For Jocelyn

I have enjoyed hearing about my niece Jocelyn's love for insects recently. I remember my cousin Mary had a way with bugs when she was young and flies would land on her hand and stay. She actually kept one as a pet. I have tried to be patient with the bug fascination. Ants were hard for me and luckily worms were the top choice for awhile, until Olive started eating them. Hans has had several bug homes and once kept a dead ladybug in an old recipe box I had. I felt so bad, he fed it and noted how it liked to sleep on its back. Olive even advised him that it was dead but he just got mad at her. "It's just asleep OLIVE!" Yesterday, Pete noticed this spider nest in the front yard. It was just a big dark ball until he touched it and thousands of baby spiders spread out. They are seriously tiny. Spiders are Pete's arch enemies, as Hans would say. I remember when I stayed over at his place he once asked me to kill a spider before he got in the shower. But, they do take care of the other pests and they are kind of cute, in a Charlotte's Web sort of way. Plus, they have just been fun to watch. When there is a little movement, they all scatter, only to work back into a tight ball.
Tonight before dark, I went out to check on them and most were gone. Then I noticed a line of web from the bottom of the flower bed to the top of the rain gutter. There was the clump on the roof and a steady line of spiders making their way up. So fun to watch. A few actually sent a web out and floated away. Just like the movie!
And here is the remaining ones. What a great nature lesson, right on the front porch. I am happy that the kids have such a love and interest in living creatures. So, thank you Jocelyn for sharing with us and we hope you like the spiders.