And I shan't bite you!

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When I was a child, I had arachnaphobia. BAD. I would see a spider and scream for my mother to come and get it. She would get this evil look on her face as she grabbed a tissue and pretend she was going to drop it on me. I know she was sort of joking around, but that is not nice to do when your kid is freaking.

I also remember that science fiction movie about the giant spider. I can't recall its name, but if you were born earlier than the 60's, you probably know this movie, the black and white movie with the giant hairy spider that knocked over cars and sent people screaming in the streets? No one made me watch that movie, I just had this sick fascination about the very object of my fear.

One day when I was about 5 or 6 I did something really bad and my father took me outside and made a bed in the garage out of cardboard. That was to be my sleeping spot for the night. I was horrified only because I KNEW there were spiders in the garage and they were out to get me. I was sure they were going to band together and drop on my head while I was in there. I don't remember how long he left me out there; I never forgot the punishment, though I long forgot the crime.

After we left Long Island we moved to the woods at the base of Panther Mountain in the Catskills. Talk about SPIDERS...they grew GIGANTIC there. Those hairy jumping spiders that lived in the wood pile, waiting for you to grab the wrong log for the wood stove...and the giant garden spiders with webs the size of Hollywood!

Nowadays I am not so scared of spiders. They live and reproduce in my studio, and I only sweep them out when things are out of control. I figure they eat the other bugs that seek refuge there, and that can't be all bad.

Todays card celebrates the tarantula. They are actually quite beautiful. And they won't bite you unless you frighten them I am told. This card is on ebay, but it might not be there for long...............patti

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