Caught in his own web

Oh, what a tangled web we weave

When first we practice to deceive.

~Sir Walter Scott~

 

Spiders, spiders everywhere

This year we seem to have lots of spiders everywhere if you remember a couple of posts ago the forest pics with all the webs going across the floor of the woods there were certainly a multitude of webs.  I took a photo of this blade of grass and I saw the white on it but didn't know what it was till I saw the photo on the computer and saw that it was a web complete with spider.

This little beauty showed up when the boys were cleaning out my garden and went to put the plants they pulled up into the garbage can composer.  They came and got me (I have my family well trained) I took the photos and then they killed it.  It was actually a little scary taking this photo cuz I had to clear out some of his web to get close enough to get a good portrait of him.

This little guy was indeed a little guy.  He was smaller than the eraser on a pencil.  The shiny spots in the background are dew drops.  I couldn't get a real clear picture of him because I don't have a camera with interchangeable lens, but he was so cool looking that I just had to try and then include him with the other spiders.  I have been working on learning to use the aperture settings to get good clear images in the foreground and a very softened background.  I think it is helping to improve my photos and it will help when I get my DSLR.

Johnina  :^A

Spider and the fly

The Spider and the Fly
Mary Howitt

Will you walk into my parlour?" said the Spider to the Fly,
'Tis the prettiest little parlour that ever you did spy;
The way into my parlour is up a winding stair,
And I've a many curious things to shew when you are there."
Oh no, no," said the little Fly, "to ask me is in vain,
For who goes up your winding stair can ne'er come down again."


"I'm sure you must be weary, dear, with soaring up so high;
Will you rest upon my little bed?" said the Spider to the Fly.
"There are pretty curtains drawn around; the sheets are fine and thin,
And if you like to rest awhile, I'll snugly tuck you in!"
Oh no, no," said the little Fly, "for I've often heard it said,
They never, never wake again, who sleep upon your bed!"


Said the cunning Spider to the Fly, " Dear friend what can I do,
To prove the warm affection I 've always felt for you?
I have within my pantry, good store of all that's nice;
I'm sure you're very welcome -- will you please to take a slice?"
"Oh no, no," said the little Fly, "kind Sir, that cannot be,
I've heard what's in your pantry, and I do not wish to see!"


"Sweet creature!" said the Spider, "you're witty and you're wise,
How handsome are your gauzy wings, how brilliant are your eyes!
I've a little looking-glass upon my parlour shelf,
If you'll step in one moment, dear, you shall behold yourself."
"I thank you, gentle sir," she said, "for what you 're pleased to say,
And bidding you good morning now, I'll call another day."


The Spider turned him round about, and went into his den,
For well he knew the silly Fly would soon come back again:
So he wove a subtle web, in a little corner sly,
And set his table ready, to dine upon the Fly.
Then he came out to his door again, and merrily did sing,
"Come hither, hither, pretty Fly, with the pearl and silver wing;
Your robes are green and purple -- there's a crest upon your head;
Your eyes are like the diamond bright, but mine are dull as lead!"

Alas, alas! how very soon this silly little Fly,
Hearing his wily, flattering words, came slowly flitting by;
With buzzing wings she hung aloft, then near and nearer drew,
Thinking only of her brilliant eyes, and green and purple hue --
Thinking only of her crested head -- poor foolish thing! At last,
Up jumped the cunning Spider, and fiercely held her fast.
He dragged her up his winding stair, into his dismal den,
Within his little parlour -- but she ne'er came out again!


And now dear little children, who may this story read,
To idle, silly flattering words, I pray you ne'er give heed:
Unto an evil counsellor, close heart and ear and eye,
And take a lesson from this tale, of the Spider and the Fly.

The Spider and the Fly
Mary Howitt 

  

From one generation to the next

Hayden checking out Juliette

I sorry it's been so long since I've posted here.  Laura came down to help me out while her family was down here taking their vacation. She did join her husband and that side of her family fora couple of days, but for the most part she was with me with her boys.  I have been amazed at hard this recuperation has been.  The pain and pain meds have made for great distraction.  Laura was an amazing amount of help especially since she had both her boys with her.  I am amazed at how well Laura has done in helping her boys learn to obey and be helpful too.  I'm so proud of her and her kids.  Although the behavior did deteriorate as the week went by but that is to be expected with any kids away from their normal routines.  The boys got used to being left with Tom and I and coming into the house without clinging to their Mom.  It was so nice to see the boys being comfortable with us.  Since Hayden has Autism that is quite an improvement.

Juliette, Flo, Zack

One thing I noticed when the boys where here was that there were interests that seem to be passed down through the generations of our family.  We all seem to have an intense interest in nature with very little fear that would be present in other children. When we saw the spider in the window and let Hayden know about it; he came a running and if you look at the first photo; if you look where he is is looking you can see the spider. Emily is my only child with a fear of spiders but that did not develop till she was well into her teens, but she does have a great love of nature and with the exception of spiders shares that love with the rest of us.

Sebastian, you make me feel like dancing

We have found that sometime spiders even show personalities.  This one likes to stay closer to the ground and dance on his web.

Juliette, Flo 

I didn't realize that this particular kind of spider would build webs together like this.  This is a kind of spider that shows up in our yard every year and I have never seen them build webs together like this.  Strange...

Henry

We do not kill these spiders as they are basically harmless and are natural insect control.  Most of the time we name them and can tell them apart by location, size, and in this case Henry is missing part of his leg.  We almost always have a Henry and since Laura named most of them, we have one this year, too.