The tortoise and the hare

It was a hot, sticky, humid day so my friend Ms M decided it would be a perfect day for a convertible ride to the refuge to photo the hills covered in purple lupine.  It was a beautiful sight to see...from the comfort of a moving convertible.


However, when we emerged from the car to set up tripods and ready the cameras we were immediately attacked by deer flies.  Apparently they had widened their food groups from deer to sweaty females and I swear one of them had a tiny napkin around its neck as it leered at us.

We proceeded along the path, in open sun since Ms M wanted to get some "color".  She achieves a magnificent bronze color in this kind of heat...I'm more prone to heat stroke.  Since I opted to handhold my camera and skip the tripod for this trek I got to act as the horse tail and alternately smack myself and then her with the towel for fly protection.  We continued our self- flagellation  as we moved briskly through the open prairie, and I must admit I was smacking her much harder than I was myself.  I can't help it, it felt good and each swat was accompanied by a mumbling of "stupid idea...stupid idea".


We got our shots and moved even more briskly to the safety of the car.  Well, a convertible isn't really safe from bugs, but once we got rolling we could at least outrun them.  Now we needed something to soothe ourselves, some kind of medicinal balm....we needed ice cream.


There was nothing in the tiny town we passed through - the one place offering ice cream was closed.  Bummer.  So we headed to the locker plant where they have really good ice cream.  Closed.  I refused the concept of gas station ice cream bars just to be whiney so we ended up at the Frosty Mug.  Soft serve - yuck.  So to make the best of it we decided to have a sundae.


Our sundae of choice is the turtle sundae, but they don't serve that.  They have a tortoise sundae.  Now that's odd.  I've never heard it called that before, but what the heck...so we both ordered tortoise sundaes.


Toward the end of my feast I discovered a long hair.  It may have been mine as it was long and gray, I sincerely hope so.  But....now you have the real story of the tortoise and the hair.


Long Live the Queen of the Deer Flies