Crickets & Grasshoppers

Would you just LOOK at this cutie pie?! I was wandering around our property looking for subjects to photograph when I spotted a tiny dark speck on a flower stem. "OH! I know what YOU ARE!!" I crouched down and crept slowly closer and closer, clicking away as I went. The little guy wasn't afraid of me so I got to move around to just the right angle for this nice side view! Hooray!! This is my second day of taking pictures after taking a very long break. I definitely need to practice my distance judgement and correct aperture but I've managed to get some good pictures each day. Tomorrow I'll go back and retake a bunch of pictures that had various issues. The best news is that my delight for photography has returned as strongly as ever. I am so dreadfully BORED of taking pictures on our property but the fact of the matter is that, at macro level, our 26 acres contains a LIFETIME of unique opportunities, Even at normal size, I should be able to find countless interesting images that are different. It's hard to drum up the enthusiasm, even though I know this. However, I'm so happy to be taking pictures again, and I'm excited to explore our world at a micro level for the next week as I hone my skills again! :) Explored on April 11, highest placement, #46

So busy today I only had a few minutes to run out before the sun set to take a few pictures! I was planning to focus on these beautiful purple Brodiaea flowers but noticed this blossom had a tiny grasshopper having dinner, and changed my plans to include it! I've included a cropped version (next picture) to show a closer view of the grasshopper, who I think is really cool! :D Joshua Sylvester (1563 – 28 September 1618) was an English poet. Wikipedia: Joshua Sylvester

Here's a close-up of this lovely grasshopper as it slowly munched its way up the flower petal! :D

Wow, three days in a row where my pick of the day is an insect! I hope you don't mind but I can't NOT choose this adorable juvenile katydid for my picture of the day! I was looking around by our front gate and decided to just plonk down in the grass like I did a couple of days ago, and just sit and look carefully at each of the stems and plants around me. I saw a plantain flower with something on it that looked suspiciously like a katydid...upon closer inspection, I almost whooped with delight because these little guys are so cool looking!!! As it is with many critters, it kept maneuvering away to the other side of the stem, so I had to go around and around to catch it at a good angle. "Quit moving, confound it all!" *Katydid sidles around to the other side* "All I need are a few pictures and I'll leave you in peace, little buddy!" *Katydid crawls down the stem* "Aw, come on! Don't be shy!" :D William Shakespeare (26 April 1564 (baptised) – 23 April 1616) was an English poet and playwright, widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's national poet and the "Bard of Avon". His extant works, including some collaborations, consist of about 38 plays, 154 sonnets, two long narrative poems, and a few other verses, the authorship of some of which is uncertain. His plays have been translated into every major living language and are performed more often than those of any other playwright. Wikipedia: William Shakespeare

This little fellow appears to be saying, "Who goes there?" as he peers down the plantain stem!

I had a few minutes to go outside and just sit in the drying wild grass, absorbing everything around me. It's amazing how much life there is, if only you will stop and observe! I found many little insects, including this darling grasshopper, which was only a bit larger than a grain of rice! Kung Fu was created by Ed Spielman, directed and produced by Jerry Thorpe, and developed by Herman Miller, who was also a writer for, and co-producer of, the series. The series follows the adventures of a Shaolin monk, Kwai Chang Caine (虔官昌 Qián Guānchāng) (portrayed by David Carradine as an adult, Keith Carradine as a teenager and Radames Pera as a young boy) who travels through the American Old West armed only with his spiritual training and his skill in martial arts, as he seeks his half-brother, Danny Caine. Wikipedia: Kung Fu (TV Series)

While I was examining a flower, I noticed a bit of movement nearby and found myself in a staring contest with this cute little guy! He was bold enough to stay for pictures, so I can share him with the world! :)

Last night I made the decision to include one picture each day from my vast store of unprocessed images because there are so many I'd like to share. The fact is that if I choose three pictures from each day's photo shoot, I'd have to wait a whole year before I put them up! Looking in my archives, I found this image of an immature Katydid! I remember that on that day, I was taking pictures of this Mule Ear leaf when I discovered this adorable little guy walking around and doing his very best to avoid me. "AHHHHHHH!!! THE HUGE THING IS STILL THERE!!!" LOL, every time I moved, he would move in the opposite direction, as bugs often do, but happily I managed to get this picture! :) John Muir (21 April 1838 – 24 December 1914) was a Scottish-born American naturalist, author, and early advocate of preservation of wilderness in the United States. His letters, essays, and books telling of his adventures in nature, especially in the Sierra Nevada mountains of California, have been read by millions. His activism helped to preserve the Yosemite Valley, Sequoia National Park and other wilderness areas. The Sierra Club, which he founded, is now one of the most important conservation organizations in the United States. One of the most well-known hiking trails in the U.S., the 211-mile (340 km) John Muir Trail, was named in his honor. Other places named in his honor are Muir Woods National Monument, Muir Beach, John Muir College, Mount Muir, Camp Muir and Muir Glacier. Wikipedia: John Muir

Living out in rural southern Oregon, the wildlife can be found right up to the walls of our home, as shown here! This grasshopper was too magnificent to pass up when I found him by the front door, so I quickly ran in to grab the camera! Did you know that some species of short-horned grasshoppers are also known as locusts when they swarm? In the United States, the only species of ( swarming locust is now extinct ). If you would like to know more about grasshoppers, Wiki has a page here: Wiki: Grasshopper