A strange (her, or him) in a strange land.

New Zealand is the home to an assortment of unique creatures. The one you see just below is a weta. An insect of substantial dimensions. (photo taken from a Wikipedia article) We also have giant snails and worms. We're all out of giant birds unfortunately; they got eaten.  

I had my own experience recently with a large freaky creature
I was out in our back yard the other day when I spotted some other sort of fantastic critter. Definitely insect-like, but not, because it didn't have six legs. Looked like just four to me. I didn't want to get too close. You'll understand why. 

It is very oddly put together, but it can move fast, when it wants to. Take a look at this...........

As I was moving around behind it, it ran up the ivy on the side of the house.  Then, just as I clicked this, it raced (with a somewhat ungainly gait) upwards and diappeared over the top of the eaves. Hope it wasn't headed for our open bedroom window.  

 I'm in our bedroom now and there it is on the edge.

That's just too weird to be real.

 Success! I knocked it off and it fell to the hard deck surface. Appears to be dead. Talk about substantial dimensions, huh?

What an ugly head and look at those strange mouthparts. How would you like to have one of these attach itself to you? 
This is one for the record books I think. I'm glad I have these pictures of it.   

This has to be the only one of it's kind anywhere.*  Here it is from another angle on my desk.     

* The part of the insect-like, probably mutated, possibly alien, definitely ugly, creature was played by 'Woody,' who was discovered on Kaitarakihi Beach. He was trimmed, dried, finished with shellac and now resides among my collection of 'treasures.'   

I have no idea of what species Woody really is. I removed many roots or shoots that had been growing from 'him,' but since he was drift wood, and had had all but the stumps of these roots or shoots worn or torn away,  I couldn't tell what he started out looking like.  

 From the beginning though, he looked insect-like to me and I hoped to shape him into some sort of creature. Six legs didn't look good on him. They weren't arranged properly so he had to become four-legged.

Is this all somewhat silly for a 67 year old to be messing with? Nah, I don't think so. It feels good to use my imagination again after so many years of 'nose to the grindstone.'  Why can't old guys play a little again?   -djf