The Winged Fugue: Who's Got Your Back?

I sat in the middle of a field surrounded by daisies, white clover and different shades of yarrow. The bees and butterflies were delirious; seemingly intoxicated as they flew from one blossom to the next. A crow that I have not yet named squawked from the same branch it always does. We’ve been getting to know one another, but I am cautious of his greed, wanting more than his share and cautious of my longing for a pet. I reached into my garden basket and tossed two small crackers towards him into the tall grass. He pretended not to notice but I’m onto him now.


As I continued to work, it got increasingly hot and my glistening sweat attracted an assortment of carnivorous insects. I usually apply a combination of eucalyptus and lemon grass oils but not today. I remained calm and reminded myself that we share this space and just because I am higher up on the food chain doesn’t mean I should annihilate them (even if it is like being in an Alfred Hitchcock movie).

I looked around in search of the dragonflies I had seen earlier. Within seconds of that thought, at least a dozen came to the rescue. I extended my arms and legs and closed my eyes as the iridescent winged creatures brushed so close to me that I felt them against my skin, face, ears and hair. The tone and feel of their buzz was deep and may have frightened me as a child, although I have always been taken aback by their beauty and connection to faeries. They whisked through the air devouring the insects that surrounded me and some that were actually latched onto me.

This made me giddy. I’m not sure if it was pure joy from knowing, but I think that it may have tickled. After capturing a photo of the event with my mind’s eye and tucking it into that place where I collect memories for when I have the blues; I returned to harvesting. I was hesitant to move from the field where I sat, but I had my daily quota from that area and needed to go to the mint and mugwort. Would they follow again?

The deer flies immediately zoned in on me followed by a few mosquitoes. I kept my focus on the plants, resisting the temptation to brush them away (which seems to cause the deer flies to intensify). In less than thirty seconds, the dragonflies were surrounding me, only there were more this time.

The winged fugue of various tempos and dynamics swirling about with a counter melody of bees and butterflies at the edge of the daisy field and gardens left me breathless, joyful and satisfied.

Why bother with essential oils if the dragonflies got my back?

Journal: Babies Breath