Queens and Fiery Dragons!

  When you are starved for adventure and have no way of exploring for it, you create it.  If you truly wish, most everything can be turned into something different than it really is and even the most mundane find can become that long-wished adventure.  That is what occurred today.  

  While out surveying my queendom better known as the Small Gardens, I came across a fiery dragon!  This was no foul being, however, as this was one of my subjects. As Queen of the Small Gardens, I get to pick and choose who shall be deemed friendly and who shall be considered an enemy of the queendom.  This dragon shall serve a purpose and that purpose being the added protection from enemies of the queendom.   The dragon, albeit still a babe, will fight to save the Small Gardens from attack!  It pays to have such brave subjects!

  A wee babe of a green anole was seeking an equally small insect to have as breakfast.  It climbed about in the potted chrysanthemum plant.  Wow!  This tiny tot must have just recently hatched as it was only about four inches long!   It made me happy to know that it was hiding among the thick leaves of the plant a there were plenty of birds, larger lizards and even a few snakes in the garden that would have gobbled up our sweet friend.  After allowing me a couple of photos, the little one scampered down beneath the plant stalks!

  My fiery dragon will protect the queendom of such things as aphids, caterpillars and even mosquitoes!  The Queen jubilantly welcomes all dragons to her realm!  And so ends today's magnificent adventure of one with limited access to the outside world.

Quiet Heroes

This is just an added post to tell a smidgen of a story. Earlier today, two young people were in the right place at the right time to do something truly amazing. The story unfolded in the Walmart parking lot where a mishap left a lady injured and on the ground. The amazing couple was just leaving the store when they noticed the incident. It would have been easy to drive right on by and not stop. Given the way of the world today, not many would have blamed them but being the professionals they are..they would have blamed themselves if things had gotten worse because they did not stop. It seems that the driver of a truck miscalculated a turn and had plowed into a pedestrian. The lady that was hit was bleeding and perhaps a tad disoriented. The young couple immediately stopped their vehicle and jumped into action. The young man is an (off-duty) policeman so he knew just what to do. He called for assistance, took control of the growing crowd and directed traffic. His presence was calming to all those involved. The young lady is a nurse. She immediately tended to the injured woman. She stopped the bleeding and bandaged the wounds. Her presence and efficiency was surely comforting to the injured woman. This was all just astounding..from the fact that they even stopped..to the fact that both were in fields of service that were needed. They worked as a team. His authority kept things from getting out of hand and her knowledge perhaps saved the injured woman's life. And yet..they just thought of it as their jobs..they were doing what they were called on to do in this life. They helped someone in need.

The world needs more people like these two....more people who care....who are not afraid to step in and do the right thing. These are the "Quiet Heroes" of the world. They are the heroes that go unnoticed because they feel that they are merely doing what is right.

Oh...did I mention that these heroes are my son, Mark, and his lovely wife, Joanna? I have long said that they were my heroes simply because they both chose careers that help people in need but today..they went above and beyond. Today, they both should be looked upon as heroes not just by me but by everyone. And they should be an inspiration to all of us to give a bit more of ourselves. The Quiet Heroes..Joanna and Mark. (This mom is so proud of her children!)