Saturday & Sunday, September 23 & 24, 2023

[Dave]

Good day everyone.

Here's another shot of the same orb weaver spider I posted yesterday, taken after I re-positioned myself 180 degrees, so it turned out less illuminated...

   

I wish us all a good weekend.

[Don]

Good morning Dave. The markings on the spider are pretty cool. Makes me wonder how different insects and spiders "develop" the colors and patterns.

Earlier I posted a photo of the New River Gorge bridge. Here is a photo of the old bridge, in use for many years before the new bridge was constructed. Now called the "Tunney Hunsaker Bridge", it crosses the river at the river level. Still in use by primarily tourists I suppose. It was a fun drive going down the curvy roads into the gorge.

The next two photos are from Thurmond, WV. A coaling tower used to store coal to load into steam powered locomotives, and one of the abandoned houses there in Thurmond. Looks like it was a pretty nice house at one time. May be a little distorted because of perspective.The tower was built in 1922.

[Man From Ironbark]

The orb weaving spiders, I've often called buddha spiders because the pattern usually develops into an apparent sitting buddha. However, Mr Mandelbrot would probably be most upset.

[Luv2shoot]

I actually see a mean-looking face looking down made by the patterns on this spider's back.  It is really threatening-looking.  And I were a predator, I would think twice about eating this spider.  Good one, Dave.

Don, you have really historic structures there.  I especially like the coal tower and house.  Wow, that house looks huge.  I wonder how long it has been vacant and what the interior looks like.  I would say it must have some great woodworking inside considering how fancy the exterior looks.  Those three big windows must have had a beautiful view of the land.  I am sure it is a tear-down now.  Good find, Don.

Well, I looked in my archives to see what I could come up with to share.  I found this chapel from a group shoot visit to an old cemetery in a town north of us.  I took this with my fish-eye lens but it wasn't anything special and I decided to send it through my Dynamic Auto Painter software.  This way I will have something to post for Sunday Siiders on Flickr tomorrow. 

LORELL

PS. Rich, to answer your question about the photos that we share, we do view the photos on a HUGE screen (probably 70+ inches) TV.  We have a nice room at the community center which we rent for $15/night.  It is a great deal.  The TV sits on a wide TV stand so that we can practically look at the images at eye level.  It is excellent.  In the last place, we had a projector that displayed the images on a pull-down screen from a computer that was hooked up to the projector.  We are definitely spoiled now.

[Man From Ironbark]

I like the treatment of the chapel shot. Gives it a personality.

It being Sunday for me, I thought I'd bring some light into your day.


As for such spiders, this pattern is quite interesting.

[Luv2shoot]

Another beautiful design on a  wee creature . Isn’t Mother Nature amazing?

[Man From Ironbark]

It almost looks like it is macrame or something along those lines.

[Rich]

Before my day gets away from me I will post these photos. Lorell asked about the procedure to make the Murals on the Corn Palace. First is a long shot of the mural under construction. second and third is the " road map" with the corn colors they will use.

I will return to comment on the amazing photos put up this weekend.

[Rich]

Dave, well exposed and focused. A spooky spider!

Don. all three very interesting! Good looking bridge and good camera viewpoint!
House was very good looking in it's day I would bet!

Coal chute has held up very well!

Lorell, That would be awesome to view them on a 70 inch TV!
Love the lighting and adjustment's you made on the  chapel. You have absolute control of that fisheye lens.

Peter, nice sunburst and spider shots.