Surprise!

We all had surprises this morning!

Thinking it looked like imminent rain I set up the tripod for some freesia shots from my birthday flowers. Faffing as I was with the extension tube, I was slightly startled to see this lovely grasshopper enjoying being enveloped in the gorgeous lemony blanket of petals with a dollop of pollen on his head. Think he was probably just as startled to see me! Then we both jumped...... as over the top of the petal came this intriguing little zebra spider right into the frame. OMG down the lens at the time just for a split second it seemed huge! :)) He did appear quite surprised to see my camera in his face and didn't like me either!

In reality Marty (from Madagascar fame) was only 5mm big, and did seem quite cute; maybe it's the huge eyes a bit Disney like, as it jerkily moved around on the flowers up and down the stalks. Although he has 8 eyes the two front ones are the most prominent and give him excellent binocular vision. Jumping onto the wall, looking, turning, watching me occasionally giving me the run around, I managed to keep up for a bit - but he was a tad speedy and so small! Did call it a day balancing/wobbling on a wicker chair with the tripod fully extended at an awkward angle into the roof, getting nowhere!

While typing this we have had the most torrential downpour which shouldn't have been a surprise as it had been threatening for hours and I now look like a drowned rat as had to rescue all the washing on the line!