Chasing Dragons

Well...dragonflies anyway! I have become a bug stalker. For whatever strange reason, I keep finding them to be absolutely fascinating. The end of this summer has been rich in bugs and I have spent more than a fair amount of time chasing them! I have recently been treated to tarantulas, all sorts and sizes of butterflies, some really huge wicked looking black bug, and now today...dragonflies. I have watched this dragonfly dude on more than one occasion, but every time I grab my camera, he takes off. Camera shy this one. Today, the kids were all out swimming in the pool and I was sitting there with them working through my bible study as they splashed and played. I looked up and there, across the pool was my ever elusive dragonfly dude perched on the very tip of the agave plant beside the pool. I watched him for quite a while and for quite a while he just sat there. If for any reason he did get scared away, he always seemed to return very quickly to that same post. Finally, I decided I just HAD to try to snap his picture. And so I grabbed my camera and began, yet another bug stalking event. I was able to creep up beautifully close to him...at which point he flew away. Of course. But in just the shortest of times he came right back to his post and just perched there so beautifully for me on the end of the agave spike. Well, needless to say I was overjoyed. I took his picture and took his picture and took his picture and he was just so cooperative. What a blast it was. And I am thrilled with the images. Just thrilled. This was definitely the highlight of my day! If you click on these images, it should bring a large and up close version for you. You can see every tiny hair on this guy. VERY cool!