Parallel Lives

While looking through some old blogs and editing some labels and odd spacings, and thinking its really been a while since I posted and I really really should, as I think I'll miss being able to look back and instantly remember, I found a post I didn't get around to pressing publish on from way back in 2021. Which really feels half a lifetime away. And now I think about it - it would be half my youngest daughter's lifetime away. 

Although we're only an hour away now, and my husband still drives through our old town every day, I do miss my early morning walks along the rail-trail. Even an hours travel time makes such a difference to the landscape and the quality of the light. While there are many things I love about our new (ish!) home I do miss the vast skies, the golden light, the clarity of the stars - and my beloved spider webs! 

Spiders - my Super-Villain Origin Story

We have been sick for ever and ever. And long-covid has not been fun. But I think... I think I may, just may be getting my brain back. And I am quite excited. 

I have missed it. A lot. 

It appears though, that having lost my brain for awhile, on it's return it is coming back without many filters and with a full complement of obsessions and, well - in full-on-obsessive crank mode. 

Possibly I have metamorphised into a witch? 

I have always had many obsessions. But I believe (although I could be wrong) that I wasn't particularly interested in other people sharing them. I was perfectly content for them just to be my obsessions. 

But it is presently making me quite upset how under-appreciated spiders are. 

The artistry of their webs! All their different types of webs! The way they protect plants from predators. The way they protect us from mosquitos! The fascinating qualities of their silk! 

And I have come to realise that if I were in a Marvel movie I would be a villain. 

A super villain they'd all have to fight against to stop the destruction of the world as they know it. 

And I now know that my origin story would be along the lines of: old woman mad at the world that spiders are so unappreciated for all they do and how amazing they are, so takes over all forms of media,  and streams footage of spiders being wondrously clever instead. 

Especially all the sports channels and shows. They would exclusively show spiders and their webs and the glory of said webs - especially all dew covered in the morning and illuminated with early morning sun. 

And I would demand people had conversations about spiders, and their favourite spiders, rather than about sports teams. And everyone would know the different types of spiders and their various different awesomenesses...  And there would be no more of those annoying people putting their selfies all over the place. Instead everyone would post photos of spiders. (Or bugs. Or beatles. Or dragonflys. Dragonflys are SO AMAZING!) 

As you can see, I am having a lot of problems letting the worlds lack of appreciation for spiders go. 

I don't think I worried about such things in the past? (Honestly, it is hard to properly remember the pre-covid past. There was stuff. And my brain worked. And I could do ... more stuff. And the wording worded. And I don't think I identified quite as strongly with mini-beasts.) 

But I am waking my husband in the night, just to remind him again, about peoples lack of appreciation for spiders' awesomness. He takes it quite well. 

And it's not that I mind super-crank-villain-mode. 

I just don't want it to get me locked up. There is a very strong suspicion of witches in my family. (And by this I mean through deep-dive ancestry tracing, not looking at actual relatives alive today.) 

And I'm afraid my deep devotion to spiders and bats, moths and dragonflys, fungi, ferns and lichen might possibly do it. (Let me not forget caterpillars and damselfly nymphs.And Weeds. True survivors. Iconic, heroic, truly inspirational in their resilience, adaptability - I could, and will, go on. But later.) 

Sunrise Spider Beauty

 

While they stereotype of spiders is that they are black or brown, hairy legged creatures of horror, once you start looking, there are actually hundreds of dainty, delicately coloured spiders, with almost translucent legs, downy bodies, and sweet expressions (despite the eight eyes.) 

I know I may win few converts to the beauty and appeal of spiders, but I am quite convinced of their attraction myself, and full of the delight of a new discovery. 

This one was found just after sunrise on a stalk of marram grass at Rainbow Beach (see, they like the beach - how Australian!) 

I'm unsure what she was breakfasting on (and truly don't want to know) but her expression was particularly sweet, although hard to catch in the low light. 

Spider Face Envy

 

So for awhile now I've suffered from spider-face-envy. 

It's not something I knew existed before I succumbed. 

To be clear, I don't envy spiders their faces, (cute as they are) I envy people who can take photos of spiders' faces with all eight eyes in focus. 

I'm having some problems - mainly because I like to take photos in the half light, and that level of macro-photography requires full light and then some. 

However, I really do think I'm getting closer. 

This was a gorgeous little spider (and I believe her egg sac) along the path at Rainbow Beach. Isn't she gorgeous? Look at her sweet expression, her lovely patterning. Her slight down. 

(I may be a little obsessed. Ahum.)

Although as a photo the colours are washed out and not what I want, I feel I'm one step closer to my ultimate aim - the perfectly in-focus spider face, with all eight eyes clear and alert. 

Pondering the thoughts of a Spider

I'm unsure why I never noticed the stunning artistry of spiders to such an obsessive extent before. 

Perhaps because their work is best observed, dew-garlanded, sun-illumined, at dawn, and times I've walked at dawn I've generally been intent upon the sea? 

Perhaps because I've been too busy with other obsessions? 

Now, when my main reflection time is the early morning, before the heat and rush kick in, their silent work, their busy presence, the wonder of their creations, constantly uplifts and fascinates me. 

I wonder why their are not more poems, songs, art work, about the wonder of their intricate webs, how sometimes multitudes of spiders, sometimes spiders of different types, will cover a branch or bush or stand of grass in a palace of (deadly) webs. 

It seems a curious irony that if the web fulfils its main purpose - to obtain food - it will be broken. 

And I wonder at a spiders' thoughts when their constructions are maimed and destroyed by errant flying seeds or leaves, passing animals, or tempestuous weather. Do instincts merely propel them to begin again, or do they grumble to themselves and bemoan their fate? 

Thistle-Spider

My daughter picked me a thistle-flower, knowing that I love them, but was then concerned when she noticed a small spider hidden within it. 

She was more perplexed when I was more grateful and excited about the spider than the flower - a type of flower spider I believe. 

I have been anxiously awaiting spotting one of these for a few months now, and I am quite taken with the translucent quality of it's legs and the decorative patterns of it's abdomen, as well as the fetching green of it's head. 

My generous girl held the stem while I took photos - having difficulty with the focusing as my dogs were interested in pulling me in different directions and curious about what I was curious about. I would have liked to use manual focus, but it's impossible one handed with ill-behaved dogs. 

I am still very glad to have seen this little wonder. Once I had finished taking photos, we placed the flower back in it's plant until the spider departed, whereupon we picked the bloom up again and continued on our way. 

 

Spider Palace