Friday, May 16, 2008

Spiders and Snakes and 'Coons, Oh My!

Um.
I didn't know what I was signing up for when I moved to this house, apparently. No one told me that this quaint little town on the south end of the valley was infested with wildlife. Don't get me wrong, I am a big fan of all things nature-y and green, and I am among the people who get sad and kind of angry with society when another retail or housing complex is erected on top of a nice open field.

HOWEVER...

Snakes are not okay with me. Everyone who knows me is aware of my immobilizing fear of the little (or big, gasp!) things. I glance down on a walk and see a brown, shriveled pod from a tree that has fallen on the ground and I nearly pass out from the shock. Then my heart starts pounding as if I had a brush with death. I place the blame squarely on my brother's shoulders, but that's a story for another day.

The hard part comes when I try to hide my fear for the sake of Aidan. I don't need him growing up thinking they're bad or scary... just that they are things that will warrant a major grounding if brought into his mommy's home.

And that goes for all the other country fauna that we keep running into. Voles? They're almost cute in a wild-gerbil sort of way, but apparently troublesome little buggers. I've seen raccoons in my neighborhood and I don't even remember them from when I was growing up in a much more rural place than my current town. And the spiders... OOHHHH the spiders. Ugh.

I took this picture today to try to illustrate the spidery craziness that is my yard. I kid you not, the entire lawn is covered with webs, they are hanging between every flower in my garden, and if I go to sit in a lawn chair chances are I'll get covered in the sticky things. Blech.



I hope I don't offend any spider lovers out there. I really do love nature, I just sort of feel like I need to buy a pair of wellies to walk around in my yard.


5 comments:

Anonymous said...

Who's responisble for that lush, green, beautiful lawn anyway?

Nancy Williams said...

Gah. I know I'd rather have a few sweet little garter snakes running through the zucchini. And you know I'm a spider-lover by nature, bless their little plant-loving hearts.

But THIS, my dear, is excessive.

*shuddering*

Anna said...

Ugh. I think something may have to be done about this... I've got the imaginary spider itchies.

And Mike, you are the undeniable lawn champ of the neighborhood oh gifted one (who makes me deal with spiders or yellowjackets because he's too scared!)

Ganine said...

That is just downright crazy. I can't stand spiders at all. They are fine NOT in my house. I have never seen a lawn like before.

Anonymous said...

PS - Those are from sod webworms, not spiders. :)