Monday
Sep132010
Chasing Dreams
September 13, 2010 * * * * * Posted by: guest blogger 
For weeks I ran around the yard and nearby fields trying to get some pictures of dragonflies. I’m fascinated by dragonflies. They remind me of little antique airplanes because of the shape of their body and the way they flit and fly and buzz around your head, teasing you with their quiet hum. And the colors of the different varieties! They come in reds and greens and blacks with dots of yellow and blue. They’re a regular bugapalooza of shades. I think they are beautiful in their own unique way, and I really wanted a couple of nice pictures of them to go along with all of the other bug, bird and dewdrop prints I have photographed this summer. I had no idea it would be so hard.
They are elusive little creatures. They never land anywhere for very long. As daddy says, they’re like a worm in hot ashes. I tried every method I could think of to catch them. I crouched in tall grass, stood on ladders and stomped around a cattle pond in mud and poo and came away empty handed each time, creating new profanities in the process.
I finally got my pictures last Thursday morning after my husband captured a dragonfly in the garage and chased it with a broom onto some flowers just outside the garage door. The poor dragonfly must have been traumatized and exhausted by the chase because it simply landed on the flowers and sat there for several minutes. I snapped away from various angles in the golden morning sunlight in my dress clothes, getting wet grass on my feet and making myself late for work. My husband laughed at my childlike glee while I marveled at the way the dragonfly used its front leg to wipe its face on the other side of my macro lens. I’m tellin’ ya’, you just haven’t lived until you’ve seen a dragonfly smile.
Later that same day we closed on the sale of our old house, making the transition into our newer dream home final. It occurred to me that my dragonfly quest was a lot like chasing dreams. We run after something beautiful or big in the hopes of making life better. Sometimes we go to great lengths and work a long time to achieve them, stomping through a lot of muck and failing more than once along the way. And when one of those dreams comes true we revel in the moment, stunned that it finally happened.
As I lay in bed trying to wake up this morning, I decided I will finish decorating my new bedroom with two of the dragonfly prints. They will be a reminder to this 46-year old child that there are many more dreams to seek and that part of the joy is in the chase.
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Special guest post today by Andrea Underwood who blogs at 'Hula Girl at Heart'. Thank you for joining us here today, Andrea, and for your wonderful story and image.
Reader Comments (14)
Welcome to V&V, Andrea! And congratulations on closing the old house and capturing this dandy dragonfly...both on the same day. I bet the house closing almost seemed anti-climatic, right?! :) I love your idea of hanging up prints in your new bedroom. They will become your bedroom's avatar. How sweet and soulful.
Awesome photo that is, the detail is magnificent.
What a stunning capture of that dragonfly!!! Perhaps - we can learn from this that with much patience and perseverance our dreams do come true!!! And the dragonfly prints sound like a perfect way to 'toast' our new house...and begin again.
Lovely post!!
Thanks so much for being a part of this today!!!
Andrea, I'm so glad that you didn't give up! What a beautiful dragonfly.
great shot, very much worth framing! Lovely story, thanks for sharing
I love dragonflies too. Awesome photo! I found a little trick to capture dragonflies quite by accident this summer. Late one evening I was out watering the garden when a dragonfly started darting in and out of my water (it was a really HOT day). This went on for several minutes then he landed on a low limb to let his wings dry. He let me approach pretty close and I got some great images of him but nothing compared to the image you got!
Wow, that is just a gorgeous shot!
Your words and photo remind me of one of my recent posts...In the land of dreams and dragonflies. Very different stories, however. I love dragonflies they don't seem to mind me at all - more curious about me than anything, I think. Congrats on the closing of your home and best wishes on your new one. I think some dragonfly prints would be lovely to decorate with. Thanks for joining us today!
I LOVE this picture. I don't think I have ever seen this much detail on a dragon fly (probably because 1.) they flit around so fast and 2.) my eye sight at 48 is not what it was at 28!)
Beautiful!
Very nice picture, and welcome here Andrea!! I loved you post! As long as you keep the dragonflies in your life by printing them out as a decoration you will always remember that child!! That is a very nice thought!!
I love it! Dragonflies are also a favorite of mine. And I too run around like you holding my breath and hoping to catch the perfect shot. I love the photo, it's all worth it! Wonderful post and welcome to Vision and Verb!
Congratulations Andrea -- on your terrific guest post AND closing on your new home. I loved your dragonfly pics when I first saw them! They are tough little critters to try to photograph.
(I've been out of town and am just getting caught up on reading posts.)
Lovely post, Andrea. Dragonfly pics are a real trial, an exercise in tenacity! But well worth it! Thank you for sharing this great shot, and congratulations on your new house!
Glad that even with the new house you're still my neighbor! Some of the lakes are great places - Hematite @ LBL, and FerneClyffe are two fine ones - to shoot dragonflies in their own environment. This shot is very nice, fine detail and soft background. Don't know how I missed seeing this post so long.