I was just in Madeira and the Monstera plant fruit is sold in the markets -- marketed as Pineapple-Banana. I even saw one in the wild while on a hike. Several people at my hostel were trying to figure out if they could get away with smuggling one back home. I tried it. It just tasted kind of okay to me... just not a flavor convo I'm use to. .........oh I'm with you with earwigs -- I also am afraid of them. I blame Star Trek II, with that icky ear scene. I asked my mom who was a public health nurse at the time if bugs could crawl into your years, to which she said, well yes. I plugged my ears with cotton at bedtime for awhile. I also went on a long bike camping trip through Oregon and Washington and there were always an earwig in the tent or on my drying bike clothes. ugh!
YES that Star Trek movie scene is what did me in, too! Can confirm that the PNW is lousy with earwigs, but I'm happier to be reminded that they're doing important work for the plants even if I'm icked out by them.
So cool that you got to taste a monstera fruit – even if it isn't your new favorite fruit. And why would your mom tell you that?!?! Nightmares forever!
I had a best friend in 3rd grade whose mother wouldn’t allow her to have any pets so she found an earwig in her garden, put it in a little box, gave it a name (I don’t remember what), and called it her pet. She kept it in her desk at school and I thought it was a creepy, horrible pet but pretended to like it because she was my best friend and I didn’t want to hurt her feelings.
I always thought it was flattering that the earwigs liked our writing and drawing so much they wanted to live in it. Let’s not ever get that earwig pot though.
I am so sorry, but I have very troubling news regarding your future. That adorable new addition to your family (congrats!), who will likely be raised embracing nature and all its small creatures, will probably not share your earwig feelings. More troubling, they might (based on my sample of one) find earwigs “cute” and insist that you rescue them should they be trapped in a spider web or where the cat might eat them. And, in your desperation to avoid tears and nurture empathy, you will find yourself holding an earwig with your HAND! I know how unbelievably this might feel now, but you will have years of desensitization during which you force yourself to say things like “yes, that is a good little house centipede” and “jumping spiders are our friends!” without any fear in your voice. You will not know how thoroughly pride, disgust, fear and love can mix until you watch that little baby turn into a child who fearlessly allows an earwig to crawl up their arm. But, joking aside, it’s SO fun to do all these gardening things with a kid—congrats!
I was just in Madeira and the Monstera plant fruit is sold in the markets -- marketed as Pineapple-Banana. I even saw one in the wild while on a hike. Several people at my hostel were trying to figure out if they could get away with smuggling one back home. I tried it. It just tasted kind of okay to me... just not a flavor convo I'm use to. .........oh I'm with you with earwigs -- I also am afraid of them. I blame Star Trek II, with that icky ear scene. I asked my mom who was a public health nurse at the time if bugs could crawl into your years, to which she said, well yes. I plugged my ears with cotton at bedtime for awhile. I also went on a long bike camping trip through Oregon and Washington and there were always an earwig in the tent or on my drying bike clothes. ugh!
YES that Star Trek movie scene is what did me in, too! Can confirm that the PNW is lousy with earwigs, but I'm happier to be reminded that they're doing important work for the plants even if I'm icked out by them.
So cool that you got to taste a monstera fruit – even if it isn't your new favorite fruit. And why would your mom tell you that?!?! Nightmares forever!
Mazel tov on the arrival of your baby!
I had a best friend in 3rd grade whose mother wouldn’t allow her to have any pets so she found an earwig in her garden, put it in a little box, gave it a name (I don’t remember what), and called it her pet. She kept it in her desk at school and I thought it was a creepy, horrible pet but pretended to like it because she was my best friend and I didn’t want to hurt her feelings.
WOW! An earwig as a pet! That's new to me! How very kind of you to play along in the name of friendship.
I always thought it was flattering that the earwigs liked our writing and drawing so much they wanted to live in it. Let’s not ever get that earwig pot though.
Thanks for the info on earwigs! Another reminder that everything has a purpose in nature—even those things we don’t like.
Indeed! Thankfully, not THAT many critters creep me out!
Big congrats on the new baby!
I had no idea a monstera would fruit. Or that they grew in the wild. I've truly only seen them as container plants.
Even though it doesn't sound that tasty I'd still love to try one!
I am so sorry, but I have very troubling news regarding your future. That adorable new addition to your family (congrats!), who will likely be raised embracing nature and all its small creatures, will probably not share your earwig feelings. More troubling, they might (based on my sample of one) find earwigs “cute” and insist that you rescue them should they be trapped in a spider web or where the cat might eat them. And, in your desperation to avoid tears and nurture empathy, you will find yourself holding an earwig with your HAND! I know how unbelievably this might feel now, but you will have years of desensitization during which you force yourself to say things like “yes, that is a good little house centipede” and “jumping spiders are our friends!” without any fear in your voice. You will not know how thoroughly pride, disgust, fear and love can mix until you watch that little baby turn into a child who fearlessly allows an earwig to crawl up their arm. But, joking aside, it’s SO fun to do all these gardening things with a kid—congrats!
That is very troubling! I guess it's time to start with the desensitizing training regimen now...
Oh Boaz congrats! What happy news! And thanks for the mention! X
Thanks Kate! I've so been enjoying your substack! Though I'm still waiting for an American book tour!