Friday, December 04, 2009

hasta la vista, Bug Lady

[click on any picture to enlarge]
You meet interesting folks in the blogosphere. One recent find was Joan from South Africa. She called herself "Bug Lady." She took lots of remarkable photos, and I loved to visit her blog. The macro shots of bugs were astounding, and this lady had a great sense of humor.

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She has stopped blogging now, and I miss her. That reminded me of how I have learned to numb myself from the pain of losing people. Yesterday, a dear family moved out of the country. One person moves away or changes jobs. Another passes away. In Joan's case, she closed her blog.

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We need to make sure that we make the most of it when people are here, because you never know when they may be taken away by any set of circumstances. Who knows, but that it may even be us, who are shuttled off to who-knows-where.

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About the bee... Those two pics are of a yellow-jacket. One of my sons found a dead bee and brought it to me. (You can see the clear tape that I used to hold it in place.) I was thrilled to have this opportunity, because I had been so eager to photograph ocelli. Those are a bug's tiny simple eyes, located in the middle of the forehead. Most of the time, we only see their large, compound eyes, but some bugs have more than two... and it's not just spiders.

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Anyway, it means a lot to me that we can "visit" by blogging. Hasta la vista, Bug Lady. (sigh) I think I'm gonna need a mug of hot cocoa.

15 comments:

Shammickite said...

You're right about missing people, even in the blogworld. I wonder what happened to Martin? I miss his pics of my home town.

imac said...

Too true, altho its better to have loved and lost than not loved at all,
its a pity that we have to have pain in order to have joy.
Anyway Craver, you did a mighty fine job photographing the Bee.

Gaelyn said...

Craver, nice piece for Joan. I already miss her. But if it hadn't been for this wonderful lady you and many of us probably wouldn't be taking pics of bugs. BTW, spiders are not bugs.
Love the macros you got showing the other eyes.
See you over the cocoa.

Craver Vii said...

Shammy, I miss Martin, too. I wonder if wearing a straitjacket makes it too hard for him to blog.

I know, Imac. I just feel a little down sometime from so many good-byes.

She definitely inspired me to take better macros, Gaelyn.

Forgive me if that is sloppy vocabulary to include spiders with bugs. Of course, I use the term in its looser, more general reference to arthropods, not "true bugs" or insects.

SAPhotographs (Joan) said...

Oh Craver, has anyone ever told you that you are wonderful?? Thank you from the bottom of my heart for this. I do miss everyone SO MUCH!! I was so glad when you joined my blog, you always brightened up my day.

These bee photographs are outstanding my friend quite as good, and better than I could have done. I miss you too!!

L.L. Barkat said...

I've never been good at goodbyes. I don't think I ever will be. (Um, no pun intended at the end there :)

This Is My Blog - fishing guy said...

Craver: She will be back I'm sure. Love your little bee, neat photo.

Anonymous said...

goodbyes are a pain in the bee hive.

EG CameraGirl said...

It is difficult to lose old friends, and such a joy when and if they come back into our lives. I agree with Imac that it's better to have loved...well, you know the rest. :)

mommanator said...

you are so full of info! 3 eyes, who knew other than you!
We just ahd a fellow from our Sunday school class die unexpectedly. Some were saying they were sorry they hadnt spoken to him more and were concerned more@

Craver Vii said...

Joan... (big hug)

I know how you feel LL, but unfortunately, it's not from lack of practice.

I hope you're right, Fishing Guy. And thanks for the compliment.

(grin) I hear ya, nAncY!

Young ones too EG. ;-)
Yes, I suppose that's true.

Yesterday, I offered to pray for a churchmate Mommanator. She sprung a secret on me; she has cancer. Sometimes people keep things hidden. I guess we just need to try to do what we can with the knowledge that is given.

Wendy said...

Joan stopped blogging?! Why?? :(

I really like your bee pictures, I didn't know this is what a yellow jacket looked like, I thought it was something else. I love how much I learn from you bloggers :)

Craver Vii said...

Joan explained it only briefly Leeloo, and I hesitate to say, lest I misinterpret. It was not clear to me whether she will return.

That surprised me that you have never seen a yellow jacket, since our climates are kind of similar. They are bothersome at picnics, and we TRY to explain that people shouldn't swat at them, but someone invariably does, and they're not always the one to get stung. I've been stung twice. It feels like a burn.

Wendy said...

O I've seen them, but I just didn't know that they were yellow-jackets, haha, I just thought they were normal wasps. I thought they looked more like a fly :P

lime said...

it means a lot to me too. i hate goodbyes, always have.