Critters and delicious stuff

Just a quick picture post about all the cool stuff outside my window:

There's a praying mantis in this pic above that I didn't even notice until I loaded it!

I love the color of the eyes of this dragonfly! For some reason, dragonflies are often called the "Devil's steed." I don't get it.
the praying mantis again! Looks like she has a little design on her back.

I thought this was funny. Mantis wants a sneak attack! Maybe i can get a great video of them fighting, you'd be amazed!

The few, delicious raspberries that survived from my overzealousness from last year, added to creme brulee!

Random tame deer that has been wandering our park and doesn't understand the concept of danger until it gets eaten by wild dogs.

It's a bird, it's a plane, it's..........

.... a strange object was hanging underneath the hummingbird feeder today. I only noticed it when a hummingbird seemed to zip in and out at the feeder, but did not eat and appeared to be scrutinizing something green waving it the breeze beneath the base of the feeder.

Upon squinting my eyes a little, I noticed this:

oooh! and I so I went outside to confirm, and yes indeed, it was a praying mantis!

It has been raining like a mofo lately and I think it decided to duck under the feeder for a little shelter, maybe eat a spider or other winged creatures attracted to the nectar, and hopefully not a hummingbird. I can't even imagine a praying mantis eating a hummingbird and think I would be scarred if I did see something like that happen.

I thought I had seen a tiny praying mantis once hanging about one far side of the garden in the bean/cucumber vines a month ago, and left it alone hoping for the best.

I am only hoping that this is another one and that I actually have a lot of them hidden away.

Here's a better pic:
She's givin' me the evil bulbous eye!