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Fireflies


Glasseye

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It's that time o year for those little critters. They've always fascinated me, and even now bring a smile, as they bring back memories of my favorite time of year. Except for today....
 
On my daily walk I had one take a direct flight into my left ear canal - full impact !!!
 
Sure did wake me up out of my early afternoon funk. 
 
Fortunately my quick reflexes kicked in and I was able to perform a head shake dance move depositing the little fella to the concrete sidewalk. I'm not certain if it recovered from the trauma, but I quickly regained composure (as the nearby onlookers began to scurry away). 
 
I continued on....
 
As I turned the next corner of a newly uncharted subdivision I looked up and watched a gorgeous hawk circling above. The distance was very close and with the perfectly bright and well positioned sunlight. I could even make out it's markings and colors. I stood in awe looking up in the middle of the road. It was something I can't even describe. Just fabulous.
 
I then reckoned it be best I hustle on with my walk, because the folks in that area would surely be calling the cops to report the crazy guy dancing around in their hood.
 
 
 
 
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Saw my first ever firefly in the USA a few years back when we visited, curious little critters they are, especially when there's a good number of them flitting around.

I was also introduced (at a distance) to a "cottonmouth" snake. They can apparently be very aggressive and it's probably best to avoid getting bit by one.

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On 6/18/2021 at 9:44 AM, Butch said:

Saw my first ever firefly in the USA a few years back when we visited, curious little critters they are, especially when there's a good number of them flitting around.

I was also introduced (at a distance) to a "cottonmouth" snake. They can apparently be very aggressive and it's probably best to avoid getting bit by one.

Yes indeed. Them and Copperheads, in the South.

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Oddly enough, the Bing image for today is of fireflies in Japan.

Screenshot 2021-06-24 at 12-02-15 Info.png

Fireflies seem to play an important role in Japanese culture. If you're into anime then you'll have heard of Studio Ghibli. I love their films, and far and away the most moving is "Grave of the Fireflies", about two children trying to survive towards the end of WW2. Another comment on it is:

"An achingly sad anti-war film,  Grave of the Fireflies is one of Studio Ghibli’s most profoundly beautiful, haunting works."

Grave_of_the_Fireflies.jpg

 

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12 hours ago, Toy Boy said:

Oddly enough, the Bing image for today is of fireflies in Japan.

Screenshot 2021-06-24 at 12-02-15 Info.png

Fireflies seem to play an important role in Japanese culture. If you're into anime then you'll have heard of Studio Ghibli. I love their films, and far and away the most moving is "Grave of the Fireflies", about two children trying to survive towards the end of WW2. Another comment on it is:

"An achingly sad anti-war film,  Grave of the Fireflies is one of Studio Ghibli’s most profoundly beautiful, haunting works."

Grave_of_the_Fireflies.jpg

 

 

Interesting ! Thanks !

Roger Ebert seem to also think highly of it. Probably the greatest film critic of all time and a fellow Chicagoan.

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The first time I recall seeing them was when I was staying at a hotel run by friends on the Philippines island of Mindoro. There was a typhoon alert out and the power company had cut off the electricity supply as it always failed during a big storm. The hotel had a small diesel generator but it was expensive to run and was really only used for a few hours a day to keep the fridges and freezers cool. So we spent several evenings waiting for the typhoon (that never hit us), sitting in the dark drinking beer and looking out at the sea. That was when I first saw fireflies hovering  around the hotel grounds. It was also the first time I saw bio-luminescent plankton on the sea. It's amazing what we miss with our need for bright lights.

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