Running around outside is one of the most favorite activities of the summer.
The beauties are not afraid of the creepy crawlers. They look for worms, they play with daddy long-legs...not the mommy long-legs (those kind bite, the mommy ones are the ones that are black and hairy. You will have to ask the beauties...)
They do not, however, like anything that flies, except butterflies of course.
They are scared to death of bees, wasps, flies, box elders...
After this weekend...their most beloved outdoor creature is the cicada.
Meet "Cokey"
Silvie was looking for cool rocks under a tree at the camp site and came across "something scary" on the ground. she wouldn't pick it up so I went over and picked it up.
It was a cicada, still alive, in it's hard shell. I think it may have fallen out of the tree and landed in the grass. I took the little fella over to the picnic table and the beauties all gathered in to check it out.
Silvie was the only one that would pick it up. She was a little nervous, but more curious, so she went for it. She carefully took him into her fingers and it was love. She decided to name him "Cokey."
For the remainder of the evening, she would not let that little bug out of her site. She let him crawl all around. On the ground, the picnic table, the chair, even on her arm and shirt.
Farrah decided she wanted to show her bravery too.
If you cannot tell, Silvie was really head over heals for this little guy. She kept telling him that she loved him and would take care of him forever.
We went out to dinner that night and just happened to have a carryout container. We decided to make Cokey a nice spacious home inside. The beauties collected grass, leaves and sticks and Silvie arranged them just perfect for little Cokey. She carried that box around until bedtime. When it was time to sleep, she was a little upset that we wouldn't let Cokey come in the camper to sleep with her. I had to promise that I wouldn't let anything happen to her. Good nights were said and kisses were blown into the box special for Cokey.
As I am sure you can imagine the first thing Silvie did when she woke, was to go outside to see Cokey...with tear filled eyes she brought the box to me. With his shell in her hands so sobbed, "Cokey's dead. He died Mommy."
At first glimpse the little fella was very still, I picked up the shell and realized that it was empty, Cokey wasn't in the shell.
In fact he blended very well into the leaves of his home in his new form.
Cokey went through a change over night and looked like this.
Silvie's eyes light up and sparkled. She was so overwhelmed that her precious "Cokey" was okay and even more "beautiful" now.
She carried him around, showing him off, so proud of her friend.
Cokey even crawled around and hung out with her.
We kept reminding her that Cokey had wings and that it was just a short time before he would flap them and fly away to him next adventure.
Silvie told Cokey that she loved him, and was glad her could stay with her for a short time, but she understood he needed new adventures.
When hi flew away from her hand, she smiled and waved goodbye. So happy to set him free.
Them she spent a good chunk of time looking on the ground for a new Cokey.
Melts my heart.
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