I don't like spiders and snakes

Nope, I don't spiders or snakes and here I am, living in rural West Virginia, a place practically overrun with spiders and snakes.

For example, I stumbled upon this one day down by the creek in our backyard.

Caution: this photo is not for the faint of heart, I still get shivers when I look at it, and I'm the one that took the photo!


Yes, the photo is a little blurry, that happens when the photographer's hand is shaking!

Though I was getting all creeped out, I leaned in (carefully!) for a better view.


Oddly fascinating and truly scary...for me at least.


The other day Youngest Son offered to wash the car. After I recovered from the initial shock, I smiled and said thank you.

With the car all dusty, dirty and ready for a good soaping YS retrieved all the necessary cleaning supplies to begin his task. Minutes later he's calling me, loudly, loud enough for me to hear him inside the house with all windows and doors shut tight and the central air running.

Outside I found him standing at the hose that connects to the backyard well pump, and this is what he points out to me:


It's huge! I run back in the house for the camera and he gets to be the one to lean in close for these photos.

Blaahhh....equally beautiful and beastly.

I did some searching and if I'm not mistaken (though I could very possibly be incorrect...) this arachnid is a black and yellow garden spider.

Of course because of its beauty, this specimen happens to be a female. I discovered that like most spiders, this one is harmless to humans and keeps the fly and mosquito population in check. This website has amazing photos and interesting facts.

"I don't like spiders and snakes, and that ain't what it takes to love me..."
This Jim Stafford song will be running through my head all day now, and if you know the tune, guess what, it's gonna be singing to you all day too!

In case you don't know the song, here's a YouTube video to get you going.