Short break from the rain

We've been in a seemingly perpetual rainy weather pattern lately. I even called off my normal Saturday visit in favor of Sunday which was a bit better. Everything was wet and humid but at least the sun was popping out here and there. I did see one Oriole, a couple of Downy Woodpeckers and one Deer, but mostly the smaller things were more noticeable today. Milkweeds often catch my attention as I scan them for Monarch Caterpillars. Too often though I run across something else like this spider. Of all things, I'm actually quite freaked out by spiders and I really don't know why I took this photo -I guess it was just different. In various parts of the park, Cottonwood seeds were floating through the air so thickly that it actually looked like it was snowing. I tried to seek out a darker background so it would show up better in a photo. The seeds are collecting very heavily on the south side of the park -even on the water. I saw lots of other insects on the trail and took a few closeup photos just because I wasn't really seeing anything else. As I was coming back to the parking lot I noticed these small purple and white flowers. I don't know what they are but I know they are pretty common this time of year.