A Cabinetmaker and the Angry Dragonfly

The Angry Dragonfly

Weeks ago, we had a frost here in Florida. My banana trees have the illusion of being dead, and one of my mango trees, is. Another side effect I have noticed is that the dragon flies had not visited the shop.
Today, I noticed a small one that was calmly taking residency on a chart of the boat that hangs over my tool box. He was smaller then my usual visitor with a green body and yellow and black tail. He didn’t appear to need repair so I just let him stay on my chart.

Nine hours later, I began to clean my work area, and had forgot about the dragon fly. Having blown all of the sawdust off of my bench, below the bench, out from under the shelves, and off of the saw, I turned and shot compressed air against my tool box, my radio, and then the dragon fly.

“OOPS!”

It was abruptly smashed against the wall with the force of the air. Snapping to consciousness from it's sleeping spot, he flew across the shop, into the far wall, and fell through several dusty cabinet parts and into the floor. I followed his flight plan and saw him trying to get off the floor with cobwebs hampering his escape.

I gently cupped my hands around him and carried him outside. The sun was setting on the west coast and some large rain clouds reflected the amber hue. I opened my hands and began pulling the cobwebs from his wings and legs. I raised my hand up and down to make him fly to freedom. He held firmly to the cracks in my palm. Something was wrong?

I raised my hand to my face and looked closely at his head. He stared back at me, tilted his head to one side, stuck his tongue out at me, and flew away.

For the original dragonfly stories, and insights into my books, go to ADBanyan.com or scroll down a few posts to Yacht Cabinetry and Dragonflies.

#Dragonfly #Damsel #Cabinet #Cabinetmaker #Nature #Freedom

Yacht Cabinetry and Dragonflies.

Some of you know about my history with dragonflies.

Lately, they are back. I have had at least one visit every day for the last two weeks. Most of them, flutter around, unbalanced by cobwebs from the ceiling in the shop, and come to my workbench for help. I hold them down in the palm of my hand and carefully pull the cobwebs from their legs, wings and tails. I always talk to them as I work and take them outside and release them. Everyone at the shop makes fun of me, but also wonders why they only go to me. Personally, I wonder too?

Monday, I was pushing a large cart back from the vacuum table. I had just taken some doors over to the other room, glued them up with veneer, and applied the negative pressure on the table. On the way back to my workbench, a dragonfly kept fling ahead of me erratically. Up and down, back and forth, and finally landing on my rolling table directly in front of me, I laid my hand over him and continued to my bench. I made the repairs to his wings, etc., and released him.

Tuesday, I went back to the same room, and was returning to my area. A dragonfly, with the same erratic flight problems, flew a foot or two ahead of my face for several steps.
“Having a few navigational problems?” I asked aloud. I held out my hand and it clumsily landed in the palm of my hand.

 I about lost it.“HEY! CHECK THIS OUT!” I yelled. I did repairs and released this one. Everyone laughed and joked about the dragonfly whisperer.

Today… Friday, I found a big one under my bench, covered in webs. It was the biggest one this year. Again, I fixed him up and released him. Every year, the dragonflies come to me. I feel honored, but confused. 
Now... everyone in the shop talks to them too. I hear them all the time.

"HE"S OVER THERE!" and they point.

(While you're here, check out THE GLOW.)