Charlotte's Web

At the risk of freaking myself out every time I look at my blog, I'm posting this spider picture.  I've already written about my spider fears.  But this particular variety, the brownish ones that are so common in our area, I can deal with...kind of.

This particular spider and I have had a lot of contact.  I am not exactly on friendly terms with her, but she built her web next to the goat yard gate.  So every morning for the past couple of months, whether I want to or not, I see her.

And then a few days ago, her web was gone.  My hope was that the disappearance of her web meant we were finally through the dreaded spider season.  I don't know where they all go, nor do I really want to know, but out of sight is better for me.  The appearance of this egg sack, however, is something new.   And kind of creepy.  My spider didn't go very far though as she is right next to it!   She decided to create this on the gate right by the handle.

And now it's all Charlotte's Web for me.  All I can think about is what a good mother spider she is.  She is on her second day of just hanging out next to her future children, and I am being really careful when I open the gate as I would feel awful if I hurt her or the egg sack.

Before too long I am going to start imagining the sort of relationship the goats have developed with her and wondering if I've missed any web messages!

And, thanks to E.B. White's classic story about Charlotte, I also know that she is probably dying.  I think it is incredibly sweet that she is spending her last days hanging out with her egg sack, in such close proximity of us.  Part of me wishes to tell her thank you for taking care of our future spider population--who we gardeners desperately need.  The other part of me just shivers.  Either way, if I just think of Charlotte, I feel like I have a nice garden story playing out on our gate.