I used to have a problem, or I should say Annabelle (Distant relative of Marvin ), her full name Annabelle Steatoda Borealis, had a problem.
She'd often slip into the bathroom sink which was far to smooth for her eight little feet to get a grip on and climb back out. I've developed the habit of leaving a clean washcloth handing over the edge of the sink.
She has relatively poor eyesight but she finds the washcloth and climbs out OK.
No, I am not a spider-murdering spider-murderer. I am judge and jury, I make my husband executioner. There is no way I'm getting close enough to Shelob there to do anything.
I usually rescue them and bring them outside, but there have been exigent circumstances in which I have to choose between saving the spider and my wife having a heart attack. Sorry, spider.
Chris, this is lovely for so many reasons (despite the spider as main character).
I think the weather must be significantly different where you are versus Buffalo, because summers generally get really hot and humid in the Queen City. Of course, it can be a pendulum swing from day-to-day, and one year is different from the next. I'd say less than half of the year in Buffalo could be considered "nice." At best, about 5 months of the year present a greater chance to NOT have snow/gloom/cold/rain. If I didn't know better, based on your pastoral prose, I'd be tempted to return to WNY.
Once I recovered from the visceral fear response of seeing a giant spider (photo) on my screen, I admit to finding your rescue tale *heartwarming* - which has everything to do with you and your skill as an author, rather than the virtues of rescuing spiders instead of petting them with the bottom of a heavy-soled boot.
So, you go on being the sweet and gentle friend of all nature that you are (and I wouldn't have you be any other way), while I huddle over here with Demi and your wife plotting spider murder of the most spider-murdery sort.
I have not spent much time in Buffalo, so I don't know. I suppose there are better years and worse years here too, but it's probably better than Buffalo because we're not right on the lake. Though that's just a guess.
I have long liked animals, but I think I have gotten more friendly to nature over the last 15 years or so. Now that everyone has a video recorder in their hands at all times, we are getting a lot more video footage of animals, and seeing it has changed my outlook. I used to think they were just kind of robotic and simple, but crowdsourcing has shown us that they are smarter and more emotional than we had known. Even simpler creatures. Once I started to understand that, my outlook changed. And now I see things I did not see before.
A little secret—in spite of her reflexive terror at the sight of a spider, my wife has learned to accept the presence of cellar spiders (Pholcus phalangioides) because they stay in their webs. So that's some progress!
She's benefiting from informal exposure therapy. My terror is somewhat less than it once was, because I've had to deal with spiders whether I like it or not. Above a certain size, however, I go full-on instinctive, irrational, gibbering fear. I can't reason my way out of that.
As for Buffalo weather, yes, being on the lake makes a big difference.
I, too, have become more of a nature-lover as I've gotten older. I never could have imagined how fulfilling and *right* it feels to have that sense of connection with nature. I always thought people who spoke of it were a little corny. Then I experienced it, and understood that it is something essential that's been missing from my life.
I love sitting on the lanai listening to bird song, even using the Merlin app to identify the birds. I also derive immense pleasure from puttering around in my garden, learning about the many benefits of companion planting, and making plans to attract more beneficial insects and pollinators to live among the fruit trees, vegetables, flowers, and foliage. I'm even willing to share some veggies with the local wildlife, as my goal is to cultivate an ecosystem. Except for the feral cats that want to use my planting beds as litter boxes. They can EFF off.
"She's benefiting from informal exposure therapy."
—Yup.
"Above a certain size, however, I go full-on instinctive, irrational, gibbering fear."
—Yeah, size matters. Though for Judy, it's the ones that roam that bother her more than the ones who stay in their webs. She thinks they're stalking her.
I had a couch on my porch in Missoula and over the couch, a cookie spider the size of a large gumball had made a web. I just let it be (mostly because I would have needed a hunting license for something that big), but it was a little freaky to have it right there.
"I never could have imagined how fulfilling and *right* it feels to have that sense of connection with nature."
—Agreed, and I want more. Judy does too, I think. She lights up when the flowers come, or we grow a bit of food.
" even using the Merlin app to identify the birds."
—I was doing the same thing, but with YT videos on my tablet. Robins and cardinals and all the rest.
"to attract more beneficial insects and pollinators"
—I was just talking with our neighbor (chicken neighbor) about growing some wildflowers between our houses. (They want to start keeping bees.) We'll see if we get around to it!
"Except for the feral cats that want to use my planting beds as litter boxes"
—I feel you. I had a planter in my cute little guest house in Venice (CA) and I turned it into a zen garden. Five minutes later it became a littler box for several local cats. Di¢ks.
Beekeeping is gaining popularity in this modern homesteading movement. I love it. I'm happy when I see the bees all over my yard feasting on the buffet of camellias, azaleas, hibiscus, fruit blossoms, and more. I'll be adding way more flowers for them once I get my veg seeds planted (which should have been done a month ago, but I keep running into issues getting my drip irrigation set up off of the existing sprinkler system). If your neighbors do that, they'd give you honey that couldn't possibly be more local - awesome!
Judy is right about the non-web-spinning spiders being stalkers. Those a$$holes do the same to me. When I run away, they literally chase me, the creepy mofos.
"I'm happy when I see the bees all over my yard feasting"
—I have a tradition of sticking my head among the bees on the cherry blossoms when they pop out each spring. Plenty of nectar to go around, and they don't seem to mind.
But later in the year, when the pickings are slimmer, the bees seem to get a bit more agitated and hostile. Adding some wildflowers will help.
"When I run away, they literally chase me, the creepy mofos."
—"Wait, Leithian, come back—I just want to be friends…"
Jumping spiders are incredible in their intelligence. They are now becoming very popular pets. (Too small for me, personally, but I appreciate those people who put in the dedication to raise them!)
these spiders bite me. Usually I don't kill anything outside, but what has more than 4 legs inside the house, sorry guys ! here in GA crocuses are long past LOL. Even the narcissus are gone. Peach, pear have bloomed, now the apples are, and the pine pollen have rained out. Up to the oaks. Several neighbors already mowed their grass. I don't have a lawn, just a yard. I stopped calling the invading brambles weeds, I now present them to friends as My Blackberry patch. Same thing sweeter name. And the next part is 'my wild herbs garden'. That water channel looks nice, if you manage to finish it! but beware of the snakes, they do love water.
My wife's grandson bought a used red firetruck. Don't know what he intends to do with it.
Years and years ago I would usually murder any spider in my territory. Now when I find one in the house ( or just about any bug) I try to save it somehow. How do you put it outside in the cold? This torments me. How do you save a baby ant? More torment.
Wow as a radicalized arachnophobic, it appears I’m in esteemed company🤔🤭✨ with one exception. Several years ago I focused only on the commandments during Lent and was startled to intuit that “Thou shalt not kill” has no modifiers. I had a lot of confessions to make and I changed my ways by rehoming spiders outside my house instead of killing them. Don’t get me wrong I’m a reflex-smacker when startled so there’s still the occasional murder-by-fright incident. But my spider body count has radically declined. Here’s a little known fact that my brilliant oldest son taught me. Grasshoppers attract spiders. I don’t remember the science but it so happens we cut sunflowers at a farm last fall and a grasshopper came with. I found that charming and left him in the bouquet I arranged on my kitchen bar. Eldest says “you gotta get that grasshopper outta here”, why says I “because you’ll have spiders”. Okay…I just said I’m phobic but I found this a bit of a stretch even after he explained the science which was something to do with smell. Anyhoo, within 36 hours I started seeing spiders on the ceiling above the bar on the light fixture above the bar and on the bar. Grasshopper now has free range in our back yard lol and ‘poof’ no spiders to be seen once I kicked him out. It’s like a family member coming to visit and bringing a gang of unsavory pals along. Lol
I love this story! Thank you. And I am glad Marvin didn’t jump. Maybe the plastic fumes stunned him? Happy Spring! And how great you are taking Bitcoin now 😉.
I love spiders. My one exception is when they invade my sleeping space and then all bets are off. Too many horror stories of spiders crawling in mouths and ears during sleep. I have to draw the line there mr spider.😉
I used to have a problem, or I should say Annabelle (Distant relative of Marvin ), her full name Annabelle Steatoda Borealis, had a problem.
She'd often slip into the bathroom sink which was far to smooth for her eight little feet to get a grip on and climb back out. I've developed the habit of leaving a clean washcloth handing over the edge of the sink.
She has relatively poor eyesight but she finds the washcloth and climbs out OK.
That was very kind of you. Was Annabelle wild or a pet?
Wild and reincarnated many generations, I think Steatoda Borealis has a 2 or 3 year lifespan.
They have a big round abdomen, right? Makes them a little scarier looking. Like, what is inside that abdomen? Is that where they keep all their venom?
No, I am not a spider-murdering spider-murderer. I am judge and jury, I make my husband executioner. There is no way I'm getting close enough to Shelob there to do anything.
I usually rescue them and bring them outside, but there have been exigent circumstances in which I have to choose between saving the spider and my wife having a heart attack. Sorry, spider.
That would be my husband’s preferred method, too, but he lost a spider on the way to the door one time. 😳
Yeah, exactly. That's why I had to murder that one recently. If it'd gotten loose in her office, it would have been………bad.
Chris, this is lovely for so many reasons (despite the spider as main character).
I think the weather must be significantly different where you are versus Buffalo, because summers generally get really hot and humid in the Queen City. Of course, it can be a pendulum swing from day-to-day, and one year is different from the next. I'd say less than half of the year in Buffalo could be considered "nice." At best, about 5 months of the year present a greater chance to NOT have snow/gloom/cold/rain. If I didn't know better, based on your pastoral prose, I'd be tempted to return to WNY.
Once I recovered from the visceral fear response of seeing a giant spider (photo) on my screen, I admit to finding your rescue tale *heartwarming* - which has everything to do with you and your skill as an author, rather than the virtues of rescuing spiders instead of petting them with the bottom of a heavy-soled boot.
So, you go on being the sweet and gentle friend of all nature that you are (and I wouldn't have you be any other way), while I huddle over here with Demi and your wife plotting spider murder of the most spider-murdery sort.
🤣🤣❤️❤️🕸️🕸️
I have not spent much time in Buffalo, so I don't know. I suppose there are better years and worse years here too, but it's probably better than Buffalo because we're not right on the lake. Though that's just a guess.
I have long liked animals, but I think I have gotten more friendly to nature over the last 15 years or so. Now that everyone has a video recorder in their hands at all times, we are getting a lot more video footage of animals, and seeing it has changed my outlook. I used to think they were just kind of robotic and simple, but crowdsourcing has shown us that they are smarter and more emotional than we had known. Even simpler creatures. Once I started to understand that, my outlook changed. And now I see things I did not see before.
A little secret—in spite of her reflexive terror at the sight of a spider, my wife has learned to accept the presence of cellar spiders (Pholcus phalangioides) because they stay in their webs. So that's some progress!
She's benefiting from informal exposure therapy. My terror is somewhat less than it once was, because I've had to deal with spiders whether I like it or not. Above a certain size, however, I go full-on instinctive, irrational, gibbering fear. I can't reason my way out of that.
As for Buffalo weather, yes, being on the lake makes a big difference.
I, too, have become more of a nature-lover as I've gotten older. I never could have imagined how fulfilling and *right* it feels to have that sense of connection with nature. I always thought people who spoke of it were a little corny. Then I experienced it, and understood that it is something essential that's been missing from my life.
I love sitting on the lanai listening to bird song, even using the Merlin app to identify the birds. I also derive immense pleasure from puttering around in my garden, learning about the many benefits of companion planting, and making plans to attract more beneficial insects and pollinators to live among the fruit trees, vegetables, flowers, and foliage. I'm even willing to share some veggies with the local wildlife, as my goal is to cultivate an ecosystem. Except for the feral cats that want to use my planting beds as litter boxes. They can EFF off.
"She's benefiting from informal exposure therapy."
—Yup.
"Above a certain size, however, I go full-on instinctive, irrational, gibbering fear."
—Yeah, size matters. Though for Judy, it's the ones that roam that bother her more than the ones who stay in their webs. She thinks they're stalking her.
I had a couch on my porch in Missoula and over the couch, a cookie spider the size of a large gumball had made a web. I just let it be (mostly because I would have needed a hunting license for something that big), but it was a little freaky to have it right there.
"I never could have imagined how fulfilling and *right* it feels to have that sense of connection with nature."
—Agreed, and I want more. Judy does too, I think. She lights up when the flowers come, or we grow a bit of food.
" even using the Merlin app to identify the birds."
—I was doing the same thing, but with YT videos on my tablet. Robins and cardinals and all the rest.
"to attract more beneficial insects and pollinators"
—I was just talking with our neighbor (chicken neighbor) about growing some wildflowers between our houses. (They want to start keeping bees.) We'll see if we get around to it!
"Except for the feral cats that want to use my planting beds as litter boxes"
—I feel you. I had a planter in my cute little guest house in Venice (CA) and I turned it into a zen garden. Five minutes later it became a littler box for several local cats. Di¢ks.
Beekeeping is gaining popularity in this modern homesteading movement. I love it. I'm happy when I see the bees all over my yard feasting on the buffet of camellias, azaleas, hibiscus, fruit blossoms, and more. I'll be adding way more flowers for them once I get my veg seeds planted (which should have been done a month ago, but I keep running into issues getting my drip irrigation set up off of the existing sprinkler system). If your neighbors do that, they'd give you honey that couldn't possibly be more local - awesome!
Judy is right about the non-web-spinning spiders being stalkers. Those a$$holes do the same to me. When I run away, they literally chase me, the creepy mofos.
"I'm happy when I see the bees all over my yard feasting"
—I have a tradition of sticking my head among the bees on the cherry blossoms when they pop out each spring. Plenty of nectar to go around, and they don't seem to mind.
But later in the year, when the pickings are slimmer, the bees seem to get a bit more agitated and hostile. Adding some wildflowers will help.
"When I run away, they literally chase me, the creepy mofos."
—"Wait, Leithian, come back—I just want to be friends…"
"'Wait, Leithian, come back—I just want to be friends…'"
🤣🤣🤣
Kill. Them. With. Fire.
How awesome! I have always loved spiders - except the black widows... LOL! Glad You saved the spider Marvin!
Having lived in Los Angeles, I understand how scary black widows are!
I grew up in San Diego and went to college in LA… So… Yeah. LOL!
And when you break their webs, each strand is strong like a guitar string. Freaky!
I know, right? Silk spiders come to mind…
Love those crocuses!
🙏🏻
Jumping spiders are incredible in their intelligence. They are now becoming very popular pets. (Too small for me, personally, but I appreciate those people who put in the dedication to raise them!)
Watching the videos of those little guys helped change my outlook on spiders and animals in general.
these spiders bite me. Usually I don't kill anything outside, but what has more than 4 legs inside the house, sorry guys ! here in GA crocuses are long past LOL. Even the narcissus are gone. Peach, pear have bloomed, now the apples are, and the pine pollen have rained out. Up to the oaks. Several neighbors already mowed their grass. I don't have a lawn, just a yard. I stopped calling the invading brambles weeds, I now present them to friends as My Blackberry patch. Same thing sweeter name. And the next part is 'my wild herbs garden'. That water channel looks nice, if you manage to finish it! but beware of the snakes, they do love water.
When is Georgia's spring? February 1st? 🤣🤣
Eventually, I would like to switch from lawn to native plants. Eventually.
So far, I have only ever seen garter snakes in our lawn. They look like they're smiling.
No rain in your forecast. All critters are gods creatures. 'Cept for hornets.
It's raining now LOL.
Yeah, hornets and yellow-jackets are irritating. But honeybee = friend.
My wife's grandson bought a used red firetruck. Don't know what he intends to do with it.
Years and years ago I would usually murder any spider in my territory. Now when I find one in the house ( or just about any bug) I try to save it somehow. How do you put it outside in the cold? This torments me. How do you save a baby ant? More torment.
Mercifully, I don't find many in winter. Maybe they are all hibernating?
But I have put a few out in the winter. I just hope for the best, but it's either that or my wife loses her mind, and I have to pick my wife.
Wow as a radicalized arachnophobic, it appears I’m in esteemed company🤔🤭✨ with one exception. Several years ago I focused only on the commandments during Lent and was startled to intuit that “Thou shalt not kill” has no modifiers. I had a lot of confessions to make and I changed my ways by rehoming spiders outside my house instead of killing them. Don’t get me wrong I’m a reflex-smacker when startled so there’s still the occasional murder-by-fright incident. But my spider body count has radically declined. Here’s a little known fact that my brilliant oldest son taught me. Grasshoppers attract spiders. I don’t remember the science but it so happens we cut sunflowers at a farm last fall and a grasshopper came with. I found that charming and left him in the bouquet I arranged on my kitchen bar. Eldest says “you gotta get that grasshopper outta here”, why says I “because you’ll have spiders”. Okay…I just said I’m phobic but I found this a bit of a stretch even after he explained the science which was something to do with smell. Anyhoo, within 36 hours I started seeing spiders on the ceiling above the bar on the light fixture above the bar and on the bar. Grasshopper now has free range in our back yard lol and ‘poof’ no spiders to be seen once I kicked him out. It’s like a family member coming to visit and bringing a gang of unsavory pals along. Lol
That is so strange about the grasshoppers. But I am glad to know it!
I just have a rule about them being in the house. My darling partner simply relocates them to the outside deck.
relocation is nice. Though we leave the cellar spiders alone. They just stay in their webs. Occasionally, I clean up the old webs.
I love this story! Thank you. And I am glad Marvin didn’t jump. Maybe the plastic fumes stunned him? Happy Spring! And how great you are taking Bitcoin now 😉.
Happy Spring!
Any Bitcoin I get from here on in will be my first! Wish I had gotten in earlier, but better late than never.
We are still early in my opinion…😉(not financial advice) and I am excited for you. It gives me hope.
Thanks; me too :-)
Thanks; me too :-)
Awww. Loved this story
I like to feed the jumping spiders I find in my house. smack a fly, feed a spider. :)
Do they seem grateful?
They eat them so yeah! We have a lot of the black ones that are metallic.
Do they wave their little arms to say thank you?
I cannot be happier that you helped Marvin find a new home!!
Oh wait I lied- I'm even happier to see you now take Bitcoin! 🙌🙌🙌
LOL :-)
So far, I have received zero bitcoins. But that should go up soon enough :-)
I love spiders. My one exception is when they invade my sleeping space and then all bets are off. Too many horror stories of spiders crawling in mouths and ears during sleep. I have to draw the line there mr spider.😉
I hear you. One time, ages ago, I rolled over in bed and got bit in the leg. Freaky.