This post isn’t entirely about spiders. However, I have to say, if they have spiders like this in Georgia, Kira’s comment about how spiders would keep her away from camping is a lot more understandable. When I talked about big spiders in New Hampshire, they were nothing like this one! Yuck!
Look at the size of that thing!
On Monday (September 6th; i.e., Labor Day), Donald and I went to see Rosedown Plantation, one of the antebellum plantation sites in the area where his parents live (St. Francisville, LA). Many old plantations have been replaced, over the years, by heavy industry–chemical plants and the like, between Baton Rouge and the Mississippi state line. But some of the old properties that have the big houses still standing have been turned into museums, open to the public.
Rosedown is quite beautiful, with extensive gardens. We did get caught in the rain briefly; I noticed that it was very common in Louisiana to have a brief thunderstorm sometime between 2:30 and 4:00 pm, but then it would clear up. (I guess this is only the case during the summer; I don’t remember it happening last time I was in Louisiana, for Thanksgiving.)
A view from the side of the house, sort of sheltered
The house, with live oak trees on either side, Spanish moss hanging down
A view of some of the gardens, from the house
I scrolled down to comment without looking at the picture or reading the post for fear of spiders. But I saw my name. Hi! *waves*
Living in Phoenix took away some of my dislike of creepy-crawlies. When you go hiking, and in one trip see a half-dozen rattle snakes, a few tarantulas (including one a bright neon-blue), and some other unidentifyable things, coming back east and seeing a few spiders wasn’t a big deal at all. Not that I want anything crawling on me while I’m sleeping. Waking up to find even a cricket on my face freaks me out.
The south grows everything bigger though. Everything you’re used to in the north gets multiplied in size when you go below North Carolina.
Hi Kira! There’s actually not that much in the post about spiders, though. Just the first paragraph and picture.
Oddly, spiders are the only creepy-crawly thing I really dislike. I think snakes are kind of cute, and have no problem with mice or large bugs (we also saw one of the big southern cockroaches when we were in Louisiana). Fortunately, the one time I went hiking in Arizona, I missed seeing any tarantulas. (I did get lost in the desert, but that’s another story.)