Easter Beetle

OK. It was definitely a different kind of Easter Sunday for us. Our church recently switched service times to Sunday evenings at 5, so it was really strange not going to morning services on Easter. I woke up hearing the tune in my head “Up from the Grave He Arose” and was glad that I could remember the words to the chorus of that very old hymn.

We slept later than usual. We did have plans to have lunch with friends but they had to cancel the night before to make a quick trip to Nebraska because of the death of a relative. Honestly I really wasn’t looking forward to dealing with crowded restaurants, but I figured since we didn’t have to be anywhere till five o’clock it didn’t really matter anyways. My first choice for lunch was Outback steakhouse but they didn’t open until four o’clock. We ended up going to Chili’s and it wasn’t crowded at all! Our server was really nice and he ended up giving us a free appetizer. It was an enjoyable lunch because he was a lot of fun.

When we came back home after lunch I spied a very large beetle going up the side of the ramp to my front door. He was quite colorful with his bright orangey red head and shiny black body. Norm got a great photograph which you can see over on his blog. Ever the nature lore queen (a story from my childhood which will have to wait for another day) I had to discover the name of this most interesting fellow.

After a careful search via the Google I discovered his true identity. An Arizona Blister Beetle which is not somebody you want to mess with. It seems they secrete a powerful toxin that will cause blisters on your skin if you touch them. From what I read about this dangerous fellow it seems that they can cause severe damage and death to horses. Even if the beetles are dead their body still secretes this powerful toxin and they can get chopped up into hay bales. If the horse eats contaminated hay it will make them very, very sick.

In Scottsdale horses used to be everywhere but not so much anymore with the advent of the migration of LA and Las Vegas types. Saddles, spurs, horse shoes and blankets are part of everyday life here for the equestrian lovers. You’ll see them in certain parts of Scottsdale but their areas are dwindling quickly. It’s really a shame to lose that part of our history.

Anyhow, back to Easter… we went to church for the 5 p.m. service and it was awesome. We have a great church and some excellent teachers. I feel very blessed.

I hope you had a wonderful Easter!