Category Archives: Just Because

She waits patiently…

Spider on her web. Photo, Andrée Fredette

The web queen. She worked that web between trees and is adding finishing touches. I am happy I saw her before I walked through it.

Some of her colleagues adopt a different approach. They lie in wait on a flower, for example. No nets for them.

Crab spider on a lily flower. Photo, Andrée Fredette

I was fascinated by this one. It even has a pink marking on its abdomen, to better camouflage itself. Impressive. For five days, I returned to this lily and check on the spider’s hunt.

And bingo! On day two, it got a bee. The spider spent a lot of effort dragging this victim around the edge of the petal and under it, in order to package it in silk… for later consumption, I guess. This took several hours and I returned every two or three hours, to check on her progress…

So it goes. As my grandchildren would say, “that’s the circle of life”.

Life on the coast

Above: the Chrome Island lighthouse, near Denman Island, BC.

On a sunny day, the British Columbia coast is unequaled. You can watch all kinds of boats at work and at play … and I’ve decided to share a few examples of the action.

A seiner boat, near Denman Island, BC. Photo © Andrée Fredette

First, a seine fishing boat, with its net all rolled up, travelling the channel between Vancouver Island and Denman Island, on the BC coast.

Crab fishing near Saturna Island, BC. Photo © Andrée Fredette

This is a crab fishing boat. The fishermen are busy hauling in the traps, surrounded by a cortège of noisy gulls.  The fishermen have to immediately sort their catch, throwing back any females, and males smaller than 165mm across the shell.  The gulls hope that some crabs don’t sink fast enough…

Five boats, working together to move a concrete dock to Saturna Island. Photo © Andrée Fredette

This little volunteer armada moved a 200 foot concrete dock from Swarz Bay on Vancouver Island to Saturna Island, some 28+ km over smooth and rough waters… all in the preparations for the annual Saturna Lamb Barbecue. Save the date, the party is on July 1st.

Coast guard leaving the dock, passing a row of cormorants, Hornby Island, BC. Photo © Andrée Fredette

This was taken earlier this spring on Hornby Island, BC, when a departing Coast Guard vessel passed in front of our boat. The cormorants did not seem at all disturbed by the action. Blasé birds…

Sunday sailors, near Pender Island, BC. Photo © Andrée Fredette

And under wind power, a few Sunday sailors head for Browning Harbour, Pender Island, BC.

 

Looking closely

Over the past months, I have taken a lot of photos of landscapes and seascapes. They will start to appear in my photo gallery.

But this post is about taking the time to get close up to things, taking a very intimate approach to photography… 

Queen Anne's lace seedhead, macro photography by Andrée Fredette

Ordinary things hold mysteries, and those are revealed by the lens. Like Queen Anne’s Lace (Daucus carota), that very common wildflower, at the end of the season, all curled up.

Belly feathers of an American Goldfinch. Macro photograph by Andrée Fredette

Or the belly feathers of an unfortunate American Goldfinch, which died after flying into a window.

Condensation on the side of a Brita filter. Macro photo by Andrée Fredette

Or the abstract condensation pattern on the side of the Brita filter.y.
 

Fiddlehead ficus leaf, detail. Macro photo by Andrée Fredette

 
Or the back of a Fiddlehead ficus, all dried up and revealing its patterns in the afternoon sunlight.

Macro shot of kelp on a beach in Ucluelet, BC. Photo by Andrée Fredette

Or the otherworldly creature-like appearance of this kelp bit of flotsam, on a beach in Ucluelet, BC.

Apple, after rinsing. Macro photo by Andrée Fredette

And the drops left on a McIntosh apple, after a rinse in the sink, and before the apple pie baking session…

Playing with my food

Above: a macro shot of laurel leaves, drying in a glass on my kitchen windowsill. With a little filter play, to turn it into a jazzy photo.

After three days of rain and high winds, things are finally starting to calm down. This morning, I played with my food and got a few very close shots of kitchen items.

Here they are, in their glory…

Kiss Summer Goodbye. One of the last Brandywine tomatoes from my garden. Photo by Andrée FredetteOne of the last Brandywine tomatoes from my garden… treated to a little filter play. I love those curves! A tomato with attitude…

 

Laurel Leaf Edges. Almost abstract, photo by Andrée FredetteAnother angle of the laurel leaves, drying on the window sill. It is too much fun, playing with the light and contrast.

So much fun, in fact, that here is one more:

Laurel Leaves Curves, high contrast. Photo by Andrée Fredette

And finally, not quite food, but a jewel-like piece of natural beauty:

Passengers to Nowhere. Barnacles on a clam shell. Photo by Andrée FredetteAnd now, I return to my garden, to right the pots that were knocked over by the wind, and pick up the debris…