Extension Tubes and Macro Photography

One of my first loves with photography is macro photography - closeups of things, particularly flowers.  But I have never been able to get really, really close.  Then I read about extension tubes you add to your camera (as opposed to a $$$$ lens) and picked up one fairly cheap off Amazon.  I had not tried it yet, but decided, why not, in the -23 degree weather!  Seems reasonable to me.

We have a metal table on the patio which is covered in snow for the most part.  The metal is in a mesh pattern and part of the table, where the wind has swept off part of the snow, is exposed and snow is sitting at the junctions of the mesh.

So I get this wild hair to throw on a coat over my yoga pants and top and slap on the extension tube to see what it will do.  I was having issues focusing on items in the house.

What did I learn with my little 5 minute experiment?

1.  It's COLD!  I mean seriously cold outside.
2.  I can get really, really close to the subject matter.
3.  I need to use a tripod.
4.  My depth of field is very small.
5.  Your fingers will stick to a metal table.

I want to play with the tube, removing some of the extensions and using a tripod.  I have a regular one and a tiny, tiny one.  In the meantime, I will content myself with taking pictures through the window where it is warm.