I love Massachusetts, Part Deux (without the bad parts. Maybe.)

Green.

That is how I would sum up Massachusetts.  If I had to sum it up in one word.

Green.

Awesome.

That would be my tie for one word description.

I am in love with Massachusetts.

There, I've said it.  We can take our love affair public now.  Wait, is Massachusetts reciprocating this love?  Well, it must be.  Because why else would it be so green, so beautiful, its people so friendly, and grow so many huge insects.  (oh, I was going to leave out the bad parts?  Okay, then I definitely will not talk about what our front screen door looks like at night, when our porch light has been on.  And I will not even mention the minivan size green insect that flew in, unbeknownst to me until I saw it on my bedroom wall as I was about to turn off my bedside light for the night.  Light.  Do you see a trend here?  I need to google why they are so attracted to light?  And why Massachusetts must grow them so large?!  See how I am NOT talking about this?  And I will most definitely not mention how my 9 yr old son told me how many profanities I apparently blurted out while I was trying to capture in a Tupperware with a lid this huge green Massachusetts alien flying insect, kind of like a grasshopper crossed with an F-14.  Why capture him?  Was it a kindly Buddhist-hurt-no-living-creature act on my part?  Um, no, I was just thinking the quantity of green alien goo that would be spread on my wall from smooshing that size of an insect would be too much to witness.  Or remove from wall.)

Hi! What's up?!  Oh, really?  I talked about large insects.  Hmm.  Go figure.

Love.  Love this place.  Love that I live in my own nature preserve.  Love that there are woods surrounding our yard with cute little chimpunks skurrying cutely all over.  Love that a mama turkey wandered through, without a care, with her little turkey babies following her.

And the fact that it needs to rain every single day to maintain this green?  Does not seem to bother me one lick.  That's what happens when you're in love.  Nothing bothers you about your beloved.  Even its insects.  (Doh! There I go!)

The green, the green, how can I tell you about the green?  I swoon at the lushness.  I faint at the richness.  Trees and leaves and plants and flowers all seem to shout "Hooray!  We live in Massachusetts!  So we are going to be extra vibrant green and beautiful!"

I'm woozy from love.

Down the street there is a pond that is really only a puddle that can remain there if it keeps raining.  So I found myself telling the rain, outloud, "Keep raining! The puddle needs you!"  Yes, in front of my children.  It will not surprise you I refer to myself, and they now join in, as "crazy."  The great part of this puddle?  It is host to ducks, and baby ducklings, who just ooze cuteness, and a turtle.  Yes, I pulled over my car to save a turtle.  It was a few feet into the street, I grabbed a towel in case I had to pick it up, (why would I randomly have a towel in my mother-of-two-minivan?  If you have to ask, do not enter my minivan without a hazmat suit on.) but I did not need the towel, because once I approached the turtle, it turned back towards the lush forest, and the inviting puddle/pond, and tried its best on its little turtle legs to scurry away from me.  Which it did veryyyy slowlyyyyy.  And then for days I imitated for the kids, who were unfortunately not with me to share this magical turtle saving experience, the turtle trying to "hurry" away on its little turtle legs.  I am a genius comedienne.

Slugs.

Wait!  You said you weren't gonna!!!

I know, but c'mon.  It had to come.  All this damp lushness had to bring out slimy creature talk.

But now I will leave it.

Massachusetts, I know most Hallmark cards of love would not comment on your large insect population, but still, consider this a declaration, again, of my love for you.

Swooningly yours,
The Lady Whose 7 year old Daughter had to come into Mommy's bed in the middle of the night because of that huge green insect incident minutes before sleep.