Behind Bars

 Need I write anything?

Jinxed Myself

It must have been something I said! Just about two weeks ago I mentioned the 'Itsy-Bitsy Spider' in reference to rain coming and washing the spider out. Now it's come back to haunt me as I was confronted by two not so itty-bitsy-spiders!

I am not arachnophobic, as long as something/someone has made me aware that there is a spider....there. And truthfully, I guess I'm not really phobic if I'm surprised, I just don't like it. 

As we were preparing to load the truck for a weekend getaway to NC, where our RV awaits, I grabbed a laundry basket I use for carrying stuff from the house to the RV. The laundry basket had been left in the RV garage in April. I grabbed it, put my fingers under the 'lip' of the top edge, and ran into something fuzzy. Ick. There was a complex net of webbing with a spider egg sac enmeshed in it. Ick. I didn't stop to take a picture. I grabbed a tissue and snatched the mess out of the crevice. I didn't stop to look at whether the egg sac was spiky or smooth. I did notice that the egg sac was close to 3/8" in diameter. Ick! I simply removed it, wadding up the tissue and tossed it.* 

My webbed mess only had one spider egg ball in it,
but looked kinda like this. Ick

A bit later I picked up the laundry basket and happened to notice a bulbous-butt spider. It looked a lot like this picture from the Internet. OMG - that is a brown widow spider. And, if I were a betting person, I'd put money on it...I had a close break with a brown widow - the bite isn't as bad as her cousin, the black widow, put painful never-the-less, according to the Internet. And, she is highly protective of her egg sacs, and will drape her legs around it to 'fiercely' defend it. Ick! She is crumpled up in a tissue near her egg sac. 

Fast forward two days. We are now at our RV site in NC. We arrived after a long, long drive, climbed into the RV and I was ensnared by long, thick, sticky web. It seemed to run from one side of the RV to another. Bleech. Whenever I run into a spider web, I always worry about where the web spinner might be. I didn't run into the spider, and both The Mister and I had instances throughout the evening, running into that darn web! 

In the back of my mind, I must admit, that I kept dwelling on where the manufacturer of that web might be residing. But, we had driven all day. We were tired, and we both went to bed.

I'm surprised that I didn't dream about spiders. One of my friends has a recurring nightmare where, when she opens her eyes there is a huge, black spider suspended above her head. When she sees it, she blows out a breath, like blowing out a candle, and the spider disappears! Hmmm, maybe if I blow on the next spider I see it will disappear?! 

I didn't have to wait long to find the web builder. The next morning, as I went to take the dogs out for a walk, I found the owner of that icky, sticky spider web. She was cowered in the corner of the steps of our RV. She looks a bit 'more' because of the reflective surface of the step. But, trust me....she was huge! Like, 4" in diameter. Ick! (The Internet tells me she is one of the largest spicers in North America)

To be honest, she reminded me of Marcellus, the Octopus in "Remarkably Bright Creatures" (if you haven't watched that...it's a sweet movie!), as she was huddled in the corner. I grabbed our broom, and gently swept her outside to make a web another day**....but please, not in our RV!

Again, if I were a betting woman, I'd probably win a bet that this 'little' gal is a 'Dark Fishing Spider'. 

Ick!

And, another interesting fact....both the Brown Widow and the Dark Fishing Spider females cannibalize their mates. Ick!

* I tossed the tissue wrapped egg in the trash can in my sewing room. Now....I'm worried. While I'm away could those spiderlings 'hatch'? Ick!

** The Internet tells me that the Dark Fishing Spider doesn't make a traditional web to ensnare food. She jumps on her prey. However, she does make a long dragline to find a mate, or to keep her safe if she should fall while traversing through trees (or around an RV!).

Our New Little Stag Horn

 What I knew about stag horn ferns last week:

• they have leathery fronds that look like antlers
• they are green and like water
• they can be hung from trees forming large balls
• they prefer indirect light
• they enjoy humid environments
• they have oval-round pieces at the base of their fronds that are either green or brown
• they are epiphytes (air plants)
• they don't like extreme cold temperatures

What I have learned about stag horn ferns this week:

• they are in the Platycerium genus (ah, yes, the 'plates' I've noticed at the base of the fronds!)
• the 'plate' is a type of frond called a sterile frond or a shield.  It hugs the base where the plant is growing (natively found on trees in tropical and subtropical rainforests). Nutrients are absorbed through the shield, which also protects the root structure.
• the antler-shaped fronds are the fertile fronds. Spores grow on the underside of the tips of the fronds for reproduction purposes. 
• new stag horn plants will also grow from 'pups' that grow from the base plate of the mother plant.

After reading online, watching some videos, and gathering materials I was ready to tackle the job of replanting (hmmm, can you say 'plant' when you aren't putting it in a pot?) perhaps better described as 'repositioning' the stag horn we were gifted earlier this week. 

The Mister had picked up some sphagnum moss* for me, and I soaked a few handfuls in a bucket. 

I located some monofilament fishing line, some cotton twine, and scissors.

*another new learning: the Mister and I first thought we might use Spanish Moss (which isn't a moss at all, it is another epiphyte) which hangs from our trees and is readily available and abundant. A quick check on-line showed that Spanish Moss is not at all suitable as it does not hold moisture the way that Sphagnum moss will. 

I went on a foray out to the barn to get a scrap of wood on which to mount the stag horn. I had seen one earlier this week (probably last week, or maybe even the week before),  but I failed to locate it. I next decided to cut some hardware cloth wire we had to make a basket, but on the way to get the wire nippers <squirrel> I walked by the garden cart with the 'boot jack' from a Sabal Palm. When the native palm's fronds fall off, they leave a "Y" shaped piece still attached to the trunk. Those pieces are commonly called a bootjacks, and eventually fall to the ground if not cut away. This week I had picked one up and tossed it in the garden cart. 

I had what I needed and was ready to get to work! I removed the stag horn from the pot in which it had come. A pot is totally unsuitable for this plant. I rinsed the dirt off of the roots. My plan was to nestle the root base in the crotch of the boot jack. However, I felt I needed something to bridge the gap formed by the "Y" to hold the sphagnum moss in place. Hmmmm....all kinds of things went through my mind. I could get that wire, or...I had this knotted hemp netting. That might be perfect. I cut a piece and stapled it across the lowest section of the boot jack. 

I squeezed water out of handfuls of sphagnum moss and packed it into the netting and fork of the boot jack, then I placed the roots under the plate into the nest of moss. I wrapped it all in place using loops of monofilament until it was secured. 

I grabbed a footstool and took the stag horn around to the back. Using twine, I tied the boot jack back to the trunk of a Sabal palm. I hope she is happy in her new home and thrives! 

(We will be having the trees trimmed later this summer, so she will have to be moved temporarily during that process, but she seems right at home there, so unless she objects, back she will go!)

Captured!

As I was walking,

Walking was I, 

This pretty, little flower I happened to spy! 

This "weed" turns out to be a plant called "Kiss-me-Quick"! 

(Portulaca pilosa)

It can be considered both a weed and an ornamental plant.

In actuality, a weed is any plant that is growing where you don't want that plant to be! 

Some folks apparently love having this aggressively growing ground cover in their yards,

others are not great fans of it. 

Kiss-me-quick gets its name because the flowers are fleeting, sometimes being open less than a day. 

It needs little to thrive. 

It prefers poor, sandy soils. 

It doesn't care for a lot of water. 

and only asks to be in an area of hot, direct sun!

Hmmmm, we have a few sandy, arid spots in our yard where nothing is growing.

Maybe this could become a drought-tolerant native ground cover!

I captured the plant. 

It practically jumped right into the trap pot.

 

The question that remains is whether I want to release it,

or not! 

It's Ironed Out

We moved to a new home in the fall of 2020. In November the Mister picked up a workbench for me from Harbor Freight.

I covered the top with several layers of cotton batting and some scorch resistant quilted fabric that I stapled to the sides. It made a great ironing surface. Over the years it has seen a lot of ironing, and spray starch, and more ironing. The top was disgusting.  

A few weeks back (probably more than a few....) I ordered some more ironing material. 

Today I finally decided I should clean up my ironing table...and maybe vacuum behind it...and clear out junk that was stashed under it, behind it, and on the shelves!

It's ready for another few years of pressing quilt blocks and ironing the occasional pair of pants or a shirt!

Sweet Dreams

 Did you know that Audible has a Bedtime Series of stories? Yeah, who knew?! Right?!

According to Audible's site: 

Bedtime stories are narrated by the world’s most celebrated voices and written with no beginning, middle, or end so you don’t stay up to hear what happens next. They're interesting enough to give your mind something to focus on but delivered in a way that encourages sleep.

I stumbled on this by following a link for a book title that may or may not be of interest to most folks: "Quilt Collecting" by Nicole Haritoutunian. If you know me, you can see why I might have followed this rabbit into the hole! 

I won't be using my Audible credit to purchase this title. I can continue my habit of listening to a boring podcast, with my phone tucked under my pillow, when I have trouble falling asleep. I'd offer the titles of a few of those boring podcasts, but I'd rather not insult the hosts and producers who I know work hard to deliver their information. However, I do believe in the concept that if your mind can be focused on something other than whatever you are stewing about, sleep comes a lot faster! 

So, if counting sheep doesn't work for you, or if trying to recall the names of towns, countries or landmarks that begin with a specific letter of the alphabet isn't productive(or maybe in this case, nonproductive), and you don't care for boring podcasts, maybe you can check out one of Audible's Bedtime Stories the next time you are wakeful. 

Do you have a 'go to' when you are sleepless in wherever you live?

Date Night in Crystal River

We Dreamers actually stepped out for a date night! Generally by nightfall one or the other of us...or both of us...are simply not inclined to climb in the car and leave. We love our quiet little Hacienda, so kicking back, having a simple dinner, watching TV, whatever, is fine with us. 

The Mister saw a notice for "Crystal River Nights" concert series in one of the many flyers and local ad magazines that fill our mailbox.

We glammed up, well, you know, we took showers and put on clean clothes, and drove the 6 miles into town. We had reservations for dinner later in the evening so we could legally park behind the restaurant. We arrived before a few of the shops closed, and enjoyed looking at buying a few goodies. Our new/old town has a few cute shops, a few touristy T-shirt shops and several kayak, boat, SUP, scalloping, swim with the manatees tour companies. Oh, and eating establishments.

Tucked between a few shops we found a garden shop. The colorful flowers drew us in. The Mister noticed a stag horn fern and began talking with Nancy, the proprietor, explaining how we lost one of our large stag horns this winter. She marched outside and came in with one, trimmed some of the damaged fronds from its struggles with the weather and handed it to him as a present. I was touched. 

So touched, that I had to buy its cousin as a Father's Day gift for the Mister. I picked out an Elephant Ear Stag Horn. The fronds of this variety are large, rounded and fuzzy. Mr. A-I-nstein  tells me: 

The Elephant Ear Staghorn Fern (Platycerium elephantotis) is a rare, central African species. Unlike traditional staghorns, its large, deeply veined fronds do not fork or "antler," but rather resemble the broad ears of an elephant. It thrives in heat, shade, and high humidity. 

The street in front of 'town square' was blocked off for the concert. Folks began arriving well before the start of the first band. Local establishments brought out tables and sold plenty of nibbles and spirits to those waiting. Food trucks were also on hand. 

It was a very warm day (93°) and clouds were bubbling up all around. Distant thunder punctuated the music. There are many benches and walls that are perfect places to sit and enjoy the music.

Long before the music began folks were planting their folding chairs to save their spaces in front of the bandstand. 

Both bands played music from 'our' era. Jojo and Jay are local to the 'Nature Coast'. From our vantage point, a comfy Adirondack bench in front of one of the businesses across the street, one could almost imagine that Freddie Mercury* was back! The lead singer had a great voice and the music was dandy.

We left about 30 minutes before the end of play.  Good call! We arrived home and within 5 minutes the rain began to fall at our house, and probably hit town about 15 minutes later. Our rainy season may have indeed begun! We received over 2" of rain, and it looks like we are slated for more afternoon thorms this week. Summer is here! 

 * If you are a fan of Queen and have not seen it, check out "Bohemian Rhapsody, available on Netflix and several other streaming services.