Please read this...Ode to eau de stinky September evenings...

So, you're making plans for a big weekend. You're invited to dinner. A good time will be had by all.

Unless, you happen to be dinner.

Such was the story for a poor bug which paid a visit to a screen door at our humble abode last Saturday evening.

Our weekend also was highlighted by the unanticipated arrival of an extra special aroma, and we're not talking about somebody grilling burgers down the street.

The aforementioned bug was a rather tiny moth, which apparently was attracted to our screen door by the bright lights which were shining indoors, in our dining room.

Unfortunately for the moth, and whatever plans it had for the rest of the night, a praying mantis also had paid a visit to our screen door. After watching the mantis for a little while, it became pretty obvious that the six-legged meat-eater was looking for dinner.

I'm guessing that a praying mantis must be pretty smart, as in smart enough to figure out that moths (as in dinner), would show up someplace where there are bright lights (as in our screen door).

Well, to make a long story keep going, it didn't take long for the praying mantis to introduce itself, in a most unfriendly and unneighborly sort of way, to the moth, which quickly became a very special dinner guest...in that it was actually dinner.

The praying mantis then seemed to be a little irritated with yours truly. I can't be sure what sort of things the mantis was thinking, mainly because they're not much when it comes to a conversation, but I'm guessing the basic idea might have something like: "Hey, dude with the camera, I'm tryin' to eat here. Go away." Which, I did.

Our weekend also was highlighted by one encounter, and then another encounter, with a stinky, spectral visitor.

On Saturday and Sunday evenings (and maybe Friday, too...can't remember for sure), The Other Half and yours truly both were in the comfort of our living room doing our best impressions of a couple of folks trying to stay awake.

The windows in the living room were pretty much wide open. Well, as wide open as we can allow. That's cause Bob, our rambunctious feline, likes to explore things. Open windows, and their screens are fair game for Bob. 

Anyway, we're attempting to stay awake when a special, smelly aroma began to waft through the living room.

Yup. Pepe Le Pew was paying a visit to our neighborhood. As in a stinky skunk. 

It only takes a few moments to react to the arrival of such a special odor. Moments later, all of the windows were closed. We were done enjoying the fresh, cool, comfortable air of an early September evening.

I don't know much about skunks – why they do what they do, or go where they go. The Other Half suggested that our visitor might be out wandering around during a nice evening on a weekend, looking for love in all the wrong places. Kind of an odorous, amorous adventure. Who knows? (The sound track for this little story will feature that wonderful song by the J. Geils Band, "Love Stinks." Indeed.)

Mssr. Le Pew, as noted, was kind enough to pay us a visit for at least two evenings in a row. Maybe I should introduce him to the praying mantis, and see how that turns out. Then again, it might not be a bright idea to have a skunk at our front door.