Filed under: animals, cats, dogs, nature, wildlife | Tags: animals, cats, dogs, life, lizards, nature, pets, random, wildlife
that cat of mine likes nature. the kind of nature that sometimes gets in the house.
today’s wildlife interlude was with a baby lizard, about 2.5 inches long. the cat, spree, was just staring at the little motionless thing. i went and got the march issue of shutterbug magazine to scoop him up, but he moved. slowly.
i hesitated. big mistake. it went right under the bed.
spree, watching lizard, pickles watching spree, cody bear watching … i’m not quite sure.
Filed under: beer, friends, life | Tags: beer, friends, life, photography, pool, random
dear friends, please remember, you can’t startle easily if you go out drinking with goodbear. that’s your warning.
why?
because at any minute, while you’re casually lifting your glass to take a sip of beer, she might hiss, “don’t move” while she reaches for her bag.
…and pulls out a camera and makes you hold your glass up to the pretty lights.
oooh. ahhhh.
yes, i did go out for beers on a work night. and yes, i am freakin exhausted today.
but it was worth it. it was fun, plus i needed to be reminded about how much i suck at pool. like every other american female my pool skills increase with each beer. the number of balls sank per game is directly proportional to the amount of beers you’ve drank. also, there is an exponential element.
first beer = you still suck
second beer = most of your efforts are still humiliating, but maybe 2 or 3 shots will elicit a charitable high five from opponents.
third beer = you’re infallible. at least….that’s what you remember.
fourth beer = you still act like you CAN’T BELIEVE you made that shot, but in your tipsy head you’re thinking….”i’m a phenom!”
for the record, i only had 3 guinness last night, so i never hit “phenom” status. also, i know i wasn’t infallible.
anyway, fun times.
now get back to work!
Filed under: bees, hiking, insects, nature, photography | Tags: animals, bees, damselflies, hiking, insects, nature, photography, toads, wildlife
sunday afternoon the sky started getting moody and i started feeling desperate. “i need more bug photos for my upcoming show.”
braving the elements, (rain and thunder….not too frightening) i headed east to my favorite dragonfly hotbed.
first of all, it must be said, my new hiking boots are totally comfy and i’m so glad i didn’t let anyone talk me into returning them.
and yes, my feet ARE totally adorable when they’re…in shoes. moving on….
’twas a brilliant day. the light was diffused with clouds and the roll of thunder kept going on and on and on. (like a moody blues tune, only you actually like that it’s not stopping)
big surprise of the day? tiny toadkins. these little toads were hopping all over when i climbed down to the pond bed. and also, these little toadkins are why i smelled like dead fish for a wee bit.
but, how cute? they were worth it.
you’re wondering,….”how tiny IS that tiny toad?” well, he’s about the size of watch battery. maybe smaller. maybe the size of a micro sd card?
now, regarding the upper body strength….
damselflies.
they have some staggering upper body strength. …no?
sadly, the last visitor reminds me about how i’ve lost my bee friends.
agapostemon.
i miss my agapostemons.
eh. nice critters out there.
afterwards i hopped back in the honda. listened to van morrison, ray lamontagne, and…what?…mazzy star. ’twas a good day.
Filed under: animals, insects, life, nature, photography | Tags: animals, beers, cicada, insects, life, meteor shower, nature, photography
thursdays are good nights to sneak beers into a movie, grab a burrito afterwards, then head out of town to find a dark patch to view a meteor shower. don’t you think thursdays are good for that?
fridays are good for catching up on work before the weekend, then sneaking out to take photos of cicada leave offs. their sheddings are stuck to our building and trees.
these cicadas will not shut up. it only bothers me on the really hot days.
every now and then a thrasher will catch one and fly around with it in it’s beak. they sound REALLY pissed off when that happens. the birds love it and seem to fly laps around the property.
tomorrow is saturday. saturdays are good days to sleep in late, cuddling with dogs and do whatever….
Filed under: animals, beetles, insects, nature, photography, wildlife | Tags: animals, beetles, insects, long horned cactus beetles mating, nature, photography, wildlife
so, yeah, i like photographing insects. you all know that. but those who know me very well know i like …um….catching them in the act!
and it just turns out that my yard is a hot bed for insect sex.
you can’t turn around without seeing long horned cactus beetles hooking up. they make rabbits look like prudes.
in this photo, the one on the bottom is EATING during copulation! (oh no she dih-unt!? oh yes she did!) aren’t you guys glad i didn’t use a macro lens???? can’t you just HEAR john mayer singing his creepy song “your body is a wonderland?” (ew….i just grossed myself out. creepy guy. creepy song.)
here you have a lonely beetle.
don’t worry little one…stick around long enough, someone is bound to find you.
for more photos i have taken of insects in flagrante, visit here and here.
Filed under: animals, beetles, insects, nature | Tags: animals, insects, nature, palo verde beetle, photography, wildlife
and so goodbear came back from a very exciting movie and was feeling a bit like a femme super hero.
first order of business upon my return? let the dogs out. let the dogs in. glance at wall by door as letting dogs in…and BOOM!
WTF????
look at her! she’s HUGE!
and she’s trying to get into my bedroom window! back off beetle chic!
she’s gone now. i used my crazy super powers and my magical canon flash to intimidate her and make her fly away in an outrage!
cody bear's friends 