Houseflies Around our House: Outdoor Challenge #25

Since posting my challenge on houseflies, I have been on the lookout for a subject of our study. My opportunity came the other day as I was making dinner and I noticed that there was a lone fly buzzing around. He was so annoying as he tried to land on my hamburger patties and my freshly cut garden tomato and some onion. I went to get my fly swatter and then as I was poised to swat him a good one, I stopped to remember and reflect on all that I learned this week by reading in the Handbook of Nature Study.

Houseflies as a topic of a challenge. What was I thinking? Someone called me a nature nerd the other day and I think it has stuck with me.....anyone else a nature nerd?

On another note, we also saw these insects crawling all over the garden box. I have no idea what they were but there were literally hundreds of them climbing up the green bean vines and the sunflowers. If you are interested, click the photos to enlarge them....beware, they get really big when you click.


We also enjoyed another insect in the yard this week, the Red Skimmer dragonfly. I never did get a photo of these beautiful dragonflies but I did draw him in my nature journal. He really is this reddish-orange with beautiful wings. This one is much more colorful than the Black Saddlebag dragonfly that I saw last week. Unlike the Black Saddlebag, this Red Skimmer does not sit still for even a second.

Now if you are tired of looking at my insects, feast your eyes on this photo of my red delicious tomato, fresh from the garden on my lettuce salad. With rewards like this, gardening is a great hobby to pursue. Hopefully the beautiful photo of the salad will erase any unpleasantness of the fly and black bug photos from your mind. :)

Enjoy,
Barb-Harmony Art Mom

So Beautiful It Makes Me Cry: Dragonfly Morning

"It is while we, ourselves, are dreaming in the sun by the margin of some pond, that these swift children of the air seem but a natural part of the dream. Yet if we waken to note them more closely, we find many things very real to interest us."
Handbook of Nature Study, page 404

I don't know if you have ever had this experience but it has happened to me a few times that I can remember: Something that you see in our natural world is so beautiful that it makes you cry. It could be a sunset, an autumn tree in full color, or in this most recent case, a dragonfly.

I know. You all think that I have lots my marbles over that one but I am going to post some photos that will only give you a hint of how beautiful this dragonfly is in real life.

Here's the story. I have been putting together an Outdoor Hour Challenge about dragonflies over the last few weeks. I have had my camera at the ready many times because I have several kinds of dragonflies in my backyard and I hoped to get a photo for the blog entry. Will those dragonflies sit still for just one photo? Not usually.

This morning I was up and out on the back deck early, around 6 AM. I was just out of the shower and I usually go out and come my hair as I survey the morning's happenings outside. It is my routine. Well, as I was standing there looking out over the yard, I tried to focus on something that was on a beach towel on the deck railing. I knew it was an insect but without my glasses on it looked like a blur. I went into the house and grabbed my glasses and camera.

I couldn't really get a good photo at first because it was still pretty dark out. Then he flew away and I was so sad to see him go. But, he landed on my lemon tree and he has been there ever since. This gave me lots of time to take a good photo of him. I think that this was a gift to me this morning and now I will share my gift with you.

Black saddlebag dragonfly

See the coloration on the wings that look like "saddlebags"?

You have to click the photo to make it larger so you can see the colors of the wing in this photo. It was like lace with all its fine detail. I actually was able to measure his wing span, 4 inches!

His head is so big and I know he was looking at me too. Click this one for a better view of him up close....you may never get this close to a dragonfly so here is your chance. :)

Look at the pattern and colors in the wing...iridescent in one light and spun from gold in another. It looks just like stained glass.

I know my original intention was to share a photo with you when I posted the challenge but this was so special that it gets its own post. The beauty in creation is such a testament to our Creator. Only He could think to spin this dragonfly's wings out of gold, to make his coloration so distinct, and to give his face a dash of brilliant blue. I am amazed at the beauty and it truly did make me cry.

Barb-Harmony Art Mom
PS There is a big section in the Handbook of Nature Study on dragonflies if you would like to read more this week. I will be giving an assignment in Outdoor Hour Challenge #28 to read about dragonflies and damselflies.