Nature Observations
The fly
The sun was beating down making the 100 degree Texas day feel even hotter. The back patio of our house is small, yet cozy. There are three comfy wicker chairs positioned in a half circle, making it a great place to attempt to enjoy a summer day. Small flies were flying all around me, bugging me to no end. After countless attempts to swat them away, I stopped and began to let them be. The bright blue and green of their backs glinted from the sun, giving them a mirrored appearance. I could almost see myself in them, but not quite. If only they were bigger. Flies aren't the prettiest of animals, but there was something really amazing about the bright colors that only became apparent in the right light. There were probably three or four flying around me and they truly never stayed in place for more than a few seconds at at time. The transparent wings moved so fast they disappeared, similar to a hummingbird. The legs so small and delicate, they could be broken so easily. I guess that's why they're so fast. No one can harm a fly if they aren't quick enough to catch them. If I closed my eyes, I could just barely feel them brushing my leg, my hand, my arm. Their tiny little feet moving across my skin was detectable and it tickled my skin. Any slight movement on my part caused them to fly away, buzzing once again, just to land somewhere new.
The Pilea Plant
Outside under the generous protection of a large tree sits a small potted plant, a Pilea. Its pot is white and pink striped, which contrasts the dark green of the leaves wonderfully. Large, circular shaped leaves fill the entire pot, almost as if they were lily pads shooting out from the soil. Some of the leaves have a tiny scalloped edge, unnoticeable unless you were right next to it. There are five to six small shoots trying so hard to pop out of the soil. A few of them have and started growing tall, right next to its mother plant. Most leaves are flat, but a few are cupped and curled. The outer lily pad projections have started dropping below the edge of the pot. Too much light? Maybe not enough water? It seems as if plants tell you exactly what they need, but only if you watch and listen to them carefully.
The Grapevine
The grapes on this grapevine are dark purple and very tiny. They sit in clusters of about 30-50 grapes, but the whole bundle can fit in the palm of my hand. As I picked up the bundle, it was heavier than I imagined it to be. They are probably densely packed full of juice in order to make wine. Each bundle drooped lower towards the ground as the grapes continued to grow and weigh down the arms of the vine. There were approximately four to five bundles on each vine. I figured that it must be time to harvest the grapes soon. The vine in which the grapes sat on was as tall as me, climbing up a trellis in order to reach a little closer to the sun. At the base, the vine was about four inches wide. This must mean it was an older vine that has been producing grapes for hundreds of years. The leaves were still green on this vine because the grapes had yet to be harvested. The leaves were so large that they covered up the grape bundles and made it difficult to see from a distance. They were large and somewhat heart-shaped, but had sharp angles that came off the sides of the leaves.
The sun was beating down making the 100 degree Texas day feel even hotter. The back patio of our house is small, yet cozy. There are three comfy wicker chairs positioned in a half circle, making it a great place to attempt to enjoy a summer day. Small flies were flying all around me, bugging me to no end. After countless attempts to swat them away, I stopped and began to let them be. The bright blue and green of their backs glinted from the sun, giving them a mirrored appearance. I could almost see myself in them, but not quite. If only they were bigger. Flies aren't the prettiest of animals, but there was something really amazing about the bright colors that only became apparent in the right light. There were probably three or four flying around me and they truly never stayed in place for more than a few seconds at at time. The transparent wings moved so fast they disappeared, similar to a hummingbird. The legs so small and delicate, they could be broken so easily. I guess that's why they're so fast. No one can harm a fly if they aren't quick enough to catch them. If I closed my eyes, I could just barely feel them brushing my leg, my hand, my arm. Their tiny little feet moving across my skin was detectable and it tickled my skin. Any slight movement on my part caused them to fly away, buzzing once again, just to land somewhere new.
The Pilea Plant
Outside under the generous protection of a large tree sits a small potted plant, a Pilea. Its pot is white and pink striped, which contrasts the dark green of the leaves wonderfully. Large, circular shaped leaves fill the entire pot, almost as if they were lily pads shooting out from the soil. Some of the leaves have a tiny scalloped edge, unnoticeable unless you were right next to it. There are five to six small shoots trying so hard to pop out of the soil. A few of them have and started growing tall, right next to its mother plant. Most leaves are flat, but a few are cupped and curled. The outer lily pad projections have started dropping below the edge of the pot. Too much light? Maybe not enough water? It seems as if plants tell you exactly what they need, but only if you watch and listen to them carefully.
The Grapevine
The grapes on this grapevine are dark purple and very tiny. They sit in clusters of about 30-50 grapes, but the whole bundle can fit in the palm of my hand. As I picked up the bundle, it was heavier than I imagined it to be. They are probably densely packed full of juice in order to make wine. Each bundle drooped lower towards the ground as the grapes continued to grow and weigh down the arms of the vine. There were approximately four to five bundles on each vine. I figured that it must be time to harvest the grapes soon. The vine in which the grapes sat on was as tall as me, climbing up a trellis in order to reach a little closer to the sun. At the base, the vine was about four inches wide. This must mean it was an older vine that has been producing grapes for hundreds of years. The leaves were still green on this vine because the grapes had yet to be harvested. The leaves were so large that they covered up the grape bundles and made it difficult to see from a distance. They were large and somewhat heart-shaped, but had sharp angles that came off the sides of the leaves.
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