The Jar Is Now Full

of cicada nymph shells, collected over three summers.

Now I need to figure out what, if anything, I should do with them.  Get a bigger jar, maybe?

Cell Division

Mitosis or meiosis, I couldn't tell.

A Zombie Staircase

This stairway may well be considered "dead", since its useful life has ended;  however its physical existence continues, so maybe it's better to call it a "zombie" staircase rather than the "ghost" of one.

Rather Remarkable

I was just walking by when I happened to look up and saw this tree branch.

It was visually a little confusing at first due to the profusion of greenery, but I quickly realized that it was a dead branch, a disconnected limb that was all that remained of a tree that was no longer there.  But then, I wondered why the branch had not been removed along with the rest of the tree and instead was left to hang in the fence.

I stepped closer, and the answer became clear.

The branch had not grown through the fence, but rather had engulfed that bar like an amoeba, incorporating it into itself, and continued to grow.  Why was it allowed to grow that way? -- it must have taken many years for it to happen!  Was it simply neglected until the branch grew so far out over the sidewalk as to create a possible hazard to tall pedestrians, or at least a bothersome obstacle, by which time it was too late to remove it from the fence without undue effort?

Jailbreak

 

Cicada Grubs

Otherwise known as nymphs.

Not this kind

But these:

I think I'll call those squaring-off ones Hector and Achilles.

*A Small Death

Today I went back to the tree from yesterday, to see if I might find that cicada nymph's discarded shell.  Sadly though, this is what I found instead:

 

It looks like the nymph did undergo the final molt and emerge as the imago, but it had been so weakened by the arduous climb that its strength gave out and it died without ever taking flight.

How can I be sure it was the same one from yesterday?  While I cannot be absolutely certain, the fact it was the only one left on the tree (I'd plucked the lower shell on the tree to take home);  it had begun to veer toward the right when I left;  and that when I discovered it, it was crawling away from the tree rather than climbing it, could have been a sign of some genetic defect, one that was affecting its navigation faculty and maybe some other functions as well.  Evolution at work, ruthlessly weeding out individuals that are not up to species' standards.

*"A Small Death" is the title of the short story I once wrote, described here.

It's Been A Year Already

Or, to paraphrase Truman Capote, "It's cicada weather!".  On my evening walk earlier I came upon a cicada nymph slowly making its way across the sidewalk.  Only, it was going the wrong way;  it was crawling away from the tree whose roots it had presumably emerged from, instead of climbing the tree.  So I carefully picked it up and placed it on the tree trunk.  I stroked its back for encouragement and watched it climb for a little while, then left.

Four Descents

 

Butterfly On A Wet Afternoon

Creepy Eyes

I was out on my usual evening walk when I noticed this shadow on the ground.

In my mind's eye:

Related post:  Monster Eyes In The Sidewalk

"Paper-Thin" Stairs

I de-colorized this innocuous photo of a sun-drenched rooftop cafe, and suddenly that shadow under the stairs looked like the side of a solid staircase.  Actually, the stairs are just a steel sheet folded to form steps.  Looks almost like one of those visual illusion photos.

(Dead) June Bug In July

Found a June bug on the pavement that had been partly crushed (I had to blur out its spilled-out innards;  it was just gross).  I guess June bugs are pretty much the same everywhere -- it looked just like the ones I remember from back in California.

Pareidolia

of a somewhat eerie kind.  Reminds me of a pirate flag.  Or even the "Yorick's skull" scene from Hamlet.  If this is the effect the builders were going for, I guess they succeeded.

Five Days Later

Today was supposed to be -- if not cool, then at least less hot, so I decided to set out on foot in the middle of the day (haven't done that in a while) to revisit the flower I liked so much last week.

It was no longer alone.

Lake Spider

For one who experiences the "normal" aversion to spiders and such, I've posted quite a few spider and other bug images.  Could it be that I actually find them interesting and attractive -- under some circumstances at least? 😏

Bug On A Leaf

Some subspecies of tiger beetle, I think.

 

More Spontaneous Order

A paper cup that somebody crumpled and thoughtlessly tossed on the market floor, flattened under the wheels of many a cart pushed along by inattentive patrons...

The fold along the rim of the cup alignes perfectly with the edge of the vinyl floor tile.

Escher Would Be Proud (I Think)

As usual, I was going about at random, checking out whatever happened to strike my fancy.  So I happened upon this rundown old building (natch), I entered, and I started photographing the interior, paying particular attention to the stairwell (also natch).

I had a feeling about this particular shot.

So I got rid of the most obvious visual cues to its original orientation, turned it upside down, and it became quite disorienting.  In fact, there were moments while I was playing with the image when I actually became confused as to which direction was the true "up".

Then I got the bright idea of reversing the chiaroscuro, and the confusion became compounded.

Because in actuality the top photograph is the upside-down one;  the second one is the right-side-up original!  The sequence starts with the image "flopped" (not to be confused with "flipped"), but it sure looks normal, doesn't it -- at least to the casual gaze -- especially in the negative version.

Another "So Random"

First a bag of leeks, and now a sack of onions.

Lone But Tall

Today I visited a stone shop, to see what I could see and maybe pick out a gift for someone.  It looked to be within walkable distance on the map, so I set out on foot despite the afternoon heat.  As it turned out though, the place was a disappointment.  The stones displayed for sale were not all that interesting overall -- in fact I can say they were really kind of "meh" -- but as I left the shop feeling I'd wasted the whole sweaty trip, I saw this lone tall flower and immediately realized the trip had not been a waste after all.

True Sun (And 2 Pretenders)

One of the would-be usurpers, at least, is mounting an earnest campaign to try and outshine the original, but the other one has recognized the hopelessness of the challenge and is not even bothering.

The Ghost Of A Leaf

I unthinkingly walked past it while crossing the street, then a moment later it registered in my brain and I had to turn back and photograph it.

Looks like some inattentive worker painting the crosswalk stripes laid down the paint over an "errant"😉 leaf.