Another Kind of Mother

This is a cooking blog, I know.
So what the heck is a spider doing here???

Well, yesterday we were in the garden and I saw this spider on the wall where I was planting some basil (grow this year... please)! Anyhow, I said "look, this spider is carrying her eggs"! Hubby grabbed the camera and I took a picture.

I thought this was truly a marvelous thing to see, particularly on mother's day. I mean, yes it may be "just a spider" to many of us. But to this spider, she is quite important to protect and nurture these eggs!

I wasn't certain when I took the photo that I was seeing what I thought I was seeing... but, after a little googling, sure enough this was a female spider (I think a funnel web spider) carrying her egg sac.

Now that's awesome.

p.s. My apologies to anyone that is creeped out by spiders. I am generally not bothered by them, with the exception of earwigs which, yes, give me the creeps!!! Tomorrow, back to food and a break from the "deep stuff", I promise. :)