Dragonfly Snaps

After my Sunflower photo session, I drove to Murfree Springs Wetlands in Murfreesboro. In spite of harsh light and heat, I walked around the boardwalk. Not much was stirring except an abundance of Dragonflies. I 'think' this is a Blue Dasher resting on a plant near the edge of the boardwalk. His wings are so beautiful glistening in the sunlight.

I eyed the edge of the boardwalk and spotted what I believe is an Eastern Pondhawk perched on a plant. I am not an expert when it comes to Dragonflies, but I do enjoy photographing them. I thought I would share one of the explanations I found for the origin of how the Dragonfly got it's name.

In old Romanian folklore, the dragonfly was actually a horse ridden by Saint George. St. George rid the mythical town of Silence of the dragon that lived in the town’s pond and poisoned the town. After wounding the dragon, he leashed the dragon and gave it to the town’s princess. Saint George’s horse became a giant flying insect when cursed by the devil. In the Romanian language, the word for dragonfly translates into Devil’s Horse or Devil’s fly. The Romanian word for devil is drac, which can also indicate dragon. In English, it translated to dragonfly.

The weekend is upon us and with yet more days of high heat and humidity. Today was 97 and I'm sure the heat index was in triple digits. There's no relief in sight either. Am I allowed to say I'm almost ready for Fall. Did I actually say that? Oops. Stay cool all. ENJOY!

Dragonfly in Waterlily Gardens

Here's one of the many frequent visitors to the Waterlily Gardens. A beautiful Blue Dasher, as Steve would say at Shooting My Universe. Not everyone would, but I consider Steve to be one of the consummate Dragonfly photographers here in the States. Why? Well, he's photographed a few!

The Waterlilies were aplenty as I walked around the Waterlily Gardens at Gibbs. Such vivid color, such glorious shapes, such a beautiful setting. I simply must go back. I think I see a trip on the horizon in Spring, when the fields of Gibbs are covered in thousands of Daffodils, and the gardens are laden with every color Tulip one can conjure up in one's mind. Well, I am a tad under the weather so I haven't left comments this week, but I sure did check out everyone's beautiful posts and they were just that, beautiful. I hope you enjoyed my walk in the Waterlily Gardens, and the beautiful specimen I chose to feature today, as much as I enjoyed sharing it. ENJOY!

Linking to Foodie Friday & Everything Else

Five Facts About Dragonflies!

As I walked earlier today, I happened upon this Yellow Dragonfly sitting on a stalk of tall grass just along the edge of my backyard where the field begins to take over. Did you know:
1) Dragonflies can't walk.
2) In some cultures, people view dragonflies as sinister.
3) In some parts of the world they are a food source, eaten either as adults or larvae.
4) In Japan, dragonflies are a seasonal symbol, associated with late summer and early autumn, and are viewed as symbols of courage, strength, and happiness. Dragonfly in Japanese is "Tombo".
5) In Indonesia, dragonflies are caught on poles, made sticky with birdlime, then fried in oil as a delicacy.

OK, perhaps some of these facts I could have lived without knowing, but it's out there now . . . nonetheless. Stay cool. It's pretty toasty out there right now. Enjoy!