Butterflies Blue

MrQ had to spend an hour at the opticians in Epping and couldn't drive afterwards. I dropped him off and went into the forest in search of the Wake Pond hoping for dragons and damsels. None about but the pond is beautiful and I had it to myself. I'll definitely be going back.

After lunch I went to Norman's Pond at Fishers Green in the Lee Valley Park. The above shot is the sort of thing I'm trying to achieve with my new macro lens. Subjects captured with macro detail but with their habitat recognisable in the background. There's a subtle difference between this and a cluttered background, which I'm always trying to avoid. I love the dreamy out of focus backgrounds created with my 100mm macro but I wanted to try to create a bit of a story using the background with my macro subjects for a change. Luckily this pair of common blue butterflies were oblivious to my faffing. :)

I got some quite nice shots for #DragonflyWeek. I've included a brown hawker ovipositing to extras. Not a great shot but I've never photographed or posted one before. 

Today's poem is The Footsteps by Paul Valery. http://www.thedrunkenboat.com/valery.html

Sorry, I can't find a link to the translation by Alistair Elliot which is in my book. PV described seeing his poetry in print as "similar to in dreams when you are mortified to find yourself stark naked in an elegant drawing-room."

PV used to rise early and walk barefoot in the dewy grass before writing. Lots of feet and dew in the poem.