Yesterday we worked down at the big garden. Matt has been pecking away at getting the remains of the big oak that fell last summer out of the creek. He pulled all the wood large enough to use for firewood out, but it left a mess of smaller branches.
The largest part of the trunk is on the other side of the creek. It still needs to be worked up, but since it’s about planting time Matt will wait till next fall to tackle it.
The fallen tree had made a dam of sorts in the creek. Water still filtered around it, but last year’s leaves are hung up in large piles.
Katie and I started pulling the smaller branches left from the tree out of the creek so that the water could flow more freely.
We’d been working for 15 or 20 minutes before Katie noticed several large spiders in the area.
The most impressive one was sitting at the bottom of the creek under the water.
My camera didn’t really do it justice, but I drew a circle to help you see it in the photo at the top of this post.
The spider had air bubbles around its body to allow it to breath. It just sat there waiting, completely submerged the whole time, while we oohed and ahed over it.
I remembered many years ago Ed Myers wrote a guest post for me about some of the creepy crawlies found in the mountains of Appalachia. I told Katie I was pretty sure he wrote about the spider. I was right, but I had the name wrong. I was thinking king fisher spider. It’s actually a fishing spider, or at least I think it is.
In all my years of playing around the creek I’ve never seen a spider sitting underwater until yesterday. I wonder if it could handle a crawdad. That would be a real showdown!
Last night’s video: Cooking Taters Directly on the Woodstove.
Tipper
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Hey everybody! Just like most I hate, detest and abhor any kind of spiders, snakes, mice or just most any of Gods ugly, creepy creatures. In some people’s eyes all God’s creatures are beautiful. That’s ok too. Just sorry I am not one of them. Never read such humor about all these things. . I want to let those in need of prayer I’m doing my best to keep y’all in mine. Never ever lose faith or hope. God please continue to bless all your children who are going through these terrible valleys and lift them up into your healing loving arms. Amen. Love and blessings to all the Acorns, the Wilson and Presley families, always. Missing Miss. Louzine, but know she’s in the loving arms of our Lord and Savior. I’m honored to say I felt she was part of my life too. Thank you, Miss. Tipper, for that. J
That is most definitely a creepy crawly! Ick! I would not dip my feet back in that water, until I made sure there were no creepy crawlies! 😀
Well that’s a neat spider, But I would be skeerd too
I just can’t, I’ve got the heebee jeebees just thinking about it
Glad you found the spider fascinating and worthy of photographing.
I have extreme arachniphobia and would have been in the house changing my bloomers if I’d come across it!
Same
Fishing spiders and snake doctors can be found in the same places.
You know, I worked for a quarter century without a first name. There were so many Eds, Eddies, Edwins, Edwards, Edmonds and Edgars working there that we had to go by our last names. When I began seeing Ed so many times on here I decided to avoid confusion once again by going back to my surname. Just call me Ammons!
Oh lawwwww….I’ve lived here my entire life and didn’t know we have spiders that can sit under water! Well, now I’m rethinking my favorite warm weather activity of sitting on the creek bank with my toes in the water. I can’t even swim but I think if I saw one of those suckers coming at me in the water I’d probably take off like swimming like an olympian! Either that or keel over with a heart attack and drown lol. I know being afraid of spiders is an irrational fear but I can’t seem to help it. They give me the heebie jeebies big time!
Hi Tipper, Matt and Acorns. That Fishing Spider is beautiful. I’ve seen them in my creek. The females can grow up to 2 inches in leg span. They also live in the trees and are often confused with Wolf Spiders. They usually catch tadpoles and minnows and eat eggs and larvae of mosquitos. Last week I heard frogs hollering in the marshy areas near the highway when I was coming home from grocery shopping in town. I’m glad y’all got the creek cleaned out before the Spring rains start. I keep everyone here and up Wilson Hollow in my prayers. I love Y’all.
Did Ira get to see the spider? I know he loves the creepy creatures…
Looking forward to watching you garden this year because I don’t think I will be able to do anything but pots or a few grow bags…
Mary, he did 🙂
This is for the ones that have commented about the heebie jeebies and eeks, when they see spiders. Spiders and other insects, including snakes don’t bother me at all. I do have and show a lot of respect for bees. I have failed in my lifetime to meet one of Tipper’s friendly bees! The one thing spiders make me want to do is say UGLY words that would have got me a whupping if mother heard me say them when I was growing up anytime I get a spider web all over me.
I hope Ira got to see that pie pie!
He did 🙂
I’ve never heard of a fishing spider. I didn’t know they could live under the water. Amazing!
While growing up, I played in the local creeks as weather permitted and I’ve never seen a fishing spider. I’ve read about them and sort of remember seeing something in a program on TV. Firewood stack is looking great.
At least those spiders are under water. I hope those big spiders that came last year up close to the hose won’t return! Cant remember their name but they have webs strong as guitar strings.
Tipper – I am in agreement with Denise S. who posted Eeeks!! Spiders and I are not ‘best buddies’ – never have been and never will be. Same with snakes. But I have seen the ‘fishing spider’ you shared at least a couple times and that was more than enough times for me. If I do happen to come upon any in future, I will tell them to pack up and move to Wilson Holler!! 🙂 Have a great day and look forward to what you all get up to next.
Spiders give me the heebie jeebies, but they do weave a beautiful web. I have a picture of a gorgeous web of one that I took early one morning hanging from Mama’s clothesline when I went out to feed Daddy’s feral cats. I plan to put it in an album I’m working on to pass on to Mama & Daddy’s grandchildren. I found the cutest little poem titled “The Spider and the Fly” to go with it. It’s a long poem, so I’ll only share a few lines here, but you can get the entire poem by googling it online. I think your little grandsons would really enjoy it. Here’s the first few lines: “Won’t you come into my parlour?” said the Spider to the Fly, ‘Tis the prettiest little parlour that ever you did spy. The way into my parlour is up a winding stair, And I’ve a many curious things to show you when you’re there.” “Oh no, no,” said the little Fly, to ask me is in vain, For who goes up your winding stair, can ne’er come down again.” by Mary Howitt, 1829. Enjoy!
God is good!
I didn’t know what the spiders were called, but I have seen the ugly things scooting underwater. With five grandsons who would rather play in the creek than eat, we have seen it all.
Oh, Kim, that is great news! I have already prayed for you today and won’t stop until you are cancer-free. With a positive attitude and faith such as yours, I’ve got a feeling you will be blowing out real candles on a lot more birthday cakes.
oh wow thats a huge spider !! thats odd its on the water shew… creepy lol.
we use to have wood heat and every fall was cutting time. we didnt mind that it usually toke all day on a Sat. we were all together, my husband and 2 kids and me. I packed us a lunch and water because we knew it would most likely take all day. I grew up living that way . we lived on a 50 acre farm and it was just part of living. we drew water from a well for cooking and drinking and got it outta 50 gal barrels for washing clothes.
it was a simple life but oh so good. always grew a big garden so there was alot of canning to do come mid summer.
alot of great memories. hope you all have a great day.
susie Eatmon
I had not known of such a spider until today. I did see a submarine bird in a Rocky Mountain stream once. It was a water ouzel. It would walk the bottom of the small stream, looking for food items, then pop out and pause briefly on a rock before diving again. I didn’t have a camera. Numerous waterfowl species dive and swim for their dinner, but that little ouzel in a mountain stream surprised me. Thanks for the spider info, Tipper. We’re never too old to learn.
Somehow or other I have a dim memory of something to do with a fishing spider. I’m guessing I saw it on some form of nature show. I have never seen one in spite of many hours on the little creeks as a boy. Your story illustrates once again that nature is just full of marvels. Guess that is why it has always been my most treasured “book”. On another subject, like Randy’s Dad I am a saver. On this little lot I trim limbs but I save many of them for bean sticks, pea sticks, row markers and so on. You might say (with a smile) I have rarely met a piece of wood I didn’t like. I think I posted this but in the trimmings from our too big crepe myrtle I got a slingshot stock and made the grandson a slingshot. He seemed to be taken with it. I got another one for myself. Did Matt as a boy carry a slingshot everywhere? I did, often 2 or even occasionally 3. Have you ever posted about slingshots (aka ” flipguns”) ?
Ron, Matt did 🙂 I’ve mentioned them a few times over the years.
That is very interesting. I’ve never knew a spider could live under the water. No matter how old I get, I always learn something new. Now if I can just remember it, then I’ll be doing good!
I’ve never heard of a fishing spider before. Very interesting. I find all the creepy crawlies I see in the garden interesting. Been cleaning up last years leaves from the garden, so I’ve been seeing lots of them lately. My favorite is the eastern bark centipede, it’s the fat orange striped one. Also like watching the praying mantises in the summer. Already have seen a couple of egg cases while cleaning up, so I know they’ll be around later.
Eeeks! I will not be looking for that spider and now I will need to be on guard by my creek. I am deathly afraid of spiders. I can’t even look at a picture without getting the willies!!
I’ve seen these spiders in my youth. I was thinking I hadn’t seen them under water but the image of bubble formed in my mind. Slivery looking bubbles.
I saw them walking on the water, under water and sitting on sticks and things waiting to dive on small prey that sauntered by.
I don’t have a creek nearby here so its been a long time since I’ve gotten to sit and watch fishing spiders watch for their food to come by.
Richard
Tipper, I used to play up in the creek alot when I was a little girl. One day I saw one of those and it was huge, I ran and got my Daddy, I don’t think he believed me, about it being under the water. He went back up to the Balsam Branch, and shore nuff – there it was. He said it was a Fishing Spider, a’waitin for something to come along he wanted to eat. I was so excited, I sat and watched the spider for a while and then as a child, had to go find something else to do. I played up in the creek alot, caught lizards and crawfish, wonderful childhood fun…..Memories from long ago, with my precious Daddy !
Welp, new fear unlocked.
I’ve never heard of an underwater spider – learning new things all the time!
I’ve never seen a fishing spider! Maybe I haven’t looked close enough! I will be looking for one! Thanks Tipper!
I don’t admire spiders but I would have loved the potatoes cooked on the stove top, with or without a pan. My mama cooked cornbread on top of the stove and other things. Y’all are a fun channel to watch and feel like family to me!
Thank you, Tipper! Never saw a spider under water before! I enjoy your posts so much!
Machell
Good morning Tipper & the Acorns!! I got such good news later yesterday afternoon, I just couldn’t wait to share a Praise Report with you prayer warriors this morning. At the beginning of ’24 I was diagnosed with stage 4b endometrial cancer. If I’m correct Granny had a similar cancer. I was terrified yet hopeful. through chemo, immunotherapy, positive thoughts and prayers I beat that cancer in 8 months and was coasting along on immunotherapy until November. A biopsy in 2 lymph nodes showed cancer had returned. My first chemo of this round was Feb 5th and I asked for your prayers. My bloodwork revealed that after just one treatment my 2 tumor markers had dropped significantly (each one)!!!! I had my 2 round of chemo this Tuesday and have high hopes to hear the same good news on March 31st. Thank you all you have prayed for me as I do for each of you as I hear you in need. Tipper, I thank you for creating this safe place of love for us all♡ I’ve never posted so early lol but I felt like a little kid waiting to blow out the candles on her cake. At newly 68, I’m humbled to still have the spark in me. Hope you all have a blessed day♡
Kim, that is so great!! Wonderful news and answered prayers! I will keep praying for you!
Thank you SO much! Got so excited I forgot to mention the stove taters and spider. Yummmm to one and ohhhh yikes to the other!!! I’d have like some ketchup with the taters 😉
wow what a very large spider, never seen anything like it, God bless everybody thank you for praying for us please continue to do so
I will Norman. God bless you!
Norman, even if I don’t see you on here know that I’m keeping you in my thoughts. Your caring ways come through your posts♡
Never heard of a fishing spider. As for being too small for firewood, when I would be cutting my parents firewood, Daddy would turn up a sawed off block and be cutting up a pile of small size sticks of wood from the tree limbs with his razor sharp Kelly axe- it usually didn’t take but one lick. He would be cutting across the limb at an angle. I often teased him and said “if it is big as a match stem you want to cut and use it.” He used these small sticks and a piece of lighter knot when he started a fire in his Fisher wood stove. He died on January 21, 1991, I still miss him and see things around the old home place I live on that reminds me of him. Call me crazy, I have his Kelly axe and a few of these small pieces of hickory wood he cut the last time he was with me when I was cutting a load of wood for him put up in my garage.