Nature AsArt -- The Creator's Hand At Work

Last Saturday offered us the first real glimpse of the promise of spring.  The sun was out and it was warm enough to haul out the patio chair and to sit in the beam of yellow that spread across the deck.  My intention was to read a bit, but I happened to glance down at the small planter full of succulents that are beginning to awaken from plant hibernation.  Crawling across the top of the succulents was the most brilliantly colored beetle I've ever seen.  Its back was iridescent green and featured several stripes of actual gold...surely it was actual gold because it glowed in the sun as spectacularly as 22 carat.  I have only seen such colors in a National Geograpic spread on some exotic locale.  What a great "first day of spring" gift!  These photos do not do it justice!