Arachnophobia

I have had a phobia about spiders for as long as I can remember. Maybe my mind is protecting me by blocking out some traumatic event involving a spider or spiders, but I don't recall any such incidents. All I can tell you for sure is that they really, really, REALLY creep me out!

I thought I was getting better about them as I got older, but Saturday night gave me a real set back.

I started the feeding and milking a bit later than usual and consequently was finishing my chores in the dark. My son came out with a flashlight to check on me (probably on orders from his dad!).

I was almost finished at that point and was just getting ready to top off the lamb's water. Right about then my son kind of yelled out.

"What?" I asked, not paying too much attention.

He shone the light on something dangling not two feet from me. "Look at that!" he exclaimed. "It's a giant spider!"

Then I saw it and gave quite the shriek myself. "AACCKKK!"

At that point I decided the lambs could wait until the morning for their fresh water. I hurriedly backed out and around the spider, which was busy making a giant human catcher from the branches of the tree to the ground.

I could only thank my lucky stars (and my husband) that my son came out with the flashlight. I surely would have turned and walked right into the thing. It makes me shiver just to think of it. If no one had come out to check on me they would have found me the next morning curled up in a corner of the yard in a catatonic state.

When my son and I returned to the house and were describing the ginormous arachnid to my husband he laughed and called us sissies. He suggested I bring my camera out to document the creature.

Turns out even he was in awe of the eight legged creature.

Notice anything?

Come a little closer...

When we shone the light on it, it stopped it's mad web spinning and sat in the center. Probably waiting for one of us poor suckers to become ensnared so it could then suck the life out of us.

"Step into my parlor..."

And finally, a bottom and top view. I did not get that close to it, these are enlargements made from the photos I took.

One thing is for sure: from now on I will get the evening feeding chores done before it gets dark!