Life: Through the Lens

While investigating my roses the other day, I found my first "unknown" guest of the season. When I scared it from it's spot under the leaf of one flower, she skittered over to the lily bloom on the other side of the fence. She was very fascinating, in that "is it killing my flowers" type of questioning phase. I say "she" because after snapping a few photos I took down my National Audubon Society Insects and Spiders reference book and flipped through the spider templates. There are some VERY ugly spiders out there, and I feel very fortunate not to have seen more than a handful in my life-time. Don't get me wrong - I'm not afraid of spiders. I do have that macro photography fascination for little critters. But I want my relationship with the little creepy crawlies to be purely professional, and on my own terms! There she was. Template number 679. The Goldenrod spider. More information on page 907. Also known as the "Flower Spider" and

Morning is my favorite time of day. I love hearing the birds outside my window and lazily stretching, thinking about the moment. I make it a point to lay in bed thinking about the act of waking up every day - a gift. Thank YOU. Then I'll get up, slip on my tourquoise robe (summer color), pour my first cup of coffee, and look out the kitchen window for a much-anticipated glimpse of our June guests. Sometimes it's "the boys," a group of three young bucks working at growing those antlers in preparation for fall. Lately, however, it's the ladies. There are two mothers, each with new offspring to show off. They come across the field to pick up their youngsters, who scamper playfully through the tall grass, happy to be allowed to run and jump and play after hiding in the wetland all night. One doe has a very sweet young one...spotted and inquisitive. They move East to West across the property, mother intently watching for trouble, an innocent fawn at her side. The other

Besides the parade, the Arts and Crafts show is usually exceptional. This year there were a number of authors, selling their tales of mystery and magic. We always stop at the photography booths, or course; I love to get more ideas on how to display our photos, and what we might do with them as far as gifts and sales. There's so much color and creative energy. While we wandered through the outdoor venue we chatted with people we don't see on a regular basis, talked with vendors and admired their wares, and generally just enjoyed being outside on a beautiful spring day. Great fun. How did you spend your own Memorial Day weekend?

Have you ever had one of those days when just about everything you do reminds you of some other time in your life? Memorial Day weekend we attended the 44th Highland Festival, an annual tradition in our town, and I suddenly realized how long I've been here, and how much of my life has revolved around/evolved here! The first time I ever attended a festival was as a student in college, which was VERY long ago - 1971. In fact, I've even been part of the parade a time or two - like the time I rode with my sorority on a float, dressed like a scarecrow maybe? That memory is fuzzy - I wonder why:). I have built floats, lawn decorations, and attended many a Scottish celebration. But the fun doesn't stop there. Then I settled down here...raising a family...and the fun REALLY began. I didn't have to build the floats anymore, or ride on them, but I wheeled strollers to every parade, then sat on rainy stadium bleachers or inside gymnasiums which absolutely vibrated with bagpipe m