The Itsy Bitsy Spider....

Funny how one small thing can change your total perception of something!  I used to sing "The Itsy Bitsy Spider"  hundreds of times a day with the kids thinking it was such a fun song and of course as a mom I praised myself on encouraging hand-eye coordination and memorization for the kids.  However, I no longer find any such joy, humor, or comfort after discovering we have a "spider issue" out here in the country.  The past 3 days we've found several black widow webs on the porches and just the word spider sends chills down my spine and a sick feeling in my stomach.  Rest assured we will be sticking strictly to songs of teapots, colors, and other less lethal things from now on.  Ha! Ha! (I think.)


Why, just check out this "beauty" I was greeted to as I stepped out on the back patio to enjoy my coffee and the cool morning.  Ugh!   

(Sorry for the blurry picture... my hands were shaking uncontrollaby from the closeness I got to this horrific creature! LOL!)

Take note, she's not "up in the eaves" as the locals say they typically nest... this little villian was building her home on the ground.  I could have kicked her with my flip flop without even raising my foot if I wanted to.  Needless to say we have "spider safety 101" with the kids on a regular basis.  They can now all identify a brown recluse, trantula, black widow & scorpion upon sight -- all "natives" to this area.  I guess I may have gone a little bit overboard because Colby apparently caused quite a stir yesterday when getting a drink at boy scout camp.  He told his den leader there was a scorpion by the water cooler... turns out it was a roly poly covered in dirt & had debris caught in its antenna -- honest mistake.  Guess we might need to review that one. LOL!  But frankly I'd rather have them overly-cautious and safe than naieve and injured.