Erieversible

How times change.  Around 2001 (maybe 2002), while we were visiting Erie, a certain Mr. Spongebob Squarepants visited Millcreek Mall.  We were strolling around the mall with our then 3-year old (maybe 4-year old) son.  When he saw this ‘yellow thing’ he asked who the “big cheese man” was.  That was the extent of our exposure and knowledge as a family about Spongebob.

Oh come on…from a distance, not having any awareness of the character, he could look like a big yellow Swiss cheese.  And that’s just as likely as a sponge!

Fast forward to 2008 and I understand Spongebob is visiting Millcreek Mall again, in early December.  At least, so I am reliably informed by our 5-year old daughter who already has plans for the occasion.  In the years in-between our family has been invaded by this yellow peril.  Why?  I don’t know.  Anyone in their right mind can see that the character is pathetic.  Patrick should have the lead role

In the UK leaves fall off trees and die.  End of story.  Chances are good that one of the many passing gales will whisk them away - at least far enough away that they are no longer on your property.  Of course, you may come into possession of leaves through the same means, but that’s why UK garden fences are often higher on one side of the property than the other.

Here, when the leaves fall from the trees it is merely the start of an exciting journey.  First they get raked into piles.  Our leaves have to suffer the attentions of small children during that process, so many of the leaves undergo the rake-pile process multiple times but they seem to enjoy it.

Once raked and piled the leaves are placed into travel pouches (not individually….with lots of their friends) and stacked in the garage to await their scheduled transport.  Then they are taken away and…  My knowledge of their journey ends there.  What is certain is that the US leaf has a much more exciting life than the UK leaf.

Here endeth the natural history thought for today!

Today we returned to somewhere my wife used to visit when she was a young girl living in Erie.  H & K Do-Nuts.  I don’t think such a store would survive on the Isle of Man, or in the UK.  I was amazed, in the time we spent between arriving and leaving, at the steady trickle of customers.  Apparently the donuts tasted “exactly as an H & K donut used to taste”.  Not sure if that’s good or bad?  Anyway, three-quarters of the family were very happy - guess which quarter hasn’t had a donut yet?

On a side note, while heading back across the car park at Asbury Woods this afternoon we bumped into a couple of creatures. One was a large, hairy caterpillar. It was crossing the car park at a cracking speed, so that one should be easy to identify with a Google search on “fastest caterpillar on the planet”. The other was a spider but not easily identifiable. So here’s a (not quite clear) picture, in the hope that someone can suggest what it would be.  The body size was larger than a dime but not quite as large as a nickel.  (Unless you believe my wife, in which case the darn thing was chewing on the car tires….)

UPDATE:  I’m told the caterpillar was a Woolly Bear.  I’ll believe that.  I’d have believed Woolly Mammoth more.