EcoMeg Versus The Black Widow Spider

What can I say? I have two small boys, so everything is about super heroes versus villains.

Yesterday, while enjoying some backyard swimming with my kids, I discovered a spider had built a web under one of our chaises.  At first, I only saw the seemingly abandoned, raggedy web hanging beneath the chair, collecting leaves.  As I tried to pry it loose I found it was amazingly strong - as if it were industrially made.  The alarm went off in my brain.  I'd read certain nasty spiders built untidy webs.  So I turned the chair over to give it a thorough cleaning and there it was: a black widow spider, likely a female given its size, markings and the proportion of its body to legs.

I called the boys over for a look, snapped a photo, then dispatched the spider to its maker.  As much as I respect nature, there is no place in my house or yard for poisonous critters, especially with children around.

I was surprised to find this here for two reasons: 1. I keep my house, garage and yard clean and tidy, and yet this managed to evade me for long enough to set up shop, and 2. black widows usually like dark places, yet here it was living on my pool deck.  We've had some unusually rainy weather, though, so my guess is that it migrated to higher ground.  The good news is that black widows are not typically aggressive.  When you come across one, it tends to run away rather than attack.  Just don't put your hand or foot near one or you may need to make a trip to the ER.

Daily Photo: My New Visitor

My three-year-old pointed out at the bird feeder this morning and shouted something about Nemesis Squirrel.  He has trouble with the word "Nemesis" so it comes out like "Nemenisis," which is very cute.

So I take a look out the window and see that for the second time in a row, Nemesis Squirrel has opened the bird feeder, pulled out the big cake of bird seed/nuts/dried fruit and dumped it on the ground below.

Grrr.   Which immediately had me thinking, "I've gotta get a pair of cat handcuffs and I gotta get 'em right away."  Ok, I'm dating myself here.  Anyway, I need to find one of those squirrel-proof feeders before the Cardinals and Blue Jays abandon us.

I step outside to confront Nemesis, only to find that most of the cake is gone and the only critter still munching away is a cute bunny rabbit.  Almost made me forget how mad I am at Nemesis Squirrel.  Almost.

Daily Photo: Our Backyard Lizard

Spring is here and so is our backyard lizard.  He and another lizard buddy can typically be found sunning themselves on one of our HVAC units. 

There's Something Putrid in the Garden

Drainage is a big deal in North Texas, for two reasons.  Firstly, there's a lot of clay in the soil.  Water tends to sit on top of clay and is very slowly absorbed.  Secondly, when it rains here, it pours.  Have you ever noticed what happens to a dry sponge when a lot of water is dumped on it?  At first, the water just runs right off.  The sponge doesn't start to swell immediately.  Put these two qualities together and if the lowest spot in your landscape is up against your house or key elements of your garden, then your foundation or your landscaping may be in trouble.

After watching a few trees really suffer due to poor drainage in our backyard, my husband and I got out there in today's driving rain to do something about it.  First, my husband cleared a trench from a major pop-up bubbler toward the street, then he cleared some backed-up (and quite rotten) leaves, etc., from the pipe to allow more water to flow away from the garden.  After that project, we began to inspect other bubblers around the perimeter of the house.  One, I noticed, was full of water but the water was only trickling out.  A possible sign of blockage.

Daily Photo: Nemesis Squirrel

The squirrel from hell still visits me each morning.  I think I might actually miss him if he stopped coming around, despite the havoc he wreaks.

Daily Photo: A Sad Discovery

 

Early yesterday morning, there was a lot of hysterical chirping outside of my younger son's window.  Later, we found that the wind had knocked a nest from the tree there.  There were several broken eggs scattered amidst the flowers.  Very sad.

Daily Photo: Duck!

One of the lovely ducks we frequently see in my part of the country.  I hope this one finds shelter before the arctic blast arrives.

Daily Photo: My Nemesis

For several months, I've been trying to figure out what animal has been so aggressively digging in my garden.  It mucked about so badly in one flower bed that it buried all of my pansies:

It digs around beneath every tree:

It even digs random holes in my lawn:

I first glimpsed the critter about a week ago when it returned to the scene of the pansy crime.  In the following days, it became bolder and bolder, often climbing a pillar outside my window to stare at me.  Today it brought two friends and actually posed for me on the pillar.  I'm not sure, but I think it also laughed at me.  Don't be fooled by how cute it is.  This is the squirrel from hell.

Daily Photo: It Snowed in Texas

Yesterday, we woke up to falling snow here in Texas.  It was beautiful and left me longing for my childhood home back east.

"I'm Not Going if There Are Tsetse Flies."

Tomorrow, I am taking my 5 year old son with me for a visit to Los Angeles to see some of my family.  I made the mistake of telling him about it a week ago, and he's been trying to pack his bag every single day since then.  "Honey," I'd say, "I'm pretty sure you'll need your toothbrush between now and Friday.  Why don't we wait to pack that particular item."  But today is the big day for THE PACKING.  I'm sure he's in a total fog right now at school imagining all of the things he'd like to take with him on our three day trip.

But his excitement gave way this morning to a strange concern.  "Are there Tsetse Flies in California, Mom?  Because I'm not going if there are Tsetse Flies."

"No, I think Tsetse Flies are only in Africa," I said.

"Ok, well, when I get home from school, we'll look it up on the internet, Mom, okay?  Because WE HAVE TO BE SURE," he said with big eyes.

"Ok, honey."

Daily Photo: Autumn Rose

Our Knock Out roses, which had been in bad shape by the end of the summer, have finally rebounded.  They are particularly eye-catching since the trees are now so bare.

Daily Photo: 15 Vultures And An Armadillo

I debated about whether to post this since it's a bit graphic, but Halloween IS tomorrow...

I live in the southwest. This is a scene from my street. An armadillo was hit by a car and before the city could come and scoop it up, 15 vultures descended.  I had no idea there were so many in our area. It was like a scene from the movie The Birds. Gruesome.

Happy Halloween!

Daily Photo: Too Much Rain

I know I should not complain about rain, given I live in the southwest.  But seriously.  Too much rain.  My garden is beginning to resemble a mushroom farm.

Daily Photo: Another Garage Visitor

This one is smaller than the last one, thankfully, but just as fearless. Again, it took me 15 minutes of work with the broom to get it to leave - much to my toddler's delight!

Daily Photo: Butterfly Chase

My toddler and I followed this butterfly all the way down the block so we could get a photo. It was a fun chase!

Daily Photo: Praying Mantis

This is my older child's favorite insect, so we felt fortunate to find one in our own backyard!

Daily Photo: Lizard in Our Garage

When I first saw this lizard a few months ago, it was fairly small and cute. I left water out for it because it was in the 100s and I have a soft spot. After a while, it became a frequent visitor. My husband objected to its presence because he felt it was one step away from moving IN to our home. I argued that it's coldblooded and wouldn't like the air conditioning.

Well, it's now quite LARGE (maybe 12 inches in length) and is very clearly no longer afraid of us. I finally conceded that it needed to go. It took us 15 minutes and a broom to get it out of the garage. I swept it out and it would run right back, straight toward the broom. Imagine how hard it would be to get it out of our house!

Daily Photo: Mom, Look! A Spider!

As I drove to the end of our street today, my older child pointed out of the window and said, "Mom, look! A spider!" So I glanced as I was about to turn and noticed a MASSIVE spider attached to the lamppost. I have never seen one so big (in the wild).

Daily Photo: I almost expected to see an elf living under there

We've had a lot of rain lately, and this is a typical result. But this particular mushroom looked like something out of a children's story.

Daily Photo: Giant Moth