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Then he understood that their time would come, when they, too, would know what he now knew.... "Endings" ....... or maybe beginnings ... for The Poetography Group FONT : Vivaldi The Dragonfly Once, in a little pond, in the muddy water under the lily pads, there lived a little water beetle in a community of water beetles. They lived a simple and comfortable life in the pond with few disturbances and interruptions. Once in a while, sadness would come to the community when one of their fellow beetles would climb the stem of a lily pad and would never be seen again. They knew when this happened; their friend was dead, gone forever. Then, one day, one little water beetle felt an irresistible urge to climb up that stem. However, he was determined that he would not leave forever. He would come back and tell his friends what he had found at the top. When he reached the top and climbed out of the water onto the surface of the lily pad, he was so tired, and the sun felt so warm, that he decided he must take a nap. As he slept, his body changed and when he woke up, he had turned into a beautiful blue-tailed dragonfly with broad wings and a slender body designed for flying. So, fly he did! And, as he soared he saw the beauty of a whole new world and a far superior way of life to what he had never known existed. Then he remembered his beetle friends and how they were thinking by now he was dead. He wanted to go back to tell them, and explain to them that he was now more alive than he had ever been before. His life had been fulfilled rather than ended. But, his new body would not go down into the water. He could not get back to tell his friends the good news. Then he understood that their time would come, when they, too, would know what he now knew. So, he raised his wings and flew off into his joyous new life! ~Author Unknown~ EXPLORED !

Yesterday really seemed to be the last of Summer.. a cooler time... and perhaps the last days of "plenty" Somehow a collage seemed more appropriate than one photo. Clockwise ...... Phaon Crescent Butterfly Pair of Cloudless Sulphur Butterflies on a Zinnia Western Kingbird Bumble Bee Halictid Sweat Bee Assasin Bug Eastern Tailed Blue Butterfly EXPLORED !

A beautiful female in excellent condition. She fed for about 3 hours The two Skippers were a bonus for the photo ! EXPLORED !

This was the sunrise from the aircraft... and then we hit the dense cloud of storm , and the very bumpy ride and had the 30yd visibility landing in Atlanta... The next flight onward to Raleigh had similar "bad air". EXPLORED !

We are still locked down in rain and blow from Hurricane Joaquin. No chance of photos of anything right now.... but... here's the rest of the Sunrise photos ! EXPLORED !

Standing on Mt Jefferson and overlooking the Blue Ridge Mountains

There were 16 beautiful Monarchs in prime condition migration through here today. Many stopped and fed all day and 6 were feeding right till dusk. They will have roosted close-by . It never less than pure joy to see these butterflies. I took around 150 photos and some video ! EXPLORED !

In the evening sunlight.... she just took my breath away....... We hear of the 'bad' in this world ...... ........ and forget there is so much more GOOD and BEAUTY EXPLORED !

I have only seen a Variegated Fritillary here once in four years (I get lots of Gulf Fritillary's) . Now this past 4 days...I am seeing at least one everyday ! I am delighted ! I have not seen many Bees at all in the past 2 Summers (which is worrying).... and now suddenly this past 3 weeks... Honey Bees everywhere. JOY !! The Cucumber Beetles... well.... they are always bumbling around ! EXPLORED !

After two years of worryingly few Bees... this past three weeks the flowers are alive with them. EXPLORED !

Hope you love these as much as I do ! I am still getting one or two come through. Very soon they will be gone from here. The front runners are now approaching their migration ends in Mexico. The Incredible Journey EXPLORED !

The butterflies and bees are melting away..... Autumn is coming. EXPLORED !

The Sulphur butterflies are still here with just a very few others now. This morning the light was just magical. EXPLORED !

These are all survivors.. the Morning Glory..... of 100 plants I grew from seed.. just this one finally made if after I lost so much to the Deluges . The Coral Honeysuckle ... finished ages ago.. but this week... it put up two flowers up high. The butterflies.. the Sulphur's are still here... all these will go with the overdue frost. The Morning Glory and the Honeysuckle are about 4 feet above my head ! Considering that yesterday we had severe thunderstorms and were under Tornado Watch.. the blue sky and russet Black Jack Oak leaves are the bonus ! EXPLORED !

This is Remembrance Sunday in the United Kingdom and Europe. Next Wednesday is Armistice Day ~ Remembrance Day ~ The Two Minute Silence is held at the 11th Hour of the 11th Day of the 11th Month....... 11th November My Poppy from the Tower Of London "Blood Swept Lands And Seas of Red" installment to commemorate last year the 100 years since World War I Freedom isn't Free " They shall not grow old, as we that are left grow old: Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn. At the going down of the sun and in the morning We will remember them. " For the Fallen by Laurence Binyon With proud thanksgiving, a mother for her children, England mourns for her dead across the sea. Flesh of her flesh they were, spirit of her spirit, Fallen in the cause of the free. Solemn the drums thrill; Death august and royal Sings sorrow up into immortal spheres, There is music in the midst of desolation And a glory that shines upon our tears. They went with songs to the battle, they were young, Straight of limb, true of eye, steady and aglow. They were staunch to the end against odds uncounted; They fell with their faces to the foe. They shall not grow old, as we that are left grow old: Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn. At the going down of the sun and in the morning We will remember them. They mingle not with their laughing comrades again; They sit no more at familiar tables of home; They have no lot in our labour of the day-time; They sleep beyond England's foam. But where our desires are and our hopes profound, Felt as a well-spring that is hidden from sight, To the innermost heart of their own land they are known As the stars are known to the Night; As the stars that shall be bright when we are dust, Moving in marches upon the heavenly plain; As the stars that are starry in the time of our darkness, To the end, to the end, they remain. We will remember them In Flanders Fields by Lt. Col. John McCrae, M.D. (1872-1918) Canadian Army In Flanders fields the poppies blow Between the crosses, row on row, That mark our place; and in the sky The larks, still bravely singing, fly Scarce heard amid the guns below. We are the Dead. Short days ago We lived, felt dawn, saw sunset glow, Loved, and were loved, and now we lie In Flanders fields. Take up our quarrel with the foe: To you from failing hands we throw The torch; be yours to hold it high. If ye break faith with us who die We shall not sleep, though poppies grow In Flanders fields. EXPLORED !

Shoulder to Shoulder ~ Coude à Coude against Terrorism regardless of what and where in this world I made this and it is Free to anyone who wants the graphic... I have family who live in France... far from this.... but we are ALL just a heartbeat away Explored

And now... there are none........ till Spring comes ! EXPLORED !

Just one... and looking for the last few flowers that missed the frost. Yellow Happiness ! The wings were almost perfect.. just one tiny ragged edge on the side you cant see in the pic ! EXPLORED !