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Not all archaeology is as exciting as Raiders of the
Lost Ark, but it does have its moments. In one of his books
my husband Shawn spoke of surveying in Peru and being
attacked by wild dogs. And on one of our trips to the North
Country we crossed the path of a brown bear and almost
became history when we became mired in the muskeg. When we
were hired to do an archaeological survey on some property
in the badlands I thought it would be a safe place, no
worries, no wild animals, and no attacks. I was wrong.
I was shovel testing and very focused on the task at hand.
Basically every so many feet I was required to dig in the
earth and then examine carefully everything that I dug up.
This required sifting through the soil and then replacing
it.
I was so intent upon looking carefully through the soil as I
did a shovel test, that I did not realize the location I was
digging at was very near the home of hundreds of underground
bugs. Not until I felt something nipping at me did I look
down and see that my clothing was covered in ants. They were
in my sleeves, on my stomach, even under my socks. In fact,
I missed the patter of their many feet until I was well
under attack. When I suddenly realized that the sensations I
had been experiencing were not caused by perspiration as a
result of the labor and heat of the day, I was so startled I
screamed and began jumping up and down. That caught my
husband??™s attention and, as it turns out, the attention of a
few others too.
I began pulling at my clothes, unbuttoning my long-sleeved
top and throwing it to the ground. This awfully crawly
feeling was well up my pant legs and I knew I??™d have to take
off the trousers and peel the tee shirt to find them all.
With my hands on my shirt I glanced up, still hopping, still
sounding like a kettle that??™s been on the heat too long, and
that??™s when I spotted them. A roof full of workers,
gathering to investigate the commotion, was staring across
at me.
I was red, and not from bug bites as I tried to find
composure, turn my back on the workers, bring my clothing
back into place and still push, pull and scratch at a body
covered in ants. Considering my startled hip hopping and
screaming, I am sure it was a little late to appear poised
Of course in the surprise attack from the ants I??™d forgotten
that the land we were surveying was adjacent to a new
housing development and my shouting and uncomely conduct had
captured the attention of every worker in the area. All eyes
had definitely been riveted on my war dance. How does one
search, dislodge and evict a colony of ants with composure
and modesty?
I laughed at myself as I realized that I had probably
provided a great interruption in a rather hum drum day. I
called out to my concerned husband who was worriedly coming
toward me. "I??™m fine, I just should not sit on ant mounds to
do archaeology!! "
Well we may not have found anything outstanding to record
for archaeology that day but if ants write at all, I think
they will be writing up their own exploration reports as
they sure covered a lot of foreign territory, (for ants!)
Ellie Braun-Haley
shaley@telusplanet.net
Ellie says being an entertainer is okay, but its better when
you know ahead of time you have an audience. Ellie's short
stories have been published in numerous books to include
Chicken Soup for the Soul, Heartwarmers of Spirit and
2theHeart. She is presently completing her fifth book, a
compilation of true stories, on Heavenly Intervention.
Rural Route # 1, Bowden, Alberta
Canada
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To read archived stories, click on this link:
http://archives.zinester.com/9516/2004
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Blessings to you today
Bob Johnston
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