Grasshopper Camouflage



grasshopper camouflaged on branch

Unbeknownst to me I was getting very close to this grasshopper when I was checking for new growth on that potato bush branch – until I realized I was face-to-face with this guy! I’m glad I didn’t spook him off! It was a challenge getting good contrast and detail on this picture because of the lighting at dusk and the fact that he looked like a branch and was hard to see. And because after a few seconds he flew over me… Can you tell he only has one jumper leg?


Levitated Mass



Levitated Mass rock

underneath Levitated Mass
Levitated Mass from below

So here it is, the Levitated Mass at Los Angeles County Museum of Modern Art or LACMA. It’s a 340-ton granite megalith and can be viewed from all sides. In fact the negative space and the slot underneath it are part of the artwork. The artist Michael Heizer had conceived of this installation many years ago and finally succeeded in completing his vision in 2012. If you’re planning on visiting, there are lots of great photo ops at and around this installation, including a beautiful park next door with gorgeous plants and open spaces, the La Brea Tar Pits and the Page Museum.

I read a comment somewhere that stated that this rock is almost as big as one of the boulders used to build the Great pyramids in Egypt – puts it all in perspective, doesn’t it? ๐Ÿ˜‰

mel


View from Le Meridien in Munich



le meridien munich, sicht vom le meridien in mรผnchen

After I’ve figured out the child proof lock (it was adult proof too – almost ๐Ÿ™‚ ) I took my little Canon snapshot and reached as far as possible to get this shot. I think we were on the fifth floor; right across from the train station. The Meridien is newly remodeled and you can’t hear any noise from the train station at all. It’s a nice place, very clean.


Green Translucent Spider on Cactus



green translucent spider

Found this guy hanging out between the cacti. When I searched the web it came up as a Green Lynx Spider. Its body was translucent and the legs had spikes on them. There was no spiderweb. Normally I’m a bit scared of spiders, but this guy didn’t look like it was gonna jump (like the little hairy ones) so I got brave and took this picture ๐Ÿ™‚