Grasshoppers

I went to see Florence one day this week for language, and she was telling me how excited she was that it was "grasshopper" season.

She had just bought a bag.

There was vendor after vendor walking down the street selling little bags of live grasshoppers.

Things like that make me smile.

One the way home from picking up Melissa and Mercy at the airport the other day, I saw a field of children catching grasshoppers to take home. Who needs school, when you can be out catching insects, right?

I think I might see teachers out there, too…

Well, I got to see Florences' grasshoppers come full circle.

On Saturday, my family, Melissa, and Mercy went to help her harvest her ground nut field.

After all the hard work was done, Florence wanted to show me the grasshoppers.

She had cooked them in a little bit of water to "preserve" them. She said now they needed to sit in the sun for a few days so they could dry out, she could store them, and then she could eat them when she wanted.

Here they are in the sun.

Can't you see their beady little eyes?

THEN, Florence found out that Mercy likes grasshoppers, so she started pulling off the legs and wings of a few

Then she quickly put them in a frying pan with salt over some hot coals.

Grasshoppers, anyone?

Melissa tried to make them cool enough for Mercy to eat.

Mercy immediately started eating.

Melissa doesn't think they are very appetizing.

But Mercy surely gave us a good show.