Sunlight

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The reflections from the pond bathed the lilac tree in resplendent waves of gold. The trunk shimmered in an elegant undulating gossamer gown. ~~~~ The grapes heaved a sigh to entice being picked and the Mayflies swam the breaststroke in the sky. ~~~~ The cooling fall air temperatures bring on thoughts of The Boundary Waters. More on my Sweeties yearly visit to the Boundary Waters later…

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"Fly fast, mate quickly, die young." If mayflies had a motto that would probably be it. That's because these elegant insects have among the shortest adult lives of any insect. Indeed, scientists have named this group of insects the Ephemeroptera, Latin for "short-lived flyer."

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Mayflies are insects which belong to the Order Ephemeroptera (from the Greek ephemeros = "short-lived", pteron = "wing", referring to the short life span of adults). They have been placed into an ancient group of insects termed the Paleoptera, which also contains the dragonflies and damselflies. They are aquatic insects whose immature stage (called naiad or, colloquially, nymph) usually lasts one year in fresh water.

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The California poet Darren "Gav" Bleuel, for instance, had this to say about the insects

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“The mayfly never sees the dawn

But once before his end.

To think he’s born

Upon the morn

Yet not see one again.”

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The leaves from the Wild Cherry tree drift lazily down as if they are butterflies in no hurry for their descent.

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The Koi are dining in splendor!