Dragons and water lilies

Sometimes - probably often if I’m honest - I’m my own worst enemy. 

Today I should have rested; I should have just spent my time just lying down and reading, recovering from yesterday. Instead, I insist on going to the hairdressers, push myself to do more New Zealand editing before our travels drift into distant memories, and just have to go to Bodnant for the last of this years ‘late openings’. I say ‘late’ but in fact it’s only 6 o’clock, just an hour later than normal. Still, this gives better light and fewer crowds. 

Even then,  Bodnant could have been restricted to a short walk on the upper terrace - but of course, meds working, I have to wander further. For Flower Friday, I decide my quest today will be the gorgeous water lilies, now coming into bloom, but visiting earlier than on recent visits, I’m delighted to see so many damselflies flitting round the pads. There are Emperors too, flying high above the ponds, their clashing wings catching the sun, but they are far too quick and distant. With so much aerial activity, might the beautiful demoiselles be here as well?  I just have to head down to The Dell. 

I’ve been vainly searching for these most aptly named dragons since fellow blipper Villan spotted them at Bodnant a few weeks back. I suspect today will be the same, when suddenly I catch sight of a flurry of dark wings. There’s a small patch of sunlight left amongst the riverside shadows where a few of these beauties make the most of the remaining warmth, occasionally landing on the creamy flowers of a shrub. I’m just so thrilled to see them, though getting shots is certainly a challenge. They’re dull black against the sunlight, and I have to carefully manoeuvre to catch their glorious iridescence without slipping down the bank to the stream. Far  from perfect shots, but I’m just so happy get my very first captures. 

So then it’s the slow walk back up to the exit - though fortunately I’ve now met up with G who’s kind enough to carry my camera. There’s little doubt that I have overdone it, putting our weekend plans at serious risk. I’m now too tired to do little more than sprinkle stars on journals - and even then I don’t catch up. 

Today’s main has to be the demoiselle - better large, but there are extras of the damsels on the lily pads.