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Nov
26
A string of pearls … and a petition from our neighbours.
November 26, 2009 |
A foggy July morning. We had made detailed plans the previous night over pizza at an old log cabin-style place nestled amidst the Sawtooth Mountains on Highway 21 at Stanley, Idaho.
We woke up at 5 a.m., aiming to reach Galena summit by 8 am, complete a hike to Titus Lake and hit Sun Valley by noon. On the way we decided to stop at a small bridge where the Little Redfish Lake drains into the Salmon River. You know, one of those hop-out-and-in type stops.
As we scrambled to the overlook for a quick peek, we were stopped dead in our tracks by an Orb Weaver’s masterpiece highlighted by the morning dew catching the early light.
We staked out precariously near the edge of the trail as our plans seemed ensnared by this web.
The wind had a decent clip to it and it was difficult to get enough light to have a fast enough exposure. Not enough time to wonder at the protein composition in the gossamer strands that allow the web to stretch like a rubber band or a spring.
Not enough time to wonder at the sheer strength of the fibers, five times stronger than steel capable of stretching 30% without snapping.
A Young’s modulus that is superior to every string that man has produced. Stronger than Nylon. More resilient than Kevlar.
Engineer, Architect and Webmaster gets to work
Most Orb Weavers like their webs clean of debris. So once a day, they will eat up their webs (mmm… protein) and weave a new one within an hour.
Little Redfish Lake (bottom of pic) rushes into the Salmon River, Idaho.
No matter how many times one has beholden such beauty, its tireless.
“Our egos tells us we’re the only ones that have any kind of feelings. We’re the only ones with a relationship. We’re the only ones with family. You know, I think that if you kill a spider, there is a relationship that you’re ruining. There’s a conversation going on outside with the other spiders. ‘Did you hear about Chris?….Killed yeah….Sneaker. And now Stephanie has nine hundred babies to raise all alone. Well, she’s got her legs full I’ll tell you that right now. Chris was so kind, wouldn’t hurt a fly. It’s just been tough for them lately. They just lost their web last week. Those humans think they’re so smart. Let them try shooting silk out of their butt and see what they can make.’”
~ Ellen DeGeneres
Why does a spider not stick to its own web?
Tangled Wires (Pic from stock.xchng)
“The difference between utility and utility plus beauty is the difference between telephone wires and the spider web.”
~ Edwin Way Teale
What can be stronger than a spider’s lair? Well, it is a web that humans have created. A skein of wires that brings readers from across the world to Jugalbandi and opens our minds to the rest of the world. A few of our readers pointed out that our blog has been shortlisted by the INDIBLOG 2008 Awards jury in three categories -
Best Indiblog,
Best Designed Indiblog, and
Best Travel Indiblog.
We are humbled and proud to be part of an awesome collection of blogs. The voting is on from Nov. 25 to December 10, 2009. Please visit some of these other blogs as well. If you decide to vote for us, we and our neighbours will thank you for it!
Happy Thanksgiving,
Jai and Bee
A PETITION FROM OUR NEIGHBOURS
Dear Jugalbandi readers,
The Jugalbandits live in our neighbourhood.
Like other folks from India, they’re friendly and charming. And EVERYWHERE - at the gym, in the store, and on cyberspace. They are a gorgeous couple willing to dispense their nitwit and wisdom to anyone who cares to listen. They’re nice people generally, and … how shall we say it … a bit quirky. They hand out strange looking “healthy” stuff to our kids at Halloween and walk around with cameras taking pictures of stones and sagebrush.
You obviously love them, ‘cos you’ve nominated them in various categories at the INDIBLOG 2008 Awards, and they made the jury shortlist in three.
Indiblog of the Year
Best Design
Best Travel Blog
Fo shizzle. How many million Indians have blogs in English? Five? Six? Fifty? Making the top five means someone must think they are worth the bandwidth (and oxygen) they use up. We’re happy for them, and damn proud.
Voting has begun right now and we beseech you to go and CAST YOUR VOTE FOR THEM because we love them as much as you do. Well, almost. And we dread the consequences if they lose.
What would you do if you were nominated for three awards and won diddly squat? Curse? Curl up in a ball on the couch and cry? Well, Jai and Bee are special.
When Jai’s upset, he goes to the backyard and sings loudly - it’s a long long song that starts with something like “yaaaay kya hua”. It sounds like a goat in a dumpster with a bottle cap stuck in its throat. It makes our children cry, our pets cower and our roses die. It makes Bee’s toenails curl.
She exacts her revenge by eating a plate of kidney beans just before they leave for the gym (in his car). For the next hour or two, she proceeds to emit fragrant little starbursts in his general direction. Jai’s thoroughly earned it, but unfortunately, that’s the gym we happen to visit as well.
Our Homeowners’ Association is in the process of trying to pass an ordinance banning Jai from singing in the backyard or shower or anywhere within 200 feet of any other living creature. There’s another ordinance in the pipeline at the gym banning people from eating kidney beans. There are, however, a lot of legalities yet to be ironed out. Meanwhile, please make sure they win at least one shiny button to put in their sidebar.
Thank you.
Sincerely,
Their Neighbours.
P.S.: What does “Yaaaay kya hua” mean?
Idaho, Indiblog Awards 2008, MUSINGS, Orb Weaver, Photo Essays, PHOTOGRAPHY, Salmon River, spider, Sun Valley, TRAVEL
Voted for you! Love the web pics- both of them
Your creative petition worked. Voted for you already. Anything to prevent Jai from singing and Bee from eating kidney beans.
Love the webs.
Congrats! Off to vote for you!
hahahahaha
Congratulations! And I will gladly answer your neighbors’ petition.
voting done! hope u win guys!
Happy to see urs nominated in more than one. Already voted. Best wishes.
Done. Good luck..Beautiful weaving of the petition…
done
I am one of those nominated in another category, Humanities. Its something i do in my old age. But I was totally moved by your neighbors’ petition, and have just voted for all your blogs.
You have a great blog, and this was a great post with wonderful visuals…
Hope you change your backyard song in the near future (Dec 15) to “Yahoo, chahe koi mujhe jangali kahe …..(with celebratory actions)…..
And Bee, ‘chhole’ are better than kidney beans
Who else will I vote for
I love you guys and I love jugalbandi.
Will vote right now. And I love those beautiful shots…
lovely pic,..
Looks like you’re getting back into form, Bee! And lovely pix, as usual!
I had no idea you two were such a musical couple (beans, beans, the musical fruit, the more you eat, the more you….).
The web photos are breathtaking. Shooting spider webs is one of the trickiest shots ever in my experience, though I am clearly less experienced and not so well equipped as you. Still, it was hard to tear myself away long enough to read your neighbor’s petition, much less vote.
Have a lovely long weekend, and good luck in the contest!
Congrats!!! Great pictures…
I am going to vote right away before you emit your fragrant little starbursts in my direction
Lovely photos. Very interesting about the spiders and their webs.
Congrats on your nomination.
Best,
Paz
Voted for you!
hahah only Jai should clear us what is Yaaaay kya hua … U guys deserve more than one!
Who else can we vote for, but the best!!!
I was laughing out LOUD after reading the petition! Haven’t laughed like this for a while, felt GOOD! Thank u!
The spider web pictures are spectacular! U guys are at the right place, at the right time!
congrats, will vote for you,
cheers!
The petition from your neighbors made me vote. Just kidding! Actually I came to know that my blog has been selected under the Food category just now, while voting for you guys. Thanks.
ha ha ha!
i voted for you guys, but i thought jugalbandi should have been in the best photo indi blog too, your photos are always sensational
Voted!
Loved those pics of webs!
Still laughing at the petition…
OK, you win- you made me chuckle.
Really made me laugh, off to vote for you.. you guys definitely deserve it!
I voted too! Your neighbors are funny folks. I’d also be interested to know what “yaaaay kya hua” means.
yaay - this
kya = what
hua = happened
[...] A string of pearls … and a petition from our neighbours. [...]