How a brain tumor cured me of arachnaphobia...

I spent the first 52 years of my life being really scared of spiders ... I mean, I was the girl who would call the landlord to come get rid of a tiny spider ... or jump onto a chair, screaming at the top of my lungs. So what happened and why am I now sticking my lens right up in the startled face of a tiny jumper?

I blame it on the brain tumor that came along six years ago ...it was that tumor that led me to rediscover my love of photography which in turned opened up the wondrous world of macro photography .. . which was inspired by many talented folks here on Blip...which in turn led to butterflies and bees ... and ultimately to the most feared of all creatures... the spider!

This morning Hubs and I were enjoying a cup of tea (coffee for him) on our newly painted deck, under our newly installed gazebo, when I noticed a tiny jumping spider on one of the chairs. Instead of instantly crushing him (which I would have done a mere few years ago), I played a game of hide and seek with him wherein I tried to gently bump him off the chair while he ran and jumped to avoid my great big, scary finger. My, how things have changed.

So, it isn't any surprise, is it, that when I discovered this little blond jumper on one of the recently purchased gerberas, I ran and grabbed the 105 lens and had an impromptu photo shoot. This photo was my favorite of the day and I know it is always going to make m smile when I see t. Hope it makes you smile, too. And if you'd like to see my four other picks from today (2 flowers and 2 more shots of my little friend here), you can click here and view the first four.

The deck looks wonderful and Hubs is finishing the painting in the kitchen and we have the first realtor coming out Thursday for a look around... eeeeek!

Happy Tuesday, people...

Debbi

Addendum: After blipping, two yard-first showed up looking for bugs - a beautful male Common Yellowthroat and an equally impressive (and loud) Great Crested flycatcher! Where there are bugs, there are insectivores...

PS: and in a footnote for myself, I discovered the first deer tick on myself this morning - had Hubs get it out of my back. Still have the shivers thinking about it. I'm NEVER going to lose my hatred of ticks.