THE PLACE TO BE — The Weekly Opine

Cicadas emerging from the ground last Saturday, after 17 dormant years, was a thrilling sight. (Photo credit The Weekly Opine)

Springtime of anticipation delivers

What a special time to live in the Midwest.

A moment when the East Coast and West Coast, normally pre-occupied with proving who is Most Likely to Succeed or who is Big Man on Campus, are paying attention to the Midwest. (I’m not hatin’; when travelling for work my undisputed favorite destination was L.A., followed closely by New York City.) While somewhat atypical, it’s nice to have the coasts notice the Heartland this spring. We welcome seeing New Yorkers and Californians acknowledge cool stuff is happening out here, where our land is mostly flat, deficient of breathtaking, envy-inducing mountains.

Our land of corn and soybeans will never be confused with the land of milk and honey. However, we are on a roll courtesy of the awesome universe and miraculous Mother Nature. Experiencing solar eclipse totality six weeks ago, and now hosting the emergence of billions of 13- and 17-year cicadas, the Midwest is the place to be in spring 2024.

In the sleepy village where I reside, we just missed out on solar eclipse totality, settling for 94% of totality. Daylight did not turn nightlike, but it became hazy, as if the sky was filtered. It reminded me of how things appeared last summer, when smoke from Canada’s wildfires drifted our way. Nonetheless, the eclipse was amazing.

Serene, stunning totality. (Photo credit NBC News)

Along with more obvious effects, another difference between the solar eclipse and the cicadas was arrival time. With the eclipse, scientists foretold for years that on April 8, 2024, we would witness a solar event that for many humans would be a soul-stirring, spiritually defining experience.

Conversely, we knew cicadas, underground in some cases for nearly two decades, would arrive in spring this year. Experts said they would appear in mid-May, but it was impossible to pinpoint a specific date. All we knew was when the soil eight inches below the surface reached 64 degrees, the cicadas would begin to surface. We also learned dormant cicadas rest as far down as two feet beneath the surface, feeding off the juices of plant roots.

Time matters

Considering it is spring, a time when two world-famous yet quintessential Midwest sporting events take place, both in the month of May, let’s consider another key distinction between the solar eclipse and the arrival of cicadas.

As horseracing aficionados know, the Granddaddy of horseracing’s Triple Crown is the Kentucky Derby, run earlier this month for the 150th time. And as knowledgeable motorsports fans know, the globe’s greatest automobile race is the Indianapolis 500, which will be contested for the 108th time on Sunday.

Cicadas preferred mating location is a mature tree. (Photo credit The Weekly Opine)

Observing the solar eclipse’s length of time compared to how long cicadas will be here, the solar eclipse was akin to the Kentucky Derby. The Derby lasts for just two very exhilarating minutes. Similarly, the total eclipse lasted a mere four – albeit – astonishing minutes. Many people who experienced totality reported it was awe-inspiring and metaphysical. In my case, even 94% of totality was mesmerizing.

The cicadas duration is more like the Indianapolis 500. The 500-mile race lasts three-and-a-half hours. But there is also testing and practice in the weeks prior to the race and qualifying the weekend before the race. So, it takes about three weeks to complete the Indy 500 experience. The cicadas that arrived in my neighborhood last weekend will be around for 4-6 weeks, according to the experts. Slowly they emerge. After a couple of days cicadas begin making their mating sound, then the chorus peaks a few weeks later.

Certainly, I looked forward to the solar eclipse. But I could not wait for the arrival of cicadas. I remember 17 years ago, when I was but a lad of 49, soaking in the glorious ebb, flow and crescendo of the rhythmic and high-pitched whine of cicadas. (Come to think of it, Indy racecar engines have long been described as having a pleasing, high-pitched whine.)

This chap hung out for awhile on the side table on my porch. (Photo credit The Weekly Opine)

This has been a fine time to live in the Midwest. The uber-mild winter was followed by a warmer than normal spring, with just the right amount of rain to jumpstart my garden. Thanks to Mother Nature, only twice have I unfurled the hoses and watered plants. My garden is blooming wonderfully.

And let us not forget that a few weeks ago the WNBA’s Indiana Fever drafted Caitlin Clark, and the Chicago Sky drafted Angel Reese. Those results also ratcheted up the Midwest’s cool factor.

Oh, and out here, we are within easy reach of the envy-inducing fresh water of the beautiful Great Lakes.