The other day when we went to the fish market, Gary went inside to get the fish and I walked around to harvest some leaves. While I was walking around I saw these wonderful
climbing wild aster blooming.
The large heart shaped leaves are
kudzu, the aster has the smaller darker green leaves.
Later I noticed some
bamboo bark lying on the ground. I collected these three pieces to bring home with me. As I was getting in the car Gary said he had been bitten on his legs by
no-see-ums. They itched him for over a week. I was spared as they were near the water and I didn't go over there. When we got home, I had Gary rub baking soda water on his legs which helped with the itching, and he used some lavender spritzer which also helped. Gary counted 92 bites on his legs; only Gary would count them. Ha.
At home out by our pool we noticed this strange spider and found out it's a
spiny backed orb weaver. Sometimes the little things in life are just what's needed like flowers, other times not, like no-see-ums. Thanks for reading and for all your comments.
I love the aster - beautiful colour and shape.
ReplyDeleteWe get orb weavers too - they are such a strange looking spider - fascinating. Fortunately we DON'T get no-see-ums. I respond very badly to insect bites and I shudder to think how I would cope with 92 bites... Poor Gary has all my sympathy.
No-see-ums in December? Maybe I don't want to live year round in warm weather. I've had some very bad experiences with no-see-ums.
ReplyDeleteThe asters are lovely; kudzu looks good but.........
I've seen a number of spiders like that in central GA. I just called them crab spiders because they remind me of crabs. Thanks for the full story.
ReplyDeleteThere are advantages to living where you do...asters blooming...blue sky...colorful spiders (that one is a rare beauty for sure). Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteI've never seen kudzu up close. I have seen the pictures of whole hillsides covered with it and read about what a problem it is. Your little spider is really interesting-looking. Those darn no-see-ums would be easier to avoid if they were as visible.
ReplyDeleteThere are so many colorful and unusual critters in the south....with odd names :) Nice to look at them far off.
ReplyDeleteI can't stand spiders. They are so creepy looking. Lol. Too bad your hubby was bitten 92 times. I wasn't bitten a single time during the 2 weeks we were in India. Isn't that amazing?
ReplyDeleteHi Elephant's Child, thanks, yes I am glad I didn't get the bites either, Gary said they really itched.
ReplyDeleteHi Suzi, thanks, it was on a warm afternoon by the water, we live at 95 feet and don't have no see ums here thankfully.
Hi Lori, thanks, look up crab spider and you will see that there is one and it doesn't look like this one at all.
Hi Helen, thanks, yes I guess there are advantages to living just about any place if one takes the time to think and look around.
Hi Ms. Sparrow, thanks, I guess they like still air, so if a fan is run they don't land on you.
Hi Dee, thanks, yes look at a distance is a good motto.
Hi Gigi, thanks, that is amazing I would have thought you'd have gotten a mosquito bite, you were lucky.
I've heard of kudzo being used for weaving. It's interesting that you showed the bamboo. My brother-in-law just cut down some 30 'bamboo and gave me some pieces. I had never seen the part of the bamboo before that you posted. I now have some and am wondering if I could cut it into strips and work into a basket. I seem to be being nudged into weaving.
ReplyDeleteHi Gayle, thanks, I read where kudzo can be used for weaving and forgot about it, I need to go back and get some. I also did a search on google before this post and found one place that sells 4 ft long pieces of bamboo bark for weaving but I have never tried it. These pieces had naturally fallen off of some of that really tall timber bamboo. I love the look of bamboo. How thick is your bamboo? You probably need to harvest the skin while it is fresh and then let it dry but I am not sure about that. Let me know how it all works out. I am going to take a basket weaving class in February and am joining a basket weaving group in Spring Hill which meets once a month. I hope to learn a lot. I love working with my hands.
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