Snips and snails & puppy dog tails
A heads-up for those who don’t like pictures of spiders: just skip the first 3 images to see a water snake and the inspiration for this post.
I dragged invited my DH and teenage son along to the Wildflower Center yesterday afternoon, in 95-degree heat, to stroll the grounds while I experimented with my new camera, a Nikon D5000. I’m still editing most of my photos and planned to start with some pretty flowers, but my son dared me to post close-ups of a garden spider we admired in the demonstration garden. I’ll take that dare. Anyway, I owe him one.
This female argiope spider hung head-down, waiting for dinner.
Including legs, she was as big as my palm, and her web spanned about 3 feet. She already had a grasshopper wrapped up for later.
Her sticky web glistened in the afternoon light. I’m just glad she didn’t build it across a path.
We also spotted a water snake in the pond at the back of the demonstration garden. As soon as we approached it made a wriggly bee-line for the opposite bank and disappeared into the undergrowth too quickly for me to get a crisp photo.
Here’s our own wild thing, standing on the grate at the top of the spiraling cistern-tower. I’m looking up at him from inside the tower, the core of which is open to the sky in order to collect rainfall, part of the center’s elaborate water-collection system. “Should I jump on it?” he asked teasingly.
Um, I wouldn’t. But boys will be boys. I’m glad both of my guys kept me company yesterday while I tried to get the hang of the new camera. More on that soon.
All material © 2006-2010 by Pam Penick for Digging. Unauthorized reproduction prohibited.
LOVED the spider pictures; I was more creeped out by the description, frankly! Looking forward to more…
Great photos Pam, especailly that wild thing on top of the cistern. It looks like you have that new camera under control.
Ick on the spider pictures. I was good until you said it was as big as the palm of your hand, “leg to leg”. Ick.
What a beautiful spider! Reminds me of our Golden Orb Weavers, which are about that size. Loved the snake too. My boys love being shown any unusual animals or indeed plants that I come across. My only bad moment was a few years ago when the boys were 5 and 2 (not good ages for following instructions to the letter) and we encountered an Eastern Brown Snake in the Australian National Botanical Gardens. They are a highly venomous and aggressive species, but the one we saw was fortunately not feeling cranky.
Gotta love a spider that’ll wrap up a grasshopper!!! I love Argiopes! Great photographs. I’ll put that camera on my wishlist right now. I want a DSLR so badly! My camera is so stinkin’ slow, it would’ve missed the slithering snake completely. Things must freeze in place for me to snap the shot.
Floridagirl, if you put this particular camera on your wish list, don’t wait too long. It is being discontinued soon, I was told, as newer models come out. But they won’t have the articulating LCD screen, which was one of the selling features for me. —Pam
If your spider photos are any indication I think you and your new camera are fast becoming friends! Great photos~ gail
Love the perspective of the shot with the cistern! Your photos are gorgeous!
I have had my D5000 for over a year now, and am still plodding through the owner’s manual.
And yet your spectacular photos give me hope that even without a thorough knowledge of this camera I can take better pictures than with my P&S, Les. —Pam
I’m not too scared of spiders, but those pictures are a bit creepy when you see them so close up!
Congratulations on the new camera! Your point and shoot pictures are amazing, I can’t wait to see what you do with that one!
Nice spider shots. It looks like your new camera can get even closer close ups?? Jealous. 🙂
Jean, I think my Canon PowerShot could actually take a closer macro shot than my new SLR. I could buy a macro lens for it, but I haven’t yet. But it can shoot pretty close, and I can certainly zoom in for close detail. —Pam
Very nice close up! and so lucky to get the photo of that snake.
Spider photos don’t bother me near as much as snake photos…….YUCK! Boys will be boys won’t they. Congrats on the new camera..
Thanks, everyone, for your supportive comments about the first shots with my new camera. I expected a learning curve, and there is one, but so far I’m having a lot of fun with it. —Pam
Ooh, the macro features looks great on this camera! How close does it get?
I’m not sure, Linda, not having slogged through the manual yet. Without a macro lens, though, not quite as close as my old P&S (see my answer to Jean, above). —Pam