spiders
Some people are afraid of spiders. Not this family, as you will see. Spiders have redeeming qualities- they eat all kinds of pesky bugs. But this isn’t a why-you-should-love-spiders post. If you hate them, just move on. This is a how-fun-it-is-when-the-whole-family-get-into-something post.
Here in Washington, the spiders seemed especially prevelant this summer, and I wasn’t the only one to notice. I took out my camera one day, and took this picture.
My spider-lover Auden loved it (it’s now framed and on his wall) and I loved it. I’m not a great photographer and I have a crappy camera, but I thought it was pretty good for me- it’s all relative. As animals go, spiders are easy to photograph- they don’t move quickly. So I took more.
I have not yet captured a photo of Sally yet, but she’s been helping me wash the dishes for at least a month now. She strung up her web right across the window above the sink. I enjoy observing her activities throughout the day. I’ve seen her re-build her web at least twice, seen her strike out and capture a bug that was unfortunate enough to fly her way.
Auden’s love of spiders is going on its third year. Though he claims he will grow up to be an arachnologist, I don’t hold any illusions that he’ll stick with it. Kids are fickle. I’m just thankful he doesn’t still aspire to a garbage-truck driving career. His mama has been known to indulge his spider fascination. Exhibits a through e:
A- Tarantula cake for 5th birthday
B- LEGO spider
C- My first sewing project on my new sewing machine- a spider/insect bathrobe. He wears that thing all the time.
D- He asked if I’d knit him a spider
E- Tarantula cake for 6th birthday- I hope he keeps asking for this cake. MUCH easier than the saber-tooth tiger that Parker asked for.
As I’ve mentioned before, we also keep Harry the Tarantula as a pet. She is a little bigger than the spiders I love, I have to admit. Mark and the boys take care of her.
And finally, Auden hopes to inspire Willa to love spiders also. Somehow I don’t see her choosing this spider that Auden posed her with as her lovey.
