Army on the Move/ Army on the Ground

In the next few weeks Betty listened in dreadful fascination to the woeful tales of crop consumption in virtually every farmer's fields,all related to her with a grim dismay by her farmer son.  She had seen the army worms in the newspaper, on the TV and Sarah had even brought a jarful of them to show.
     "The Ag rep says they are most active when the canola is in flower but they will continue eating all through their pupa stage.'
     "Can you do anything to stop them?"
  "Spray , if you can apply it early enough but I'm very reluctant to spray because of organic reasons. I would have to wait another five years, chemical free, to regain organic approval."
     "Is Sarah coming today?"
  "She has a "playday" with "Shannie" but maybe we'll all come for a cup of tea this evening."


    The gloomy malaise in the farmhouse was the polar opposite of the virtual hilarity out in the fields and fence rows.
    "Tannis, Tannis, give me your answer true
      ain't cano-lee just over the top for you"
  Lina had picked up Tannis' habit of goofy rhymes and songs and rather than feel threatened by this new creative genius Tannis seemed to feel emboldened to push on to new heights of silliness.
    "This leaf's for you.. this leaf's for you.  It ain't for Avadex or Raid...  None of those nasty old -ates, or -oids, or -ines. This leaf dear Lina is for yououou."
     "Quit that yappin' , dirtbags. You got eating to do."  This latest witticism came from Tony ,Tannis' wormy neighbour on the left hand.  His tone reflected one that he imagined a drill sergeant might use in boot camp.
     "I do believe we've about consumed this acre", grinned Tannis
and her estimation was confirmed moments later.
    They could hear the chant coming from yards and yards away.
   "Move on, move on, move on"  They immediately joined in the chant for it was the one army code and the deployment was something to behold.
    "Army on the move, army on the move, army on the move,
move on, move on, move on."
    "Girls, it's my turn to call time."  Tony's statement was really a question but Lina grinned expansively.
    "Ok baby brother. give it your best. You're in the army now"