Big Ugly!

He's big!  He's ugly!  And, I HATE spiders!  Just ask my boys.  I'd be in one room, they'd be in another, hear me shriek and come running laughing all the way.  They knew I'd just seen a spider.  I'll let you in on a little secret; it didn't matter how big or small, my dear sweet boys would come to my rescue and kill the wicked spider!  These days they are all grown and have families of their own so I no longer have my spider killers.  So, what do I do, you ask?  You know those handles that come with the Swiffer floor duster?  Yep, you got it.  It's my "not quite as long as a ten foot pole" spider killer.  I can smash a spider without coming within three feet of it.  Of course, it takes me longer to work up the courage to approach it than it does to smash it.  :-)

The spider you see in the pictures below is hanging outside my living room window.  The web is huge!  He only comes out every late afternoon looking for dinner.  Trust me, it was all I could do to shoot these pictures given the crazy thing started flexing his legs whenever I got close.  Freaked me out!  And, mind you, this is through the window, through the screen view. 

Thanks for stopping by,

Marsha

What Labor Day Means to Me

Yes, I know the true reason for this holiday but it holds a much different meaning for me.  It's a reminder of days past and memories of childhood.  So, while I'm taking a break from today's list of chores and watching "Return of the Jedi," I'd like to share those memories with you.

For me, Labor Day always signaled the end of carefree summer days spent swimming, biking and hanging out with friends.  It was also the start of a new school year.  School always started the day after Labor Day which meant my days would now be spent inside a classroom looking out the windows at sun-filled days still to be enjoyed.

With a Dad who was a rock hound, we spent some of our summer weekends combing sandbars and walking farm fields once they had been plowed before and after harvest.  Agates, geodes and arrowheads were just some of the interesting things we would find.  Many times the Labor Day holiday would be our last rock hunting expedition and our last picnic of the year.

These days the holiday is much quieter for me.  My sons now live out of state or out of town and it is not as easy to get together for that cookout of the year.  I do miss those days filled with the laughter of my children and grandchildren.  But the one thing I have, are the wonderful memories of those days spent with family.

Priceless!

Thanks for stopping by,

Marsha