POOL RESCUE SQUAD

One of my favorite things to do when I was living in Florida was to head out to the Cee-ment Pond, with the pool skimmer and the dogs, and rescue little creatures that had fallen in the water.  Mostly I snagged various types of wasps and bees, from tiny little metallic green things to big old bumblebees and hornets.  And I caught a lot of grasshoppers too.  But occasionally I'd pick up something more unusual, like the time I pulled out a wee black snake, or these amazing beetles:

I've never seen anything like this guy before.  (See below for scale.)

I picked this next fella up the same day.  He held on tight to the skimmer's edge while he dried out, and then suddenly took flight, buzzing up to the top of a very tall tree.

I lived in Florida for a month and then went on tour.  Heading back across the Florida stateline six weeks later I was surprised to notice that I felt like I was coming home.  That was something I couldn't have predicted.  But a week later I found myself on the road, driving north, homeless again.  I don't know when I'll have paid my dues.

I remember one time, standing out in the backyard on a moonless night, looking up at the amazing array of stars out there, the light warm breeze, the chorus of frogs.  I told myself, "No matter what happens, please remember the peace of this moment right now..."

So I try.

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