Photos of Bees

 I usually carry my phone when we play outside.  Just in case I were ever to do something as absent-minded as lock myself out of the house.  Ahem.

Some days I make an effort to document little moments throughout the day.  Mostly they just end up stored forever on my harddrive and I'll scan through and marvel at how much we all have grown and changed.

Ever saw me trying to photograph the honey bees that are all over the patch of clover blossoms out back.  There are so many bees.  Everly tries to point out each one and would love nothing more than to pet them.  The bees are so single-minded in their pursuit of the flowers that I doubt they would even notice...but I try to keep cubby hands away from stinging insects whenever possible.

She mimicked my photo attempts with an old broken camera. 

Owen, naturally, wanted a try.  But with the REAL camera.  I have about 20 photos of his finger and delete 40 more.   

Can you spot Ever in the background?  She was pulling up the neighbor's flag.

Sweet curls.  I hope this little one stays brave out in nature.  That a few stings over her lifetime don't scare her inside (obviously assuming she's not allergic).   There are so many great principles to be learned from watching the natural world work - I try to point out what is apparent to me and stretch myself to see wisdom in places I'd normally discount.  I hope my non-brave areas (...spiders...) don't rub off.  Or better yet - that I find ways to appreciate the beauty they contribute.  

And then...

...I woke up and they both fit into the car-cart at the grocery store.

Praying Mantis

I probably should re-name this blog: "excessive amateur pictures of children and nature".

We spent the morning picking blackberries in our neighborhood.  It was already in the 90s at 9:30am but we felt compelled to stop for all the big bushes that grow by the lake path on our daily walk.

After all, we have been checking them for weeks now.

Some of the berries were enormous and dark black- yay!  I saw something move as I reached in for a giant berry and knew almost immediately that it was a praying mantis.  Just a small one - but there is something so distinctive about the way they move.

I grabbed my phone to see if I could get a picture.  It was too high on the bush and too deep in for Owen to get a look if I lifted him.  I was aiming blindly since it was hard to see with a bright glare on the screen - so I was happily surprised when I saw this shot.  The little bugger turned to look right at me - his jaws clamped down on his pesty meal.

See if you can spot him in two other attempts.