I was passing through our courtyard, stopped to say hello to some sunflowers. Then I yelled with surprise, when I saw a mantis on a sunflower, in our garden.
I went back inside the house to put down the laundry basket, wash my hands, and get my phone to take a picture. Ming was on his phone, talking to his mom.
Ming said, “I need to go now,” to him mom. I made “I love you” sign language, and he passed my love to his mom.
“Guess what! There’s a mantis on a sunflower!” I said to Ming.
We went outside, and the mantis was still there. I took a picture–a baby mantis, so small. I figure it was hunting bees, so I felt a bit tsk-tsk. Think of the pollinators!
But the baby mantis was tiny. It would need to catch a mini-bee.
Then Ming was not afraid to annoy the mantis and got this pic, closer.
Alien-on-alien love. One weird-ass consciousness hunting on another.
family photos
Then we took sunflower pics, an age-old anti-nuclear tradition! We walk in the footsteps of brilliant hippies, protesters, prayer vigilers, cat lovers, disabled permaculturists, and brave interfaith peace makers!
I told Ming to look sad, for this one.
My mom always used to say, “Look at that puchero!” when a baby or little kid had a pouty face. She really liked a puchero! Something about the lips slightly sticking out was really adorable, to her. I just looked up that word, to see if I had it right. Yep.
It was really hot outside, and sweat was pouring off us, as the sun shone on us. There was monsoon humidity and clouds.
Here’s me talking to a little darling. Then we were trying to take a sunflower family selfie, but it was awkward, and so hot.
building reality
I hope you have a peaceful garden too, with beautiful sunflowers to overjoy you, or funslowers. And I hope you have dear people you love to build reality with, or memories of people you loved who you used to build reality with.
