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Monsoon 2008

It wouldn't be summer without a bit of cloud porn. Monsoon skies have been a bit disappointing for me this year--only a handful of crowd-pleasing cloud days. But it's not over, and last year the best came at the end of the season.

Note: if I were an evil person, I'd poison my neighbor's junky, beetle-ridden, view-blocking pine trees. But I'm not, though I do fantasize.

Sedona, Arizona. Monsoon 2008

Uploaded on Aug 17, 2008

0 comments

'Sup?

Eensy Weensy Spider.....Yeah, not so much. Though he was small as tarantulas go, he would have filled the palm of my hand (had I been INSANE enough to attempt to pick this hairy bugger up). That would make him 3-4 inches across, including his fuzzy little legs. GAH.

It's the rainy season, and a young tarantula's thoughts turn to love...cue the Barry White music. After a day of thunderstorms, the streets are, well, crawling with these guys in my neighborhood. Kind of makes walking the dogs an aerobic activity, where you can reach target heart-rate in 0.1 seconds flat.

But despite my fear of spiders, I do rather like these guys. They move very deliberately and gracefully, and really aren't interested in cross-species or human interaction. I would even call them elegant. They are normally quite phlegmatic when you come upon them. They want to just continue doing their own thing...but if you get too close, they will kind of take a defensive, crouching stance--and then suddenly jump several inches straight up in the air. Once you change your underwear, if you go back and molest the tarantula any further, they will turn around, raise their spidery little butt at you, and flick horribly irritating hairs (called urticating hairs) right at you. Just like tiny porcupines. The hairs are apparently quite a surprise to the recipient, and will raise a rash, cause your eyes to blur/tear, and in general make you uninterested in further tarantula macros shots.

Know the worst thing about macro photography of tarantulas? When you raise the camera up to your eye, look through the viewfinder, and suddenly there is no more spider in the frame. WHERE DID HE GO?? Ayeeeee. Recommended action is to give the girly bug scream, jump backwards several feet, and re-acquire tarantula target *immediately.*

All kidding aside, I'm rather fond of these guys--when observed from a distance of not less than five feet. However, I don't enjoy going out the the garage to get a beer and finding one of these chilling in front of my outdoor fridge...which is where I snapped this picture.

I believe this is a Mexican blond taratula, but someone who knows better will have to correct me if that's not the case.

Monsoon tarantula, August 2008. Sedona, AZ.

Uploaded on Aug 17, 2008

1 comment

Geometry

Skyscraper under construction near Pike Place Market's iconic main entrance (on, where else, Pike Street). Nothing special, I just liked the patterns and colors on this--and the sun peeked through the overcast for about 12 seconds while I was framing this shot. Made the yellows, reds, and oranges really shine against the blue windows.

Seattle, WA. 2008

Uploaded on Jun 9, 2008

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Gas Prices Bedamned

My idea of a good time involves taking my SUV and heading down a road like this--hopefully not meeting anyone else the whole day.

Of course, when I took this, gas was about $1/gallon cheaper, but whatevs. It's still my ideal afternoon.

Somewhere east of I-17 and west of the Bell Trailhead (also the Apache Maid trail is nearby, for those who know the area). En route--the long way--to Montezuma Well on a balmy winter afternoon in Northern Arizona.

Uploaded on Jun 9, 2008

4 comments

"No Pictures, Please!"

A shy sea otter spoils what would have been a perfect shot...woulda coulda shoulda.

Actually, he was grooming himself--somewhat obsessively. After I took this photo, he curled into a ball and went round and round in the water, taking care of some, ah, intimate personal hygiene issues. I'll spare you the photo, since this is a family site.

Sea Otter at Seattle Aquarium. May 2008.

Uploaded on May 25, 2008

1 comment

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hmaxwell's photostream

Monsoon 2008

'Sup?

Geometry

Gas Prices Bedamned

"No Pictures, Please!"

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