Hate's the last thing they're thinking of...

© Photographer: William Wise | iNat Observation: 78584159 - Mating Green Anoles; Clarke County, Georgia. May 13, 2018.

I’m almost a bit embarrassed to post the photos of this private moment between two Carolina Green Anoles on my back patio. When I first spotted them on the tiki torch, I thought it was a lizard battle, for one had a solid bite upon the other’s neck. But upon closer examination I realized I was wrong.

Sometimes “love” in the animal kingdom isn’t all about comfort, tenderness and affection. But isn’t it that way with us too? Our relationships and interactions have their share of quarrels and disagreements. Any outside observer of one of those "discussions" might assume the couple hate each other. But that is all a part of love.

​As the Grateful Dead sang in one of my favorite songs, Looks Like Rain, ”Did you ever waken to the sound of street cats making love? You guess from the cries you were listening to a fight. Well you know, hate’s just the last thing their thinking of.” That's what lasting relationships are made of: we fight, we forgive, we grow. Though I suppose it's all on a much simpler level for lizards!

Posted on May 13, 2022 10:03 PM by williamwisephoto