Grass Spider Hole

We were well above the fog this morning when I got up, but it looked beautiful as it drifted on layers, lighted by the morning sun, in front of the hills across from us. Just the tops trees on the hills poked above the wispy clouds.

Walking through the field with Ozzie, we came upon a spider hole, surrounded a by web. According to Google:

Grass spiders are represented by 13 species collectively found throughout most of the U.S. and southern Canada and northern Mexico. Like all members of the funnel weaver family, they spin dense, non-sticky webs with a funnel-like retreat where the spider hides.

This one was well hidden, but the drops reflecting the morning sun were pretty.

I continue to try to paint the stand of oak trees next to our property with mixed results.. The gnarled branches are interesting to look at, but don't make a very interesting composition. The trunks are covered with mosses and lichens, and long strands of Spanish moss hang from the branches. These huge trees make a wonderful home for all kinds of birds, but present a lot of problems for the neophyte painter. I'm ready to try something with some straight lines.

Under the oaks, OilMan dug a hole about eight inches deep and a foot in diameter in which to planet some daffodil bulbs. He called me over to marvel at the fact that the pile of rocks he removed from the hole as he dug was almost as big as the hole itself! Backbreaking work with only six more to go!

In the meantime, I replanted my big frog pot, giving her a new "hat" of pansies and anemones. There are numerous nurseries in the area, each with it's own specialty, and today I went to King's Flower Nursery which is still a riot of blooming plants thanks to our "endless summer". If you don't feel confident enough to choose and plant your own pot, they'll do it for you!. It's a friendly, helpful place tucked into a corner of one of Santa Rosa's oldest neighborhoods.