PSoTD

Well, well, well. Camp Hill again skirted the worst of an advertised Nor'easter. I've already shoveled the driveway and sidewalks, looks like we got about 4 inches of snow that stuck. Decent kid snow, though - not too heavy, but packable for snowballs.

It looks like we just hit a window - the news said that some communities in York County, which is the next county south of us, had considerably more snow. That's the difference between my light and breezy Sunday morning attitude and my get-out-of-my-way-or-everyone's-gonna-be-sorry attitude that accompanies big snows. Like most everyone, I hate shoveling big snows.

It is still trying to invade the U.S.

That starts to explain why Wisconsin's Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection wants surrounding states to inspect or forbid the export of firewood and other wood products originating from areas harboring tree-killing insects and diseases.

It's also why Wisconsinites soon will be forbidden from bringing firewood into state parks, and why we soon might be subject to inspections before hauling firewood to our hearth or campsite. Evidence suggests tree plagues are as likely spread by firewood as any other carrier.

This isn't a case of bureaucracy run amok, but it's likely another noble, but futile, effort to save a priceless natural resource. The main culprit is the emerald ash borer, a beetle imported from Asia. It has killed more than 15 million white ash trees in Michigan, southeastern Ontario and parts of Ohio and Indiana.

Can we stop this beetle at our borders? The task of inspecting every log and wood product carried by a semi-truck is monumental to hopeless. But at least we know where to find commercial wood to inspect for insect eggs and larvae.

There's an information site about the pest here.

Apparently, we need an army of woodpeckers at the front.