Sounds of summer

Last night while off on an errand on Yoshie's shopping bike, or momma charu as they are known in Japan, I could have sworn I heard my first cicadas of the year. The large, noisy but harmless insects are synonymous with summer and reign through the hottest months, before dropping from the trees as the cool weather sets in around October. Chame-chan loves to drag half-chewed cicadas into the house as his gift to my mother-in-law, much to the delight of my wife.