Hello?

These are words I never thought I'd hear myself utter...but I have to say that I love these tiny Jumping Spiders.  You can't see their big button-eyes with the naked eye, but with a macro lens all is revealed.  These were the spiders that were my "gateway" spider - the ones that got me started on my road to recovery from severe arachnaphobia.  

Actually, today was a big spider today.  I finally got some good photos of Goldenrod Crab Spiders, a species I've been after for several years; and I also got some good photos of the very large and rather menacing looking fishing spiders, each guarding a web full of tiny spiderlings.  Yep, the stuff of nightmares for many people.  In fact, if you don't like spiders, please don't look at three photos starting HERE on Flickr!  Okay, well maybe you could look at the first two because they are little tiny crab spiders... kind of cute.  But definitely don't look at the third one.  Really, don't look....

Great walk with my naturalists group this morning - obviously, lots of spiders, but also many butterflies and other interesting arthropods.  

Hubs left early this morning.  I miss him.  

SIL and I made dinner together which was fun.  Then I did some caterpillar maintenance in the Nursery.  Twenty-three cats pupated today and there was also, sadly, one fatality.  I found one chrysalis at the bottom of the enclosure, drained of it's life fluide - apparently it fell white pupating.  This is only the second time I've ever had this happen.  Looks like at least three butterflies will emerge tomorrow.  More little cats munching away in the "junior" nursery.  

Hoping all my friends in Houston and sourthern Texas are staying safe.  The rainfull amounts are beyond comprehension.

xo
Debbi