Wednesday, April 27, 2011

Ladybird Love

I love the idea behind Wordless Wednesday, but have decided not label my posts this way should they happen to fall on a Wednesday. I'm simply no good at restrictions - there are days where I have much to say, and others where wordless suits me fine. 

Anyhow, today? Another hot spring day in LA, so we got our park visit in earlier than usual. Along the way, the Faery was obsessed with catching a butterfly for a pet. I tried explaining that:

a) she usually runs away from them as soon as they flutter in her direction - might make catching one a bit tricky, and
b) it would be cruel to keep a butterfly in a box, when they need plenty of room to stretch their wings and fly.

She wasn't impressed with my attempts at destroying her dreams, and there were tears... until I found a ladybird.

It was love at first sight and for the next fifteen minutes, this ladybird accompanied the Faery everywhere. Swing rides, slides, butterfly-spotting, and squirrel chasing. All the while, the Faery spoke to the ladybird in soft, cooing tones.

There was something so relaxing about sitting under the dappled shade of pine trees, hearing the birds singing and the sound of upper branches creaking with the younger squirrels frisking and leaping. Not to mention the sweet smell in the air - no LA smog here, thankfully.

What can I say? North America knows how to make nature enjoyable. This stage of spring in Australia, and I'd be swatting away the millions of buzzing flies, which used to drive me insane.

Eventually, I think the ladybird cottoned on to the Faery's intentions of bringing her home, and flew away. This was not a happy turn of events for her, and it was a miserable car ride home. Sigh.

At least I got some pretty photos.





7 comments:

  1. You know, I can see her opening an animal shelter one day. I can just read the sign out the front "No Animal Too Big or Too Small".

    I only use the Wordless Wednesday tag as an opportunity to stick up a photo and bring in a few more visitors but as you know, I'm not good at being wordless. Not in print at least. I say go with the flow just as you are doing.

    I love the photos and I love her skirt. Do they make one in my size?

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  2. Never heard of that. Is it like a lady bug? Sweet pictures anyway!

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  3. @Melbo - That's a lovely image of her opening a shelter, and I'd believe it. She's definitely an animal lover!

    @Amy - It's like a ladybug because it is a ladybug :) ...Aussies and Brits call 'em ladybirds.

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  4. "Ladybird, ladybird, fly away home, your house is on fire and your children are gone ..."

    Oh cripes, that's a sad little rhyme isn't it?

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  5. We have it in a nursery rhymes book with accompanying illustrations. They're grim.

    I don't actually know how the tune goes. F was most annoyed when she made that discovery. Every time I skip those pages, she gives me the look. The look that says Failed Parenting...

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  6. Oh, I love these shots! And I had to laugh at the ensuing dramatics when Ladybird left the scene. LD would be the same, I fear. In fact, I remember him lamenting the loss of an echo for an entire car trip home. Yes, you read right. An ECHO.

    And co-incidentally, I found a little ladybird yesterday and let it crawl on my hand to show the boys. And I was marvelling to myself that the ladybird is the only bug I would happily let crawl on me. Oh and butterflies. Everything else risks death at my hands.

    I love ladybirds.

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  7. An echo? Oh, that made me laugh. Loudly, too. Gawd bless the little man.

    There aren't many bugs I'll let near me, either. As a kid, I used to love holding cicadas but as I get older, even those make my insides feel a bit funny. A shame, really. I am a total wuss.

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