I moved on to dirt removal from the cinder block garden. I removed a couple of loads down the street to Mom's extra pots and a low spot in her yard. I removed a couple more to another neighbor's low spots dug by said neighbor's large dog. My dogs helped me in this process and pretty soon I was filthy, my dogs were filthy and the neighbor's dog was a little dirty too. Apparently, in the spring it's a lot of fun to stand under a streaming barrel of dirt. Who knew?
During the dirt removal I noticed a big hairy black neon green eyed spider who was behaving very aggressively. This is unusual. USUALLY, both the hairy neon green eyed spiders and their neon blue eyed hairy counterparts are very laid back. So I carried her over to the cedar tree, and she got MORE aggressive rather than jumping happily onto the cedar tree as planned (by me).
"What the hell is your problem?" I snarled at her. I was hot, I was pretty much over the whole yard frenzy and just wanted to clean up. I put her back in the cinder block garden and she jumped right back on my shovel. What a brat!
Then, she ran inside the little hole where the handle goes into the shovel. And I knew. Sure enough, I turned the shovel over, and there was her web and her egg case. So, I told her to sit tight, and she did, and we finished our chores together. I carried the shovel back to where I got it from, and leaned it up against the wall, and she popped out and ran and sat on the handle.
I don't make these things up-they just happen. Thank God.
8 comments:
I love your spider story. She was a lucky lady to have you discover her and her eggs.
I also like the dog story. I know how dogs like to "help" in the garden. My dear Luna has a hole she keeps excavated. We fill it up and she empties it on a regular basis. I often wonder where the dirt goes.
so debra got herself a day of hard work and exercise, rolled and reveled in dirt, and not only befriended but empathized with a spider and then made everything right for everyone involved.
i'd say that is a good, albeit, unique day. yay! i'm sensing the moments are getting easier. yay!
I was wondering if there were bambinos around!
But what amazes me most is that you KNEW this behaviour was uncharacteristic for a black hairy neon green-eyed spider!! And that you asked her what her problem was. You're too much!!! I love it :)
I told Mom my spider story and her response was "I hope the neighbor's don't hear you talking to spiders" and instead of feeling bad about that, I nicely said "what would it hurt if they did hear? I mean really, as long as I KNOW they aren't going to answer me back, who cares?"
Then I distracted her with the monkey grass story-which horrified her even more (I knew it would) because I was heard, CUSSING.
The good news is, I got to share part of my day and we were still speaking at the end of it, so we are learning to tolerate each other a lot better.
Now, in the backyard no one (like anyone cares) can be sure if it's me or Oliver saying crazy things-I bet I could even FART back there.
Ok, I opened the door, I'l admit it. Yes, I DO fart in the backyard, any time I want to -ever since I got the privacy fence. I guess if I can't see their reaction, I don't care, but the truth is, I doubt anyone ever hears it anyway.
I fart in the front yard too, but only if no one else is around. So now you know.
That is a great story but the fact that you knew this was unusual behavior blows me away!
I've like spiders ever since reading Charlotte's Web. It's odd, because I'm not a big bug person, but spiders I can pick up without a shudder. Beetles, with their scratchy feet-that's a struggle for me, even though I know they are harmless and the spider is not (always).
What is blowing me away is that she picked up the spider. She PICKED IT UP!!!! AHHHHHHUUGGGAHHH
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