Cannon fodder

Very summery weather here now with amazing high clouds building over the mountains from the heat. Insect and plant life is buzzing about everywhere. This little chap decided to sit on the pilot light nozzle for the gas saver while he worked on cleaning some of the shop dust off of his feet. The noise from the cicadas is becoming ever louder during the day and the approach of their calls from down the valley each morning is something that has become ingrained in me as a sound of the summer. They seem to sing as the light hits a certain level and the wave of sound as each animal in turn hits its tolerance point sweeps in from the distance and on up past the house. Now the wave has swept back down again with the cool mountain air of the evening.
The larger dragon flies are about now, too. I spotted one in a dog fight with a small butterfly yesterday, which was a reminder of how little their character changes once they are out of the water, just the same grab and eat monsters, but with a much better look than the gilly glad creatures they are in their youth.