Sunday 30 May 2010

Bank Holiday weekend

Bamburgh

Spittal, Berwick upon Tweed

So of course it's cold, and windy, and wet. At least it is here in the North East. I'm so pleased I didn't plan a day out on one of Northumberland's beautiful beaches with ham sandwiches and a bucket and spade.

Puzzle picture

A glimmer of sun appeared for about 2 minutes earlier, and wrought changes on my new babies. Yes, folks, I'm going to stop being a cat and mouse bore, and become a garden spiderling bore....

They had been hanging in a tight droplet formation when I saw them this morning, swaying in a rather stiff breeze, and illustrating perfectly the superb strength of a near-invisible web. Last night they tucked themselves into a groove in the wooden door. As soon as the sun flickered momentarily through the cloud, they began to spread.


I'm intrigued by them, and need to learn more. How long will they stay together? How will they disperse? Do they care if it's cold or sunny? When will they start feeding? If they ignore small prey, favouring wasps and flies, do they go hungry till they grow into the adult whopper? Shall I give them all names?


Anyway, I see (mad fanatical light fading from eyes) that the poor starved clematis has picked up no end since I repotted it into a large recycling box. Very nice, dear, and it's lovely to see you growing so tall.  Keep it up.


Now I'm back inside, with socks and central heating on, watching the drizzle begin. It has a persistent look about it - Bank Holiday determination. I hope the sun is shining with all its might where you are. So unfair!

14 comments:

Sue said...

I'm afraid I can't share your enthusiasm for the spiders,they are the only creepy crawly I don't like, irrational I know. The clematis is lovely, I always have trouble with the one we have in a pot perhaps I should re pot ours. As for the sun, it's trying but not very hard. Enjoy the rest of your weekend.

Linda Bob Grifins Korbetis Hall said...

love all the images except one, the spiders, they look creepy.
Happy Sunday!

Bee said...

The sun is shining, tentatively, here . . . but yesterday it drizzled all day. What is it about Bank Holiday weekends?

Happily, it is allowing me to catch up on my blog reading.

Do I understand you to say that you replanted your clematis in a box?

rachel said...

A large, black plastic recycling box (no longer required after we were changed over to wheelie bins) is ideal for replanting from pots if you're planning to move house! I have several, and the plants love them, ugly though they are.

Susan Frances said...

Yes..names would be good, and you could put dabs of 500 different colours of nail polish onto their little backs so you will know them again!
Beautiful clematis..do you know the variety?

rachel said...

Something to do with weddings, as I recall....

Jinksy said...

Now you have me wondering who gives the spiderlings breakfast, until they are large enough to find their own? You don't think Mama DIES on purpose to give them something to feed on? Nature does have some odd customs...

rachel said...

According to RO's link, the mother dies in the autumn, so this lot are literally on their own. Maybe I should find foster p - no, that's too silly.....

Rattling On said...

I love the goings-on in my garden, the frogs feel like extended family (!). It's great when you stumble on things, and record them. I'm enjoying your arachnodiary.

BumbleVee said...

I can definitely feel your pain.... yesterday we had 0C and snowflakes... after having it up to +27C almost two weeks ago.... this morning it is so dreary and wet and dark enough that I have all the lights on in the house. I've been baking because I love the oven on when it's like this.

No gardening...no golf...not playing out there AT all... new little annuals still sitting in pots and buckets..... sigh.....

Lynda (Granny K) said...

Sunny and windy here in B'pool - no surprise there then.
Now about these little spiders - tiny ones are ok - medium to big ones get the card and glass treatment and are put outside. Enormous ones cause me to panic and scream - yes, i'm one of those women! I then give them the card and glass treatment if i can, or i'll make a lot of noise to scare them away. The first scream usually does it though!
In autumn when garden spiders make big webs i refuse to go into the garden, which is like a small jungle by then, because I have a phobia about walking into a spider's web and getting it on my face. You would be able to hear me screaming where you are! Shudder!

the veg artist said...

Despite the cats and dog, your plants, blog reading and general Mrs Danvers duties, you obviously have way too much time on your hands!

Pam said...

Central heating!!!

Goodness. This goes to prove that you should move to balmy Edinburgh. (I'm lying just a bit. But we don't have our heating on.)

Von said...

Love those spiderlings!! You won't be able to move until they're adults!
Grey and drizzly here too, it's almost the first day of Winter.

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