I’m bracing myself for the imminent arrival of the Magicicada.  I’m referring of course to the Great Southern Brood of cicadas that are due to emerge any day now.  Give me a flying monkey from Oz anyday over these high pitched, red-eyed monsters.  Ecologist do argue their utility, however.  I’m told that when their lifecycle ends and they die in piles around the base of trees, we can consider the mess of nutrient rich crunchy carcasses as huge bags of free fertilizer.

Artist Matt Kleberg understands the great outdoors.  His large scale paintings definitely make me chirp.