Wait and See

A week or so ago, I was waiting at a street corner for a bus connection, and summer time has been...well...very summery in Chicago this year, so that standing for a bus wasn't the most agreeable. Though, for this particular stop, some trees provided shade from the noon sun.

Twenty-five minutes into the wait, I heard a telltale rattle in a tree right behind me. Being only about twelve feet high, it had a few branches about eye level. Right there, a cicada!

Unlike more commonly known 13 or 17 year broods, some cicada go through their life cycle in 2 or 3 years and with overlapping generations, these insects are usually seen and heard annually. I had noticed the racket six weeks ago, but I wasn't quite sure, because I knew it wasn't seventeen years since the last big appearance in 2005.

But my mother mentioned seeing one and I found an entry on Wikipedia about cicadas. In fact, several weeks ago, Sandra, her friend Bjarne, and I spotted an unknown insect coming out of its husk. Reading the wikipedia page, I found this animation of a cicada molting. Yep, we had seen a Tibicen, dog day cicada, one of the quicker generation species, without knowing it.

Though on that day while waiting for a bus, I saw one on branch a feet few away from me. I heard that loud rattling, saw the abdomen of the insect begin to vibrate as the sound grew louder. Then the rattle subsided. I watched the cicada. Perhaps it spotted me. Its abdomen shook and its song grew louder and ebbed once again. Then it flew off.

And if the bus wasn't late, I would missed that moment.

Film and Music

A few weeks ago, BBC Earth presented a showing of their film, Planet Earth, at the Jay Pritzker Pavilion in Millenium Park as part of the Grant Park Music Festival. Watching the nature documentary paired with a live orchestra was visually and auditorily stunning. In particular, the sequence which captured a Great White shark coming out of the water, also known as a breach, to catch a seal. The word the conductor used was majestic. It fit. To see in slow motion the large fish rise out of the water and turn 180 degrees, showing its great white underside while in mid-air. Yes, majestic.

This was the first time I have seen a film accompanied by an orchestra. The music coupled with the excellent atmosphere of Millenium Park is a great experience. Adding the nature documentary provided another dimension which was definitely worth the admission (and that happends to be free!). For other upcoming musical events (there are only two weeks left), check the Grant Park Music Festival site.