Winter’s End
As the weather pulses cold and warmer it is apparent the winter is coming to an end here in Brisbane. For some time I have resisted cutting the grass as to provide the natural flowering of Dandelions of different kinds, and the other smaller flowers that only grow with the grass. I do enjoy seeing what emerges when nature is left to itself, and that it provides for the tiny creatures that persist throughout the season.
Lately the garden Orb Spider has been showing through as the survivor, possibly as there was a big mother to be seen up in the trees for the last few months, web up to two metres across anchored on stays that were up to seven metres long and that no doubt caught much of what passed through the garden, enough to thrive on. Of butterflies, moths and such whose caterpillars still also persist in the shaded greenery.
This was one of the biggest ‘babies’ I’ve seen of the many there are, webs all over the place whose makers I interrupt as little as possible. I am not much inclined to shape nature except to allow what may be and occasionally to introduce a new source of food or colour, one often being the other.
Except amongst the few there is still a certain reaction to spiders, even the smallest can have lasting effects if it bites. Respect is the key, aware we share our gardens – of all kinds – with all kinds.
We are only one kind. Sometimes not kind at all …
Mark Berkery ……. Don’t forget to CLICK on any picture to enlarge it in a new tab – best in FireFox – for me
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Nature's Place 
thanks for the pirctures, they are owesome
You’re welcome Rocío …
Love the pictures and your view of your garden. Thanks for sharing.
Thanks Charlotte.
I find it easy to share my garden with the things I love, like the bees but I have to try so hard to be more charitable to the other things like their predators such as the bee flies, even if they are furry and cute. Nature doesn’t have morals but I can’t look at the cuckoo bees with the same affection. Human nature?
Personal prejudice? Instinct emotionalised and built upon with imagination, that’s human nature.
Nature is not personal, what a world it would be if it was …
Great spider pictures Mark.
Thanks Godfried. I have more for next post – sooner than later.
Beautiful…but…if winter is ending there, does that mean summer is ending here? :( :( :(
Hello Laura. Depends where ‘there’ is? But yes, generally the southern hemisphere mirrors the northern seasons.
Mark, your blog and your writings bring me into a state of pleasantness and peace. Thank you! :)
Thank you Lavinia. I couldn’t ask for more of it … :)
Amazing photography as always. Your detaling is gorgeous.
Thanks Rose. It’s not my detailing, I just capture the image as I can.
What a beautiful spider. Have you been able to photograph the mother’s web? We have webs nearly that large in autumn, but have never noticed them in spring. The more respect, the more kinds find their way and share the garden, and their beauty, with us,
She’s been gone a while now, out of sight anyway. Yes, if room is made they come and take it up … as long as there’s food and shelter to be had.
Beautiful shots of one of my favourite spiders :)
Will I sound a bit of a sook if the very last comment really hit home and brought a tear. Not sure why some people have to kill everything. Not something I’ve ever understood. I had a visitor to my garden a few weeks back, nice guy came, with his wife. He saw my insect hotels with the Rattle Ant and mud dauber wasp nests and asked me if they were so I could catch and kill them :/ I hope he went away with a different view re insects and other wildlife being welcomed in the garden.
Lissa
Thanks Lissa. Fear is why, it’s the easy way out … We, the people, learn glacially.
Love our little orb babies spanning their webs all over the garden now! Some butterflies certainly do like to flirt dangerously close to those webs. One little orby was so smart to setup camp right next to the compost bin!
My usual arachnophobic better half has since learned that there’s nothing to fear from these little guys if you treat them with respect. Heard her relocate one from the washing line with a please dont’ live here anymore mr spider. Thus we learn and grow…
Hey Jake. So there are more Orb colonies about … It’s not easy for some stepping through fear, of them.
I like your attitude Mark, your respect for nature, your humility. An important attitude so many miss is to add to rather than shape nature. I wish there were more like you, humanity desperately needs people like you. Great images.
Thanks Alex. Some might say one is enough of me … :)