At least once a summer, the boys and I go to a great swimming hole and play until we are worn out or too cold to move. The weather has been plenty hot enough to preclude the latter.
Falls at the swimming hole
There are many jumps into foaming deep water from heights of 5, 20, and 25 feet. There are gentle rapids to float in and rocks to sun on. And usually there are no other people there since it is a steep mile and half walk in.
25 foot drop
Forward Flip
I wander what caused the wilting of the blackberry leaves, a mildew, a smut, a rust. But the blackberries sure look good.
The grass spider builds a sheet with a funnel where it awaits prey. During windy times more prey falls but also more litter. The spider knows the “signature” of falling prey and ignores the litter. Unlike orb weavers, some of whom eat, reprocess, and re-weave an orb every day, or least every few days, the grass spider may go most of the season only repairing the web and tolerating “camoflouging” litter. If the site is good there is no reason to move other than another large spider running you off your web.
Grass Spider in the Entry-way
The lampshade spider is the hardest spider
Lampshade Spider
for me to take a picture of because it so well blends in with the rock it is on. Also, it is extremely difficult to show both the spider and the lampshade shape of the web though this picture is one of the better efforts.
Doghobble
The heat this summer has been accompanied by a substantial amount of rain in our area, so the vegetation has been quite green and much that the drought years had killed back is filled in. I include here but a few nice samples of what we saw.
Souther Shield Fern (Maiden Fern)?
A fern will not usually grow so tall and robust as this one on a rock shelf in full sunlight where this is located unless the rainfall and seepage supplies ample water as is true here. This sample was more than 3 feet tall. You naturalists can tell me if I identified it correctly.
Water spiders and their shadows
There was this pool at the side of the river at an incoming creek of spring that was relatively very cold. The boys and I had to dare each other to get in. While I was waiting for them to take their turns I noticed that water spiders
"Crawdad" exploring his domain
cast a shadow much larger than themselves. I guess I could to if I controlled the fringes (diffraction pattern at the edges of my person in the medium I’m in), but alas I am not supported on the surface tension of my medium or his. Yes, I did go into the pool and I was not the last one. I also jumped off the 25 foot jump several times but the picture of it was blurry. A few final pictures of my boys. One I couldn’t pass up because it’s classic:
"The Look"
Where are we?
Peaceful, contemplative moment
Cardinal Flower
CreatorWorship 