More signs of autumn

One of the less attractive signs of the season is the swarm of Asian ladybugs crawling around the windows and doors of the house. These are not the friendly ladybugs everyone likes to have in their gardens. These beetles -- introduced into the country in the 1990's -- seek out overwintering spots in houses. They have an unpleasant ("noxious") odor and leave a stain if smashed. Fly away home, indeed!

Other local signs are the strange offerings at the fast food outlets. Culver's offers a cranberry shake or malt and a pumpkin spice shake or malt AND what they call a pumpkin pecan concrete mixer -- basically a pumpkin shake with chunks of pecan mixed into it. Does anyone need these flavors?

It reminds me of a gimmick that Jones Soda started a few years ago. Now I like Jones Soda, mostly because you can send them a photograph of anything and if they like it, they will put in one one of their soda labels for a while. Makes for some interesting labels. My favorite was a bunch of plastic nun dolls.

But in 2004 they decided to do a limited edition, holiday soda that tasted like -- I am not making this up -- turkey and gravy. I am a big fan of turkey and gravy, but even so, I am not sure I want to taste that in my cold drink. That's a picture on the actual stuff. They also offered Green Bean Casserole Soda, Mashed Potato & Butter Soda, Fruitcake Soda and Cranberry Soda along with the Turkey and Gravy Soda as part of a holiday pack.

I don't know if it is still available as a seasonal product, but please don't send me any, just the same. Last Thanksgiving I made green bean casserole to take to Rich and Peggy's, and no one there had ever heard of it. (Or so they claimed. Two people were from Arkansas, and I'm sure that they knew what green bean casserole is.) Imagine if I had shown up with it in a soda bottle!