Sunday's in My City - What's Under the Lid

Each Sunday Unknown Mami hosts Sundays in My City giving us all a chance to boast about where we live. Come by and check out some amazing cities. Better yet, put up a post to show off where you live.

Today's post is about a lid and what I found beneath it. It would seem that our garbage can lid has become a nursery. Yup. For spiders. While I can't swear on it, I believe these are nursery web spiders, and I think they came along with the weeds I pulled out yesterday. (If I'd have known, I'd have waited for the little ones to hatch. Oh well.)

As things stand now, I'm hoping they will be able to stay attached to the lid until the babies hatch. I can't guarantee anything, though. I don't know how close these spiderlings are to hatching, and we can't hold onto our garbage forever. I'd really like some hatchling shots though. I hestitate to retransport them back. I'm not sure they will thrive on the plants left behind. Also, I don't know if they're poisonous. Being close enough to take pictures seemed to disturb the mama spiders causing them to go into an agressive stance. Mamas are very protective of their young throughout the animal world. Spiders are no exception, and I don't care to get bitten. So for now I'm waiting and seeing. Hoping for hatchlings before this next Thursday.

I think that small dot is the male spider. 
He must not have provided a tasty enough treat.

Shadow Shot Sunday - Of Shadows and Leaves

I thought I'd try something new and submit a post for Shadow Shot Sunday.

I spotted this leaf and shadow shot while out on one of my morning walks. I loved the delicate pattern the dry leaves created on the leaf next to them.

Skywatch Friday - Welcome Home

Drop by Skywatch Friday and check out skies from around the world.

Coming home from a vacation in Iowa, we were greeted by this rainbow just outside of Billings. What a wonderful welcome home present.

One Gosling Is Not Like the Others

One of these goslings is not like the others.
Can you guess which one?

Can you see why?

His feet are not right. 
Question is, birth defect or boat encounter?

I voted for birth defect.  My husband thought it might be boat related.

PS - Note that it's the sibling that's vocalizing at me in the second photo.  Not the parents as I originally thought while shooting the photograph.  I find that interesting.  I don't know much about geese, but this gosling seems to be well protected by his parents and his siblings.

Colorful Darners

A trio of colorful darners I photographed at a rest area in South Dakota.

Sundays in My City - Evening Walk

Each Sunday Unknown Mami hosts Sundays in My City giving us all a chance to show off where we live.  Check it out and show off your hometown!

This past Sunday we went for an evening walk along the trails near our house. There's a small creek that runs through the park there. While the boys were tossing rocks into the water, I decided to try and take some evening double exposure shots. I also thought it might be interesting if I left the shutter open. Hope you enjoy the results!

Iowa Bugs

Back in June, we went home to Iowa to visit my dad. Behind his house, is a field which has always been a favorite wandering place for me. (Well, not so much in my early childhood since it was woods and kind of scary, but if all the kids were running in there to play, I'd follow along.) In more recent years, the person who owns the field has planted a wildflower garden in it. Now, it definitely calls to me. I find the most interesting things in that meadow.  Ladybugs, fireflies and spiders are only the beginning.  Just don't ask me what that fly at the bottom is.  He's cool though.

Reptile Gardens

One of our favorite places to visit when we're staying in Rapid City is Reptile Gardens. There's always something new to discover. This trip the two Bearded Dragons below ran out onto the walkway and started to tussle with each other. I don't know if it was a territory issue or what. They continued their wrestling once they made it back to their habitat. (Can't call it an enclosure. It's wide open.) Also while there I always check the trees especially once we're on the second level. I'm at least guaranteed a view of a snake. This year I was pleasantly surprised to find lizards up on the tree leaves as well. I highly recommend visiting if you're a fan of reptiles and ever in Rapid City, South Dakota.

Red-Eared Slider

Lizard on Palm Leaf

Bearded Dragons

Tarantula

Modern Day Clampetts

In June, we volunteered at the Cub Scout Day Camp. Because it started to rain while we were packing up, we needed to figure out how to get all our gear in the car in one shot. Left us looking like modern day Clampetts.

Sundays in My City - Langohr Gardens

Every Sunday Unknown Mami gives us a chance to share where we live with others across the world wide web. Check it out and share a piece of where you live!

Langohr Park is home to Langohr Gardens, a combination of community gardening and some very breathtaking flower gardens. Every time I drive by, I think I really need to figure out how to get over here on the trails. Well, on Sunday, I set out to do just that. From my house, it's a mere 3 miles round trip, so a pretty basic hike. Definitely worth the effort, too. The bees were all abuzz amongst the flowers. Plus, I found a very beautiful caterpillar nestled among some purple flowers. Definitely the highlight of the trip.

Bumble Bee Preparing to Take Off

Unidentified Caterpillar - Possibly an Owlet Moth

To find Langohr Park on the map below you will need to scroll north. The map had Langohr Avenue marked, but wouldn't let me pinpoint the park itself.


View Larger Map

Call of the Wild

On our way to Iowa, we always stop off at Rapid City, South Dakota. I missed out last time due to a family emergency, so the guys were really eager to show me this place they had found: Call of the Wild. A museum inside a convenience store of all places. Apparently, the owner needed a spot to showcase his hunting trophies. I really enjoyed the visit. He has a couple of different spots where dontations are subtly encouraged i.e. the monkey below. I will say this, I like the giraffe better from the outside. All you can see is the silhouette of his long neck through the window. Once you're inside, and you realize that's where the view ends, the feeling becomes a bit more disturbing. Still, most of the animals are in one piece so to speak and they are mounted to interact with each other which is pretty cool. My only other criticism would be that the pieces are crowded into the space which tends to ruin some of the views.

Skywatch Friday - The Sky Spoke

No, really, the sky spoke to me. Terrible joke I know. You'll have to enjoy it while it lasts. It's rare for me to make a joke much less one so awful.

I took this photo in my hometown of Charles City, Iowa. This is one of the gates that opens into Central Park. I thought the bike wheel made a lovely frame for the sky that day.

For more gorgeous skies check out Skywatch Friday.

Bite of Bozeman

Sweet Pea Festival time has come around again. It seems to fly up on me more quickly each year. As is tradition (at least for five years now) in our household, we kicked off Sweet Pea by attending Bite of Bozeman. This event is a lot of fun. Just walking down the street taking in the aroma that wafts through the air is worth the effort to brave traffic and get downtown. I decided that I would stick with my favorite choice - a turkey leg and a water. That way I get some food in my tummy and avoid the crankies. Which is a good thing because we often see our neighbors, friends, school associates and co-workers while wandering. I know they all love me for who I am, but only to a certain point. Besides the chance to meet and greet, I love to wander because I get to hear great music, see great art and check out all the chalk drawings from Chalk on the Walk. Enjoy the small slice of Bite of Bozeman that I captured below!

What Hail Leaves Behind

Back in June, we had an amazing hailstorm. Fortunately, it didn't do much damage to the house as we hadn't gotten the previous year's damage fixed. However, it did leave behind some awesome photo opportunities.

PS - Old Photo of the Day chose a photo of my dad during World War II to post for family historical photos week. Check it out!

Strange Blind

Back in June, I volunteered to help at day camp for Cub Scouts. Our station was an obstacle course which was very popular. So that we don't fry while we're running the station, my husband bought one of those backyard canvas frames. Works pretty well. Also makes a pretty good blind which is an unexpected treat. While there, I had the opportunity to snap a shot of a beetle on the side of our tent. Insects end up climbing all over the screens so I always get some good pictures. I also happened to catch a seagull who had swooped down to pick up a piece of food someone dropped. I'm sure the gull thought it was in heaven.

Do Not Get the Wristband...

unless you're planning on being at the fair all day long. Since we didn't get there until 6 and didn't start riding rides until 6:30, we made a financial miscalculation. My husband wanted to know if I would ride ten rides since that was the break even point for buying a wrist band. Looking around at the rides while calculating my bravery factor, I confidently said yes. What I failed to take into account was the fact that as the evening wore on, the lines got longer and longer. It took us at least half an hour to get onto the Ferris wheel. I don't even like Ferris wheels that much, but I was going for full out brave. I wasn't going to let my fear of heights win. No siree. Not tonight. I actually enjoyed it. If you can stand the mundane conversation, you can catch the view in the video below. If you'd like the view sans conversation, you can always hit the mute button. I wouldn't blame you.





If you've been patient enough to get this far, here are some views of the rides at night. I do love the lights of the fairgrounds. Yet the lights in Las Vegas overwhelm me. Go figure.