Hunting Dragons

Summertime is dragonfly season here in VA.

Coming from coastal California, where you're lucky to spot one or two a year, this is an entirely wondrous happening for the kids and me.

And if there are going to be hundreds (literally HUNDREDS) of flying bugs swarming my airspace, then I would definitely choose these beautiful creatures over most others. It also doesn't hurt that their main food source is mosquitoes!

 

After one friendly wing-ed thing took rest upon Avery's shoulder for a bit, she and I decided to go on a scavenger hunt for dragonflys. We headed out to wander the winding paths through the woods near our home.

She led the expedition with her self-appointed "eagle eyes" and I followed along with camera in hand to see just how many different bugs we could snap.

Can you believe we spied all those in just 20 minutes? Avery's favorite actually has wings that resemble a transparent monarch, but it has eluded my lens thus far.

After our hunt, she came home and designed a dragonfly all her own.

I have learned that one of the keys to finding joy wherever you live is seeking out the experiences that are unique to that place. Dragonfly season is one new, beautiful thing we are excitedly embracing about our life on the East Coast.