Fresh Beginnings -II-

((It's supposed to look cut off at the end since there are three parts... They all wouldn't fit on one, unfortuneately))

This was a shoot taken back in August of 2006. I think my xanga entry from that day explains it best:

Today I helped a cicada onto a tree and watched it break away from it's shell in less than an hour. I figure since Dad and I helped it, it had enough energy to molt fast enough to watch.

Watching the cicada break away from it's hard shell was just amazing... I think it is one of the most miraculous and enthralling things I have ever seen. And "newborn" cicadas are so beautiful-- especially for giant prehistoric-looking bugs that make a summer racket.

I hope every single one of you will have a chance to watch this...

My grandfather and mom watched a cicada molt together, and today at my grandparent's house, my dad and I got to watch one, disregarding that Poppa said it would take a looooong time. ((see theory above)).
I know it sounds weird and gross, but it was like a generational passing. I feel like the cicada... I'm breaking away from a shell and becoming something beautiful... and noisy. That's who I'm meant to be. It's who I'm becoming. And it's really exciting to me. This is my year. This is Ally's year, the year of the cicada. The year of the Ally!

((As for what happened: It was my Uncle's birthday and we were outside, Dad was playing guitar and wanted it taped so I brought my recorder. Once in the house, Dad was wrapping the cord around my recorder and suddenly SCREAMED and jumped! Lo and Behold, there was the cicada, walking around the rug all confused... So we picked up the cute little thing and put it on the tree outside. And I found the hole it had drilled out of the ground too, right under the table we had the recorder on; it must have drilled out of the ground and climbed the cord!)) ^____^