I visited the wetlandsin Florida one time with a local friend. We balanced on fallen logs to avoid stepping on snakes hidden in the undergrowth. On several occasions, giant webs blocked our path and we nonchalantly picked them down (“just take the yellow thread last, that’s the sensing thread”). Today I found out the owner of such a web is most likely this badass, the golden orb weaver. 
It EATS BIRDS if they fly into its web.
*Shudder*
(On a somewhat related note: Fabric made of the yellow threads from a million golden orb spiders)
After waiting around for a while, we even got to meet a fantastic old gator (at least his nostrils). I was in a state of respectful awe, my friend was less impressed. In my eyes a living fossil, lion of the sumplands, sovereign of the food chain. In his, a toddler eating beast. How different we see things that are exotic to us from those close to us, though they may be exotic to others.
I think it was on the same day we took a break from swimming due to a snake that wanted to swim too. Ever seen a snake swim? Totally fascinating. So we let him have the pool for a while, until he eventually got tired and zig-zagged off.
Good times.
For the urban jungle; I had to let my wonderful porch box stay in the old flat (only good thing about that place), and the chances of getting anything like that again are miniscule. As a consequence of this, I’ve signed up for tending a local organic community garden, and can’t wait until growing season! Yes, those things do exist here in Oslo too, they’re just better kept secrets than over in Scotland, where they generally are better at that sort of thing. COME SPRING COME SPRING COME SPRING
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