About Those Cliches . . .

I

Dog is supposed to be "man's best friend."

The red dog isn't exactly my friend. For one thing, she's not my dog.

For another, just as I was opening my camera, turning it on, and focusing on the two enormous horse flies that landed on my car when I parked, the dog -- who had been in the far distance -- jumped up to the window and hit it with her paws, as if to say, "Hey, lady walker! What are you waiting for!?!"

And again she followed me and spent two hours with me, often pushing right through the stems where I was watching the spreadwings.

When I we left, I saw we encountered two Sewanee students who giggled and petted the dog, complimenting me. "Oh, she's not my dog," I said, "but she follows me when I come to out to Dimmick. Maybe she'll follow you too!"

They giggled again, and off they all three went, the red dog happily smiling at the bikinied girls.

Today the red dog spoiled my only potentially great shot. 

Today she seemed as just as happy to see strangers as she had been to see me.

So much for the cliche.

II

Whoever said "light as a feather" had never held a dragonfly exuvia. 

Honestly.

The holder could close her eyes and never know it's there. 

Take it from me.

I should know.

So much for the cliche.

Five Good Things about My Nature Walk with My Young Friend Jonathan

1.
A giant exuvia (like a shed skin) of some dragonfly, a darner perhaps. Held to the light, the shell's translucence shimmers like gold-leaf over opal.

2. 
A patient Carolina Saddlebags, old and torn, let us snap, snap, snap, while he perched, darted off, circled, and perched again. When it was Jonathan's turn to approach, he showed me a new trick: distract the Odonate by shaking one hand held out to the side. Then, he said, you can get a good picture. He approached, he shook, and the dragonfly flew off.

I'm going to try that trick anyway.

3.
In the woods, he scooped up and pulled several mushrooms, one of which bled milk and oxydized pink: it's a Milky Mushroom, and it's beautiful.

4.

At the pond, I pointed out a Southern Sprite, pleased that I could introduce Jonathan to a new species.

5.
Jonathan's company. It's a good thing.