At 11:11 PM 7/15/2001, Marshall Ruskin wrote:
>Only that s'plains the French-Canadian term "Sparks from Hell" purrrfectly.
>
>But what I don' unnerstand is what no-see-ums have to do with any 'a this.

You must not have a beard!  They get in there and you can't do a thing
about it, rub as you will it makes no difference.  The only time this
happened to me was out in the woods splitting wood (or cutting it to
split?)  I forget -- but I remember well what an awful nuisance the minges
were that day.  Once we got back in the truck it was better, with the 75 or
so horseflies buzzing on the inside of the windshield and leaving us alone.

As to the etymology, I *think* I got it from John Gould many years ago, but
not sure.  I never heard it from any live person -- I've never talked to a
Canadian in the woods, French or otherwise.

:)
d
ps -- you sound more like Joel every day, is there something in the water?

David Beierl - Providence, RI
  http://pws.prserv.net/synergy/Vanagon/
'84 Westy "Dutiful Passage"
'85 GL "Poor Relation"