CatMom, Her Ants, and the Watermelon

For dinner the other night, something which was pleasant for the heat, CatMom bought watermelon.

Everything was A-Ok. 

CatMom sliced the watermelon, served it, and CatMom and CatDad had watermelon on the deck with her two cats. One stayed indoors.

That evening, CatMom and CatDad did construction. She had left the watermelon on the counter. When bedtime came, CatMom decided to put the watermelon away. The main core of the watermelon was in the fridge already. CatMom did some pre-bed clean-up. On her counter, there was a cutting board, a knife, and a half moon core from one end of the watermelon.

CatMom robotically threw the knife and cutting board in the sink, and she threw the watermelon end into the garbage. Then, CatMom saw an ant foraging on the counter without luck. CatMom might have just perceived it was without luck. CatMom watches Blue Planet. In that series, they show how all the smaller species benefit from the larger species, and how their greater good is met all the way down to the small species. She looked at that industrious ant. He was working very hard on the counter, and he did not know how great and refreshing that watermelon had tasted earlier. It was the best.

CatMom lingered looking at him. Hmmm. Dare I? CatMom pulled the cutting board back out of the sink. She pulled the melon end back out of the garbage. She picked up the knife. She cut a nice juicy piece of watermelon flesh out of the end, and set it on the cutting board. That little ant saw what CatMom did, and immediately came to explore the new food. Watermelon. New to this ant for sure. It was like CatMom had shared a feast. CatMom watch the ant begin to eat, just alongside the watermelon slice, and then CatMom bid him goodnight, and she went to bed. CatMom did not stay to survey what would go on. She figured the ant could figure out how to feed himself. CatMom had introduced her counter's ant to watermelon.

Okay, the next morning CatDad made it to the kitchen first. He did not notice the little story on the counter. CatMom rushed down to see how the evening went for Antsy. The ant, if he was the same one, was still working on the watermelon. As CatMom and CatDad ate their breakfast at the table, and CatDad had not yet noticed the little story progression, CatMom told him that she had set up a little watermelon feeding station for the ant.

Okay CatDads, men of households out there, husbands and dads, just a moment. Please don't tell me what you are thinking, for I think I might get the same reaction from my readers. Hold on. The story is not done yet.

CatDad's Scottish ire raised just a bit. He said, "Do you know what you are doing? That ant is going to eat, go back to his friends, and bring a whole bunch of new friends to the food source, and there's going to be an ant party here!"

CatMom said to CatDad, "You might be right, dear. I just wanted to be gracious and share a treat with that ant, who had a counter with completely no food. I thought it wrong to have a feast so close, not share, and leave him in famine."

CatDad knows CatMom loves little creatures. CatMom assured CatDad, "We are not supposed to fear any circumstances. Just because this might lead to that, God always has these things under control. No fear." CatMom left the ant to his continued feast and food source.

CatMom went to the computer and wrote for 5-6 hours on books, blogs, and so on.

CatMom went to the kitchen to find a cool drink in the heat.

What did she see?

8 ants on her cutting board.

Wow! That's a lot of ants. These ants did not want a ride out. They were even trickier than before. They surely did not want to go. This feast was to amazing. The watermelon juice. The watermelon rind. It was amazing.

CatMom took the cutting board and the broom of her cleaning set, and she brought the whole kit of ants outside the threshold. She put them down on the deck floor, and she brushed them gently onto the floor.

They were outdoors. CatMom brought in the cutting board, and she put it into her sink.

CatMom returned to work.

A couple hours later, CatMom went back to the kitchen for a drink. What did she see? 8 ants. Perhaps these were even the same ones. They trekked all the way in from outside back on the cutting board, and there they were looking up at her from the cutting board on an angle in her sink - on the upper surface which was still so tasty.

"Hey, you little rascals. Here we go again."

This time, Lucius joined the export. 

Lucius watched as CatMom tried to brush the persistent little guys onto the deck floor in the same procedure as before.

Lucius walked around among the ants. CatMom said to him, "I hope it was not an ant who bit you on the nose. Stay back, my dear." His nose has really improved. He looks like his old self again.

CatMom set all the ants down, retrieved her cat inside, and shut the door.

She put the cutting board back in the same place in the sink. Then, yes, she returned to work.

Ninety minutes later, CatMom went back to the kitchen. This time, she was medicating her cat. First, she applied lotion to her cat Thomas's ear. Then, she went to the sink to see how it was going.

What do you think was going on? Hmmm. Take a guess. How have we done so far?

Well, yes, those 8 little ants were all back.

Nature has a tough time communicating, but CatMom was starting to get the picture. These ants like watermelon. A lot!

They would pass by all the catfood on the floor dishes, not even give them a sniff or a taste, and they would climb the counter, risk peril on the sides of the sink, and make a potentially dangerous little ant jump to get onto the cutting board just to get to the remnant piece of watermelon and its mix of mildly wet and dried juices on the cutting board.

CatMom was quite surprised that these ants had come in another time, for this appears to be a lot of work. 

CatMom took the cutting board, the counter cleaning brush, and brought the ants back outside the threshold of the kitchen door, and she again brushed them down onto the flat surface of the deck. This time, she did her dishes. She put the knife, the cutting board and any other watermelon juice covered cutlery, and dishes, and she started her dishwasher. She got a cloth and very carefully cleaned her counter.

However, she went one step further. She found the watermelon rind the ants so desired, with a knife, and she opened the door, and she cut several pieces of watermelon and set them on the deck, so that the ants would not have to trek all the way into her kitchen, to the counter, and the sink to get it.

She left generous portions for them. CatMom decided that the degree to which they searched for the watermelon meant that it really satisfied their tummies. They were really happy ants. CatMom shared.

Now, the counters and implements were all cleaned. The watermelon rinds still decorates the deck floor, though it is looking more dried as we speak. Also the watermelon end is out there, instead of in the garbage. For two days, there's been 8 or so ants surrounding that feast. No one is in the kitchen. Why? Who wants to go in the kitchen. When you have watermelon rind right on the deck, there is absolutely no reason to go in the house. That cat food is not very tasty.

CatMom made her house ant collection a very happy troupe. CatDad when he heard the rest of the story was much settled. For now, there are fewer ants in the kitchen.  They are all busy out of doors.

That does not mean we do not have to finish the repair on the transition. It does mean CatDad is installing carpet today, instead of doing a transition repair. CatDad's love of CatMom's generous spirit returned. He also agreed that from the appearance of the happenings that I did a great favor to the ants. I could not have done a kinder and more generous thing.

CatMom really does love all the little creatures. Her heart could get the better of her, but God always helps her out in her storylines. He makes it work, when common sense might work against the circumstance. From a guy's point of view, CatMom made the worst mistake. Then, God gets involved, and he turns CatMom's compassion story around into a success. CatMom has a crew of very happy ants on her deck outside the threshold right now. We are all enjoying watermelon - still today - and all creatures big and small are refreshed. CatMom thinks God would smile. His favor rests on those small creatures. And as that favor sets on the little creatures, he lets a bunch dribble down on the Munro house too.

Update: CatMom has not had ants coming in her kitchen. She has not done the transition strip repair.

She has trained her ants to not come in the kitchen. Did anyone think she could train ants? CatDad almost bought more watermelon today, just because he is so impressed with how it worked. The watermelon CatMom put on the deck has no red rind left. The ants ate it all. The red disappeared over time. I guess we can't say no ants. CatMom had seen 1-2 ants in the last week. However, the experience overall has been a big success. That watermelon is the best!