I went for my evening walk and there were a great many fireflies around, winking in the leaves on the trees and the bushes.  Fireflies are in abundance during the monsoon lulls.  Anyway, my lab was around too, following me around leisurely, chasing the occasional frog or lizard.  Just towards the end of my walk, when I slowed down and we were in the same place, I saw this firefly hovering around Lab girl's head and then it sat on the top of her head, winking away!  It looked so cute and I so wished I had a camera with me.  One more of those misses.

Back home

I'm back at home and we have returned to a monsoon in full swing.During our absence, the jungle has been creeping back and seems barely kept at bay.

With the onset of the monsoon, missing are bird sounds. There is not even the sound of a crow. The birds chirp only if there is a sufficiently long gap between rains. Today, I can hear no bird calls. The only sounds are of the cicada/cricket chorus, rising in rhythmic bursts. As for the nights, they are filled with sounds of competing choirs. Frogs (toads too I'm sure) sing out loud, in various pitches from a full baritone to a high soprano chirp, interspersed with the droning of the cricket.  Not silent nights at all!  Well, we are half way across the world--longitudinally--and many miles south--latitudinally--from where we were just last week.  I am glad to be back home, but there is a feeling of nostalgia for the lovely holiday and the scenery left behind.