You Shouldn't Wear Flip Flops in the Garden

Sounds like something our mothers have said for years..as a mother, I am sure I have said it many times...you shouldn't wear flip flops in the garden. Yet, we have been needing to keep an eye on our well lately..so every other hour, one of us needs to walk the drive down to the well house and check the pump. The farmkids have been a little under the weather, so I have been making the trek down to the well.
I don't mind..gives me a break from the house. In my absent mindedness, I slipped on my flip flops. Not really a problem if you are staying on the drive way, however, the field garden is near the well.....so I decided to venture over and check. Finding the green beans in need of attention, I started picking...walking through the rows (somewhat hidden by the overgrowth).
While standing in one spot to pick a particular bushful, something caught my eye..near my toes. Taking a closer look, I found a large, hairy spider with red rings on the legs. Oh, my! Not only was the spider there, this was a mommy spider with a load of babies on her back. She proceeded on her way and walked right across my bare toes to the other side of the garden path.
Now, I don't know about you, but that sent my heart rate through the roof! Remembering to breathe was the only thought running through my mind. I am not against spiders; they are very beneficial to our gardens, yet, they have their place....which is not on my feet. Amazingly, I did manage to pick the rest of the green beans...being much more alert to where my feet were and what was around them.
Sorry, I did not get a picture. My research shows, this spider was a member of the tarantula family; common to our area, generally harmless unless provoked, beneficial to our gardens. Seems the best advice was to simply let it be and not disturb them or squish them. This I know, we have stomped our share of large spiders (without thinking) and had those little babies scatter all over everywhere-including up our legs! Glad that didn't happen this time....might have let loose and run screaming (which is really what I wanted to do).
In the end, we laughed about this. The farmkids loved the story..farmdaddy got a kick out of the retelling..and they all reminded me not to wear my flip flops in the garden.

Have a blessed weekend...from all of us on the Scaife Family Farm.

simplychele