Small Wonder

At the preschool where I work, there are often surprises waiting for us in the backyard.  On a chilly, misty morning a couple weeks ago, this is what I found.

This was no ordinary spiderweb, because each strand was strung with tiny water droplets.  It resiliently sagged under the weight until a gust of wind knocked it down that afternoon.

For a few hours, it sparkled from the top of the swing set.  It didn't seem to mind the rain and the cold.

How to Catch a Scorpion

Look what I found in my kitchen!  Seriously, scorpions are no joke and can be difficult to catch.  And unlike spiders, it's recommended that they are killed instantly and not released in the wild or they will just find their way back into your house.  (And even when they are flattened to the size of a credit card, they can still sting you.)

I learned all this on the internet once I had my little critter trapped in a mason jar and wanted to figure out what to do with him.  I had a choice- squish him or preserve his carcass for posterity.

I went the posterity route and used some rubbing alcohol to send him to a better place.  You never know when you may need a preserved scorpion.

Sorry, fella.  If you weren't so poisonous and agro with those claws, things would be different.

Tarantula!

This was intended to be a backpost from earlier this summer when my friend spotted a tarantula in her living room moments before I drifted off on the couch.  (Yep, it woke me up.)

Very fitting, since I'm housesitting for her this week and guess what I found in the kitchen sink this morning.  It may have been this little guy's twin.

I'm not too proud of myself, because unlike my spider-friendly pal, I washed the little Charlotte down the drain, instead of letting him out on the porch.

I'm getting over a lot of fears, but spiders have a ways to go.  At least little spiders won't seem so bad now.