And with the rain, come the ants!

Okay friends.

We've had a beautiful day of rain. Tristan and I stayed up listening to it. Our girls loved it. The next day, we woke up to trails of ants in the kitchen: ants in the sink, ants on the sponge, ants in the water purifier, ants in the coffee pot (the most sacred of items). They came in for a dry space, and from the looks of it, ironically, some water.

This has happened to us before. Last year, they came for the cat food and water. We decided that we wanted to cohabitant with them. They want food and water and shelter and so do we. So, after much battling, trial and error, we found a system. Hopefully this will work for you too, if you are willing to live with long, busy lines in your kitchen.

Around things that you want the ants to stay out of (like cat/dog food and water bowls) place laundry sheets beneath the bowls and then sprinkle cinnamon around the edges. Yes, the things that smell wonderful to us repel the army. Our cats got used to it. Every six months, when the ants come back in from the rain, and when the smell of the cinnamon and laundry sheets fade, we replace them.

Here is another, general corralling, non-killing method that my grandfather taught my mom. Say your countertops are overcome with ants. Ants, ants, ants everywhere. Take a small dish and pour either honey or sugar in it. Leave it in the corner, away from your work area. After a few hours, the ants will go to eat the sugar. They will send the message to their cohorts, and hopefully (after a few hours), you will be able to take the dish outside, ants and all.

The other option? Just leave them alone. We had some in our kitchen (and in our coffee pot!! AH!) and after two days, they just left. No food in the kitchen prompts them to make a quick exit.

Regarding trash and inventories of worldly possessions, they will follow as promised, before the new year and after finals. :)

Also, we've decided to take an expansive view of the concept of trash. This includes staying away from network television, commercial radio and other forms of media "garbage." It was pretty easy for us to undo the T.V. We've now unplugged our television and placed it under Tristan's desk. We pretty much exclusively listen to public radio and pandora. Yes, we gather around our radios at night to listen to The Story and This American Life. Tristan listens to American Indian Airwaves, Cantos Sin Fronteras, and the spanish language block on KPFK.

More to come!
s&t