Back to the Pond

Considering Kris is writing her novels, “The Dragonfly Temple Chronicles”, it’s not surprising that we ventured off to CSUN (California State University Northridge) to see dragonflies.  CSUN has a meandering stream that starts at a man-made waterfall and ends in a duck pond.  And for you Whovians, yes, we know it’s a duck pond because there are ducks in it.

There are also turtles, small fish and of course, dragonflies.

The first year we went to CSUN, we were lucky enough to find a dragonfly that was friendly enough to let us get a close-up of him.  With a MACRO 15X and a 0.65X WIDE lens on my phone, I was able to get to within two inches of him.  He was also trusting enough to get on Kris’ finger.  We called him Zack, after a character in one of Kris’ novels.

It’s been years since we’ve found a bug that was as cooperative.  This is as close as this first one would let me get, then he would fly off.

We have found over the years that dragonflies tend to have a favorite perch.  They will fly around, land on their perch for a moment, fly off again, then return.  You have to be patient enough to wait for their return.  This red skimmer was cooperative enough to let me get in very close.  I was so close, that one of his wings tapped my finger when he flew off.  I am always amazed by the intricate and delicate structure of their wings.

He was cooperative, but the wind was not.  It took me many tries to get these pictures in focus. I was also able to get one good picture of a blue one.  I don’t know what species he is.

Perhaps next week we’ll go off to see peacocks near Rocky Peak.

Dennis

179th blog completed.

First Steampunk novel:  75025 words.  ß Past 75,000.  Goal:  80,000.

Second Steampunk novel: 783 words.

Second Steampunk screenplay:  157 pages.

First Steampunk screenplay:  Need to update with notes from the novelization.

Third Steampunk screenplay:  38 pages.

“Dennis just can’t seem to help himself.  Even when making an old favorite, Little Cheddar Meatloaves, he had to make a new side, Taco Mac and Cheese with Rotel, https://bowl-me-over.com/taco-mac-and-cheese/?fbclid=IwAR0cXUiG_DLiwfYD7K9a0jSZAvEN7IRbRRu0HOT_P_ig0gZfNQKdjhwHia4

This was an excellent side dish and easy to make, just add four ingredients to a Velveeta box dinner.  We will be having this again – among all the other Mac& Cheese recipes Dennis has tried this year.” – Vincent Reinhart