20 minute read
Voices
We offer Voices as a place to share a story, a memory, an idea, a comment, a criticism, or a solution. Contributors must include name, address & phone number. Names may be withheld upon request. Submissions are included at the editor’s option.
Exploring Hendricks County
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By Jackie Horn
Where Are They Now?
The other day I read on a local Facebook page that a resident found a GIANT hornets’ nest in the tree branch hanging over their driveway! “How do I get rid of it?!”
Where DO the hornets go in the winter? Are they tucked away in that mass of wood-pulp paper waiting to sting the bejeebers out of anyone who tries to remove their nest from the tree?
In spring, a Bald-faced hornet (the type of nest the writer described) queen emerges from her winter palace among dead leaves on the ground. She finds a suitable place for her new home and makes a small hive from wood pulp and saliva. Having mated the previous fall, she lays her first batch of eggs for the new year. These eggs hatch and grow. These adults are now the workers. The workers will hunt, forage for food, build and guard the nest, and take care of the eggs and larvae which the queen has been producing. The queen’s only responsibility now is to lay eggs to produce more workers. As the eggs hatch and mature, the hive grows in population as well as size. By the end of summer, the nest can be as large as 14” in diameter by 24” in length and house up to 400 hornets.
The bald-faced hornets can be very aggressive if they or their home are threatened. They can also sting multiple times with no harm to themselves. Luckily for people, it’s difficult to unintentionally upset them. They build their nests high in trees at the end of the branches. The nest has been there all summer. Now that the leaves have fallen it is visible...and frightening. The thing is bald-faced hornets are beneficial. They hunt and feed horse and deer flies to their young, a LOT of flies. The workers eat nectar. While they aren’t exceptional pollinators, they do transfer pollen between flowers.
As far as that huge nest hanging over the driveway, it’s empty. At the end of summer, the queen produces two special types of eggs, fertilized and unfertilized. The fertilized eggs are potential new queens. The unfertilized eggs become males. When this brood matures, they leave the hive and mate. Their departure signals the death of the hive. All the workers die as temperatures drop and the queen abandons the nest. She, as well as the new queens, will “hibernate” in leaf debris. The males die. It all starts over in the spring. The old hive, as impressive and intimidating as it is, is deserted. Winter weather will batter it until it disintegrates or is cut down and hung in a school classroom because it is wicked cool!
The hornet nest hanging above the drive poses no threat.
How about butterflies? Where are they now?
Depending on the species, butterflies and moths winter-over in different life stages. Some as adults survive in diapause, a dormant state similar to hibernation, in cracks of trees, rocks, or buildings. Others cling to twigs as eggs or pupae (chrysalises or cocoons) or buried in the ground and leaf debris as larvae (caterpillars). One exception is Monarch butterflies.
In spring, a Monarch lays her eggs and in 3-5 days, they hatch. The new caterpillar starts chowing down on milkweed. (Milkweed is the only thing they eat.) In about two weeks, the caterpillar forms a chrysalis, and two weeks after that it metamorphoses into the beautiful orange, black, and white Monarch. The adult butterfly flits around, eats nectar, mates, lays eggs, and dies. The cycle repeats until late summer when a generation delays mating. They migrate.
The Monarchs from our area (east of the Rocky Mountains) head south, over a thousand miles, to Mexico. While enjoying the warm Mexican weather, the Monarchs mate. The swarm begins to move back north in March. Along the route, they lay their eggs and die. Their offspring continues the migration north. Depending on where they call home (Monarchs’ range stretches as far north as southern Canada), it will take three to five generations to complete the migration. The amazing thing is, these fragile insects make this migration, fluttering up to two thousand miles, without ever having been there before.
With winter’s chilly weather arriving, I think the Monarchs have the right idea. A little south-of-the-border trip sounds inviting...but I think I’ll use a map.
A Window on Life with Dementia
[Editor’s note: We have withheld the name of the writer of this essay, not by request, but because the thoughts and emotions it contains apply to so many individuals and families who are going through, or have gone through, the same thing with a loved one. It’s an experience that changes lives, that turns the world upside down and it never quite rights itself again.]
My wife of 40 years is in the early stages of dementia, and though she and I struggle with the impact this disease has had on our lives, it is very difficult for others to see.
I see the changes in my wife: her ability to reason and communicate steadily declining while I attempt to make accommodations to her daily life. Regardless of the accommodation, her condition continues to worsen.
If I could explain to others what it is my wife and I are going through, I would tell them to visualize seeing a loved one through a window, and as the disease takes hold, the window begins to close.
In one regard, the finality of the window closing can allow you to see all the uniquely special things you’ve always loved about your spouse. The look in their eyes when they are excited about something you did—or something you did that disappointed them. The little things they say. All these can be seen through this window.
Unfortunately, as the years progress, and the disease takes further control of her mind, the more distant these memories are. Ultimately, what starts as minor inconveniences, humorous at times, lead to a spouse you no longer recognize—or even understand. You are left with a very plain, vanilla version of the person you love.
In most diseases that will end up taking our lives those around us can clearly see the decline. This, I think, is because we see the slow physical deterioration one is going through but with dementia there are no physical manifestations of the disease until very late which makes it very difficult see and understand. To Our Children: I began telling you I was seeing changes in your mother five or six years ago that seemed to be consistent with dementia. By this time, you were all gone from home and were around your mother far less than when you were younger and these changes didn’t seem very serious to you, we even laughed about some of the senior moments.
Two years ago, she was diagnosed as being in the early stages of dementia, being that both my mother and grandmother died from this disease I am far more aware of the symptoms and impact of this disease than you are. Now that you mother has progressed, your failure to gain an understanding of the disease and attempt to discover ways to help both of us is making this situation harder for us.
Dementia has taken hold of all aspects of your mother’s personality. She realizes that her memory is fading and is self-conscious especially around you guys. The small insignificant issues we all deal with daily now cause great anxiety. She is afraid that as she feels more and more distant from all of us you are seeing her as weak and stupid.
I know you are aware of this because I’ve told you but yet your behavior towards her has been unchanged. To help you understand what she needs, text messages from you and your spouse are not what she needs nor are playing on-line word games. What your mother needs is for you to see her in person. Your spouse and kids are great for her but she needs you. You need to sit with her and talk about what she is going through as well as what is going on in your life. She needs you to touch her, hug her, and make sure she feels like you love her and are comfortable with her in her condition.
It is becoming more challenging for me to maintain some balance in your mother’s life and keep her anxiety levels down while maintaining some sense of myself. It is especially difficult when I know the impact this has had on the two of our lives but it appears to me as if you are oblivious to our struggles. Seeing you visiting your mother and making her feel as if you care would bring great relief to me. I am tired of explaining to her that you really do care.
I make all the decisions about your mother and that’s fine with me. But I am not all knowing and would feel better if we discussed what’s going on with her and I had some input to help make those decisions. But this can’t happen if you don’t spend time with her. Organizing some family get-togethers where she can feel as if we are all aware and interested in her would be good for her. Regular relief I can count on helps me recharge and continue to provide the daily care I know you expect me to provide. You can make a difference in this final stage of her life but it will take some initiative on your part.
Hendricks County Senior Services hosts an Alzheimer’s Support Group that meets at the Senior Center, 1501 Sycamore Lane, Danville, the 2nd Thursday of the month at 2 p.m. It also offers 90-minute Dementia Friends Workshops to provide individuals, families, and businesses with insights on providing care and support to caregivers and those affected by dementia. For more information on Dementia Friends Workshops, contact Helee at 317-745-4303.
Our Readers Write
I don’t profess to understand the details and exact theories of CRT. I would hope that teaching truthful history does not inherently include reducing standards for anyone, and although I expect that there are some advocates of that, I hope that more rational minds prevail.
Teaching truthful American history and maintaining high standards should not be mutually exclusive. All Americans learning the facts of history is crucial.
All American students should learn the truth of the American Revolution (which includes our forefathers breaking laws to gain independence), the genocide of Native Americans rather than some national pride (and blatant white supremacy) narrative; the history of slavery, including reading Uncle Tom’s Cabin; the industrial revolution; the world wars, including Nazi Germany; the civil rights movement of the 60s; the Vietnam War; at a minimum. All of this to promote the advancement of the human race. No one wants children working in factories again. No reasonable and sane person wants Nazis running the world or even a single country. No one wants monarchies again in the countries that had revolutions and replaced monarchies with democracies. No one wants genocide of any kind yet it continues today in parts of the world. No one wants our political leaders engaging in Watergate schemes. No one wants nuclear war. No one wants crucifixion and torture as legal forms of punishment. No reasonable and sane person wants slavery, but the reality of racism cannot be ignored.
Real history must be taught, including the horrors of it, in order for systems and processes and the human condition to progress and advance for the betterment of all peoples.
Amy Comer Elliott Danvillle
Just An Observation
By Janet Beam
A Faux Pas
I once made a horrendous faux pas. I was so embarrassed I was at a loss for words for once in my life.
As you know or should know, a faux pas is quite simply a blunder, usually in a social setting. I suppose a faux pas could also be considered a “putting your foot in your mouth” goof up. We have all said things we should not have said, but after all we are human and prone to these types of things.
My most embarrassing faux pas happened back in the l970’s and I still remember it and feel the embarrassment to this day. I was working for a temp agency at the time and went to their office on a Friday to pick up my paycheck. The girl manning the first desk looked very pregnant to me so I asked her with a smile on my face when her baby was due. She almost burst into tears and told me her baby was two months old. What could I do? I had made a most serious faux pas, blunder, put my foot in my mouth, thoughtless, tasteless comment and there was no way out. I said simply “Oh, I’m sorry, what do I know,” grabbed my check and left. I never saw the girl again. When I went back the next time, she was not there. I hope I did not scar her for life. I learned my lesson. You can be nine months pregnant and hardly able to waddle around and I will never ask you when your baby is due.
Now I have moved on to another faux pas – not mine, other’s. The most major faux pas (to me) is putting your Christmas decorations out when still having pumpkins on the porch, in the yard, along the side of the house, etc. Please don’t do that, it simply drives me crazy!
Just an observation.
A Squirrel About Town
By Archy
“We’re having a gift exchange at the Squirrel Salon this year,” Archy said with a hint of excitement.
I pictured Archy juggling shopping bags as he scampered from store to store.
“Not presents,” he snapped as he read my mind. “Gifts! We are sharing our special gifts with others.”
Seeing that I didn’t grasp the concept, he tried to elucidate.
“My gift is philsophy,” the squirrel explained. “Sparky, bless his heart, can be a little dense at times. I’m giving him my knowledge of human nature. Oscar is giving his gift of poetical expression to Seymour, who is awkward with words.” “But how...” I started to ask. “It’s a temporary metaphysical transfer,” the squirrel replied to my unasked question. “It only lasts 24 hours, but for that time the recipient can experience the joy of a skill they don’t have.”
I asked if there wasn’t a letdown when the gift transfer ends.
“Sometimes,” Archy said, “but mostly it ends up with the recipient developing that gift on their own.”
“Like reading to a child so they’ll understand the joy of reading,” I said.
“Exactly,” Archy said. “Everyone has a gift they can share, and everyone has a talent that they’ve never tried out.”
I thought of the mountain of wrapping paper and the miles of ribbon that would be saved. “Can you and I have a gift exchange?” I asked. “I believe we just did,” the squirrel replied.
Master Gardeners Make a Difference
Master Gardeners demonstration workers: Cal Sundine Teri Sundine, Kathy Abel Sue Leuschke, Steve Somermeyer Clarissa Petery, Sharon Miller Kim Somermeyer Seated Becky Troutman master gadener demostraction workers. Becky Troutman.
By Colletta Kosiba Hendricks County Master Gardener
Top photo: Kathe Raes designed a raised garden as part of the Master Gardeners Demonstration Garden at the Fairgrounds.
Bottom photos: The area also includes a garden that features native plants that attract pollinators.
Thankful for Master Gardeners
We all have taken time to be thankful this past week. I hope you remembered our Hendricks County Master Gardeners, who give so much to our community.
It all starts in the spring with Gardening For All Ages on Saturday, April 23, 2022, from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., at Hendricks County Fairgrounds Exposition Hall. This is the 35th annual spring free garden show! Children’s activities, free seeds and trees, expert gardening speakers! Mark your calendars Now!!
Tuesday, May 17. 2022 - Plant sale Hendricks Power Expo. Plants raised by the MG’s reasonably priced. 6-7 p.m. Special one-of-a-kind plants will be auctioned off.
The Master Gardeners arrange landscaping plants at the Hendricks County Fairgrounds.
All summer long the Demonstration Garden is available for guests at the fairground events to explore. They learn about container planting, landscape plants and see the pollination garden that attracts bees, butterflies and other insects. Arrange a special tour of the gardens by a Master Gardener for your organization.
During the growing season: The Home, Landscaping, Garden Help Line has Master Gardeners ready to answer questions when you call in on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
The last big event in the fall is a special garden seminar for all Hendricks County people to attend. “Adventures in Gardening” (AIG) has topics such as bees, native plants and insect control. Plan to register and attend October 8, 9 a.m. - 3 p.m at the Conference Center at the Fairgrounds.
We have a Speakers Bureau to present a public program for your organization- call Extension Office at 317-745- 9260.
Look for us at Farmers Markets and at both County and State Fair.
“Teaching others to grow” is our motto. Come to Gardening for Ages, see us at the County Fair or call our help line and we will do just that!
“The best way to garden is to put on a wide-brimmed straw hat and some old clothes. And with a hoe in one hand and a cold drink in the other, tell somebody else where to dig.”- Texas Bix Bender
A Note From Bee
Giving birth 59 years ago was nothing like it is today. We had labor rooms which sometimes you had to share with another person. If you didn’t have anybody else with you, your husband could come in with you. My first child was born December 2, 1962 at Methodist Hospital in Indianapolis. I arrived at the hospital about midnight. There was another woman in the labor room when I arrived. We were both first timers.
We had the nastiest nurse. Instead of encouraging us, nasty nurse said, “You two are going to be here a long time.” Shortly after I arrived and had changed into a gown, nasty nurse said, “Would you like a shot of demerol?” I, of course, said, “Yes.” Mary, my roommate said, I was here first.” Nasty nurse said, “Your Dr. didn’t order it for you.” Poor Mary. Even with demerol the labor pains were the worst pain I had ever experienced. Even so, I was only in labor about four hours.The most blessed words I ever heard were , “She is ready for the delivery room.”
Mary was just a few minutes after me. We showed nasty nurse. I was given a whiff of something to put me to sleep during the actual delivery. When I woke up I was told, “You have a beautiful daughter.” This made all the pain worthwhile.
Bee Jones
― Vera Nazarian
Hunting Tips & Reflections
By Mike E. Neilson
Mike Neilson, longtime Danville High School teacher and longtime hunting enthusiast is sharing his hunting experience with our readers. He’s also shared his knowledge in three books, available on Amazon.com.
Favorite Game
What is your favorite game to pursue? I get this question quite a bit from family, friends, students, and folks in general. This is a very simple question but very difficult for me to answer. So, please allow me to vacillate on the answer as I add all kinds of caveats and disclaimers.
If I am answering the question, If I could only hunt one animal for the rest of my life, what would that critter be? Well, in Indiana, it could be turkeys since hunting them can be very easy or a challenging chess match. You have decoys, calls, sometimes blinds, shotguns or bows. There is the spring season and the fall season so there’s more opportunities but fewer days in the field. On top of that the limit is 1 bird in the spring, so the season can come and go quickly. On the other hand, they are tasty birds and most of my family enjoys the taste.
Deer on the other hand have all kinds of gear like weapon of choice, treestands (so many different styles and designs), ground blinds, calls, decoys (yes, deer decoys both buck and doe), safety harnesses, scents, clothes, and several months to hunt and one deer goes a long way to providing tasty venison. It never hurts that our Hoosier whitetails are some of the best eating that I’ve ever had the privilege of consuming. I like tenderloins, backstraps, and the rest turns into jerky and summer sausage as well as some sloppy doe.
Waterfoul. Yes, I spelled that correctly. Why do I spell it that way? Well, if you’ve hunted ducks and geese as long as I have, you’d realize how sneaky and rule-bending these feathered fiends are. Trust not the duck to do what you think it should do, because most of the time, they will not. Waterfoul hunting is really dependent on the weather and not always the weather around here. An early cold spell or an extended Indian Summer can either speed up or slow down the migrations. Birds might now even stop in Indiana with a really hard cold spell while I warm fall and winter will keep the bids north of us until the season runs out.
Most waterfoul hunts include more gear than a person should be allowed to own but to be consistent at filling your limit, you need guns, shells, decoys, calls, a dog helps unless they are untrained in which case, good luck! Hip waders, chest waders, possibly some kind of watercraft, special stamps and of course, a great place to hunt. Ducks and geese cooked correctly (which I cannot do) can be a real delicacy. Ducks and geese cooked poorly are a meal I would only feed to my worst enemy!
I have a love/hate relationship with coyotes in Indiana. I honestly have taken most of mine by accident and my calling skills are mediocre at best. On top of that, I know you can eat them, but I’d have to be pretty hungry to eat one. So coyotes, I can safely say, I could pass on with no regrets.
Upland game and other critters. Rabbits are critters of opportunity for me, I just don’t get too excited to go after the bunny hops. Squirrels, aka tree rats are always a target of pursuit early in the season as a good excuse to scout for deer. Cooked properly, squirrel is great table fare. I’ve never killed a wild quail or pheasant in Indiana so I can’t speak to that. Ruffed Grouse is incredibly tasty, but their numbers have dwindled to the point they are no longer hunted here. However, they are great food and were fun to hunt back in the day.
What about other critters and places I’ve hunted? To me, I hunt for many reasons not the least of which is for the meat. Most critters I pursue need to have a yum factor for me to really want to go after them.
Out West (meaning west of the Mississippi), I’d give the nod to elk almost every time. Big, smart, and delicious! I’ve taken elk with rifle, compound bow and longbow. I do like to hunt wapiti, but most hunts are labor intensive and of course, a long way from home. Elk antlers are impressive and bagging one with an arrow is a feat. And as mentioned before, elk meat is very good, low fat, delicious meat. Elk hunting also usually includes calling of which, I am terrible, so I need a guide which adds another expense.
One of the problems with hunting in other countries is that most of the time, the hide and head can come back but not the meat. Canada is the exception, especially if you drive. Flying home with hundreds of pounds of meat can be problematic and pricey, but for the right critter, I’d do it. I’ve both driven and flown home with meat and heads. Again, there are all kinds of trade-offs to consider. Finally, I have only eaten moose once, so I only have that one experience to judge.
Bottom line, if I was forced to only hunt one critter in Indiana for the rest of my life, I’d hunt…whatever come in season next!
