A Love Story in September

On the edge of summer, a sunflower becomes both home and haven.

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Last summer (hard to believe it’s already behind us), I often found myself surrounded by grasshoppers, some of the most patient little subjects I’ve ever met. 

As autumn approached, I wondered what happens to them in autumn.  

Their lives are brief, yet before the season ends, the females leave hundreds of tiny eggs tucked safely in the soil. Through the quiet of winter, those hidden seeds of life wait, until spring awakens them and the grasshoppers return, continuing the rhythm of the seasons.

Generally, life is good.

Yesterday

Yesterday in the mountains, dragonflies treated me like a paparazzo—one move and they were gone.  The bees were clearly on a tight pollen-collecting schedule. 

The only one who didn’t care was the tiny grasshopper, who seemed to say, Go ahead, take your shots—I’m not doing anything interesting anyway.

Generally, life is good.

Two Friends

 

I have always been fascinated by grasshoppers. It's fun to watch them jump and catapult themselves into the air and listen to their long songs.

Grasshoppers can hear. They have ears on their bellies. And grasshoppers can fly!

I photographed these two friends while hiking in the Rocky Mountains.

Generally, life is good.

In the Wasatch Mountains X. A Creature I Have Never Met Before

 

The sound that made me to stop resembled the rustling leaves.  The longer I listened to this sound the more it resembled сhirping "grasshoppers".  

 

It took time to figure out who were hiding in the leaves of the trees and making the odd loud noise.  One of the inhabitants of this place nevertheless appeared on the tree.  

I have never met this creature before.  At first, I thought that it might be a grasshopper but later learned that this is a Cicada.  Catalin, thank you!

Generally, life is good!