And the stars look very different today
Lightning Bugs (aka Fireflies) have always amazed me. I remember spending countless summer evenings as a boy catching fireflies and putting them in jars so that I could watch them as I went to sleep. Now I get to enjoy helping my daughters catch the tiny little nightlights as well. These bugs are such a part of summer that I can't imagine what it would be like if they weren't around. Over the past week, I've had two very special encounters with these mysterious insects.
The first was near the steps of the Capitol. I had just finished participating in an ultimate frisbee clinic and was walking around the Mall. At the Capitol a Navy band was playing and I decided to make a few phone calls by a grassy field nearby as I enjoyed the music in the background. As I looked out over the field, I noticed that it was completely covered in lightning bugs. They were all staying very close to the ground and flashing like crazy. The grass itself seemed to be sparkling, as if it were made from multifacited emeralds dancing in the fading summer light. It was a sight to behold.
My other experience happened as I was traveling with the family to Wisconsin for Karyn's Father's family reunion. It was past midnight in Indiana, we had just traveled through some very bad thunderstorms (there always seem to be very bad thunderstorms when we travel through Indiana) and Karyn was driving. I was looking out the window at the cornfields as we sped along and noticed lightening bugs above the young corn plants. I thought it was strange to be seeing so many of the lighting up at such a late hour - I always kind of associated them with earlier evening. Plus they were all over the sky, not just right above the corn. There were so many of them and the minivan was moving along so quickly, that I soon began to have the sensation of flying through space; the lighning bugs became stars that we were hurtling past in our rocketship. I felt like a kid again...
On the 4th, me and my family got to enjoy a spectacular fireworks display over the Mississippi river. As wonderful as it was, it really didn't compare to the shows the tiny little glowing marvels had provided me earlier in the week.
David Bowie / Space Oddity
The first was near the steps of the Capitol. I had just finished participating in an ultimate frisbee clinic and was walking around the Mall. At the Capitol a Navy band was playing and I decided to make a few phone calls by a grassy field nearby as I enjoyed the music in the background. As I looked out over the field, I noticed that it was completely covered in lightning bugs. They were all staying very close to the ground and flashing like crazy. The grass itself seemed to be sparkling, as if it were made from multifacited emeralds dancing in the fading summer light. It was a sight to behold.
My other experience happened as I was traveling with the family to Wisconsin for Karyn's Father's family reunion. It was past midnight in Indiana, we had just traveled through some very bad thunderstorms (there always seem to be very bad thunderstorms when we travel through Indiana) and Karyn was driving. I was looking out the window at the cornfields as we sped along and noticed lightening bugs above the young corn plants. I thought it was strange to be seeing so many of the lighting up at such a late hour - I always kind of associated them with earlier evening. Plus they were all over the sky, not just right above the corn. There were so many of them and the minivan was moving along so quickly, that I soon began to have the sensation of flying through space; the lighning bugs became stars that we were hurtling past in our rocketship. I felt like a kid again...
On the 4th, me and my family got to enjoy a spectacular fireworks display over the Mississippi river. As wonderful as it was, it really didn't compare to the shows the tiny little glowing marvels had provided me earlier in the week.
David Bowie / Space Oddity
posted by r.m at 6:33 AM
2 Comments:
Not the best story, but when I was younger I used to hit the little critters with a tee ball bat, watching them fly through the sky like a comet, leaving a trail. Shooting stars if you will.
Bless their hearts. I'll be in Roanoke sooner than later, shall we get together Rob?
God's Fireworks! They really are quite amazing! Missed you guys on the 4th!
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