My Beautiful Prince or Orthetrum coerulescens

Monty was transfixed.
Still.
With one paw poised...
Over something on the conservatory floor...

So I slowly went in and went down.

A slight, fragile, slender baby dragonfly sat on a stain.
I was also transfixed..

I have never seen a baby dragonfly before, seen an adult but this thing, this delicate inch of shimmering cobalt blue had me in the palm of his hand.

Fearing Monty would do what comes naturally I quickly and without further hesitation picked up a booklet (gardening tips for beginners) which was on the floor by a bag of dirt.
And acting swiftly so as not to terrify the creature, I slid the aforementioned booklet gently and confidently under the wafer thin sparkling gem.
Monty wasn't bothered.

Shooing the cat into the kitchen I unlocked the back door and sat the tender fly in a corner by some crumbling brickwork
Being a lover of babies especially ones dressed in a Prince's finery I found it hard to pull myself away.Then I put myself in his unworldly clothes and thought of his sensitivities and what it must feel like being transported around by a giant.

I came inside.

And got my phone.

Making sure Monty was well out of the way I tiptoed back outside...
And he was still there in the corner in the dust. I whispered hello, bent down and took his photo. Again and again and again.

They are not the greatest photos ever taken, can't do that on a mobile, but as soon as I can I'll upload them, or at least the best of the three.

Beautiful...