon, professional travel photographer