New Spider in Residence

A new spider has decided to take up residence in a kitchen window. Perhaps she was first drawn by the solar powered tastefully waving hand of the figure of Her Majesty the Queen, my daughter gave me for my last birthday. The queen waves while the sun shines on her significant purse, that conceals her power source.

More likely the spot was chosen  by the closeness of the window to the side door that remains open to the side porch in good weather.

Insects are nothing new to the kitchen. They disappear into the mysterious webs by the ceiling that I only see when I search for them with my glasses on, when I am expecting visiting dignitaries or visits from my children. Fruit fly season is coming up so word must have spread of the choice spot. Early spider gets the fly.

As an aside, I have already had two hummingbirds and a goldfinch visit me in my kitchen this summer.

I have always loved spiders. If there is anything more beautiful than webs weighed with sparkling dew drops in the early morning greenness of summer sunshine, I don't know of it. I think it was the fairies in childhood that first awakened my appreciation for such things.

I read the same fairy stories and poems to my daughters as children, but for some reason spiders didn't take. It may have had something to do with that prissy Miss Muffet or the movie Arachnophobia. In fact my younger daughter became quite disgusted with me as hundreds of tiny spiders dropped joyfully from an egg sac that had gone unnoticed on a flourescent light, over the food preparation area mere days ago. I can be very annoying.

I remember reading Charlotte's Web for the first time when I was pregnant. I cried my eyes out, although that was at the same time I couldn't hold tears back in the somewhat sappy series of Bell Telephone commercials. Anthropomorphizing  insects wasn't and isn't difficult for me.

I was happy to learn one of my favourite poets, Mary Oliver, has the same fondness and tolerance for the species.

I am trying not to show too much interest in the goings on. I know mothers-to-be can become a little irritated with too much interest in such things.