Things I Love About Summer #2

(I am starting a series of sorts, of things I love about summer. A few days ago I made an entry about corn on the cob. This is my second entry.)

Fireflies

I get a thousand hugs
From ten thousand lightning bugs
As they try to teach me how to dance
--Owl City

Fireflies have been a favorite thing about summer to me. There are few things I enjoy more than sitting outside at twilight, amongst trees, waiting for these remarkable creatures to perform light shows in the warm, dusky air.

When I was younger, I wanted to catch a lightning bug, and keep it in a jar as my pet. I remember a third-grade camping trip, where I was determined to catch one to keep. However, my sponsor wisely informed me that fireflies don't light up when captive. Like us, they like to be out in the open.

Unfortunately, here in the city fireflies are few and far between. Even in the city parks, they don't come out. I guess people scare them off with their loud noise and music. :-/

I read somewhere in the Smoky Mountains, there is a place where you can watch millions of fireflies blink almost in unison. It is truly a sight to see, I imagine.