Miniscule Work of Art!

   I am one that wanders aimlessly about the property purely engrossed in the miracles that surround me. The early morning hikes that start before dawn on the pier then wind around behind the greenhouse and canebrake are always full of surprises.  At this age, I should be amazed simply by the fact that there are still things that can surprise me but, come to find out, Mother Nature always has something new up her sleeve.  It is grand.

  This morning's pier time found me mesmerized by the workings of a tiny creature.  The critter in question was a wee spider that had spun her web on a pier post.  A single, bent nail provided support for her upper strand and the web stretched from there to the post.  The web was perfect!  Added to that perfection were the jewel-like droplets from the light sprinkling of rain over the Bayou last night.  Teeny, tiny spider did not catch much for her breakfast but her web was surely an extravagant thing of beauty!

  The strength of the web, even from a spider this tiny, was astounding.  In proportion, the weight of the water droplets had to be extraordinary but most of the web was intact.  The few broken strands were most likely caused by the rough wind or from a large insect before the misting rain occurred.  Since webs are spun purely as a means of catching food, I often wonder if a spider ever sits back and admires her work of art.  If not...she should.  Humans only wish we could do half as good.  I am now going to make an effort to check on Teeny Spider with each trip to the pier.  She deserves the admiration.

The Drear Continues

   Our usual weather pattern of fog and rain has set in upon us with a vengeance.  We have not seen the sun in almost a week.  I mean...literally...we have not seen the sun.  That old rascal does not even attempt to show his face!  So, we live in drear.  There is the constant sound of water dripping on the rooftop.  At least, the garden appreciates the moisture but too bad it is not cold along with this.  Caterpillars also love this type weather.

  My hikes are often cut short as I am generally soaked to the bone after about twenty minutes of being outside.  Then, regardless of the temperature, I am chilled.  Age does that.  So...I come in and huddle around the old cast iron wood-burning stove for a bit.  That and a mug of tisane from whatever I managed to gather on the hike are my warming agents.  Drear....aging.....so goes life on the Bayou.

A Jewel Of A Friend

   Strung between the camellia bush and the herb shelf is a sort of haphazardly made web.  In this web is one of the prettiest spiders to call the place home.  We have dozens of these spiders around the place but this one is a favorite because she is literally right in the midst of my garden work area.  She watches me work and I watch her help keep the place pest free.  It is often an overwhelming chore for her as the bugs love the herbs.

  The friendly herb garden spider goes by several names.  Her real name is spiny-back orb weaver but a lot of folks seem to think that is plumb silly so they have piled many different names on her according to her appearance.  Some folks call her a jewelbox spider because her type can come in many different "jewel-tone" colors.  (Mine is yellow so I guess she is a yellow topaz.)  Other folks call them crab spiders because they have "shell" on their back that (possibly) resembles a crab shell.  Then, there are those who will call them smiley face spiders because (admittedly) the yellow ones do look sort of like that happy character (emoji).  

  My little spider friend won't be around much longer as she (just like the golden silk orb weavers) will make her egg sac then die.  Hopefully, her little ones will live to carry on their mom's duties in the garden.  I have become accustomed to having the spiders add their beauty to the herb garden and it would seem mighty strange to not have at least one nearby.  

My Spiders Are Missing!

   My spiders have gone missing!  At least, most of them have.  There are still a few that are alive and well but most have done their thing for this season.   I am referring to the Golden Silk Orb Weavers that seemed to be out in full force this year.  It has been years since there have been more than one or two but this spring saw hundreds of the hand-sized critters stringing webs everywhere.  Now, the webs sit empty.  The spiders have already created their golden orbs filled with eggs.  The females have done their duty and have died leaving me with a profound sense of emptiness.  I love these spiders and the service they do for us in ridding the place of so many mosquitoes.

 Down behind the greenhouse, there is still one large female Orb Weaver that appears to be full of life, yet.  Why she is so late while all of the others have completed their tasks?  In fact, she is not late.  The others were early.  Usually, it is late September before the egg sacs are filled and the mother spider dies.  The one near the greenhouse seems to be right on time. 

  Does the early demise of the Orb Weavers foretell of an early autumn?  Is there some way that the spiders can sense if inclement weather will interrupt their process?  Who knows?  I will miss my several hundred friends.

Beautiful Music!

   After spending the morning in the kitchen making plum jam and the afternoon in the laundry room painting the trim work, I figured it was about time to make my escape from the confines of the Little Bayou House.  While I love my little house, I also love the freedom to roam the Bayou.  So, out I went, camera in hand and a need to feel the breeze on my face.  

  My hike did not get too far before I heard a weird "buzzing" or "rattling" sound.  The noise was quite loud.  It stopped me in my tracks.  What was that?  I slowly searched the ground which was rather difficult since I was on a mulched pathway in dappled light.  Ok, so something was in distress here and I could not find it.  Stop, listen...find.  Sure enough, I found.  A hapless cicada had fallen on the pathway and its wings were buzzing against the dry mulch.  The sound echoed making it much louder than I would have expected.  Reaching down, I scooped up the critter and attempted to put it on the arbor frame.  The cicada struggled to stay put.  Kerplop!  Down it went again.  Ok, so perhaps something was amiss with my friend.  Time to check the welfare of this fine creature.

  Sure enough, a fine silken web was wrapped around one wing.  Poor critter!  Bug in hand, I carefully removed the spiderweb from the wing and legs.  The cicada sat calmly in my hand while I worked.  Once it was clear, I held it back against the arbor and the creature climbed carefully up for a few inches before resting.  Goodness, it felt good to help!  This evening, the cicadas are calling loudly and I cannot help but smile thinking that one is surely my friend.  What beautiful music that is to hear!

Watching A Spider

   Well, one storm is behind us without ever making itself noticeable.  The weather was beautiful today with only one late rain shower providing us with some much needed moisture for the gardens.  I had hoped for a bit more rain but the "tropical system once known as Marco" played itself out without much ado.  Now we await the other which is predicted to be a tad (or a lot depending on who is forecasting) stronger.  We shall see.

  While out and about, I noticed a large spider in her web on the back of the shed.  I decided to pay her a visit.  As I watched her carefully remove a leaf that had become caught in her web, I had to think of how the spider had to be happy that a hurricane did not come.  If a small leaf could rip a hole in her web, imagine if a hurricane had whipped debris in on her.  As it was, she meticulously removed the silk from each part of the leaf then, literally, tossed the leaf free from the web.  It was amazing to watch.  Then, Ms. Spider went about her business of repairing the damage much like we would repair the Little Bayou House if it had received hurricane damage. 

The spider's five foot in diameter web was so intricately woven that it reminded me of the netting we use in catching fish.  How in the world did a spider have that much patience and finesse to spin such a creation?  It is funny how as humans, we tend to think we are so much smarter than any other creature.  Here, this spider with her eight legs created a web by using "building material" she formed in her own body.  Who of us can do that?  Each leg of the web is incredibly strong and has thousands of cross bands to create the mesh.  Even with multiple repairs, the web is beautifully made and functions remarkably well.  While I was watching her, a horsefly became ensnared and the spider left her work to go bundle it in silk.  Doing that kept the fly from damaging her web even more and also kept it in a safe place until she had the time to dine upon it.  Watching the spider almost made me feel insignificant and pathetically inept.  I stand in awe of her ability.

Mummy Frog!!

    It is no small wonder that strange things can often be found on the Bayou.  Just mentioning the fact that I live on a bayou, gets folks' minds reeling with all sorts of odd ideas but, then, a lot of those ideas are factual and not in the least odd.  Still finding oddities on my hikes, in the gardens or even inside the Little Bayou House has become a quest of mine.  If a "treasure" is discovered, it often makes its way into a trove of quirky keepsakes.  These are often kept in the greenhouse as I have been told that the Little Bayou House is overflowing.  Just so you will know, it has been brought to my attention several times that I have been designated "The Keeper of Weird and Wonderful Things".  Perhaps this is an honorary name but, more likely, it is a nice way of saying "You are a hoarder."  To be honest, I do have a lot of things.  To be equally honest, not all things are permanently housed here.  They often go as quickly as they come.  

  Today, I had to laugh as yet another oddity was found.  I cannot call this one a treasure although the thought did fleetingly pass through the brain that I "should" keep it.  Better judgement ruled...this time.  Thankfully!  This was a frog.  Yes, a frog.  No, I did not keep it.  

  Just outside the kitchen windows, there sits a small pond.  Once, this held beautiful goldfish but Hurricane Katrina took my fish elsewhere so the pond sat empty for several years.  Now, the "Goldfish Pond" has become the "Frog Pond".  I am just as happy to have about a thousand assorted frogs playing happily in the pond as I was a dozen fish.  (A "thousand" is pushing it as far as the number but you get the idea.)  Early this morning as I was sipping my first mug of coffee, I sat listening to the froggy symphony, as I do each morning.  Then, a frog was much nearer!  Uh, oh!  First thought was that the critter was inside the house but then I realized that it was trapped between the window and window screen.  That little rascal had squirmed its way in there then could not get back outside!  When Son awoke, I told him the predicament and requested a bit of help in catching the critter.  I do not mind catching and holding a frog but I really did not want to lose it in the kitchen.  He obliged and set forth with the quest.  The tall french window was opened and he found a frog.  Well, THAT was definitely not MY frog!  Mine chirped!  This frog was a corpse!  It was a mummified, dried out, dead critter!  The poor frog had gotten itself tangled in a spiderweb and I suppose the spider ate well, I guess.

  Son handed me the dead frog.  Well, thanks.  Just what I needed.  I proceeded to go out the backdoor  to dispose of the rock-hard critter when I heard Son say "You know, that frog would make a really cool Halloween decoration. He looks kind of evil with his mouth open.  Sort of looks like it is giving an evil laugh."  I stopped in my tracks, peered down at the dead frog and started having wild thoughts bounce around in the brain.  I could....if I would...maybe by doing...NO!!!  NO!!! NO!!!  I AM NOT KEEPING A DEAD FROG!  With that, the frog was tossed out the back door but not before Mummy Frog and I had a photo session.  Yeah, not the best way to be disposed of after its untimely death but I did not want to give myself any time for second thoughts.  NO! I AM NOT KEEPING A DEAD FROG!  It IS rather evil looking, however...maybe?  NO!! NO!! NO!!  He is rather cool looking, though...in a sort of morbid way.  By the way, we never did find that live frog!

The Disappearing Act!

  Overnight, we had a heavy fog lay in across the Bayou.  It so thick that at one point I began to think it was raindrops on the roof but it was merely the fog accumulation dripping from the tree limbs.  This morning, the fog lingered as I strolled about the place.  The walk to the pier was pointless as nary a thing could be seen other than "white" so I headed around to the back behind the canebrake. Since I could see no further than about twenty feet ahead of me, I figured that perhaps some critter would still be out and about.  No critters were found other than spiders.  The ground behind the canebrake was littered with webs ranging from twelve to fifteen inches in diameter.  These were webs of the local "funnel-web" spiders.

  Each web found had a distinct funnel-like tube in one corner.  This funnel housed a small spider that was waiting patiently for some bug to either alight on the web or crawl across the surface.  The spider then darts out to see what is causing a ruckus on its web.  If the commotion was due to a suitable prey, the spider bites it and waits a few moments before dragging its breakfast down the tunnel.  It does not devour its prey in the open as that would alert other potential victims to the use of the web.  

  These spiders belong to the family Agelenidae and are venom specific which means they are pretty much harmless to big, ole humans.  They are relatively shy spiders that scurry away rather than stand their ground if something is deemed a danger.  In fact, it is often very difficult to see one as even a shadow will scare them into hiding.  I was fortunate this morning as one particular spider did not think I was a menace.  Most of the webs seemed empty as the spider was far down in its funnel.  One, however, sat happily at the entrance and allowed me to photograph it from just inches away!  

  Our funnel-web spiders are not to be confused with those in other countries that can be highly venomous.  Even if you could catch one of ours and it did bite you, it would not be too bad.  Our spiders are "lightning-fast" so catching one would be a feat!  In just a blink of an eye, that "oh, so bad" spider will dart under the first thing available to hide!  Personally, I rather like them.  They make interesting webs, especially when covered with an early morning fog.  They are also great about catching would be pests.  Carry on, Little Spiders!  You have no reason to fear me!  I am so happy you let me photograph you!

"White Stuff" on the Ground!

  Yes, it is true!  There is "white stuff" on the ground here on the Bayou.  This white stuff is not snow, however.  It is supposed to be quite chilly and rainy tonight so who knows what we might see in the morning...probably not snow...but who knows?  Anyway, the white stuff on the ground this morning was compliments of the heavy, pea-soup thick fog that blanketed the area.  The fog was so thick that it settled low to the ground and covered every spiderweb it touched.  The ground spiders had soggy houses overnight.  

  The ground spiders here pretty much have it made.  There are plenty of insects that creepy-crawl around during the evening hours.  All a spider has to do is make its web inviting and, invariably, by morning, the spider has a meal.  But, if that spider is not careful as to where it spins its web, the whole thing can become a soggy mess by either a quick change in tides, by a torrential downpour or, as in this morning's case, a heavy fog.  The fog may not present much of a problem for the spider itself but it may make the web uninviting to an intended prey.  If the spider did not catch its supper before the fog set in, it may well have gone hungry.  

  All of this fog means one thing for the spider and yet another for us.  A change of the weather is at hand.  The wind is blowing a gale, there are intermittent showers and it is turning much colder.  While some folks are bemoaning our change from the warm weather of yesterday, I needed it.  Being in sort of a down mood, a good storm will clear the brain.  Hearing the wind howl and rattle the windows of the Little Bayou House can brighten any day...or, at least, mine...the spider's day?  Not so much.  Poor, hungry spider!

Bowl and Doily

  This morning, I pushed the lawnmower about the place for a couple of hours.  The grass was growing faster than a bad weed and the place was looking a bit shabby.  The shady spot near the crepe myrtle shrubs needed cutting but that meant moving the four wicker lawn chairs.  I looked around to see if Son was handy but found him atop the ladder working on the upper part of the house.  Well, I guess that meant I had to stop my mower to move the chairs.  This is not bad...the chairs are light but restarting the mower did not delight me.  The thing can be temperamental at times.  I moved the chairs, cranked the mower and continued my work. 

  It was later when I went to replace the chairs that I found the critter.  Sitting on one of the chairs was a rather unusual looking spider.  I had never seen one like this.  It occurred to me that I had better make friends with the critter so I poked it.  The spider made no effort to bite me so I figured that we were on our way to becoming fast friends or, at least, acquaintances.  As matter of fact, the spider did not move much at all.  It just sat in what used to be its web.  The throwout from my mower sort of tattered the web.  Perhaps the spider was merely in shock at losing its home.  I poked again to make sure it was not dead.  Nope.  Not dead.  The spider moved slightly to the left and sat staring at me.  

  The spider in question is a "bowl and doily" spider.  This is a rather unusual name for a critter but that is the actual name.  Of course, it has one of those names that cannot be pronounced but this is the common name.  Bowl and doily spider.  Well, there had to be an explanation for that, did there not?  Yep.   The name comes from the shape of the spider's web.  The spider first spins a lovely doily (flat web) then slightly above spins a web in the shape of a bowl.  In the bottom of the bowl is a small hole.  The spider hides between the doily and bowl waiting for prey to crawl into the bowl.  Once there, the spider reaches up, bites and injects venom into the prey so it can be easily pulled below for consumption.  The bowl and doily method allows the spider some protection from its predators while serving up dinner on a silver platter...uhh...bowl.

  The small spider was left unharmed but was encouraged to move elsewhere.  I cannot have guests sitting on a spiderweb.  The chairs were returned to their original spots sans the critter.  It was gently moved to the stump not far away.  There it can crochet all the doilies it wishes and while away the hours sitting under its bowl.

Fog, Cobwebs and Life

  Early this morning, a heavy fog blanketed the Bayou.  My steps were softly muffled by the wet leaves and a certain stillness engulfed the area.  I was cut off from the "civilized" (and I use the word lightly there) world and was left in the wild for a bit.  It is always exhilarating at times like this.  The pea-soup thick fog made it difficult to see more than a few feet in front of me which always is a bit of a hair raising moment.  You get this feeling that all eyes are watching your every move.  To be honest, foggy mornings are my favorite time to hike.  The critters of the Bayou are out and about as they are concealed as well.  

  Of all the beauty that does surround me on these hikes, I think the spiderwebs are perhaps a favorite.  In the heavy fog, they become jewel-laden adornments for the tree branches or reeds.  This morning, there were hundreds of cobwebs draped among the limbs.  As I photographed some webs, a thought of how there is a similarity between the spiderwebs and life.  What seems simple at first sight, is actually more complex when you really began to study it.  The creation of the web takes time to perfect as does our own attempt to make our way in this old world.  Rush it and it becomes a mess.  One rash move can cause everything to come crashing down around us.  Even a small disturbance can have a ripple effect that makes things become discombobulated. 

  The similarity does not end with the trials that can create a mess. The spider does not give up when her web is torn by an intruder or sags due to water droplets.  She merely takes it down and rebuilds it to be even better.  In life, as with the spiderweb, to make things right again, you learn, rebuild and make things stronger than before.  That persistence to carry on is what makes things worth the effort.  Seeing the beauty that is created (and often recreated) gives us the desire to push forward and be better than before. Just like the spider spinning her elaborate web, we are creating our intricate, beautiful life.  It pays to do things calmly and rationally no matter how many times we have to redo them.  Fog. cobwebs and life...they all make you think.

Where did the world go?

   About 3pm, I took the old dog out for a hike.  Not that he hikes any more.  Rather, he meanders to the first place he deems comfortable and then sits. There he stays for the duration.  I walk around him keeping within 10 to 15 feet so he won't panic about the distance. My hiking world had disappeared, so it seemed.

  While out this afternoon, a heavy fog was rolling in off the  Bay.  We were in a slightly sheltered area beneath an old oak tree but the world around us was slowly being devoured by the "mist monster".  It did not take long before much of the scenery was completely blocked from view.  It is times like this that the imagination can run wild with tales of happenings on the Bayou.  You can get that eerie feeling that something or someone is watching your every step.  Things can get pretty creepy if you let that imagination slip too far into the mysterious, dark channels of the mind.

  On a brighter note, all of this fog made for some pretty exquisite spiderwebs.  The fog causes water droplets to linger on the wispy threads of silk.  It always amazes me how strong each strand of webbing is.  The droplets hang like jewels of a necklace and even the tiniest bit of light makes them sparkle.  These jewels can compare with the brightest diamonds found.

  So, there you have it, folks. My world did not disappear.  It only became fog laden.  Life is all in how you look at things and we need to all learn to make the best of whatever is thrown at us. When we focus on problems, they multiply but when we focus on possibilities, new opportunities come into play.  My limited hike still managed to provide a bit of interest.  

Web Roofs!

  Hiking after a night of rain makes for interesting finds.  The pine needle covered ground is saturated and that muffles the footsteps, the leaves on trees drip with jewels of raindrops and spiderwebs become diamond-encrusted lace.  It is those spiderwebs that tend to draw the eye toward them out of curiosity.  Where is that spider??  Most spiders on the Bayou are friendly enough that they do not cause worry but it is still wise to be careful of their whereabouts.  There is no need to have one climbing up the pants leg or going down the back of the shirt!

  While out on a hike to the back of the property, Mark and I found numerous ground webs.  These spiderwebs are spun on the ground and have a hole in the middle through which the spider can pounce on its prey.  The web is strung between sticks, blades of grass or fallen leaves.  They are thick heavy webs unlike those delicately spun hung webs.  While the spider is usually unseen, if you look carefully, it can be spied lurking near the center hole.  Once prey ventures onto the web, the vibrations alert the spider and it can come scurrying out to catch the critter.  Also, the web provides protection for the spider.  It is sort of a roof over its head!  Not only does it shield the spider from raindrops, it gives the spider a sporting chance of escape if it is attacked.

  The ground was covered with such webs after the rain. Each held up well under the torrential downpour and each spider was happily snug. 

Bayou "Snowshoes"?

  This far down in the Deep South, we rarely (if ever) get snow.  If by chance we do get a few flurries, things come to a screeching halt while we watch.  The Bayou hardly ever gets any significant snowfall and by significant, I mean more than a couple of inches.  To explain this, folks still talk about the "heavy snow we got back in '63 or was it '64?"  (It was '63..actually it was New Year's Eve!)  That heavy snowfall allowed us to make snowmen!  We got all of about 6 inches but it was thrilling for us.  So, with all of this "lack of snow", there is not a lot of reason to own a pair of snowshoes unless you head north for the winter.  Here, a good pair of shrimp boots will get you through just about any weather.  

  This morning as the sun was coming up above the pines on the far side of the Bayou, I spied something glimmering in the old oak tree.  I slipped down the hillside to see just what was sparkling so.  To my surprise, it was nothing more than a spiderweb but what a beauty!  The small web was strung between the Y shaped twigs of a low-lying branch and was dangling in the perfect spot to be illuminated by the rising sun.  Wow!  It was gorgeous!

  While I stood admiring the handiwork of the spider, it occurred to me that perhaps this looked like one of those crazy things called snowshoes.  Granted, I have never seen one other than in storybooks or movies but the shoe was always some sort of bentwood frame with fiber woven back and forth across the open area.  This was supposedly good for walking across deep snow.  That is something I will  never know but, at least, I have an idea of the workings of the things.  (I often wonder if there is some sort of magical shoe that will allow me to walk across that Bayou mud to get to the other side without sinking up to my ears!)  Anyway, my spiderweb seemed like it might make a pretty design for a snowshoe!  Maybe?  I really have no idea....just dreaming here!

Where Did They Go??

  For years and years, it seems as if every tree had a huge spiderweb dangling in it.  The "banana" spiders (as they are locally called) reigned in the bug world.  Their 5ft webs spanned between trees and caught just about every bug in the neighborhood.  We marveled at our eight-legged friends and their ability to survive against all odds.  The spiders survived storms, birds flying through their webs and hard freezes.  These spiders, the Golden Silk Orb Weavers or Giant Woods Spiders, are well worth "spider-watching"!

  Here lately, however, I am lucky to find five or six of the spiders each summer.  They seem to be on the decline in the area around the Bayou.  Perhaps our clearing the yard of more and more underbrush has encouraged the spiders to move elsewhere, although, our interaction with the spiders never seemed to bother them before.  So far this year, I have found three active webs.  One was in the marsh, another in the old oak tree and the third was in the bed of my old pickup truck.  Sadly, I know what happened to the truck-dwelling spider.  The vehicle was needed so Ms. Charlotte Spider had to be evicted.  I gently tried to help her move to the mulberry tree next to the truck but that did not seem to be to her liking.  Although she stayed in the tree for three days, her web cannot be found now.  I am thinking that high tide dislocated the marsh-dwelling spider.  Hopefully, she survived the flooding and was able to move her egg sacs with her.  As for the oak tree web, I just found it this morning.  The normally pristine web was bedraggled and the spider, herself, has seen better days.  She is missing several legs but had still managed to capture a nice sized bug of some sort.  Hopefully, she will have the strength to spin her egg sacs and lay many eggs. We need these spiders!

 Perhaps I am one of the few folks who actually like having the large webs dangling in the treetops or spanning between arbor posts.  The spiders are part of the charm of the Bayou and their decline makes me sad.  It also makes me ponder how many bugs we will have in the coming spring without the spiders there to munch them??? 

All In Her Head

  Years ago, I was very ill.  After countless visits to several doctors, one had the nerve to tell me that "It is all in your head"....meaning that I was imagining things.  I am glad that I did not listen to him since it turns out that it was my heart...not my imagination.  Once I got the right doctors, things went well and I made a fast recovery but it could have been a very different story.  The new doctor said had I listened to the other fellow, I would have died within a month. 

  Still to this day, the quote "It is all in your head." irks me to no end.  The thought that having things all in your head is a bad thing, (the way the doctor had meant it), is all wrong.  To my way of thinking, it should be the other way around.  Having it all in your head should refer to the cognizant thought processes without which our daily business could not be faced.   It should refer to ingenuity, intelligence. wisdom and, yes, imagination.

  Just this morning as I was marveling at a spiderweb being illuminated by the morning sun, a thought started worming its way into the brain.  If things were not "all in our heads", how does the spider know how to build such a perfect snare?  If you have ever noticed, not many mother spiders go out of their way to teach their offspring a thing or two about web-making, catching food or escaping predators.  This all has to be learned on their own.   Most of us tend to think of spiderwebs as something we would rather not walk into and become entangled.  The thought of a spider crawling up our back is not overly desirable.  But that spiderweb is a remarkable thing and the spider used all of whats "in its head" to spin the fabulous creation.  How does the spider know to make a web in circles?  How do the spiders in the marsh know the changes in tides?  Why do some spiders make platform webs, others dangling webs and others cone shaped?  Because it is all in their heads.  They have thinking brains that help them to figure out the best method of catching their prey.  Spiders also can adapt their methods when put in a different situation.  Take an orb spider that makes a perfect hanging web.  If nothing is flying into the web, they have the ingenuity to drop a few "fishing lines" or dangling webs to the ground to catch crawling bugs.  Whereas they usually wait for a hapless moth to fly into the web and then just leisurely walk over to munch it, with the dangling webs, they literally reel in their catch!  A rather ingenious method!

  So, the next time someone makes the snide remark that something is "all in your head", thank them!  Tell them "Yes!  I have that and a whole lot of other brilliant things floating around in there!"  Just do not listen to them and think that is the end of it....or it may be.  In the case of my illness, I used what was in my head to find someone who could and would help me.  So, I am glad it was "all in my head"!

Trampoline Spiders

  In the herb garden, there is one bunch of garlic chives growing in a rather large box.  This box is situated right next to another (even larger) box that contains onion chives.  The chives do well in the boxes but since they all seed profusely, chives are everywhere!  About once a week, I have to use the lawnmower or weed trimmer to keep the chives from looking like a weedy mess.  Today while Mark and I were meandering about in the gardens, I discussed what the garden plans were.  Seeds were purchased last week and all that was needed was for me to prepare the rows.  I was telling him how many wolf spiders I find under the leaves and mulch in the boxes when I spied a nice web.  This web, however, was not made by my handsome wolf spiders.  This was a "sheet" web and was rather large.  I spanned between the corners of the two boxes making it a good fifteen inches wide and as much long.  Never had I seen one of these before...at least, not this large.  

  Searching for the spider that made such an intense web proved futile.  It was my thought that to make such a fine web, the spider would be large and would  be easily seen on the web.  Most spiders stay on the edge of their webs while awaiting the hapless bug to become ensnared.  Though I searched, nary a spider was found.  How odd!

  A bit of research on sheet web spiders leads me to believe that my master web builder is probably none other than a tiny grass spider.  These little arachnids spin massive, non-sticky webs and then crawl off to hide nearby.  They are so in tune to the vibrations of the web that there is no need for the stickiness.  They are also extremely fast spiders! Once an insect crawls, falls, or flies into the web, the spider simply races from its hiding spot to pounce on the hapless critter. 

  I was impressed with the amount of webbing spun to make this fine trap.  Not only was it huge, it was multiple layers thick.  Although, there seemed to be no pattern involved, it appeared to be well made and strong.  My new name for these grass spiders that produce sheet webs???  Trampoline spiders!  It seems as if they spin the perfect trampoline for bugs to enjoy before they meet their demise!

The Trap!

  Back when he was a small child, my oldest son was obsessed with the TV show "MacGyver".  He so wanted to be the man he was watching create all sorts of nifty things out of everyday stuff.  He even went so far as convincing his Papa that he "needed" a Swiss Army Knife and a roll of Duck Tape.  (Yes, it really is Duck Tape.)  The knife was a story in itself but this is more about the ingenuity behind the man featured in the show.  Mark was so bent on copying this man's every move that he started creating traps...for everything.  He set a net trap to capture his brother and sister. Possum traps, squirrel traps, minnow traps....he made them all.  He found he could bend trees over and make spring traps.  His poor dad caught the brunt of his creativity as each day, a new trap was set to "capture Dad"!   None of us were safe from his contraptions but it was ok by me.  He was being creative but also learning new methods of making things work.  The show was inspiring my kid to learn and invent and that was great by me.  Today as an adult, there is just not a lot of things that can stump my son.  He always figures out how to make things work with just what is on hand.  I guess you can say that his time in front of the TV was put to good use.

  This morning as I headed out the back door, I would have sworn that my son was back in town and setting traps to catch me off guard.  On either side of the back steps there is a nice size pear tree.  Spanning from tree to tree.....right across the steps....was the finest of all traps.  A spider had spent the night spinning the most beautiful web and this web was heavy laden with droplets of water.  Overnight a heavy fog had rolled in off the water and coated everything in its path.  The spiderweb was dripping with the jewel-like droplets!  I am sure glad that I noticed the web before walking smack dab into it!

  Seeing that spiderweb brought back memories of being caught up in some of Mark's string traps.  Balls and balls of kite string were wound through, around, under and over furniture and doorways.  It was his idea that if anyone ever broke into the Little Bayou House, he would capture them before they could rob the place. I think that I was the only one he ever caught.  Just try being a bleary-eyed, sleep-deprived mom stumbling her way to the kitchen pre-coffee only to be ensnared in a webbing of kite string.  The more I would turn, the more I became tangled.  Oh, the memories!  And...oh, how I would give anything to be back in those days!

Lost in a Surreal World

  This morning's sun was completely blocked by a thick blanket of fog.  A total whiteout of calm had taken over the Bayou after the severe weather that had ravaged the area last night. Once again, high winds, hail and torrential rains pelted the Little Bayou House but, once again, it held strong and kept us safe.  The fog brought with it peace.

  The morning hike served as a good time to reflect on things as nothing could be seen further than about twenty feet ahead.  The footsteps were soft on the wet leaves and drips could be heard echoing through the woods.  Once on the pier, things felt strange.  Calls from mergansers and geese were the only things that broke the stillness.  The damp air over the Bay proved to be too much for my light jacket so I headed back to the woods.  There, the overhanging branches provided at least some shelter.

  It was here that I found spiderwebs suspended between the branches of many of the low lying branches. As usual, the simplest things enthrall me.  Each web was strung with droplets of water that had accumulated overnight.  These droplets sparkled like jewels even in the low light beneath the canopy of tree limbs.  The strength of the thin webs was remarkable.  Even with dozens and dozens of droplets on a strand, the web held.  Yet, with the whisper of a breeze or the gentlest of touch, the droplets would shower down to the ground like pearls from a broken necklace.  The web held yet the jewels fell and were broken into a thousand pieces. I was in deep thought about the spiderwebs when the sudden bark of a coyote sent my thoughts whirling back into reality.  Time to head back closer to the house.

 

 

Spiders...keeping us healthier one mosquito at a time.

  Here lately, it seems as if I hear a lot of folks complaining about spiders in their homes and in the gardens.  "I hate spiders!" they exclaim.  In an equal excited state they add, "The only good spider is a dead spider." Sorry but that is one of the stupidest things I have ever heard.  When I try to extol all of the ways a spider helps us, I get the "Well, you have never been bitten by one!" Sorry...yep, I have.  A Black Widow left a decidedly painful bite on my leg.  A number of Wolf Spiders have chomped my feet and hands.  Some yet unidentified spiders have tasted my blood.   As matter of fact, I get bitten quite a bit but have no reason not to like spiders.  The benefits they provide do, indeed, outweigh their demerits.  

  I was down checking the old skiff to make sure the pump was still working after the rain overnight.  I was surprised but happy to spy several nice sized webs still intact in spite of the nasty weather.  The spiders were doing their jobs!  Each web was filled with mosquitoes, midges and gnats.  Yep, even though it is November, those pests still abound on the Bayou but the spiders were working overtime in inclement weather to keep them in check!

Look closely and you can see a number of mosquitoes, midges and gnats entrapped in the spider's web.

  If you are one of those folks who are a bit squeamish about spiders, consider this.  How often do you hear of someone getting bit?  How often do you get bitten by mosquitoes?  It is a fact that more people die from mosquito bites than spider bites.  Mosquito bites are known to spread quite a few deadly diseases.  That said, I think I like spiders even a bit more.  
  
  With all of these thoughts blasting through the brain this morning, I peered over at the spiderweb and thanked all the spiders for doing their part in keeping us healthy.