Praying Mantis

This praying mantis was hanging out on the screen on the gazebo. He was straight above my head in the shadow of the roof overhang. Holding a 300mm lens straight up really takes all my concentration to keep the camera steady. I don't have a very steady hand. I'm not sure the tripod can point the camera straight up so I didn't get it out. I hope to see this praying mantis again in a location that's easier to photograph.

Tattoos

I love tattoos but I'd never be brave enough to get one. I have an aversion to needles. I don't even have my ears pierced. I wonder how people decide where to put the tattoo and then determine what it will be. I guess I'm as interested in the story behind the tattoo as much as the artistry in the tattoo itself. After I snapped this photo, I did a double take.

Cancer? Veteran? Birth defect? Accident? Now I wonder what the story is on both of his legs.

His friend had tats on her leg too but I could not get a clear shot. I'll be posting more photos of tattoos as I get them. Savor the details in life.

View from the Sidecar

On our way to the track last night, several things occurred to me:

1. Do not put ribbon magnets on the back of your car with super glue. Bad, very bad for your paint. It seemed like a good idea until you tried to take it off and it neatly peeled all the paint off your car leaving a permanent ribbon shape. I can only hope that it was a ribbon supporting the local automotive paint shop because that's where this guy needs to head to next.

2. When I took this photo, all I was thinking was, "what a gorgeous evening for a plane ride." But when I viewed it on the computer, the perspective of looking up at the plane, I immediately thought of the planes which crashed into the Trade Center? Those horrible 9/11 images are forever burned into our brains.

3. Talk about product placement - this sign was about a quarter mile from the drag track.

Angel Trumpet

This is an Angel Trumphet flower. What a fabulous name - Angel Trumphet. Did you know they belong to the Nightshade family? Yeap, it's true - along with tomatoes and potatoes. Angel Trumphet plants are toxic if ingested. Such a sweet name and beautiful to look at but such a mean spirit.

What's Left

This gutted baseball at the dog park was an interesting object. The once tightly woven string spilling out now looks all wrong and even a bit unsettling. But I bet some dog had a blast tearing into it. I also found this really pretty feather. It must have come from a beautiful bird.

"For some Native American Indian tribes, it was possible to tell someone's deeds and their ranking, by looking at their feathers...The type of feather, the color of feather, the modifications to the feather, how many feathers were displayed, or even a look at the way a feather was worn." If I wear it to work tomorrow, taped to my forehead, will I have a higher rank? I could use a leg up.

New Frisbee

I bought Sissy a new frisbee yesterday. It's made just for dogs and it really doesn't fly very well. It's heavy and hard for her to catch but it is softer on her mouth. She's brought it to us this morning while we were sitting in the gazebo. She coaxed Superman into a game with her. She has him wrapped around her little finger - err...I mean paw.

Spiderplant

This Spiderplant self seeds every year. It's not in the best spot. I'd normally pull out any plant that isn't where I want it because that's what I consider a "weed." But it has sharp needle-like stem and when I think about pulling it out I don't usually have gloves on. I may have find those gloves before it self seeds again.

Capris

If I could be just 5'4" for just one day, I think I'd really enjoy it. I thought this morning as I rolled my jeans up to look like capris.

My Sixth Sense

I have a sixth sense. I think everyone has this ability but often times it's hard to tune into it. We get so busy with everyday distractions that the message just can't cut through all the static.

Last night I had a vision. I saw Max, our lovable mutt, starting to come down the winding spiral staircase. It doesn't have the balusters and railing up yet. It's a "wintertime" project as Superman says. In my head, I saw Max slipping and tumbling down the staircase. It was just a flash. Gone in an instant. Something that might of normally been ignored. But I said to Superman, who was closer to the steps, "Watch Max. He's going to fall."

No sooner had I said that; Max started down the spiral staircase. Max is not a graceful dog. He hops down the steps but is careful and has never fallen down them. One step. Two steps. Three steps. On the fourth step, he trips. It happens so quickly. He's tumbling down the steps faster than I can move to catch all 60lbs of him. He turns partially on the way down, misses the tv, the armour, and hits the tile floor hard. He bounces up quickly, wags his tail and moves along. No limping. No whining. He seems no worse for the wear. I shake my head, wondering if he'll ever go down those steps again. And I wonder if this sixth sense and visioning ability, which has been dormant for so long, is back.