High winds from this storm last night broke a huge branch off Teagan’s tree, pulled the lower powerline to within inches of our fence, and the lines started arching in the trees. My neighbor alerted me of the problem early this morning. Fire department staff stood out and watched the cottonwoods south of the broken branch catching fire and going out from the arcing powerline into late afternoon before the tree trimmers showed up to cut the tree back.
The branch is on the right. It’s hard to see between the irrigation ditch and our fence in the bamboo. The branch is about 12 inches (30.48 cm) thick.
A zipper spider blocked one of the deck doors last night. She had packed up and moved on when I checked on her this morning.
Closeup of a zipper spider between Iceberg Rose and the corner of the deck.
Bromiliad
Mid-morning
Skinny Mantis
Spunk grooming Marble
Sunset
Off Center & Not Even 
Oh boy! That power line situation could have turned out way worse!
The zipper spider is muy cool. And the bromiliad! Wow!
Another thunderstorm blew through while they were working on it. Lots more wind and lightning. Thanks, Dale.
Oh dang! Mother Nature has been fierce lately.
The winds of Thor blowing hard. Thanks, Dale.
Jeez Louise!!
And Thelma, too!
Woo hooooo!
I’ve never heard of a zipper spider before the wwb is cool! Are they dangerous?
They are not dangerous unless you are allergic to their venom. Thanks, Leenda.
Or my arachniphobia hits, and I try to run but fall!!
The broken tree…
free flowing electricity,
Marble & Spunks sociability,
Skies you capture amazingly,
Skinny Mantis, a new one on me…
The Zipper taken so artistically…
A big thank you from me!
You are welcome, Inchie. Lots going on today.
And kindly shared. Cheers.
That’s delightful!
Thanks muchly. Tim’s photography, impresses me. 👌🏻
A beautiful collection, Tim. I’ve never seen a zipper spider. Interesting marking. Incredible!
Thanks, Michele.
Welcome and happy Monday!
Wow! Lots going on in your neck of the woods. Glad everything is okay.
Thunderstorm season is leaving its mark. Thanks, Nancy.
Well, that all sounds like an adventure for you all…. One you could do without. Great pics though.
The tree trimmers worked through the night, cutting on the trees. Thanks, Shey.
That was good.
I had to look uop dertails of the zipper spider. I work with animals but I’m not big on insects.
Glad to see that despite it’s appearance, this one is good to have around for all the other bugs it eats … still looks scary to me though. 😀
We like all our spiders—even the Black Widows. Thanks, Cee Tee.
You were lucky that power line short wasn’t worse.
And I’m so grateful of where we live in England.
Though the wind was fierce here mid-week. We had a branch break off of one of our small trees in the garden due to the wind. No damage as ut landed on the lawn not the green house x thankfully.
And wow to those spiders.
Lovely photos Tim.
The cottonwoods are large and brittle, so huge branches break off easily. One of our neighbors said a branch broke off one of her trees and crushed her car. Another person said it was good you were not in it. My neighbor’s husband, who is a lawyer, said, “Yes! But I would have received more insurance money had she been in the car!” He was joking, of course. Thanks, Sue.
Laughing, but no joke, 😉. Take care Tim. X
I am surprised your power company wasn’t out there, too, keeping an eye on things. Did they send the tree trimmers?
There was a branch on a big tree across the street that came down some years back. That was some KABOOM it made and started a fire in the branch across it. I think it took a transformer out with it, too.
I couldn’t get a hold of the power company. The FD finally did. The fire marshal got the tree trimmers out. The tree trimmers worked through the night. Falling branches cause all kinds of problems. Thanks, Lavinia.
I love the Argiopes! I see more of them and the mantids some years than others.
Spunk grooming Marble – so he is a hairdresser along with his many talents?
Spunk grooms her for a while and then attacks her. Sometimes, she attacks him first, but either way, their grooming usually ends in a fight. Thanks, Lavinia.
Glad you survived that storm without too much damage, we are still bone dry and everything is brown over here!
Holy freakin’ frijoles! I would have had a huge panic attack. I’m sorry my namesake caused so much trouble, Tim. No damage to your house or vehicles, I hope? Yesh, that’s a heck of a storm. We didn’t get anything at all down here. We’ve had very little rain this monsoon season.
The kitties giving each other a bath is a calming sight after all that. Hugs.
Whew, glad you and property are okay, Timothy.
Amazing photos Timothy. That Zipper Spider is beautiful… not that I want to be friends. Just saying.
oh no, not Teagan’s tree! Wow, great captures of the spiders so beautiful, Tim!
Quite the storm. Those cloud photos are something else. And that spider, it looks like a big one.
Zippers are big. Thanks, Sandra.
fabulous pics, Tim, especially of the skinny mantis and the zipper spider — what a specimen !!
Thanks, John.
Glad everyone is okay. Great photos of the spider and her web. Hugs to the cats.
The kitties send purrs and kitty kisses. Thanks, Gigi.
I see the branch! I call it Waldo.
Neat shot of that zipper spider. Scary but beautiful. Why did I think it was going to look like a zipper?
Aww, Spunkie-Poo 💋! How loveable. Does he clean Marble a lot?
Lotsa neat shots. Thanks Tim! xx
They lick each other, which usually ends in a fight. Thanks, Resa.
Hahaha! I know that tactic of attack. Ahhh, cats!
Wonderful photos! Glad you’re safe.
Thanks, Dawn.
We had a cyclone start of last year and that caused a poplar to drop onto the lines! Nasty stuff ..
I’m pretty sure we have the zipper spiders here too. How lovely Spunk grooming Marble
Populars are brittle like cottonwoods. The grooming ends in a fight. Thanks, Julie.
Funny how grooming ends in a fight …
It’s like always.
Well, that answers my previous question about the storm – trying to get caught up and going backwards.
Live with brittle trees, high winds, and powerlines and strung on poles. Thanks, Brian.
I’d never heard of a zipper spider before, much less seen one!
The a big and beautiful. Thanks, Liz.
You’re welcome, Tim.