Tuesday, July 13, 2010

Photo Ops

It's strange, the number of odd things you can see in one week. I didn't know they were now making kites the size of a city bus (click on any of the images below to see larger versions):



Big, impressive, definitely an attention-grabber -- but like so many oversize, ambitious things, they couldn't get it off the ground.

I liked the smaller versions that were already soaring high overhead:



While we watched the kites, my guy and I fondly remembered the much plainer, clunkier versions we flew when we were kids. I made mine out of used gift wrap paper, Elmer's glue, twigs, strips from cleaning rags for the tail and kitchen twine (he swears he made his out of old brown paper grocery bags, which I think would have been too heavy.) Times have changed. A lot.

The backyard dramas continue, as always. I think two of our local black racers are in love; I keep finding them together:



I just wish they'd hold this courtship in the bushes instead of by the porch, because they're driving Cole nuts. That is, when the other resident reptiles aren't making him crazy:



After I shooed off the snakes and the turtles, my guy called me over to have a look at this:



I didn't retouch the picture at all; the sun made it look as if the spider had spun it out of gold. Probably the most perfect shot of a web I'll ever take.

So what's up with you guys? Any new books, updates or interesting links to share?

16 comments:

  1. You should check out the web again in the morning, with the dew on it.

    Here in Seattle the dew is on everything, and spiders make the most beautiful necklaces year round.

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  2. Just a note to say your guy's right--we made kites out of the brown grocery bags too. Flexible twigs, Elmer's glue, rags, twine, yup. They weren't perfect, but worked in a good stiff breeze. :)

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  3. Love the one of the spider web.

    Several years ago we had a weaver spider make some of the most amazing webs under our carport. I took numerous pictures but could never get them to turn out quite right.

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  4. Oh, and you're right.
    That web is absolutely gorgeous!

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  5. Speaking of gorgeous, your dog is absolutely stunning! Look at that fur! I think it's making my Mollie jealous!

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  6. Other than the fact that's now 18 days until Stardoc arrives? gulp. groan. dying.

    Have found a new UF addiction-Stacia Kane's DOWNSIDE books. Am gobbling them down like mad.

    *G* I have cool news... my bratlet finished her first ever book. It's 30k, about 80 something pages typed. And she's 11 years old. Am I proud? Um... very...

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  7. Beautiful pictures.

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  8. Lovely pictures...and never knew kites could be that big!

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  9. (Am tired of shameless self-promotion so I won't.)

    One of my favourite memories is of one of my little girls in a pair of red shorts running to catch the wind with her little red kite.
    A golden web! Magic! Thank you, Lynn.
    Some dragonflies of ebony with crimson filagreed wings or scarlet ones with wings of bronze give me that same sense of wonder.

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  10. Spiders creep me out no end, but I can't help but marvel at what they manage to do. That web is gorgeous.

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  11. Kites are so fun. And nature is always interesting.

    Just read a good book called Discord's Apple, and in 18 days there's this Stardoc novel out that I don't know if I should read or put in a shrine.

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  12. Awesome pics, Lynn. I vaguely remember my brothers flying kites in the side yard. (I was too young to hold the string.) Theirs was just a cheap plastic thing my father picked up. Not nearly as beautiful as the ones you show, but they had fun and I loved watching it. =o)

    There are so many good books out right now, if I listed them, I'd be here all day. Not that I'm complaining. My TBR pile is like the leaning tower of Pisa, but I'm loving it.

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  13. I'm reading an old Woodiwiss (Rose in Winter) for the hundredth time, trying to get my head back where it belongs so I can revise, revise, revise!

    Other than that, and waiting for a new release or two ;) I'm wondering what I did to make mother nature so mad since it's rained every single day for three weeks here! :shock: I'd put my SADD lamp away, but I'm thinking I need to drag it back out.

    *sigh*

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  14. Anonymous4:45 PM

    Lynn,
    As always, you take the best photos!
    Only new books in my life have been Misty Lackey's "The Sleeping Beauty" and Julie Kenner's "Demon-Hunting Soccer Mom" series. I had to get away from all the vampires, witches and stuff for a while. At least the demon hunting is a different take on Paranormal and there is very little to no smut in them! I know, I know, no smut. But really, you can only take so much before you are tired of it!!! And who can't laugh about a Soccer-mom juggling regular life and hiding her secret demon-hunting skills?!?
    Tami
    Jacksonville

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  15. Keita Haruka1:18 PM

    Heyla! Good to see you back. :-)

    Spiders...yeah. :-p They terrify me, to my partner's everlasting amusement. He constantly freaks me out when he handles them. :-p

    New books...um...well...you see...yes. A collection of...gay werewolf shorts. *goes to hide under the nearest rock*

    Nothing else of significance to report, other than finding out There'll be just one more Trixa book. :-( That kinda sucked. No more Zeke and Griffin. And a month from now...no more Cherijo too. Aieee...

    :-)

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  16. Keita Haruka1:26 PM

    *grrrrr* Blogger ate my comment, the gluttonous...so and so.

    Spiders and I do not get along. At all. My partner thinks it's cute and funny. :-p He picks the damn things up...

    Nice pic though.

    New books...yeeeeees...maybe. Does a collection of gay werewolf stories count? *hides under the nearest rock*

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