{RAIN and MUD}

You might be wondering why I have not yet shown you my SAVED cushions for the gazebo that I posted about on July 8. Well, the answer is quite simple: because of lots of RAIN and MUD. Not the best ingredients for a photo shoot. Don't you agree? 

After husband Pieter redid our Power Wiring from the house to the Gazebo, those washed concrete tiles got all muddy from the heavy rain that came down from the garden...

Planter boxes all muddy and the plank floor from the gazebo got splashed on.

Not yet the time for putting the cushions in those chairs...

A very strange summer where we could not enjoy our gazebo for breakfast, tea, coffee, lunch or supper.

Aside from the fact that this very wet summer created millions of bugs and mosquitoes...

Have you been able to live outdoors?

Related link:
{What is THIS?} | previous post by me showing the SAVED cushions
{New Power Wiring to Our Gazebo} | previous post by me showing Pieter having laid the Power Line.

{Our Golden Silk Spider aka Giant Wood Spider}

In July when we had all that rain, there suddenly were lots of Giant Wood Spiders... You needed to walk the wood trail in our garden or wood garden, with a branch to clear these Garden Critters before having them in your face or caught in your hair. Nice Golden Silk Spiders however, and I did go back to take glamour shots of them.

The female Golden Silk Spider's body is 22-40 mm (about 1") long. The male, which you see above left of her 'butt' is only about 8 mm. 

And yes, these Golden Silk Spiders are venomous but their bite is less painful than that of a bee.

Do you like them?

On July 29 I took these photos in the late afternoon with perfect light on their perfect web.

Again, the much smaller male Golden Silk Spider you see to the right at the top.

This is close to our gazebo.

Here you only see part of the male spider at the top right.

Below this post you find a link that shows two short videos with some more information...

This female is wearing fuzzy 'garter belts' around her long legs...

This shows more of her beautiful silken web and they must be very strong.

After all those torrential rains we had in June, July and August their webs remain in tact!

Another one with her male companion... Those males have the 'upper' hand it looks like.

This one is shown from the under side I guess. Shown is our neighbor's home.

This web is by far not as perfect looking. Maybe she still is weaving it?

Look, another nice one! We have so many along our wooden walk ways. 

Why disturb them? They catch many a bug and with this wet monsoon season we got PLENTY of mosquitoes and you name it.

My mini cat girl Tiggy-Tiger was hiding for them, between these leaves...

Are you scared of Giant Wood Spiders?

These females from The Audubon Society Field Guide to North American Insects and Spiders book, look like they're still tiny. 

Ours are true Giants and seem to be well fed and happy!

Related link:
Golden Silk Spider | showing 2 videos about this giant Nephila clavipes or Wood Spider found in tropical climates
Golden Silk Orb-Weaver | showing this Nephila clavipes or Golden Silk Orb-Weaver - look at the photo showing cape made from this Spider Silk
The gown of gold spun by a million spiders that revives a lost tradition | Daily Mail Online about the silk from Golden Orb Spiders showing above cape worn by a model!

{Our Cereus Oxypetalum Night Blooming Orchid Cactus}

On July 3 in the afternoon, it became evident that our Cereus Oxypetalum Night Blooming Orchid Cactus would open up that very night. Even though in HEAVY RAIN... Perfect for our 237th Independence Day celebration!

This photo I took shortly after midnight in the wee hours of July 4th.

I had moved the entire plant inside our gazebo...

Looks lacy against the Vintage Woodworks ginger bread.

You can tell it is pitch dark outside, I used the ceiling lights in our gazebo.

There were a total of 6 blooms and they are full of rain drops from the torrential rains.

I put the storage container for our cushions on top of the round table in order to place this plant with its trailing blossoms on it.

Again you can see the Vintage Woodworks ginger bread at the top.

Husband Pieter took this photo at 1:45 PM (13:45 o'clock) in the rain.

Can you imagine that in ten hours time they do bud like that?

This is their usual pedestal so their full length can trail down.

In winter they are on the work bench inside our green house.

Again, clad in rain drops and to the right you see our pond.

This photo is taken at midnight, with flash outside... 

It didn't look good so I decided to bring the entire pot inside.

You can see all 6 blooms here.

This photo is a good one, from outside but more close.

Again, now inside our gazebo, after I placed the pot on the storage container on top of the table.

Regardless of the rain, their fragrance was still like perfume in the still midnight air.

 This is a last picture, showing the two top blooms full of tears from heaven...

Hope you did enjoy them!

Related links:
Night Blooming Cereus (Epiphyllum oxypetalum) | My Youtube video from this night
{BONUS - Our Epiphyllum oxypetalum re-bloomed!} | previous post by me
{Night Blooming Cereus (Epiphyllum oxypetalum) Orchid Cactus} | previous post by me
{Epiphyllum oxypetalum buds opening in the evening} | previous post by me
{LOOK how our Epiphyllum oxypetalum buds in only 6 days till THE afternoon...} | previous post by me