Scenes from the Soda Fountain: Double Sippers!

First, let me tell you about the picture I wish I had to show you on this day. Every morning, one of the first things I do is sit on the front porch with the cat, and we often watch the sunrise together. It's been cool these past few mornings, and it's been just delightful out. On this morning, just before sunrise, two things happened.

One is that Mini-Bun, the tiniest bun of all, who lives under the hedge by the garage, came flying out from under the hedge, kicking and jumping! (I do not know if our dear Mini-Bun is he or she, but for the sake of argument, I'll use "he.") Then he raced all around the driveway, under the car, back into the yard, and back again for another round! The cat and I just watched his antics, and we looked at each other in amazement! How could a rabbit that tiny learn to bust a move like that? Outstanding!

The second was that a hummingbird came by, just before the first rays of sun hit, and drank from every orange bloom in the front flower bed - every touch-me-not (jewelweed), every bloom on the orange glory butterfly plant. And then it was gone!

The hummingbird shot, I know I'd never have gotten in that light. But the dancing rabbit? Kicking up his heels, dancing a morning jig, celebrating the arrival of the sun? Just priceless! But a picture just wouldn't have captured it; only a video would do it justice. And as I had a cat, and not a camera, in my hands, I can not show you either. But I have told you, at least. It was delightful. What a way to start the day!

The butterfly bush in the sunny corner of our front yard has been host to some marvelous creatures as we approach late summer, and this day was no exception. On Friday, when I got home from my adventures on the railroad tracks, I had spotted them in in the front yard: a pair of great spangled fritillary butterflies, so bright golden orange that they practically seemed to glow in the light. But their visit on Friday was a quick one: I didn't get a chance to snap more than a few pictures.

On Saturday morning, the two butterflies were back! (Or at least, I presumed they were the same two. Who knows?) And they were playing, having a wonderful game together: chase each other, spiral up, up, up into the sky, then back down onto the bright pink blooms. Sometimes they sat on separate blooms near each other, but they were such good friends that sometimes they sat on the very same one, snacking side-by-side.

Now, maybe the place where you live is replete with butterflies, and you have had your fill of them already this summer. But they are not here, and I have not. In fact, this summer, butterflies have been very scarce, perhaps due to the long, cool spring. And so the sight of butterflies is something to be celebrated! (Which may be how it always should have been.)

I would be embarrassed to tell you how many pictures I took, so let's just put it simply thus: a lot. :-) I stood there a good while, taking pictures from many angles. My favorite shots, because I hardly ever get to photograph two butterflies together, were those in which both great spangled beauties appeared.

Then there was the business of downloading the pictures, sorting them, selecting favorites, exporting and cropping the best. And when I came upon this photo, I admit I laughed out loud! For those of you who have read my butterfly and fancy bug postings know a secret about me, and that is that I am simply delighted to see a nice proboscis! And here is something I have never seen before: the sight of TWO of them!

And so, do you suddenly wonder - as I did - what is the correct plural of the word proboscis? According to Wikipedia, "the correct Greek plural is proboscides, but in English it is more common to simply add -es, forming proboscises." All-righty then. Proboscides. Proboscises. Any way you say it, it sounds ridiculous! (And so is the original word, which is why I like to say it loud and say it proud!)

And suddenly, time slipped, and I felt like I was watching a scene at an old-fashioned soda fountain: two individuals, sitting side by side, sippin' cider through a straw! And so the song to accompany this photo of joyful magenta blooms and bright orange double fritillary sipping bliss is Chubby Checker, with Sippin' Cider Through a Straw.