Monday 4 January 2010

MONDAY PHOTO-A-WEEK 2010

2010 began with a rather emotional start for us after hearing some devastating family news on New Year's Eve. It was most upsetting and left me feeling quite depressed and teary for a few days but......today, I'm beginning to feel more hopeful for a positive year ahead.

As you may guess by the post title, our photo group is continuing on for another year. YAY! If you're interested in joining us, please check out the picture link in my side bar under 2010 happenings....we would love to have you on board.

I don't know what it is at the moment with the insects around here but I seem to be coming across quite a few different species that are pretty much in the process of dying. It's almost like I'm living in the middle of an insect graveyard.


This poor Praying Mantis was the latest casualty.




I drew him, with some sadness, in my journal



...sadly, this Stick Insect won't be far behind as he's behaving very sluggishly.



This Christmas Beetle, with his beautiful metallic-coloured armour, was added to the recently deceased insect list the other day.



I'm not sure about this Rhinoceros Beetle though.



I haven't seen a Rhinoceros Beetle in years so ran for the camera when I spotted him underneath our pergola today. He was huge, at least 2" in length, and he hissed at me constantly. He was a fast little bugger too making it very hard to get a decent shot of him so he certainly didn't seem to be in the throes of death. After our photo shoot, I put him into the bushland behind our back fence where, hopefully, he will live out a long and happy life.




I'll be posting about my chosen word for 2010 over the coming days so.....stay tuned ~


Love, light and peace

22 comments:

  1. sad about the bugs but would have been very cool seeing all the fruit bats :)

    I love beetles, such interesting l looking animals

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  2. I hope you find peace and comfort with your devastating news my friend. I hate to her that you are sad. I will send positive vibes to you and your family.

    I love the pictures of the bugs. I don't ever think I have seen half of them. Fascinating!

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  3. Serena, I'm so sorry that you've been dealing with a sad and difficult situation...please know that I'm thinking of you and holding a place a hopeful resolution for you. ((hugs))

    The insects are amazingly beautiful but it must feel quite unsettling to be finding so many dead ones. Perhaps the universe is sending you a message about rebirth and new beginnings...the person you were, has been left behind (shed the old energy) and the new you is stepping into a new life that is more in tune with who you are now?? Just a wild guess!

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  4. How strange and disturbing about all the dying insects. Has there been a recent spraying of pesticides or herbicides? Do they do crop dusting in Australia? If so, maybe there was a drift of the dusting over your area? I hate crop dusting- just seems crazy to spray toxic chemicals over a wide area from a plane. But it's a common practice in the States. And we wonder why the Earth is so ill?

    Aren't those Rhino beetles the strangest looking creatures? I had never seen one until we moved to FL.

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  5. okay...I looked.... albeit rather quickly scrolling through the lot of them....

    insects and spiders...not my fav.... but, then, I don't mind snakes or mice, which are not the fav of others. I always laugh when I remember an older cousin who used to run shrieking from the house if we tried to show her our pet hamsters...hahahha.... poor Georgette...

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  6. Yikes! A bug that hisses at you! I wouldn't like that....I'm not a fan of bugs. As long as they stay away from me I'm ok. I do remember the praying mantis from when I was a kid but I haven't seen one in years.

    I'm sorry for your bad news.

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  7. Other than sluggish flies in the fall when the weather gets colder, I have rarely seen a dying bug, I guess, now that you brought it up. Is that a normal thing in the summer? Does it get too darn hot for them like it gets too cold for ours? hehe! That rhino beetle is so strange! Do they fly at all?

    I always enjoy your sketchbook pages and am glad they have photo Monday going again this year. :):)

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  8. Hi Serena,
    Love your photos of bugs this week, gosh I wouldn't have known half their names! lol

    Oh, not good getting bad news on
    1st Jan. I hope you're feeling better as each day passes.

    My dear Mum was born on 1st January and she also had bad news of an Uncle passing away.
    Warm hugs,
    Anna

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  9. Sending you peaceful warm thoughts...May your heart find calm during this time.

    Your photos are exceptional as well as your art...I cannot believe it has been so long since my last visit... I totally missed wishing you blessings for the season...Hugs to you!

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  10. a 2" bug? Really?? That's impressive. We don't grow them that big here. How odd that so many are dying. I hope nobody has sprayed anything nasty near where you live.

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  11. Serena, I'm sorry to hear your year started out with sadness. My heart goes out to you and I wish you happier and brighter days ahead.

    you sure do have a lot of LARGE bugs in oz! I admit they are all very beautiful and maybe not as scary as bugs here.... but how sad that they are dying! :(

    Hugs to you my friend.

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  12. Oh Serena, what an entry. We don't have/ see bugs like these, they are gorgeous. Love love love your photos and your journal entry is just beautiful. I was going to say the same thing, that maybe it was a recent pesticide spraying. I know we've seen that happen here with not just bugs after they sprayed for mosquito's. So sad.

    I'm sorry to hear about your sad news, I hope things are looking brighter now. I wish you much happiness and a year full of great things.

    Big hugs,
    Sprite

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  13. Dear Serena, sorry to hear about sad news...

    The pictures are amazing, learn a lot from your pictures

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  14. I hope it's only the insects who are affected by whatever is making them ill. But your photos were very interesting. I love the mantis and the rhino beetle!
    I hope the coming year is much better to you and your family...wishing you brighter days ahead.

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  15. sorry you have had sad news, I can only hope it gets better for you. Love your sketch of the praying mantas and love the bug photo's.

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  16. I'm sorry to hear you've had distressing family news, Serena. Hoping all will be better in time (and sooner rather than later, if the universe can work it out!)

    Those insects were fascinating. I don't believe I've ever seen a one of them live. We have mantises, but not like *that*, and the Rhinocerous beetle frankly scares me a bit. You are very brave to have snapped those last shots with him hissing at you. :)

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  17. Love the close up insect shots, just great

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  18. Fantastic photos! Love the drawing of the cricket.

    Big hugs on your news. Hope everything will be okay :)

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  19. sending you kind and warming thoughts to help you through your difficult times...could be the insects are another loss from global warming..too hot for the little creatures...I put out shallow basins of water in the summer for the birds,bees and bugs..take care..

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  20. I am so sorry to hear about your sad family news...i hope there is hope...and i have you in my thoughts and prayers!
    xoxo- Julie

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  21. Just wanted to add that I hope things are dealing okay with the horrible news? The new year didn't start out very well for me either--doesn't sound as bad as what you are dealing with--but things have smoothed out over here. Or as smoothed as they are going to get, I guess. I hope you all are okay? Prayers your way. :)

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  22. Dearest Serena, sending you a big hug and lots of love! Bless you so much!

    The photo's are brilliant!
    Loved the rhino bug.

    Hugs!

    Julie

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