THE LITTLE SPIDER'S FAVORITE FLOWER

 

Ahhh...what a beautiful night.  It has cooled off nicely after a hot, humid day.  Looking up at the full moon and watching a sky full of a million twinkling stars, this little spider began to think about the chores for the day ahead.  The sun will be up in a few hours, and I have a lot of things on my 'to do' list.  After a few more hours of rest, relaxation and planning, I was ready for the new day.  After stretching each of my eight legs and yawning a big, long, satisfying yawn, I'm ready to get going.  Oh look, my breakfast is ready.  Right here on my web.  After filling my tummy with delicious treats from the bug buffet, I needed to concentrate on mending the loose silk on my web.  The air was already feeling pretty humid, I think it is going to be another hot day here in UP Michigan.  It is August.  But I must keep up with the maintenance of my home no matter the temperature or the weather.  

I spy, with one of my eyes, the lady of the house heading my way.  I built my house in one of her plant boxes under the front windows of her home.  She is dragging a garden hose...good news to cool off, bad news that she might use a higher power setting and just blow me and my web right out of here.  But, good news, she lays the hose on the ground under the low evergreens that are below the plant box, to give them a good soak.  Then, she reaches up and starts picking around the flowers in my plant box.  From my closer than I like, viewing position, she appears to be deadheading the flowers that are now dried and swiveled and are past their beautiful glory days.  This plant box is planted with Nasturtiums, Marigolds, Alyssum, a tall spike, some flowing Vinca Vines, a few Begonias and some Yellow Gerber Daisies.  The Marigolds have a strong smell, but the rest of the plants only have a faint lovely aroma, which I prefer.   I am particularly fond of the Nasturtiums.  They come in so many beautiful fall colors.  Light and dark oranges, yellows, reds and combinations of all of those colors.  They are edible, have fun shaped leaves and produce an attractive round ball that is their seed. 

I do wander off of my web occasionally to take a break from my web design, to check out all of the beautiful plants.  I also wander about to check and make sure that any other spiders or bugs that are present, are just traveling through...not thinking that they can stay for longer than a visit.    If they are courteous and respect my presence, which I immediately make known, I don't mind that they are stopping off for a while to enjoy the beautiful plants.  But, if they happen to be a spider and they are thinking about taking up residency in my plant box, I will hide in the flowers and allow them to start weaving a web and then I will go in and cut all of their threads and they will sail off into the wild blue yonder.  Other bugs, I allow to stay for a while and then I go over and shoo them away.  

One day, as a game, I started counting the developing seeds that the lovely Nasturtiums were producing.  I began to count them each day just to make sure that they were all there.  Also, I add to the count any new seeds that had developed.  And, for a long time, each time I would count, they would all be present and accounted for.  

One morning, after breakfast and before starting my mending chores, I counted and recounted my precious seeds and discovered that there were a few missing.  Looking down to the ground, I realized that when the seeds become large enough, their weight would put strain on the stem, and they would fall to the ground.  

I decided that my new job was to wind my silky threads around each of the precious seeds to keep them securely in my plant box.  It did take me quite a while to find each seed and create the silk and wrap each one with its own safety line.   It was kind of fun discovering a new purpose for my weaving and my tying skills.  

After doing that, I was happy knowing that all of the remaining seeds would be with me for the season...UNTIL...the lady of the house discovered the seeds.  The Nasturtiums seeds look like wrinkly little bee bees.  They are so fun to discover, touch and hold for further examination.   While the hose was running down below, she decided to start not only deadheading the flowers that were past their glory days...but also started picking my precious seeds.  She would find one and pick it with her right hand and then place it in her left hand to collect.  I obviously did not tie my silk line on all of the seeds.  She was able to just reach in and pick them.  Oh well...

I wandered off to the side of the plant box so as to not to alert her to the fact that I was living there.  The next seed that she went after looked like it was a goner...right hand picked the seed...transferred it to her left hand...and then to my peeking pleasure, BOING...it recoiled right back into place.  My silk threads had worked...I was so proud of my work.  But she did not give up. Plucked the same seed...right hand to left hand and it flew out of her hand again.  But this time, it landed on a tall evergreen that is planted right next to the plant box.  I can swing over and retrieve the seed later...no problem   But, she must have thought that a third time would be the charm and went in again for the seed.  With renewed effort, she plucked the seed, and it went from her right hand to the left hand and did not recoil this time.  My thread was broken.  It broke my little heart.  Even though this is her house, these are her plant boxes and these are her plants, I just wanted to live here and collect those special seeds.   After plucking a few more seeds, she looked pleased and wandered off to another part of her gardens.  

Initially, I was mad, then sad and then I generally go into my best phase...strategizing.  I think I have a new plan to save my seeds.  I will pluck them when they are ready to detach and bury them in the dirt of the plant box.  This way, I get to keep them, know where they are and quite possibly...they will grow into more colorful Nasturtiums for all to enjoy.  

This plan allows me to reclaim my time to devote to my main responsibility...tending to my web.  The seeds are kind of tricky to lasso and then tie up securely enough to not allow them to fall to the ground.  Now that I know that the determined lady of the house will just keep plucking the seeds until she is satisfied - I realize that my initial plan was futile.  So, after untying all of the remaining seeds I decide to bury them in the dirt.  This should work. Now I can finally feel like I can begin mending my web home without fretting about losing my seeds.

This all works...I get to hold and play with my favorite seeds, bury them in the warm, moist soil and watch them grow into more beautiful flowers that produce more seeds.  And she won't be as keen coming over to look for them...when she can't find any.  Finally...they are all mine.  All warm and snug  right here in my plant box, right under my web...the way it should be.  On with today's work.  OH NO, here she comes with the hose again...it's shower time...hang on...Ahhhh..that actually felt pretty good on this hot day.  Thanks lady of the house.  Now, go away and let this little spider get on with its daily work.  

OUR LITTLE TIPO...AND HIS BIG PERSONALITY...

 

Tipo is our sweet, older gentleman...Chihuahua.  He came into our lives as a surrendered little guy of 5 years old.  He and his sister were at the Humane Society where we were living in WI.  When I called to see if this cute little guy and girl were still available, I was told that the little girl had already been adopted.  I was a bit disappointed as my plan was to keep them together, but it was not to be. 

  We hurried over to meet this little guy.  I'll never forget the first time he was introduced to us.  A member of the Humane Society staff brought him out to us on a leash.  He was wearing a plaid bow tie.  He walked through the door and sat down right in front of us as though he was inspecting us.  At that moment, I knew that he would become a wonderful member of our animal crew.  He was small in stature, but large in the attitude department.  A typical Chihuahua I've since learned.  The bold colored bow tie was perfect for this little (big) guy.  It is his signature look.  He wears one of his many bowties when we go for a walk or for rides on my three-wheel bike.  He loves viewing the neighborhood from the basket on my bike.  If he could jump up in there by himself, he would.  When I tell him that we're going for a ride, he jumps around until I lift him up into his basket.  He takes on his whole Chihuahua personality as soon as we take.  He stands with his front feet on the front of the basket and often times barks at 'whatever'.    

  In the Meet & Greet Room at the Humane Society, while initially sitting in front of us, he continued to really check us out for a few minutes. He looked from me to my husband, up and down.    I thought I would slowly reach down and let him smell me.  He smelled my hand and my arm and then allowed me to pick him up.  I placed him between my husband and I, so that he could check us both out.  He seemed to be relaxed, sniffed us both and he let us both pet him. 

 He had brought a little stuffed bunny out with him to meet us.  After sitting between us for a while, he jumped down and retrieved his little bunny.  He jumped back up between us on the couch with his beloved bunny.  The staff member told us that he was surrendered with his sister and this stuffed bunny.  I felt that it was his touch with his dear sister and to the first five years of his life.  He still has that stuffed bunny.  But after 8 years, and many washings, it is now just a small square piece of fabric. This precious piece of cotton stays in his bed, and he checks on it daily.  He sleeps with us but keeps his toys and bones/treats in his little bed, right next to our bed.  We purchased a little stairway for him to use to get up on our bed so that there was less chance of him hurting himself going up and down.   

We have had many fluffy family members and most of them were larger breeds.  Tipo was our first small dog. We have loved them all, but as we age, a little one is much more in line with what we can handle.  He is smaller and lighter to lift and is easier to walk on a leash.  We also have an older dog, Sadie, that we have had since birth.  We had raised goldendoodles and kept one of the pups, Sadie.  She was now in her 'golden years'.  But now having little Tipo in all of our lives, it really seemed to pep Sadie up...like a playful puppy again in many ways.  

We have moved from our hobby farm in WI to UP Michigan.  He has been our good boy for about 8 years now...so, he is 13 years old and is doing well.  I believe that he and his sister were taken very good care of but had to be surrendered for hopefully, a loving reason - owners possibly aging and/or entering a nursing facility...I like to think that...because he is very healthy, well-mannered and just a love...no signs of abuse or neglect thankfully. He does use the house as his bathroom occasionally...but not enough to be a real problem. 

 At times I wish that rescued animals could tell you about their past so that you could do your best to help them figure it all out.  Help them to deal with their past and let them know that they are now in a safe and loving place.  

Probably the best thing to do is to start fresh with good food, exercise, lots of play time, a loving, comfortable home.  Lots of pets, smiles, snuggling and love all day long.    He does not like when someone raises their voice, but I don't think anyone does.  He does not run or hide so, I still believe that he was in a normal loving home before he came to us.  He is not afraid of fireworks. Does not even flinch...the only reactions I see are, when a dog or animal comes on the television, his ears perk up and he runs to the edge of the bed (where I many times watch television before going to sleep) and barks...And, when I let him out in the morning, he runs out, thinking that there are squirrels to chase away...which there are most of the time.  

UPDATE: Some years later (sometimes I write a blog over a number of years...happens)...Our Sadie dog passed away...Tipo's friend of many years.  After a while, we thought a nice way to honor Sadie, our dog, was to go to the local Humane Society in Menominee MI and look at the cats that we previewed on-line.  Not really knowing what age or type we were looking for...we just kind of let the cat pick us.  I walked around thinking that possibly an older one would be perfect for us and a furever home for the elder cat.  My husband was walking around talking to each cat.  One of them really talked back to him and he fell in love with her.  She was named Sadie and she was 1 yr. 2 months old and she was quite the gabber.  Perfect. Giving a loving home to a cat already named Sadie, after losing our dear Sadie dog. 

Sadie, the cat, now lives with us...and Tipo.  Tipo is now 15 years old and quite gray and kind of grumpy.  Sadie is helping to keep him young by just generally teasing him...but is also adding to his grumpiness.  She has a habit of following him...if he runs, she runs along next to him...like when we let him in, give him his treat and he runs to his bed.  She is right there at the door when he scratches to come in, watches closely as we give him a treat and then runs with him to his little bed...which is mostly hers now.  

We came home one day and Tipo was up on one of our chairs and to get closer to us, he jumped to another chair - basically staying off of the ground.  We thought it was odd.  He is usually on the floor jumping up on the backs of our legs and wagging his tail when we come home.  Soon we realized that he was avoiding the little fuzzy alligator on the floor...Sadie cat.  We joked about setting up a monitor to see what actually goes on when we are not at home.  I think that generally they both nap quite a bit ..but Sadie does get into her 'zoomie' moods and I think she would like Tipo to play with her...but, he is not up for that kind of play.  So, she may play around him in hopes that he will play with her...and he just wants to finish his nap.  They work it out though.  Tipo does seem glad to see us and, I'm sure hopes that we will keep Sadie busy so that he does not have to deal with her alone.  

Life goes on...both of them nap quite a bit.  Sadie follows Tipo around a lot...he just ignores her and then she eventually runs off and finds something else to mess with besides Tipo.  She does keep him on his toes which I think helps to keep him active and in better health.  

She has turned out to be a perfect fit to our home and really to our lives.  She rubs up against Tipo every chance that he allows her to...and runs along next to him every time he goes anywhere in the house.   I still take him for rides in the basket of my bike.  He mostly sits and occasionally barks but mostly just seems to love being with me, outside and getting a good look at the neighborhood.  His little eyes look a little cloudy these days, but he never misses a dog or a squirrel when we are riding our usual route.  He lets out a bark or two and the settles back down in his basket with his blanket and the little remaining piece of his dear bunny.  

We pet him and snuggle with him as much as possible and give him a full body scratch every day.  He is aging in every way...but still has the big dog attitude wrapped in a cute little guy body.