In the high desert, even during a normal summer, the grasses have dried by mid-June. This year the forests and saged plains are tinder dry.
But on a river’s edge there is still an abundance of lush green growth.
This summer the heat of the day hits mid-morning and we’ve been fortunate to avoid most of the smoke and haze. So this week we headed to the river and the shade along its edge.
Now typically I’m focused on the insect life when wading a stream.
However, Jacqueline turned her attention, and camera, to the grasses lining the stream. It turns out there is a trove of tiny winged critters tucked into the leaves and stems.
We spotted wasps of different shapes and sizes, as well as some less lethal insects among the plants.
There were purple blossoms on nearly every stem which might have been the main attraction.
Tip didn’t seem to notice as he made numerous trips to the water from our shaded seating area.
Of course I concentrated on the bugs skipping across the water’s surface … trying to blend in and lure a fish to strike. The day’s heat is always degrees cooler along a river. Not sure how much longer the wildfire’s haze will be directed away from us, so we take advantage of any clear day.