Macro Monday

Insects, anyone?
Spring is here and so are the bugs.
Here are some of my favorites from the last week.

Here is our Zebra Swallowtail Butterfly. Notice his red antennae.






I believe this to be a Spicebush Swallowtail.

Here is the underside of the same individual.




I think this is a female Twelve-spotted Skimmer.




Okay, I admit it. The above is an arachnid, not an insect.
I had never seen a red spider before.




This is a Six-spotted Tiger Beetle.
According to Enature, these guys bite. I didn't handle him to find out.

Stop by Lisa's Chaos to see what others have to share this Monday.

Edited to add more spider pictures:

-Susan

Summer

I love summer. It has always been my favorite season. Part of it has to do with the fact that, although I was a good student, I always hated school, so any time off was good time. Yes, it is hot enough I could bake bread on the deck, but we have air conditioning, so I have no right to complain.

I know memories are not accurate representations, but as I recall every summer day was spent either at the VFW pool or at Grandma and Grandpa's or at the park or playing in the creek or picking blackberries.

Mostly, I remember going swimming. We'd get up early enough that it was still pleasant outside and be at the pool when they opened. My sister and I would swim until we were so hungry we could hardly stand it. Then we'd eat the not very good sausage pizzas sold by the snack shop at the pool. We'd swim some more and then go to Grandma's for lemon ice cream and a nap. Most days, Grandma came with us to the pool. Some times, we even picked blackberries from the parking lot by the pool.

The only thing better than going swimming at the pool was putting on our swim suits and going down to the creek. We'd splash and play in the shallow pools of water and catch frogs and crayfish. Sometimes the crayfish would catch us instead, but we always had fun.



Picking blackberries was always an adventure. We were aware that we might meet up with a snake. Thorns, ticks, and chiggers were no joke either, but they were all worth it for real, wild blackberries with sugar and cream. Grandma always came along for blackberry picking.

Summertime is all about good memories for me. The same can't be said about the rest of the year. I didn't have a horrible childhood, but the rest of the year was more real. Good things mixed in with some bad things. Summer was always good.

I hope I can give my kids good summer memories. We've been swimming twice this week at a friend's pool. It's wonderful, but it's just not the same without the bad pizza. Too bad the VFW pool is no more.

Random Outdoor Fun

Well, today I had the opportunity to play with an photograph what I believe to be a northern cricket frog. They are quite common in our front yard. Yesterday, we had a few storms come through heralding the arrival of blackberry spell, and these are the pictures from today before the clouds rolled in.


Yep, that's my left hand again. Cricket frogs are tiny!

Here's one I shot as he was escaping my grasp.


The irises are beginning to bloom. Thank you to my sister for giving them to me. The grape smell makes my mouth water.

Speaking of mouthwatering, the blackberries in my yard aren't quite in bloom yet, but the ones up by the road are. Today's high is in the low 60's and tomorrow's supposed to be even cooler. A cool spell is worth it to have those delicious blackberries this summer. Mmmmm. I'm so glad spring is finally here, even in Shakerag.

-Susan