Assassin bugs

Assassin is a big word packed into a small pipe:

assassin (n.) 

1530s (in Anglo-Latin from mid-13c.), via French and Italian, from Arabic hashishiyyin "hashish-users," plural of hashishiyy, from hashish (q.v.). A fanatical Ismaili Muslim sect of the time of the Crusades, under leadership of the "Old Man of the Mountains" (translates Arabic shaik-al-jibal, name applied to Hasan ibu-al-Sabbah), with a reputation for murdering opposing leaders after intoxicating themselves by eating hashish. The plural suffix -in was mistaken in Europe for part of the word (cf. Bedouin).

I'm not able to keep up with the debates about using drone aircraft for the purpose of assassination. On a different note, I am trying to keep up with this season's assassin bugs. These bizarre-looking insects are considered beneficial, although they might cause nightmares. They seemed to be on every plant along the trail.

They don't look cuddly, and don't try to pick them up. Their bite is worse than their bark.

What do assassin bugs have to do with breakfast, you ask. They are the preferred subject to ponder while staring through the steam from the coffee cup. I don't want to ponder another day fighting creepy slime mold invaders on the playground woodchips. Or, sadly, why I didn't have my camera while the squirrel was tapdancing on the skylight.

And now into the shower. Two more days of school.

© 2013 Nancy L. Ruder