Nature's Metallica - Green Longhorn Beetle

One of the good things about having kids is that when your eyes start wearing out, 

your kids can spot things you never would have noticed. 

Like this Green Longhorn Beetle.

It was zipping all over a little tree near our front door on Father's Day weekend, 

but I never would have known it if it weren't for my kids.

Even after they pointed it out to me

...again and again and again...

it took a long time for my eyes to find it.

I was determined to take its picture, but... yeesh! 

It was twisting and scurrying so fast along the limbs that it's a wonder I captured any images that were remotely in focus.

And then, uh-oh...it spotted me.

Or maybe it had just had enough of me and my camera. 

I recognized that look.

 Very similar to the one my kids often give me when I point a camera at them.

Just one more, I promise! Hold still!

Great! Thanks! All done. 

(I haven't seen him since. But then, that doesn't mean he's not there!)

Creepy Crawlers!

Remember Creepy Crawlers? Those rubbery, multi-colored bugs?

In our 2nd grade classroom swap meets, they were the gold standard, man. 

I traded some for a set of real spurs (we had just gotten a horse and I wanted to be a cowboy!) 

I still have a vintage Creepy Crawler oven. I should make some for Halloween, but as you'll see in the photos, I have plenty of the live version around here...

Multi-colored at that!

I wish I still had the spurs. What did I do with them? 

Probably traded them for more creepy crawlers...

Sigh.

(Sorry there were so many of that guy, but I just love him! He's a combination of all of the dragonflies I've photographed this year. Amazing! I just love looking at him!)