And a spider
When I began walking through the field at the corner of Metric Blvd. and Howard Ln. on the morning of October 9th, my shoes quickly got wet because there was still dew on the plants near the ground, including the seed head remains of some firewheels, Gaillardia pulchella. You see one of them here, along with a spider that had made its home there. Joe Lapp tells me that the spider is probably in the genus Dictyna, and from recent photographs you’ve probably guessed that the purple in the background is a flowering stalk of gayfeather, Liatris mucronata.
© 2013 Steven Schwartzman
I like everything about the picture except the spider. I don’t care for them. The dew drops are interesting.
It was a bit on the wintery side yesterday and this morning. It started out about 45˚ before lunch. The wind came out of the north and dropped 1″ of snow on us. It is now 14˚. At least the sun will be out. It won’t reach 30˚, tho. Any spiders outside will get their butts frozen.
Jim in IA
November 12, 2013 at 7:03 AM
So there’s an inch of snow where you are, but not an inch or a degree of arachnophilia in your heart. I’d say you’re hardly alone, with most people seeming not to like spiders (or snakes, another general no-no). Strictly from a photographic viewpoint, everything is fair game.
Your 14° this morning reminds me of why I left the land of the North and moved to the warm climate of central Texas. Five years ago—it might have been in late April—we traveled from Austin to northern Iowa for a wedding, and as we drove north we watched the spring and the flowers and the greenery recede, and we ended up in what was still a barren, cold, and windy land.
Steve Schwartzman
November 12, 2013 at 7:17 AM
That sounds typical. But, in March 2012 we hit a record high for the date in the mid 80s. This is a battleground for weather. That is what makes it interesting. I like that.
Ole and Lena live along the southern border of MN. Surveyors came through and told them the state line was incorrectly drawn in the 1800s. The new state line was just north of their farm house. They were going to be Iowans.
Ole looked at Lena and said “Dat’s ok by me. I was gettin’ pretty tired of da long vinters in MN.”
Jim in IA
November 12, 2013 at 7:26 AM
‘Tis a good joke.
Steve Schwartzman
November 12, 2013 at 9:29 AM
Yep.
Jim in IA
November 12, 2013 at 12:41 PM
Dewdrops always are lovely, but I don’t believe I’ve ever seen a photo that picks up iridescence in strands of spider silk. Looking at the photo’s like looking at the sky and suddenly noticing a snippet of rainbow in the high clouds.
The shape of the web’s interesting, too. Clearly there’s a form to it. Some look like the spider threw up a bunch of silk without forethought or planning – at least from a human perspective. .
shoreacres
November 12, 2013 at 7:19 AM
Your remark about iridescence reminds me that we rarely see or hear anyone use the verb iridesce (which WordPress’s editor insists on underlining). Here’s a quotation zi was led to via wordnik.com, from a poem called “A Display of Mackerel,” by Mark Doty, that uses it, and that harmonizes nicely with your comment:
“Suppose we could iridesce,
like these, and lose ourselves
entirely in the universe
of shimmer–would you want
to be yourself only,
unduplicatable, doomed
to be lost?”
I’ll bet biologists or engineers have studied the shapes of spiderwebs. It wouldn’t surprise me if they (the webs as well as the scientists) have been classified into categories.
And that suddenly reminded me of Scott’s lines from “Marmion”:
Oh! what a tangled web we weave
When first we practice to deceive!
Steve Schwartzman
November 12, 2013 at 9:28 AM
I’m with Jim here – love the dew drops, not so keen on the spider 🙂
Heyjude
November 12, 2013 at 8:19 AM
I think the two of you are in the majority, and that general dislike has led me to show pictures of spiders only once in a while. The fact remains, though, that I see spiders or their silk practically everywhere I look closely at nature.
Steve Schwartzman
November 12, 2013 at 9:34 AM
I don’t think you shouldn’t share your photos – I find spiders fascinating, such different shapes and colours and their webs are a true work of art, especially in fog or after rain or dew. No, my problem is when they run across the floor in front of me – there is just something about the way they move (same with crabs) which makes me cringe!
At least yours don’t move 🙂
Heyjude
November 12, 2013 at 11:06 AM
Let’s just say then that you’re able to look at still pictures and find them moving.
Steve Schwartzman
November 12, 2013 at 12:44 PM
😉
Heyjude
November 12, 2013 at 12:52 PM
Great shot!
Hope
November 12, 2013 at 12:00 PM
Thanks, Hope.
Steve Schwartzman
November 12, 2013 at 12:40 PM
Fantastic detail. Love all the color and water drops. I’m not a fan of spiders crawling around but I will go out of my way to get a picture of them if they are in a web. They always have such interesting detail and colors
norasphotos4u
November 12, 2013 at 1:38 PM
As a photographer I feel the same way, Nora: spiders and their webs offer lots of intriguing details. The dewdrops were a bonus this time.
Steve Schwartzman
November 12, 2013 at 2:04 PM
Busy little guy too! Great photo!
montucky
November 12, 2013 at 9:45 PM
I love the patterns some of these spiders have on their abdomens…..well, maybe excepting that one with the hour glass on her back but I’ve never seen one up close.
Steve Gingold
November 13, 2013 at 5:22 AM
I haven’t either, but black widows and brown recluses both call Texas home.
Steve Schwartzman
November 13, 2013 at 6:13 AM
Reblogged this on stmdesignsblog.
stmdesignsworld
November 20, 2013 at 7:55 AM