Artists Blog

It’s been overcast, drizzly and HOT. Steamy like a Costa Rican jungle. Not that I’ve ever been in a Costa Rican jungle, but I almost feel as if I need a machete to cut through the air, it’s so thick.

My Mountain is in there somewhere….

Uni today was using cameras in different ways. I’ve used my telephoto lens as a macro lens for these  luscious red berries. Like bunches of miniature pomegranates.

“Spring” in the tropics has unleashed all manner of triffid-like growth with berries and blooms.

My lecturer told me today that he saw my photo in the weekend newspaper - all news to me as I didn’t bother with the papers this weekend. I did hunt a copy down this afternoon.

The competition has now closed, and judging begins. No cash prizes, but a chance to have your work printed in some limited edition posters.

Back now to the drudgery of homework…..

In the pre-dawn light I followed the flight of this bee, who with a single mindedness of purpose, gathered pollen from the waterlillies. No other bees about, just herself and her determination.

That crazy Sunbird is at it again. She is obsessed with singing, and now dancing with her reflection. Over coffee yesterday with our neighbour, he told us that she has ruined the rubber strips on his car windows, where she will sit for hours with her reflection as companion.

If she can also see herself in the wing mirror as well as the window, she goes into raptures.

Today she was dancing, which was something new.

She doesn’t seem to mind if you watch her either.

An OCD Sunbird for sure. Who leaves a trail of poop wherever she dances.

Another yellow guest is raking in the native bees on our front deck.

I try and save them, but they constantly hurl themselves into the sticky web. Every little white blob in the web was a hapless tiny native bee. How many bees can one Northern Jewelled Spider eat?

He is so shiny and stripey, just like an enamelled brooch sitting in the middle of a perfectly shaped web.

Underneath he wears polka dots.

I am not a fan of spiders, but there is something quite mesmerizing watching this one go about his day. He’s never in a hurry, ambling slowly over to the latest bee, injecting it with something horrid, then going back into the middle of the web for a snooze. He’s about the size of a 5 cent piece now, and will get to about 20c worth. If he lasts that long. He has precariously built his web right alongside some huge hairy monster who’s web is well over a metre wide. This little jewel may well be dinner for his neighbour some night soon…..

Dash to the clothesline at twilight this evening and almost put my hand on this nasty fellow - The Robberfly. He was busily draining the life from a hapless native Aussie bee (stingless).

Robberflies inject mega powerful saliva into their victims that liquifies their insides. Robberfly then sucks it up through its straw-like proboscis (ala Jeff Goldblum in The Fly). They have a nasty bite to boot if disturbed.

Later went and blew the empty bee husk off the clothesline.

Lots of other suckers round here. I was able to watch this spider dance a duet with a cicada from my kitchen window earlier this year.

It is a St Andrews Cross Spider, so called because of the intricate cross woven into the centre of the web.

From Life Sucking to Life Injecting, The Man and I thoroughly enjoyed ourselves with the girls from NYC, catching Sex and The City at the movies today. It brought back so many wondrous memories and images from the time we spent there. Such a fabulous city, I’d be back there in a flash if the chance came again.

Anything that doesn’t inject a sense of feeling wonderful is a Life Sucker soooo, now I am going through my wardrobe with a critical eye (mindful of Carrie’s Toss or Take philosophy), and being ruthless with outfits that don’t make me feel fabulous. The Toss Pile is growing by the minute……