For the past 15 years the same group of senior women have played golf each Wednesday morning at Highland Greens Executive Golf Course in Bloomington, MN. From week to week the foursomes might vary, but the usually group it is Barb, Phillis, Betty and Glades. The weekly round of golf is always followed by lunch, where this special group of women engage in lively, no-holds-barred, conversation . By sharing their most imminent secrets, they have become great friends who have laughed, cried and experienced all of life’s emotions together.
Over the years Mother Nature has provided our group a potpourri of, ready for National Geographic, adventures; from foxes catching rabbits to placing fallen robin chicks back in their nest. But on this particular Wednesday, Mother Nature provided this group of octogenarians a special show: An up-close look at an orange Dragonfly.
On the second hole as Barb leaned over to mark her ball, Phillis remarked, “Barb I see that you have a special friend attached to the button on your golf cap. That Dragonfly is almost the exact same color as your faded orange cap.”
Bard stood a little startle. With her mind racing, she thought. Do they bite? Should I kill it? What should I do?
Before Barb could swat it away, Phillis said, “let me see if I can get a picture of that beautiful creature before it flies away. I have my iPhone right here.” As Phillis snapped shot after shot from ever closer distance the unfazed dragonfly never moved. Even with the phone within a few inches the photographer’s model never wiggled, even a wing tip.
Gaining a bit her composure, Barb said, “if I can’t shoo it away at least let me see a picture if it.” As the foursome viewed the images on Phillis’ phone, each from closer range, the Dragonfly remained motionless. Now completely relaxed, Barb began to enjoy being the center of attention along with her passenger. Comments were made at the end of each hole during the round. “Maybe it wants to mate with you!” “Do you think you could get pregnant at your age?” “If it lays eggs on your hat do you think that they will hatch?”
Somewhere during the eight hole the four winged passenger silently departed, leaving our foursome a little sad!
Much of the conversation over lunch was discussing the various facts about Dragonflies found on Google searches on iPhones and iPads: “Wow, did you know that Dragonflies eat between 30 and 100 misquotes per day!” “It says here that prehistoric Dragonflies had a wing span of over 2 feet.” “The head of a Dragonfly is almost all eyes. They can see everywhere except behind themselves.” They can fly up, down, even backwards. Scientists are studying them, to learn how to copy their flying abilities.”
The following week Glades brought a video showing amazing Dragonfly facts discovered by a group of college students. One of the most interesting facts is that these proficient insect hunters have a kill rate of 90% plus. They don’t bite humans but are sometimes attracted by color of clothing or a certain scent that a person might produce. Dragonflies many times follow large animals, including humans, as they move through grassy areas flushing insects from their hiding places.
So, Barb said with a twinkle in her eye, “how do we top this Dragonfly adventure with next week’s round?”
