It’s no secret that spiders make me screech like a girl, despite how good they are for the environment. I know I’m not alone, but I feel like this is a fear I need to conquer. Here is the first in a series of posts to try to get over my fears.
Do you see the white patch in the middle of the green vines? There is a huge spider in there. I can see the outline of its body and it’s easily the size of a Cadillac. Maybe it’s laying eggs? (swatting my skin as I write this)
I’ve thought about busting the sack open several times, expecting either a big full grown thing to crawl out or a bunch of babies to go softly into the wind all Charlotte’s-Web-like. But then again, it’s right next to my car. Which means if that’s an Orb Weaver in there, I’m going to have to fight it for my door every day. Grandpop’s resident Orb Weaver rebuilt its web dutifully every morning after he knocked it down. In other words, I know what I’m up against and will therefore leave that sack alone.
I started by observing the spider with binoculars. Every morning, I talk myself into getting a little closer. My heart trembles a little less with each approach, and I’m almost excited to see what happens next…
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