{Butter Flight}

alOha birds & bees !!

   Been too long - life is ... errr .. interesting ; ) Can't ask for more than that .. at least not in the long term. Anyway, we uploaded these pics to a draft forever ago, so before they fall into forgotten plans, we'd like to share them ; ) 

   Yes .. we're dragging you down into the creek again: our little place to charge up, away from the studio and computers and boiling wax. 

But something very special happened on this day . . read on ; ) 

   These wild roses were but miniatures of their domestic and well-watered sisters, but they had such huge fragrance that we were both intoxicated by their contribution to the sweet summer breeze.

This was the BIGGEST fly we'd ever seen, seriously like the size of a medium strawberry. 

   And in the little pond that we used to do our tightrope act across, as the water recedes in the hot sun, these frogs-to-bee pray for fast evolution. We couldn't get a picture close enough, but seeing their tiny legs coming in gave us the chills. We're not so different at the beginning of our days.. .

   Of course we had to stop and smell the roses every chance we got, and as I was following my nose towards a blossoming bush, I spotted the stain glass pattern of a butterfly's wing popping out from under a rock. And as I bent down to see what she was up to, I saw this ; )

   We sat and watched her for a while as she just hung to her old house, and when she started trying to step off onto the rock (which was slopping upside down) I gave in to my urge to lend her a helping hand .. or finger.

   Careful not to let her new wings touch my hand, I slid out under her fuzzy little frame, and she stepped onto my pointer ; )

How are those eyes !!!

   Interestingly enough, we waited and waited to see her flap her first flight that day, and in the end, we had to coax her onto a flat rock away from the wind, and move onward to the pool. It actually felt good to deny that very human urge for All .. to see and experience the climax. Farther down the path, we saw an identical butterfly, and she circled us a few times and then flew away .. could it have been her, showing her adoptive parents her new talent???

Great things come from humble packages. 

   Swimming through the deep channels with bags and shoes held overhead is a bit of a struggle, so we started to bring along floaties .. plus, the water is cold cold cold.

yawn .. . 

   As the smaller water holes dry up, the algae leaves behind this awesome and very crude paper sheeting. Interesting stuff.

We saved many fallen fairies .. 

Found this girl just in time ; ) 

In the hot morning sun, her wings dried up real quick. 

... and off she went. 

   Walking the rocks on the edge can get pretty hairy, but I always take the high road when I can. Juwels swims ..

Tucked away in the crag of the earth, all is well ; ) 

   This noisy little bugger crashed into my lap while I was eating a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. I'm guessing he smelled the sweet jelly, but his timing almost caused me to choke on the large bite I'd just taken ..

At parts of the year .. all this is flowing. Can't wait for the next snowfall and melt! 

Tempting swim spot .. but not the one we're looking for. 

   I'm going to have to walk this treeLine soon .. there just always seems to be the right reason to put it off till next time .. like chattering knees ; )

   And we've arrived. Tranquility meets exhilaration seamlessly here. Bombing through the air from the cliff's edge to an icy cold plunge ... then paddling over to the raft to bake in the sun. And you know we've got sweet snacks and picnic treats aplenty. So good for the soul, this place.

They say you can't get blood from a stone, but with a little luck, you can get flowers ; ) 

   Note to self: there's no reason to run to the cliff's edge. The water gets a weeBit shallow the farther you fly. Juwels did this one too, but she refuses to where a bathing suit at this secret swim spot, so we can't show her pictures here ; )

Well bee back, keep on smiling, lOve,

 -p&j