Penny For Your Thoughts by: Nancy Whitaker
When the days begin to get shorter ( I wish it was now) and the weather turns cooler. can you hear the crickets chirping?
Now, I am definitely not fond of crickets and I usually scream when I see one, But. when I hear them chirping, I know fall is coming, school is starting and even with hot temperatures we can look ahead to winter weather.
I have not heard any singing their merry songs around my house and I hope I don’t see any in my house.
I have always been interested in these insects and I did not know this, but only the male crickets chirp. I would not make a good girl cricket if I could not sing and had to be quiet.
Crickets sing by rubbing their legs together. I can’t imagine!
One interesting fact is that a cricket has different types of songs Plus he don’t even have to worry what key he is singing in.
One cricket song is the calling song. In this song, the boy cricket chirps really loud to coax the girls to come to him.
My question is; I wonder how many females he attracts with his calling? What if a boy cricket can’t sing?
Now the girl cricket has to just be quiet and not sing back?
If I were one of the females, I would at least want to be taken out for dinner if I couldn’t even answer “ yes or Bug off”
The folklore and beliefs surrounding crickets is extensive Some believe that the sound of a cricket singing is a sign of rain.
Others believe if you see a cricket in your house, it’s a sign of illness or death.
Then others think a cricket in the house is a sign of money.
Also in some places a cricket is a delicacy. If you ever want to try crickets here is a recipe:
CRICKET FRITTERS
Makes about 20
Ingredients:
200 grams flour
1 cup water
1 cup crickets, chopped
boiled but not roasted
1 cup water
1 teaspoon chili paste
a chopped red onion
I red chili, thinly sliced
3 small chives, cut into
strips
1 cup cooked corn kernels
1/4 cup finely chopped cilantro
Directions:
Mix flour, Chili paste and water and combine. The texture is to be smooth; texture should be not watery.
Throw in the onions, chives; cilantro; corn and crickets into the batter and coat well.
Heat a large pot with cooking oil. When the oil is hot, scoop a spoonful of mixture and drop in hot oil to fry. Don’t put in too many pieces in at one time; they need room to fry. When done dry on paper towel. Dip into ranch dressing and enjoy!
Do you have a lot of crickets at your house? Have you ever ate a cricket?
Let me know how it tasted and I’ll give you a Penny for your thoughts!
… Hmmm it’s lunch time; I think I will see if I can find me a cricket!
