Monday, November 24, 2008

Spider in the attic

We are fortunate enough to have a walk up attic. Like old houses, except our house is just 2 years old, get what you want when you custom build. I don't normally go up there very often. If I need something my husband is kind enough to get it for me. Well, most of you know he works out of town part of the week. I needed something so I went to the attic to get it. Dorothy has been posting her great photos of her Thanksgiving Cactus so I thought while I was up there I should take water to water the flowers in the attic. I know that really sounds stupid. But our attic also has a window. The plants that have to be brought in for the winter go up there. The bad part is I don't get up there very often because of my arthritis. The good part of that is, they don't need as much water during the winter because it is not hot up there, just warm enough for the plants to survive the winter. Well, I went to check on my Thanksgiving Cactus (because Dorothy's are really looking good). And this is what I found between me and all of the Thanksgiving Cactus plants. And the web is as big around as my computer screen, if not bigger.

So then I had to go back downstairs and get my camera, and then back up those steps. Remember I am a photographer, photographers will go through all sorts of pain for a photograph. Had not loaded the photos yet when I spoke to my husband that night. He asked what I did with the spider after I killed it. "Killed it?", I said. Never entered my mind to kill it, just wanted a photograph of it. He reminded me one spider can become 1000 spiders. Oh. I said but this web is huge, like Charlotte's Web. He told me never mind, first thing when he got back home he would go kill the spider.
Well, when I got home from work that night and loaded the photos, and cropped real close I wasn't sure if I was going to sleep well that night. This is one ugly spider.
UPDATE: Since so many of you are concerned about me in this house by myself with this spider. The rest of the story is my husband came home, forgot the spider, next day I reminded him. I don't know what happened to the spider, other than I was told it had been handled. I really have enjoyed the comments so far, but I couldn't leave you in suspense any longer.
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9 comments:

Anonymous said...

Okay Leedra, when the critters are IN the house, First: Photograph and then second.........KILL! That is one UGLY spider for sure.

Anonymous said...

You can tell you are really an advid photographer because not only did you brave the stairs you also braved the spider. When we find insects in the house I usually capture them and put them outside. When it is cold, like it is now, I will put them in the garage. If they are cool, like your spider was, I will try and capture them in pics first.

Anonymous said...

Oh yeah, the spider has to go.

Anonymous said...

At least toss that spider outside if you don't kill it. I can't sleep knowing you have that creature in your house!! (Can you tell I'm not a fan of spiders? LOL!)

Anonymous said...

You truly are a photographer first.I think I would have killed the spider and then later thought that I should have goten a picture.
Whatever happened to the spider you have some grat shots of it.
Blessings,Ruth

Anonymous said...

I think all of us as photographers can relate. I am always looking for them to photograph. My Dad would never kill a spider and I grew up with the old 'spider box' and a seagull feather. The box was usually an old cereal container and the feather dropped from a seagull in our garden. We had loads on our back lawn. He always fed the seagulls, my dear mother blessed him because she was always washing the windows! We would get gigantic crawlies inside our house but he would always use the feather to pop the spider in the box and deposit it outside. As I got older and braver I had my own 'spider box' and feather. I still deposit spiders outside. My friends think I am nuts if they have witnessed a spider removal!

Anonymous said...

Leedra, I somehow missed this post the first time... GADS--how frightening... Glad your hubby took care of it!!!! I wouldn't be able to sleep knowing that that spider was still in my house!!! Yuk!!!

Anonymous said...

Leedra: I went through the same thing when my daughter called me over to see her monster spider at night. It was big and I told her I thought it was a pregnant female from the size. It was dispatched.

Anonymous said...

Loved this post! Glad the spider's gone, though! :-) When we lived in Texas, and moved into the old farmhouse, I washed all the windows inside and out ONCE....because at some point, several big beautiful yellow and black garden spiders took up residence over the outside of three of my windows. And, by over, I mean, like an outdoor curtain! I tried to photograph them, without much success, but I definitely figured they were killing other insects that might be trying to come inside, so they were welcome there. (And they were so beautiful!) On the other hand, once after the landlord was under the house fixing the pipes, I saw the most enormous black widow spider I'd ever seen walking across my kitchen floor. I scooped it up onto a piece of paper, dropped it outside and turned it over to make sure, and yep, there was the red violin! Then I killed it. He was NOT welcome! :-)

Marie

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