The Contrapositive Spider

I know, I know. I should never, ever again, in all the history of blogging, have to post another spider picture.

But I'm going to today.
And then I'm done.
Hopefully.

But first a story.

A couple of years ago I planted hydrangeas in my backyard. I love hydrangeas...white hydrangeas, and purple hydrangeas, and blue hydrangeas, and pink hydrangeas, and green hydrangeas, and well, you get the idea. But these weren't really hydrangeas I planted. They were just stalks of wood. With a leaf or two. (Long story...don't ask.) I dug up the earth, poked them in the dirt, and have spent the last two years wondering if they would ever grow and bloom.

Imagine my delight when this spring I looked out my window and off my deck and saw those stalks of wood all full and green and covered with buds!

YAY! I actually squealed with delight at this sight! And waited anxiously to see what color they were. Really.
I had no idea. Because the stalks of wood I plopped into the ground were just plain brown.

Well, now my hydrangeas are in full bloom and they are...white!! Yay!
This is nothing too special because most hydrangeas are white. But still, I love white hydrangeas!

In addition to being white, these hydrangeas are loud.
Very loud.
And for days they have been screaming at me to come inside.
In a vase.
For my table.

So the other day I went outside with some scissors and snipped away a beautiful bouquet. And I brought it inside to strip the leaves, snip some more, dip the stems in boiling water, and rest them in a vase of cool water.

(You should know that displaying freshly cut hydrangeas is actually a little more complicated than displaying freshly picked dandelions.)

While I was snipping one stem I saw this little white bubble sitting on top of a bloom.

So I picked it up.
And guess what...

It was a spider!!!
Yes, you read that right. A spider!
That I picked up!!!

Then put down...
Quickly!

Then I watched. It was the most beautiful little spider I have ever seen. Creamy white, and exactly the color of my hydrangeas. Its little bubbly back even looked textured like my hydrangeas. I took pictures. And I could not bring myself to squish such a lovely creature. So The Man put it in a little container for me. And I carefully deposited it back on top of one of the hydrangea plants...outside.

You should know that when I dropped it on top of the plant, its legs turned green to match the stem it was clinging to. And its body stayed white to match the bloom it was partially resting on. Very cool!

But ever since I have been trying very hard to forget about the thought of what color it might turn if deposited on a very dark slice of rotten potato. Oy.

The Spider

The Hydrangeas

The End

Spider Proof!

Warning: 

This post contains graphic images and is not intended for the faint of heart. 

Please proceed at your own risk. 

You may want a throw-up bucket nearby. I'm just sayin'...

Last week I went to camp. I learned that mobile blogging probably works. But me and my good intentions probably don't. At least while camping. So now I get to catch you up on stuff this week instead.

If you remember, just before going to camp I posted about the spiders that are the size of small hamsters. In case you thought I was exaggerating, which I never do, I brought you photographic evidence. Proof.

Here is photo one:

Okay. Is there anything about this spider that does not shout, "ICK!!"? I think not! 

Here is photo two. Some Brave Soul threw a Sharpie beside it so you could get an idea of relative size. 

I was not that brave soul:

See that white dot on its head? Yes, that is one of its MANY beady, creepy, unpredictable, 

and conniving little eyes reflecting the camera flash. 

And because of odd angles in a closet space you can't completely tell the size. 

So here is one last pic:

I am certain there is distortion in this shot and that this spider is actually much larger than it looks. 

Much, much larger. 

Really, really certain.

I am also certain that it could actually take a hefty chunk out of my leg in my sleep.
Which explains exactly why I sleep in my van.

(What you can't tell is that the abdomen of this spider is the size of the Sharpie cap. I was not about to pose the spider to make this point.)

We found it in a supply closet in our cabin as we were cleaning on the last day of camp.
Same Some Brave Soul caught this spider and released it into the wild. I did not hang around to watch this.

Ick, Ick, Ick, Ick, ICK!!

Okay. You can put away the throw-up bucket now.

So, also at camp we had this awesome castle that the girls could write down acts of service performed for them on paper "bricks" to cover the castle walls. It was a great way to remind the girls about the importance of "doing for others" and was a stunning visual of how many took this reminder to heart.

This is how it looked on the last day of camp.

Isn't that amazing?

There were all kinds of wonderful things recorded that one girl had done for another.

Things like:

"Made my bed"

"Gave me a piggy back ride"

"Spoke kind words"

"Carried injured Princess"

"Helped me feel included"

All kinds of important, kind, and thoughtful acts of service.

But there were others that really caught my eye. 

I took pics to share.

What acts of service could possibly be more thoughtful, kind, brave, 

and full of selfless love than those involved in squooshing gigantic spiders? 

I think none!

Thank you, Oh, Brave Ones, for keeping our sleeping legs intact!

And there you have it. Proof. Proof that it's not just me. Or my cabin.

And that there is always, always reason to sleep in my van.

Life is Good

10 Things That Made Me Smile Today

1. Pine nuts on my salad. Little crunchy packages of tasty nuttiness. I love them!

2. A vibrantly pink sunset. How I love the Midwestern sunsets! They add something breathtaking to my life nearly every single night.

3. Driving a very hilly section of town faster than the speed limit. And getting that stomach turnover thingy that I did as a kid.

4. Walking out the door into heat and humidity that hit like a brick wall. I love how this feels! True story.

5. Walking in the door to air-conditioning that instantly chilled. (I dont' really love how this feels, but it makes me smile to know I can walk right back out to the brick wall.)

6. A little girl in the parking lot incessantly sucking in and out of a harmonica while her mom browsed the perennials. If you haven't incessantly sucked in and out of a harmonica and driven everyone around you crazy, you haven't lived.

7. Randy at Costco. : )

8. A really good workout!

9. Peanut Butter M&M's. Kept in the glove compartment of my car so they are all melty and warm. One of my favorite summertime treats! If you have never tried this, you should. Yum!

10. And this:

Isn't she just about the most beautiful girl you have ever seen? I think so, too. 

And I can't think of a more lovely reminder to find the things that make you smile.

Every day.

Life is Good!

Going to Camp

Today I am going to Girl's Camp.
Five days of outdoor living with 120 girls between the ages of 12 and 18.
This sounds a little tortuous. And sometimes it is.

But I actually really love Girl's Camp!

Except for the sticky heat.
And the dirt.
And the mosquitoes.
And the dirt.
And the ticks.
And the dirt.
And ants.
And mice.
And snakes.
And dirt.

And spiders the size of small hamsters.

Not making this up. They are that big. And sometimes they carry their whole baby brood on their backs. I'm sure they do this in hopes of us sparing their hairy, squishy lives. And sometimes it works, because who wants to deal with all those scattering little spider babies? But I will not bow! When I see those crazy spiders moms all I can think about is how everything is cute as a baby, even kittens, and then it grows up. I know that one day those little clingy spidey guys will be the size of small hamsters. Just like mom. So I have no problem calling someone else to kill the sulky and conniving females...and their broods.

This week I am going to try something new. Mobile blogging. From my cell phone. Because there are always great things that happen at camp and you don't want to miss out, right? I have no idea if this will work. But you might want to check it out just in case!

Now wish me luck with the slimy showers, poison ivy, and 120 girls who giggle and scream all through nights
1-3, and cry all through night 4...

Signing off with a large can of spider spray, ear plugs, and enough chocolate to last through a seven year drought. Yes, you can be my friend. I like to share. : )

Hasta la Vista, baby!

PS. Here are some cool spider pictures for your Monday enjoyment. Because I want everyone to enjoy spiders as much as I do!

PPS. I don't really enjoy spiders at all. They are creepy. And unpredictable. And not at all cute. Even as babies.

Bragging Session

Every once in awhile I have to do it.
I just can't help myself. I try not to. But the mother in me can't be stopped.
Every once in awhile I just have to brag on a child of mine.

Today is every once in awhile. 

This is Kid One. She coaches ballroom. And she is FIERCE! 

(Photo courtesy of Kid Middle)

On a recent trip I got to watch Kid One run a rehearsal for her High School Ballroom Team in preparation for their Spring Concert.

And let's just stop right here for a moment and dissect that last sentence...

Run a rehearsal
High School
Ballroom

Team

Preparation

Concert

Is there anything about the combination of these words that is not intimidating? I didn't think so! 

But at the rehearsal I watched this sentence in action and was amazed at the things that Kid One can do!
And I decided to share. So you can be amazed, too. : )

I'll start with picture teasers. Because everything is more fun with pictures!

Here is a rehearsal picture. I took it.

Here is a concert picture. I did not take it.

Okay. Now is a short list of what Kid One does to put together a 1-hour, 21 dance Ballroom Concert. Organized numerically, not topically. Or chronologically. I have no explanation as to why this worked better for me. 

Design, print, and cut 500 tickets.

Design and print 350 programs.

Burn 45 performance DVDs.

Teach 24 mostly willing and slightly experienced teenagers everything from the Cha Cha to the Quickstep.

Set lights for 21 dance numbers.

Choose music for 17 dance numbers.

Costume for 17 dance numbers. (And by "costume" I mean everything from sewing skirts for the team to choosing and purchasing clothing and accessories. On a teacher's budget.)

Choreograph 15.5 dance numbers for mostly willing, almost willing, inexperienced, and slightly experienced teenagers. Then teach said choreography to said teenagers.

Cut and edit music for 15 dance numbers.

Teach 14 almost willing and rather inexperienced teenagers the basics of social dance.

Invite 4 guest dance numbers to perform to add variety (and help boost ticket sales - marketing!).

Design 2 separate posters for display.

Video record 2 separate performances.

And...keep 1 husband happy throughout the process!
(Or maybe it's have 1 husband keeping Kid One happy throughout the process...!)

I know. Doesn't it just make your head want to spin around until it spins clean off?

This doesn't even take into account all the hours Kid One puts into running extra rehearsals. And being in charge of the Dance Department at the High School. And writing tickets to students parked in the teacher parking lot.

(Did I mention she is only 24? Yeah... I have no idea what I was doing at 24. It certainly wasn't writing tickets to students parked in the teacher parking lot.) 

Anyway, now I have more pics to share. Yay! More pictures! 

Here are some photos from the rehearsal I visited. I took them.

Kid One teaching the boys about...lines. And holds.

Kid One teaching the girls about....lines. It's very important. See them experimenting with head position?

My kicks. I have no idea how they made it into this post. 

Working it out together!

: ) 

No caption here. Just a smile. 

Because this makes me smile. 

: )

The girls. Looking all fierce and stuff. Like Kid One. She's a good teacher.

And here are some photos from the concert! A Mom took them. With a lens I envy.

Recognize these fierce girls? 

Rockin' the Tango in skirts Kid One made. 

She gets her sewing genes from her mother....in-law. 

The Lindy. In leos she designed.

Rumba Doble. In dresses she altered by cutting a sleeve here and adding a ruffle there.

A close-up of above dress. And a really cool pose.

A shot from the opener.

I have no idea what this is from. But I like the kid at the front so it stays.

Ta-Da! 

Final pose of the concert. 

Impressive, isn't it? And all because of Kid One! 

Phew! After all her work I need a nap. 

Bragging session over.

PS. Did I mention that Kid One also puts together a Winter Concert and takes her team to at least two competitions each year?

Okay, bragging session really over...

: )