The Life of Goldie

   Since I have been forced to slow down a bit due to health issues, I have to find things to entertain myself.  Thankfully, as Son has always said, I am easily amused so it is not overly hard to deem something as interesting enough to take a break from chores.  This afternoon after canning hot sauce, I headed outside to empty the remnant pepper stems.  Once I returned from the compost, my attention suddenly was drawn to the eaves of the house.  Aha!  My good friend "Goldie" was busying herself in her web.  Goldie is none other than a Golden Silk Orb Weaver.  The spider, I am quite sure, is the offspring of the one who had a web in the exact same corner of the back porch.  It seems that this is a favorite spot of these huge spiders and I am all for them being there.  With the wet weather we have had lately, there are a ton of every type biting bug imaginable so Goldie is sure to be well-fed.  But...why suddenly has she captured my attention?  Well, Goldie was busy, as I said.  It did not take long for me to figure out that she was in the midst of molting!  Goldie was going to get bigger!  

  Every year since I was a kid, I would seek out the orb weavers simply because they are so huge.  The palm-sized spiders demand attention from all but especially of curious kids.  Back in the day when I was a small kid, I watched as they spun their webs across the window in Pop's shed.  Now, I watch as one molts near the backdoor.  Funny how things come full circle, isn't it?

  Grandmother once told me how these spiders spin their gigantic webs to bridge a gap between the human world and that of nature and whosoever treated the spider with kindness would always be protected.  Well, even though I know that Grandmother merely did not want me to destroy the web (for the same bug-catching reasoning I have now), it would be nice to know that a spider this size is on my side if things ever hit the fan and I am in trouble!  

  Goldie still has another couple of months to grow before she weaves her egg sac and fills it with eggs.  Those eggs will hatch in a few weeks but the spiderlings will stay put in that sac throughout the winter months.  Then!  Then, the tiny critters will spill out and things will start anew.  Man, I love Goldie!

My Wise Choice

   This morning, Son was pulling some huge timbers from the stack to use in repairing the pier.  These are salvaged beams that are at least 3 inches by 12 inches by 12 feet long.  My offer to help was met with a strict "No!" as he feels that I should not be hoisting the heavy things.  Instead...he does...by himself.  I stand by idly fretting.  At one point, he let me help measure the next timber so I scrambled across the pile to get a good position.  When he turned back my way, he said "Ummm, be careful.  I did see a young cottonmouth under that board."  Oops!  Well, I was already there so lingering long enough to measure was not going to be a problem.  Returning to my previous position seemed to be a predicament, however.

  Since the snake had slithered in a crevice beneath the board right where I needed to put my foot as I descended the pile, I looked for a different route.  Ok, snake vs spider.  Huge spider.  Gigantic spider!  I chose the spider.  A big-as-my-hand orb weaver hung on her web across my only exit from the pile.  Alrighty then!  Not wanting to disturb the lovely creature, I practically limboed under the web.  At one point, the spider was about four inches from my face.  The spider and I were eye to eye!  I think we either became lifelong friends or mortal enemies, at that point.  She stayed perfectly still and did not do the usual web bouncing thing to scare me.  I kept moving.  Once I had my head and shoulders under the web, I was in pretty good shape.  Whew!  Well, now!  I felt pretty awesome at my maneuverability!  Not bad for an old lady!  At least, I did not step on the cottonmouth that was probably in hysterics at my attempt to avoid it.

 By the time I vacated the lumber pile, Son had the timbers ready to haul to the pier.  He did this with a makeshift cart and muscle-power!  His cart even allowed him to push the large boards all the way to the part of the pier where he was working.  I merely followed and chattered about the lovely spider and my wise choice!