Little Lightning Bugs

You know summer is just around the corner when the lightning bugs start showing up in the front yard. Walker spotted the first one of the season this weekend and chased it until he captured it in his little hands. I managed to snap a couple of pictures with my new iPhone (Mother's day present) and the cool Hipstamatic app (download it if you don't already have it - cool pics).

We used to love chasing lightning bugs, trying to find as many as we could, and keeping them in a jar beside the bed as a nightlight. Of course, when we work up in the mornings, they would all have died in the night. I have memories of my cousins and I chasing them around my grandparent's front yard, competing to see who could catch the most in one evening. It was pure joy peeking into our clamped hands, watching the little light go on and off, with great anticipation waiting to see the next flicker in the night to tell us which way to run.

We also liked to catch June bugs, then tie a string to their legs, and let them fly around on the leash we'd created, like a tiny little kite caught in the wind. I know, it sounds so mean, but it was all in good fun. If they were lucky, we'd get bored with things, untie the string and let them go on their merry way. But I can't actually say no June bugs were ever harmed in the name of entertainment.

*I think lightning bugs and fireflys are the same thing, but I've never heard them called anything but lightning bugs around here.