lightning bugs
This is a video I made this weekend.
Good, no?
The problem (aside from the fact that I apparently always take terrible videos) is that there’s actually about a million little lights going on and off in the video, you just can’t see them.
Stay with me. I’m not on drugs.
This weekend Wayne and I went to visit his extended family in upstate New York. We went to Moosewood, which is apparently not something Wayne’s dairy farmer uncle loves:
Me, to Wayne’s uncle: We’re going to Moosewood tonight! It’s that famous vegetarian restaurant.
Wayne: I’m a vegetarian for the year.
Uncle: That’s stupid.
Me: So… [panicking… how do I respond to this?!?!?] How about them cows?
Anyway, in addition to eating yummy vegetarian food and a lot of fried food (there doesn’t seem to be a lot in between), we also got out into the country air and got to enjoy something we never see in the city: fireflies. Now, to those of you who live in places with lots of trees, this might not seem like a big deal. But to us, being out on top of a hill, in the middle of a field, surrounded by thousands of blinking lights, was almost surreal. I’ve never seen so many lightning bugs, and they were all around us, and they were just… amazing.
So amazing that we grabbed the camera because we wanted to be able to see it again, if only to convince ourselves it was real. But, as you can see, the video doesn’t exactly do the sight justice, nor do the photos we took. I promise you, it was like being in the middle of a field of tiny miracles. We sat there and watched them for a good long time, until we were too tired to watch them anymore.
Now, I could take this a number of ways here (there are lights in the dark even when we don’t see them; we can’t capture the beauty of life, we just have to enjoy it; I need a better camera) but I’ll just leave you with this: I wish I was overwhelmed by beauty more.
Also, I wish I could make my butt light up. But mostly, the beauty thing.
p.s. Here’s another video I made this weekend.
8 comments:
Cool video flashback.
Anne, a couple of thoughts,
The things of beauty seem to be few and far in between. At least the ones that take your breath away. Perhaps a glimpse of heaven?
Secondly, I'm close with May so not knowing you I can't say this for certain but I'll go out on a limb and guess that neither your butt or mine lighting up would be counted a good thing in any circles. :)
That video and song were one of my favorites in college when it came out. Fond memories.
Hoot
Here is an example of how different it is to live in the city and to live in the country.
You know how mesmerized you were by the beauty of those lightning bugs? Yeah, I've felt that too, but when we were kids we would catch lightning bugs and smash their butts onto little rocks to make glowing gold nuggets. No kidding.
Obviously, as an adult I hope some of my appreciation skills have improved! Lightning bugs are amazing, and I hardly ever get the urge to grind them up anymore.
Haven't watched the video yet 'cuz my computer crashed and I haven't replaced all the plugins...BUT how funny about Moosewood. Somewhere around here I've got a cookbook from there. My husband swears by it, but I never quite got the hang of cooking lima bean loaf, etc. Maybe I'll give it another try...lol
I used to live near Ithaca. Went to Moosewood a couple of times, even. The surrounding countryside is some of the most beautiful in the country, lightning bugs, hills, lakes and all. I sure do miss it in summer.
Thanks for the video - one of my favorite songs. This is one of the more creative and watchable 80s music videos.
Okay, my whole life I've wondered what he says in the high part of that song. You know after, I'll beee gooonnneee, SOMETHING REALLY HIGH-PITCHED.
I watched the video one million times and finally just googled it. He's saying, "in a day or two" in that part. Obviously!
I love fireflies too. They're all over in the South. They remind me of home.
Anne, were there none in San Jose growing up? I have NEVER seen one in California and my fiance is fascinated by them, as if they are dragons or leprechauns.
May, I never saw a firefly in San Jose. I don't know why, but apparently they don't live there (maybe something about the kinds of plants that grow there?). I only saw them at my grandma's house in Connecticut when I was a kid. And good call on the words. I have never understood those lyrics either!
Julie, vegetarian cuisine has come a long way since the 70s! You won't find a lima bean loaf in any modern Moosewood cookbook!
Hoot, I don't know. I can only assume lights, light a good pair of jeans, would help the rear-end situation...
I'm so glad you enjoyed the lightning bugs...they have enchanted my summer. But the weird thing is this: I live in new York City.
Yes, the lightning bugs seem to be all over the Northeast this year, maybe all over the country, I don't know. I've seen them in very urban parks in Brooklyn, Mnahattan, and then as far out as Central NJ, and then you witnessed the same thing in upstate NY.
It is a gift. I've also noticed a tremendous amount of beautiful sunsets, as well. They usually go away by early June. So overall, it's good to be alive this summer.
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