Cool Bugs and Storm Fronts!

The day the grands left we had a hard long day of rain. We received 5+ inches of rain overnight and during the day.

Yesterday was a pleasant day. It was too muddy in the garden to do much but lament about how muddy it was in the...garden.

I took a very long rest again yesterday as I hadn't been feeling well at all. It may be from the long overnight shifts and trying to do too much with too little sleep.

I think it finally caught up with me and knocked me down. 

However during the nice sunny humid day yesterday I found some interesting bugs.
My neighbor kids love bugs and since they are so excited to share their finds with me, I now too have an interest in insects.

This handsome...not so handsome caterpillar we identified as a caterpillar that would develop into an Imperial Moth.

Then I found this curious insect. I found it to be incredibly beautiful in its colors.

I found out with some help from some folks that this was actually a Blue Mason Orchard Bee.

I have never seen one before, but hope to find them again. This one at a glance could be mistaken for a fly.  It was making a nest in a piece of wood I had on the porch.

Then late yesterday I saw a small spider on the porch. I grabbed my camera with the macro/micro lens and decided to try and get a shot of it.
This proved pretty difficult as when I get near, she moved. I had to sit pretty still for a long time for her to come back into the center of her web.

After talking with another photographer last week, I would so love to be able to get a 100mm macro lens, but alas, I'm afraid that will have to wait for Christmas perhaps?
The photographer told me there was no other way to do fantastic macro shots. I believe him....but...sigh.

Anyway I'm going to keep finding bugs and trying to do decent shots. The only way possible, is by practice!

This iridescent beauty is called Basilica Orbweaver. Aren't the colors simply amazing?
This morning there was a storm front moving in rather quickly. I saw it while moving the vehicles.
Rich told me to go up on the ridge if I wanted to get some awesome cloud photos.

This is a panoramic from 4 shots that I did hand held. There was no time to set up a tripod.

I sent this shot to our local NOAA office and they sent an email that simply said "Wow! Thank you!"

Now I am sad as when the first frost comes through, the bugs will disappear and I'll have to wait until spring to hunt fantastic and cool bugs with the kids.

All good and fun things come to those who wait.

Meanwhile, after my 3 days of work, ... perhaps I can go out and find some really cool fungi and there are always slugs!