I had just returned to my little house in Tennessee, from my first Caribbean cruise, when I experienced this. I had been gone a week, on the Drink Package, so the first thing I did as I walked through the door was grab my bottle of vodka from under the sink and set it on the counter.

I grabbed my cup and filled it with ice from the fridge, then turned around and saw this. From out of nowhere this big beautiful Praying Mantis appeared on the side of the bottles lid.

I grabbed my camera and took several shots, this being my favorite. Then I carried the bottle and the mantis out to my front yard and set him on the tree. I had never seen such a beautiful insect in Tennessee before, and never saw another since.

It was obviously a sign, that I totally ignored. I know that now as I approach two weeks sober tomorrow.

btw: This is the most popular photo on my very large collection of photos on Flickr.