Critters

~After all the trouble I've been having with spiders, I decided to go out and get some sticky, non-toxic, baited bug traps. I haven't seen a monster spider in my house since. And I haven't caught so much as a flea in those traps. There are, however many, many spiders EVERYWHERE outside. I don't know what they're called, these particular type of spiders, but they aren't scary. They have tiger-like stripes and big fat bottoms, and they sort of "pop" when you step on them. But anyway, the REASON why they aren't scary, is 'cause they are the type that stay on their webs. Right, smack dab in the middle. You won't catch one of these things crawling in your bed, or scurrying across the floor, unless, of course you have just walked through their web and knocked them down. There's one in particular that likes to build his web right outside my front door, and every day, as I step outside, I have to make sure that I don't walk face first into the sticky strings. I don't kill him though. I figure it's good that he's catching the other bugs that may or may not be trying to come in my front door. I see him as a helper, a friend even.

But this type of spider? They're EVERYWHERE outside. When I stand at my kitchen sink, doing the dishes and daydream as I stare outside, I can, without even trying hard, count over 14 spiders in their webs just RIGHT THERE. It's sort of fascinating to watch them when they catch a bug.

~Those raccoons I had in my tree left almost as quickly as they had appeared, but now my tree has welcomed some new tenants. My big maple is now full of squirrels, and they are SOOO cute. (Sorry, no pictures.) I really like squirrels, I've decided. I love how they squeak, and how it seems like their tails have something to do with the sound, 'cause they twitch with every sound they make! I used to have pet squirrels from Peru (degus) and they didn't make good pets, and I'd never get any again, but I sort of just want to catch these little suckers from outside and hug them and squeeze them and squish them into itty bitty pieces. Somebody stop me!

~Sabre is totally a master hunter. It makes me proud, but sad at the same time. I'm happy that she loves me and shows her affection by bringing me presents, but I really loathe cleaning up dead birds! The snakes have all gone away for the season, so she's moved onto bigger prey now, and coming home to a dead bird on the deck is not my favourite welcoming home present! At least the doors are closed now, so these little treats don't make their way inside during these colder months!