| User | Comment |
|---|
| FordGuy |
Thing is, I love my bats. I have many bat houses that I have built on my property. Keeps the mosquito and other insect population very low. And the horses appreciate that. The more bats the better, I always say. |
paulyw    |
I had quite a few pests in the homes I lived in. I hate it when wasps, bees, and hornets come in the house, and especially flies. I am allergic to bee, wasp, and hornet stings, and hearing those things buzz in my ears drive me nuts no mater where I am. |
| moviesnob |
Few roaches |
| Enheduanna |
At various times I have had ants (just normal black ones), flies, mosquitos, and spiders in my house. Ants are the only ones I've had enough of to call a problem, though. |
| iamdonte |
Inside my house (of course, not by invitation) Carpenter ants, fire ants, bees, hornets, wasps, mice, flies mosquitos, spiders, flies, and other (a bird - once, snake, raccoon, while these are uncommon as "household" pests they sure were a pest to this household!) |
| judgescratch |
ants
mice
roaches |
bill    |
Cluster Flies and ladybugs mostly, but they are gone now. Mice, but rarely and they don't last long (meow). |
| bill | | (reply to FordGuy) posted 3-Jun-2004 3:38pm |
We've thought about putting some bat houses in around our property. What would you recommend? |
| justjulie |
some of the above mentioned, and one not mentioned, and that one would be, ladybugs |
| pandora |
I've only seen a few spiders, and many ants. I have a sure-fire non-toxic cure for ants if anyone is interested... |
| dab |
Ladybugs |
| darkshadowsseeker |
We get spiders in the house from time to time...the same with flies. |
| darkshadowsseeker | | (reply to pandora) posted 3-Jun-2004 6:32pm |
Where I lived previously we had a real problem with household ants. One safe way is to use bait stations. The worker ants take the bait back to their nest and feed it to the queen, who then dies. When she dies, the nest dies. The bait stations are safe enough to put on kitchen counters. The length of time it takes for you to see any effects depends on the seriousness of the infestation. Another helpful hint if you have ants on the kitchen counter is to make certain that there are no crumbs or water on the counter and when you see ants crawling, spray them and the area with a cleaner such as 409. Not only does it kill the ants, but it destroys the scent trail that the ant has made. It's much safer to spray in the kitchen then insecticides. |
| pandora |
I think I've got you beat, as far as ant solutions go! I don't know that it would work for everyone though. What I did was draw a thick border of chalk around any place the ants seemed to be coming in. The new ants couldn't follow the scent trail inside, and the ones already in were madly congregating around the door. Easy to smite them that way. Not an ant in sight since! It was also pretty entertaining--there were a few on a cabinet door, so I drew circles of chalk around them to see what would happen. One ant stayed inside his little circle for a loooong time, many hours, and another flung himself off the cabinet onto the counter! I feel a little cruel, but the chalk really works wonders. |
| darkshadowsseeker | | (reply to pandora) posted 3-Jun-2004 7:43pm |
I've heard that works, but I've never tried it. You must have had a lot of fun watching those poor little ants going in circles!  |
| ASexyBabe |
just spiders and ants |
| ASexyBabe |
Oh and ladybugs  |
| ASexyBabe |
boric acid in powder form works wonders on them and will prevent them from returning. We had ants real bad once and I pulled up the carpet and put that powder under it and tacked it back down and we have had none since. |
| ASexyBabe |
Bait stations did not work for me at all!!! I was so mad because I spent a lot of money and bought many of them. Boric acid in powder form is what got rid of them for me. The ants just walked right around the bait stations. |
| darkshadowsseeker | | (reply to ASexyBabe) posted 3-Jun-2004 8:10pm |
Hmm...maybe it depends on the type of ants. I dunno. I'm glad you found something that worked for you. |
| Enheduanna | | (reply to ASexyBabe) posted 3-Jun-2004 9:49pm |
Unfortunately, I'm guessing it works wonders on cats, too. I don't have carpets I can hide it under. I've put down dryer sheets, which are working very well. I also find that keeping the kitchen floor cleaner helps!  |
| pandora |
It was fun..but I felt guilty afterward! |
| pandora |
Try the chalk! It's a miracle cure.  |
ElvisFan67  | | posted 3-Jun-2004 10:12pm |
Of the ones you have listed: Carpenter ants (in an older home we lived in the past), crickets (in the fall), flies (of course), the dreaded and most feared spiders (wolf spiders in the fall when they get in our basement looking for a place to go for the winter), wasps (in a past home), and my "other" option, silverfish. There was also this rather large black beetle-type bug that would roam around a past home at night (species unknown). |
| ElvisFan67 |
"Wolf" spiders? (Get it? ) |
| darkshadowsseeker | | (reply to pandora) posted 3-Jun-2004 10:42pm |
|
| darkshadowsseeker |
*GROAN* You're gonna go to HECK for that! |
| Irene007 | | posted 3-Jun-2004 11:19pm |
Ants (other) - Pharaoh ants (the worst)
Bats - I liked them
Fleas - Didn't like them at all
Flies - No one invited them in
Mice - At Chateau Shack but that's normal (we like to call them "The Little Folks of the Forest")
Mosquitoes - We hate 'em and we call them "skimeaners" (from a little kid who couldn't say it right) and besides they carry the West Nile Virus - who wants them around?
Spiders - I like them as well as the bats (they keep the other pests from being a total invasion)
Wasps - I like 'em - just NOT in my backyard! |
| Enheduanna | | (reply to pandora) posted 3-Jun-2004 11:23pm |
I'll have to try it next time I see some ants. Cinnamon also works pretty well. |
| Irene007 | | (reply to FordGuy) posted 3-Jun-2004 11:25pm |
Do you live by a lake? We used to and we saw the bats nightly. Sometimes, in the evening while watching TV; they'd come up out of nowhere trying to find their way outside. They were so darn cute! Little brown bats are the species we had. I miss that! We want to build some bat roosts at our country place, of all the plans to build them that we found on the net (really confusing - we don't know what to do), which model worked best for you? |
| Irene007 | | (reply to paulyw) posted 3-Jun-2004 11:30pm |
> I had quite a few pests in the homes I lived in. I hate it when wasps,
> bees, and hornets come in the house, and especially flies. I am allergic
> to bee, wasp, and hornet stings, and hearing those things buzz in
> my ears drive me nuts no mater where I am.
I have no allergy, as far as I know, but I have a real phobia about those insects. I'll let a spider walk all over me but anything sporting a yellow and black striped jacket freaks me out! |
| Irene007 | | (reply to iamdonte) posted 3-Jun-2004 11:32pm |
> Inside my house (of course, not by invitation) Carpenter ants, fire
> ants, bees, hornets, wasps, mice, flies mosquitos, spiders, flies,
> and other (a bird - once, snake, raccoon, while these are uncommon
> as "household" pests they sure were a pest to this household!)
Hmmm... Sounds like I'd really like where you live!  You know... I plan to visit that part of the world some day!! |
| Irene007 | | (reply to bill) posted 3-Jun-2004 11:42pm |
> Cluster Flies and ladybugs mostly, but they are gone now. Mice, but
> rarely and they don't last long (meow).
I've never seen this before but since I have moved in this place a few years ago; every fall, a gazillion lady bugs try to find warmth by entering our home. Somehow, many do get in and just die stuck to the grease on some obscure, inaccessible part of the kitchen, or in between windows. Every spring, I clean out the corpses of so many of these little creatures; more than I've seen in my lifetime! I was starting to wonder if this was cyclic... You know, like locusts? I remember as a kid, a season with so many grasshoppers that we used to gather them up to fill jars and throw them on the road just before a car drove by! We were young and stupid... But I've never, ever seen as many grasshoppers so big and plentiful since then. I also remember a frog night from my youth, it rained and it seemed like they were everywhere! I was riding my friend's Solex (a motorised bicycle) and I couldn't avoid them all on the road - I squished a few that evening! There must have been as many as 3-5 frogs in every square foot! Never seen THAT again either... |
| Irene007 |
> Of the ones you have listed: Carpenter ants (in an older home we
> lived in the past), crickets (in the fall), flies (of course), the
> dreaded and most feared spiders (wolf spiders in the fall when they
> get in our basement looking for a place to go for the winter), wasps
> (in a past home), and my "other" option, silverfish. There was also
> this rather large black beetle-type bug that would roam around a past
> home at night (species unknown).
Yeah! I forgot about silverfish! We have many in this building. We put poison for them and it works for a little while but the building needs treatment because the eventually come back! |
| heyzeus1 | | posted 4-Jun-2004 12:08am |
i saw a giant turtle today |
| Hyena | | posted 4-Jun-2004 12:52am |
mice is the worst. roaches I can handle better (vacuum, freezer, exterminator) - mice I feel guilty about catching them (squeak squeak squeak), they make so much noise scratching around, and they're so dirty (pee and pooh constantly), and destructive (eat wires, etc.). Spiders, flies and mosquitoes - facts of life - no big deal. |
| ASexyBabe |
I have cats too but I don't put it where they can get to it. The ants were after the cat food I also sprayed down the outside of the house with a repellant. Another thing to check is for water leaks. If you have water leaks bugs are more likely to invade and stay in your home. I put the boric acid behind and under all of the appliances and under the sink as well. Boric acid will also kill roaches and many other nasty critters. We used to live in a townhouse that had neighbors on both sides and they were dirty and had bugs. I put down the boric acid when we moved in. When the management would spray for roaches in the neighboring townhomes they would rush into our place, walk through the boric acid barrier that I had put down and die!!! I was very glad I had used it then. Never saw a live bug or any traces of bug activity except when they sprayed next door. We would not let them spray our place because of the cats and we never needed it. |
| ASexyBabe | | (reply to Irene007) posted 4-Jun-2004 1:15am |
Silverfish like damp places. Maybe you have a leaky pipe |
| they |
Carpenter ants in my first apartment.. It was a really nice place, but we were in the basement.. and those things are large and scary looking.
Ants-other: In NC, we bought a hummingbird feeder and hung it outside the kitchen window.. the ants created a busy little trail from the ground, up the side of the house, and up to the feeder.. lots got confused and climbed through the cracks of the window.. Now we get them every winter.. they come out of the registers on the floor so I'm guessing we have cracks in the foundation.. these were all the tiny ants.
Fleas--I remember this as a kid.. before products like frontline.
Flies!!!! Ugh!! The nastiest part about living in the country.. next to a cotton field.. they spread manure--chicken manure to be exact-- on the fields.. Your entire house fills with flies that have been climbing through the CRAP.. It's disgusting.
Mosquitos--NC again.. after hurricanes, when things are flooded, killer mosquitos are everywhere.. they're so big that you can see stripes on them. I would walk through the house with a wad of TP and crush them on all the walls.
Spiders.. enough said.
Bees--we get them now, at the start of every spring.. I have no idea why.. or where they come from. We are pretty sure they're coming out of the attic though.
Also pill bugs.. our bathroom has problems.. and water has gotten into the walls.. so pill bugs show up from time to time. We're getting ready to redo the bathroom (completely gutting, retiling, everything!)..
|
| they |
Oh yes.. mice, but they're not pests.. I found one in my closet once, sitting on the shoulder of a t-shirt, watching me.. I think I've said it before, but in our house, when we see a mouse, it's how other people would treat seeing a deer in the wild..
and Ladybugs.. we don't kill them or anything.. we just let them go off to die at the start of every winter.. they come in by the dozens. |
| thevelvetcure |
Parent's home - Termites, Sugar/Piss Ants, Fleas, Mice (we had 5 full time exterminators and Roaches
Apt - Flies (when our Air Conditioner broke), Sugar/Piss Ants, and Spiders |
| bill | | (reply to Irene007) posted 4-Jun-2004 5:59am |
The ladybugs and cluster flies are seasonal for us. They come in for warmth in the fall (we mostly don't notice this part). Then over the winter, if there is a warm day, they might appear at the windows. Then in Spring, they come out en masse. It's pretty gross, but they are gone now (outside to create another generation or two). One of our cats likes to eat the cluster flies. They don't carry disease, so it's not so bad, protein! They are dumb and slow, very easy to kill. Our cat just walks over and eats them without much struggle.
We gets days with lots of frogs sometimes, never as bad as you described. But, often they will be one night, driving home, when it's impossible not to run some over. I think it has to have rained. |
| bill | | (reply to they) posted 4-Jun-2004 6:01am |
We lived in apartment several years ago that had mice. They would get into our loaf of bread, drilling a hole into it. That was kind of "pesty". Also, a deer scrapped all the bark off one of the small trees in our yard... pesty. |
| Irene007 | | (reply to ASexyBabe) posted 4-Jun-2004 8:35am |
I do see them in the bathroom and in the garage... |
| Irene007 | | (reply to bill) posted 4-Jun-2004 8:37am |
That famous night with the frogs was a rainy one - it was pouring! Good thing I was young when that happened 'cause if I'd see that now; I'd think it was a recurring Biblical plague!  |
| kaleb777 |
Bull ants, green ants and these ants that squirt acid. Mossies, cockies, mice, wasps, spiders, beetles. |
| Enheduanna | | (reply to ASexyBabe) posted 4-Jun-2004 10:13am |
The ants come in places where the cats can get to. But maybe I can figure something out--I'll keep it in mind. |
| AngryLilPup | | posted 4-Jun-2004 11:02am |
Millipeds...ugh |
| Zang | | posted 4-Jun-2004 11:18am |
Ants, fleas, flies and cockroaches. I don't consider spiders to be "pests". The building I'm in now has a problem with pigeons, but they aren't inside my apartment. They do roost on the window ledges and nest in the ceiling spaces above windows in the common areas. |
| iamdonte | | (reply to Irene007) posted 4-Jun-2004 12:21pm |
When you decide to head this direction - let me know. Would love to show you around! |
| mandy |
Mallory |
| mandy | | (reply to bill) posted 4-Jun-2004 2:27pm |
Build a bat cave |
| FordGuy | | (reply to bill) posted 4-Jun-2004 3:41pm |
Bill and Irene:
http://lancaster.unl.edu/enviro/pest/factsheets/26...
These plans are what I built and placed around my house. In the woods, and in the pastures. I have lots of bats, and people remark about how few insects I have. I usually don't tell em about my bats cuz some people get freaked out by it. |
| they | | (reply to bill) posted 4-Jun-2004 4:07pm |
I would think it was cute.. I know I'm not normal..
I had a mouse in NC that somehow lived inside my stove.. I was always afraid to turn the oven on  Since I always disinfect my counters before using them, I accepted him. It was funny to leave crackers on the counter and listen to him from the other room trying to drag them down into the burner (It was pretty boring in NC)
I figure that if the mice are brave enough to live with my cats.. and get away with it, they deserve to hang around as much as any of us do..
As for the deer.. I'd be so excited to have a deer in my yard, I wouldn't care if he ate the trees... but that's just me |
| they | | (reply to Zang) posted 4-Jun-2004 4:13pm |
I used to know this woman in NC (the uptight christian, Home Interiors type of lady).. she had her house regularly bombed for spiders. Spiders!! |
| Biggles |
We had a bees nest in our central heating - one day they just all came pouring out of our airing cupboard. We had to have them killed - me and my mum were really sad. We had a wasps nest in the garden too that we had to poison before my little brother's garden birthday party. We get a lot of flies in during the summer. We have some mice but mostly in the attic and under the house. No rats, except pet ones. Spiders of course. Don't think I've ever seen a living mosquito - plenty of deads ones though (plus I've seen the original tsetse fly that was collected off Dr Livingstone. It's all smushed up like it was feeding on him and he slapped at it. |
| they | | (reply to Biggles) posted 4-Jun-2004 5:59pm |
No mosquitos over there? I had no idea how lucky you people are. |
| Biggles | | (reply to they) posted 4-Jun-2004 6:06pm |
There are some in the south east. Marshy or even slightly damp areas have loads of midges which bite some people like mad (they don't seem to like my blood though). We will get more mosquitoes with global warming though (probably), especially an increase in the species that carry diseases like malaria. There's really no malaria in this country (or the rest of western Europe) or any other mosquito vectored diseases - just in people who have been away for a while. Could all change....Not that we *really* know where the mosquitoes are at the moment because our predictive models are so bad. But that's where I come in! Over the summer I am (supposedly) developing a  model. Me, creating a new model...? |
| ElvisFan67 |
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| ElvisFan67 | | (reply to Irene007) posted 4-Jun-2004 6:08pm |
Yeah, they're like little centipedes. And I think they're some kin to the wolf spider, because they are the same color and they can run fast like the wolf spiders. |
| Biggles |
Hate to go all "biologist" on you, but wolf spiders are Arachnids and silverfish are Insects so they aren't very closely related at all. |
| Irene007 |
Kin to wolf spiders? With the speed they take off at, you'd think they be related to cockroaches! I've never seen them jump like wolf spiders!!! |
| Dino |
I think I may have had a return of a mouse problem.
I've set the traps - and this time I'm put out the dangerous ones, not just the humane one. |
| Irene007 | | (reply to iamdonte) posted 4-Jun-2004 6:40pm |
> When you decide to head this direction - let me know. Would love to
> show you around!
You are the FIRST person I'll call to let you know when we plan that boat trip - it should be within the next 5 years (I hope!). I thought my brother meant that he wanted to do the trip through rivers as in the book River Horse where the guy crossed America in his boat (with a few portages, of course) from the Atlantic to the Pacific. But no... He means to start in-land here (Lake Champlain) and come out in New York, then go south through THE BERMUDA TRIANGLE!!! Then swing around Florida to head your way. I'm a real landlubber and the thought of going on the ocean in a small craft sort of rankles me! I told him that I'll go, as long as we can see faces on the shore, well enough to recognize them - any further out and I'm on the bus to Louisiana!! |
| Madriiax |
I have spiders and ants in my house right now. The ants don't really bother me, but the spiders look like they're brown recluse. ;-/ |
| Zang | | (reply to they) posted 4-Jun-2004 9:09pm |
Spiders won't get out of hand unless there is plenty of food for them and if that's the case, your problem probably aint spiders! I think of spiders as nature's own pest control. |
| southernyankee | | posted 4-Jun-2004 10:48pm |
fleas (from my dog) and mosquitoes (but we keep them out with our window screens.
although sometimes I would be willing to argue that my dog himselft is a pest. |
| iamdonte | | (reply to Irene007) posted 4-Jun-2004 11:20pm |
This sounds like a REAL adventure, but I'm with you - I wouldn't want to be on a small vessel in the middle of the water - too much could go wrong. The closer to shore, the better.
We plan to still be in Louisiana for another 2-5 years. After that we might be in northern California, southern Oregon, or New Mexico. Just depends on the health of my partner's father and where he would like to live once we are in a position to leave the area. So, things are up in the air. If we aren't in the area when you come through, still let me know and the two of us will fly back to New Orleans just for the fun of it. Boy, now I can plan and scheme..... |
| ElvisFan67 | | (reply to Biggles) posted 4-Jun-2004 11:48pm |
Yeah, well I was kind of expecting that. I'm not much of a biology expert at all. I just went by the similar colors and the speed of each species, because they do move alike.
BTW, do you know that wolf spiders can travel at a speed of 1 mph? That's FAST for a spider! |
| ElvisFan67 | | (reply to Irene007) posted 4-Jun-2004 11:49pm |
See my reply to Biggles--just above this one.  |
| LindaH |
Neighbor kids |
| Lahdee | | (reply to LindaH) posted 5-Jun-2004 11:14am |
|
| Biggles |
Wow! |
| nasale |
Fr the first time in my life I got mice last year after they pulled down an old building near by. I was quite fascinated with them at first and thought they were actually kind of cute. Then they started becoming NOT cute. So, I got me a puddy tat. He's a black Tabby. Its the first time I ever saw one. He's so CUTE! His name is Butch. |
| nasale | | (reply to FordGuy) posted 6-Jun-2004 1:15pm |
Oh wow! You have bats?? That would be so neat! I've always wanted a bat! Then again, Ive always wanted a zoo, so it goes to figure.They have the cutest little faces and I hear they are really smart. You lucky duck! |
| ROCKMAN |
I don't have a pest problem. I keep my house treated against them on a regular basis by a pest control company. |
| EddieT321 | | (reply to Irene007) posted 7-Jun-2004 10:35am |
i agree with you. I wear the red badge of courage when it comes to protecting the lives of innocent bugs outside...but it my home, I detest them. Pardon my french, but they suck! |
| EddieT321 | | (reply to Madriiax) posted 7-Jun-2004 10:36am |
Spiders are so devious. Always lurking about. |
| Irene007 | | (reply to iamdonte) posted 7-Jun-2004 10:21pm |
Ooooo! If you live in LA, you must be some real party people!! So it would be real nice if you didn't live there and still came to join us! Let's keep in touch - I really want this to happen and I'd like it to happen with people who live (or lived) there!
When my brother spoke of his desire to travel there, he was surprised when I pulled out all my LA brochures. I'd written for them years before, hoping to plan a trip there. He was happy to see that his lil'sis had the same desires as he (I somehow suspect it's a desire for most Acadians here in QC - but we're NOT Acadian! We just like history and are naturally drawn to that place as French speaking English Canadians.) French speaking English Canadians... ?  An oxymoron if I ever heard one!!
Do you know Zachary Richard? |
| Irene007 |
> BTW, do you know that wolf spiders can travel at a speed of 1 mph?
> That's FAST for a spider!
1 mph? That is fast for a creature with such short legs...
...Hmmm, that makes me think of me and Ben. He has a short torso and long legs while my torso is long with shorter legs and we have to strain to 69! I have to adjust the mirror higher after he takes the car and we're the same height! I look humungous next to him in pictures if it's taken when we're sitting... When we walk together, he has to take smaller steps so I can keep up! Daddy long legs is what I'm going to call him now! No - Wolf would be better! As a matter of fact, I always call him "mon petit loup" in French (loup = wolf)! It's more fitting than I though... |
| Irene007 | | (reply to EddieT321) posted 7-Jun-2004 10:33pm |
> i agree with you. I wear the red badge of courage when it comes to
> protecting the lives of innocent bugs outside...but it my home, I
> detest them. Pardon my french, but they suck!
Dang all those little brown creatures! Kick 'em out! But live and let live outside, so I agree with you! |
| iamdonte | | (reply to Irene007) posted 7-Jun-2004 10:36pm |
Not sure about being party people, but I know where to find the bars are on Bourbon Street in downtown New Orleans - not that I have frequented many of them, though. New Orleans is great for food, touring, and just general shopping. There are several places that serve some of the best food going!
Hmmmm, I am thinking that I will have to put together a box of Cajun stuff for you....this could be fun!
Zachary Richard - Zydeco? |
| Irene007 | | (reply to iamdonte) posted 7-Jun-2004 11:04pm |
"Les haricots" sont pas salés!! = "Lezaricots" sont pas salés = "Leszedeco" = "Zydeco"!!!
(ask me if you need interpretation!! )
I know the whole history of Zydeco! Only, Zach doesn't sing Zydeco in Quebec - like I said; he has a whole different carrier here.
As for partying, well; we'll let you ol' folks go to bed early and we'll keep the midnight oil burning just so we can find our way!!
I love Cajun stuff (Cajun = Acadian = Cadiun = Cajun - such etymological evolution! I love history!!) - I have a favorite sauce found locally called "Cajun Dijon Sauce" I don't really know what's Cajun about it but it's good with just about everything!! I think it's because it's considered "spicy" for the local market - to me, it's as spicy as mayonnaise!
I have always wanted to go in your area and try the local crayfish - Snap, pinch and suck! Sounds delicious to me!! |
| Violet |
Where I live now, the mosquitoes are large, vicious, numerous, are around 8 or 9 months of the year, and always go for me, giving me the largest, itchiest welts I've ever had due to a bug bite. Not all my windows have screens and those that due aren't very secure, so they reach infestation proportions early in the summer, and peter out gradually until winter. I also see the occasional roach and some very strange-looking bugs I've never seen before. Most seem pretty harmless.
The only mice I've ever had in my house were presents from my cats. |
| iamdonte | | (reply to Irene007) posted 8-Jun-2004 9:12am |
You would love boiled crawfish - we would have to get some friends of ours to boil some for you so that you could have them HOT!
Okay, I tried - now give me the translation....I think I have heard of Zach Richard in connection with Zydeco...I'll have to research some stuff and find out who is playing where when you come to visit and take you to hear some music.....how about Blue Grass?
As for lettin' the ol' folks go to bed early- don't wake me when you stagger in! |
| ElvisFan67 | | (reply to Irene007) posted 8-Jun-2004 8:10pm |
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| Irene007 | | (reply to iamdonte) posted 8-Jun-2004 9:57pm |
Zydeco comes from the French; "Les haricots sont pas salés." Which means; "The beans aren't salted." Naturally, the music evolved from black influence, they spoke French because of the French's influence there and the Acadians from Canada went there for the same reason. A society of French speaking rejects! Each brought part of their culture and it evolved into what it is Louisiana today with America's influence. Many people still speak French there (albeit, they're not easy to understand for outsiders). So the meaning of the Beans aren't salted comes from the very poor who could not always afford meat (which was salted). To the peoples of Louisiana, the "blues" meant eating unsalted beans. Zydeco is a mispronunciation of Les Haricots (phonetically pronounced; "Leh Zarico" ("Leh" like in "Bleh") so the word evolved into their version of the "blues" = Zydeco! Just like the word Cajun - it's original was Accadian and even our local Accadians pronounce it by dropping the "A" = Cadiens and the local accent in Louisiana softened the "d" and made it sound like a "j". The funny thing is that we have a new word here; Cajun and yet it originated here as meaning something else. Cajun means anything from Louisiana! Such irony... Poor little French Canadians... So many of them don't even know that the Cajuns are their own expulsed people!
I love Blue Grass ever since I saw "Oh Brother, Where for Art Thou?" - I loved that movie and especially the sound track. I don't usually care or notice music in films but I have to admit, this one captured me! My taste in music is quite varied , one day Billy Holiday, then Dean Martin, Led Zepplin & Stones, then Kid Rock and then Fat Boy Slim... What ever mood I'm in but I really fond of blues and most jazz.
If you think Zach is connected to Zydeco, you're right but not in Quebec. Like I said, he has 2 different carriers, he cuts French albums for this market and I really love them! (I don't especially care for our local stuff and I hate Celine Dion! Maybe it's because I live in her home town and am quite sick of hearing about her; "CELINE IS PREGNANT!" "CELINE'S DAD DIED!" "CELINE CUT A FART!" Gimme a break! ) I have this cheap digital camera - I'm goin to take a picture of what's on the corner of my street - when you see it, you'll understand why I want to puke every time I hear her name! Back to Zach, I met him briefly once at the end of a concert in our local amusement park - he's a real nice guy and well loved in Montreal. All the woman think he's quite attractive... Hmmm, yeah.... I think so too! |
| iamdonte | | (reply to Irene007) posted 8-Jun-2004 11:04pm |
WOW! You make me wish that I taught Lousiana History again...I could add this stuff to my lesson plans.
I like Celine Dion (she's NOT from my hometown) but I HATE Britney Spears, she lived in a town or two over from here. So I know what you mean. |
| Irene007 | | (reply to iamdonte) posted 9-Jun-2004 12:09am |
Britney doesn't live anywhere near my place but one summer, a few years ago, all I heard was "BRITNEY SPEARS" "BRITNEY SPEARS" "BRITNEY SPEARS" "BRITNEY SPEARS" "BRITNEY SPEARS" - great advertising agency! Talk about overkill, I hated her before I even heard her!
You taught history? I like you more and more too!!
I took this picture just for you last weekend! (...with that cheap camera!)
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| iamdonte | | (reply to Irene007) posted 9-Jun-2004 7:19am |
Yep, I taught Louisiana History and American History for several years along with speech, drama, composition, English grammar, reading, spelling. For the past couple of years it has just been grammar, reading, and spelling.
Thanks for the sign...COOL! |
| justjulie | | (reply to pandora) posted 9-Jun-2004 7:29am |
OMG...i've done the chalk thing, and talk about funny. i was laughing the whole time i was scribbling lines all over our kitchen, for i felt as if someone could see what i was doing, they'd think i was perform a ritual of some sort. just made me laugh.
but, it did work indeed |
| pandora | | (reply to justjulie) posted 9-Jun-2004 7:52am |
I had that *exact* same feeling! My husband's friend from work, who's very religious was coming for lunch the next day, and I said "Oh my god, he's going to think we were holding some kind of pagan ritual involving our kitchen cabinets!" Too funny! |
| justjulie | | (reply to pandora) posted 9-Jun-2004 8:20am |
indeed! |
| caviartaste | | posted 9-Jun-2004 12:59pm |
right now I have mice that I am steadily trapping.....I hate those little bastards!!!!! |
| Irene007 | | (reply to iamdonte) posted 10-Jun-2004 7:36pm |
Ben got the mail and told me we had something from Mandeville so I automatically thought that it was our yearly tax bill - It was your tapes! |
| iamdonte | | (reply to Irene007) posted 11-Jun-2004 12:51pm |
Great - glad they arrived. Hope the envelope was in good shape. Bought blank tapes yesterday and will head to the library tomorrow to see what I can find on your list or something along those line. I have 3 other books that I will also send soon. |
| Irene007 | | (reply to iamdonte) posted 11-Jun-2004 7:33pm |
Keep 'em coming but don't rush and go out of your way for little ol' me!! I have 2 to listen to and we're taking the truck tonight - No radio! I also have guests for the weekend so I won't be able to sit and relax...
I'll keep my eyes open for nice rocks in Mandeville, it used to be an ocean there and many rocks are already polished. I just don't know what kind one is from the other - that's why I want a rock book! |
| iamdonte | | (reply to Irene007) posted 11-Jun-2004 11:14pm |
I'll keep them coming....sometimes more quickly than others, but they will show up. |
| cerealkiller | | posted 12-Jun-2004 8:44pm |
Most of these - even had thousands of bees living in the walls in Mississippi once. That was fun to deal with. |
| Irene007 | | (reply to iamdonte) posted 14-Jun-2004 9:27pm |
I started the nymphomaniac one... I was starting to wonder if it was X-rated!!
I'm at the part where the Plum girl is in Moon's loaner Rollswagon and she tried to pick up the wife-beating/murdering husband and he bashed the car. No wonder she goes through cars like underwear!!
I'm driving our car to work and Ben is using the truck (the one with NO radio!), so I think I'll be through this book by the weeks end! It's the first time that I can remember not caring if there was traffic on the way home! Just my luck - the drive tonight was like a drive during the summer vacations and no one is on the road!
I kept my eyes on the ground this weekend but the rocks are so common, I want to find something unusual to send you. I'll keep looking!
Darn, Ben went to Costco today while I was at work and I forgot to tell him to pick up some tapes! I'll catch you later - no worry... |
