Day One Hundred Ninety Nine

One of Life's Dilemmas

How does one relocate a spider and its web? That's the challenge I'm facing at the moment. While others ponder the meaning of life or what outfit to buy for a Christmas party, I worry about the spider I've grown to care about. Some (probably quite a few) would say I'm crazy for worrying about a spider at all. But this is no ordinary spider. It's an Orb spider and I've been watching it build its web, and actually grow, as the months have gone by. I think Orb spiders are beautiful and fascinating.

Nature's work of art

The web has endured several storms. I check each time it rains. Anyway, I think its amazing. While it endures what nature throws its way, it won't survive what we humans have planned. Here's the dilemma. We're having a lot of work done - pressure washing and painting. Soon there will be no safe place for the spider and her web. Maybe I'll relocate it to the wall...

This is why I hate to "do stuff" that messes with nature. I won't allow poisons on the grass or chemicals on surfaces. Pressure washing is fine, as long as they just use water. Weed killer is a definite no-no. If our house didn't need a new paint job, believe me, it would stay as is.

Switching gears:

I am of the opinion all of my "kids" are beautiful. They can be stinkers sometimes, but they are all unique and wonderful to live with. Take Finn for example. He is the most docile kitty inside but becomes an intrepid hunter outdoors. As I watched the cats out by the pool this morning, I just knew when Finn had caught something. I held my breath as I plucked a lizard from the jaws of death and then heaved a sigh of relief when it scampered off - tailless - but alive.

A little while later, I thought Dash had caught something as well. Thankfully, it was just a leaf. Not to be outdone by his brother, he was battling the leaf as though it was alive and really giving him a hard time.

Then there's Fancy. He constantly amazes me at his ability to communicate with me. I honestly never knew cats were so expressive. I feel like I got a late start in my appreciation of cats. Maybe that's why I want to surround myself with lots of them.

Each night, at least one, sometimes three, of the cats curl up with me on my chair. Finn does not participate, but Eli likes to perch on the back of the chair; Chance curls up next to me; Fancy sits on me and Dash - well Dash - has taken to jumping on the back of the chair, then tapping me on the shoulder. Once I acknowledge him, he starts purring. Eventually he moves down onto my lap. Each move is calculated though. He is the most physically expressive one. He will reach up and stroke my cheek or touch my arm. Fancy uses his words; Dash his paws.

Eli is on the top of the chair;
Dash fell asleep with his head
in the palm of my hand.