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Ants!!! Hundreds of ants! They’ve been crawling all over my kitchen counters, and I can’t figure out where they’re coming in. I scrubbed their trails hoping to eliminate the “scent markers” they use for communication. Didn’t work. I plugged any openings where it looked like they were entering. They found new places. I hate using poison, but I spritzed a bit of Raid to block a couple of trails. They avoided it and then found new ways in.

This morning I found them marching into the garbage disposal to seek out any bits that may not have gone down the drain. They invaded my trash container under the sink. They even got into my countertop ice maker. Really? The ice maker?

I’ll bet you’re having the same problem. When I stopped at the hardware store to get some ant bait, the clerk said everyone is coming in for it. “I think the heat has driven them all indoors,” he said. “You’re not the only one.”

So, I’ve set out a few drops of the ant bait on a little piece of foil. As of my last check, they haven’t gone for it. We’ll see what happens. I don’t mind bugs outdoors. They have a place in the ecosystem. I just don’t want them taking over indoors.

If you have any foolproof solutions, please share them with the rest of us.

If you were like most college students, ramen noodles became a staple of your menu plan. You could cover them with boiling water and eat them as a soup. Or you could slap them on a plate and serve it with stir-fried vegetables. Or you could break them dry into a salad for some crunch.

The possibilities were endless. Kids loved them because they were simple to cook on their own. People store them for emergency rations. (Has anyone ever had to use their emergency rations?) And others store them in desk drawers for a quick lunch on a busy workday.

They were invented by Momofuku Ando in post-WWII Japan after he saw people standing in line to buy ramen on the black market during food shortages. He learned how to flash-fry the noodles and package them under the Chikin Ramen name. In 1971, after he saw a man breaking up the noodles to boil in his coffee mug, Momofuku invented the Cup Noodles we know today.

His whole purpose was to bring affordable and convenient food to everyone, and his motto was, “Peace prevails when food suffices.” This was in a time when more people were purchasing frozen dinners and baking mixes. So, his innovation fit right in with the trends of a post-war world.

It’s said that Momofuku’s invention helped launch the popularity of Japanese food and culture in the U.S., turning him into a national hero. In fact, when he passed away in 2007, his funeral was held in a sports stadium and officiated by 34 clergy!

One of my favorite events, the Pottery and Glass Seconds Sale, is from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Oct. 2,  at the Cabrillo College parking garage A/B. Same place where the Aptos Farmers Market is held. It’s your chance to find great bargains on plates, bowls, mugs, glasses, pitchers and other kitchen items. They’re slightly imperfect or overstocks.

Stock up on original art for your table. Or find decorative items for the rest of your house – and even unique jewelry or other unusual pieces. Each item is made by a local artist, and often the imperfection is so slight that only the creator knows where it is.

This is the same weekend as the North County Open Studios, so you can do both in the same day.

Don’t you just love those wreaths made from pine or laurel branches, dried fruit, flowers, and other seasonal items? Often, they cost quite a bit. But you can make your own Saturday at the Scotts Valley Farmers Market, 5060 Scotts Valley Drive. It’s at the same location as the Boys and Girls Club.

The market supplies the materials, and you can get crazy with your creation. And it’s free! Let the kids build their own wreaths to hang indoors our out. The Santa Cruz Public Libraries also will hold a food-based scavenger hunt, and the event will feature face painting and live music.

I figured this out during Italy’s heat wave this summer. Fill a plastic bottle with water. Leave about two inches at the top for expansion. Cap it, and place the bottle in the freezer. When you go out into the heat, place the bottle against your neck to stay cool. As the ice melts, you have cold water to drink.

This recipe requires an electric ice cream maker such as a Cuisinart – the type that uses a frozen container. Or you can use a hand-crank type.

COFFEE ICE CREAM WITH CHOCOLATE AND ALMONDS

1/3 cup unsalted almonds, raw or lightly toasted

1/3 cup dark chocolate chips, like Ghirardelli

1.     Mix together the half-and-half and heavy cream in a 4-cup pitcher or measuring cup with a spout. Set aside

2.     In small bowl, mix together the instant coffee and sugar to help grind up the coffee crystals. Try to get them as smooth as possible so they will dissolve. Then add the sugar and coffee mixture to the cream. Stir until blended. It’s OK if a few coffee crystals remain.

3.     Place the frozen ice cream container on its base. Add the dasher and the cover, and turn on the machine. When the container starts spinning, slowly add the cream mixture through the opening in the cover.

4.     Let the machine work for about 20-25 minutes or until the mixture is the consistency of a soft ice cream. It should reach the top of the container.

5.     While the machine is churning the ice cream, chop the almonds and the chocolate chips into small chunks about 1/4-inch across. They don’t have to be uniform size. In fact, that will be impossible!

6.     After the ice cream has churned about 20 minutes, sprinkle in the chocolate and the nuts. Let it churn another minute or until the additions are distributed. The ice cream is ready when it is reasonably firm. It will hold its shape when you pull out a portion with a spoon. You may have to churn a few minutes longer.

7.     Turn off the machine. Remove the cover and the dasher. Scrape any ice cream off the dasher. (Lick the remainder, if you must.)

8.     At this point, the ice cream can be eaten as a soft serve. Or if you prefer a firm consistency, scoop the ice cream into a 3-quart container and smooth the top. Place a sheet of plastic wrap on the surface to prevent freezer burn. Cover the container and place it in the freezer for at least four hours or until the ice cream is at the firmness you like.

9.     After scooping out portions, cover the leftover ice cream again with plastic wrap, cover the container, and return to the freezer.

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