Can tolerate them, and have to clean out the webs when I return to my home in the bush for the winter,  but dont consider them a problem, even have watched with interest the big birdeating kind up on the tablelands crawl along a branch in the bush,-------however
I was walking out to the toolshed and happened to brush under the tarp that is in front of the door , and there was a big huntsman, totally harmless, but as big as my hand with his legs spread, fell on my shoulder, and walked up my neck and over my ear,
 I s********tted my self, let out a yell and prompt;y knocked him off, trouble was I swung so hard my hand came in contact with the door jamb, witch then knocked over the bar that was leaning on the edge, which then fell on my toe as I stepped back
You see that ad where the wife nags him, "what charterboat,"
well now its "what spider,  you didnt see him  "a big spider"," what spider"


Nice lady   

Now i know why they call us the stronger sex Mike, hope u didnt whimper haha

Hehehe...
Personally I hate spiders, mortein is my friend!!!
Having said this, I like taking photos of them in their bush habitat, obviously with a very good zoom lens :)

After having been bitten by a Huntsperson spider I would not call it harmless. Stung like the bejesus and had to be treated but not lethal I guess.
As for keeping one as a pet, no thanks, like snakes - best let alone in their own invorinment which does not include my house....

spiders arent a problem to me, I have a very large and freindly huntsman living in our ducted airconditioner in the house, he's about the size of the back of my hand, he has been on my hand and all over my head and neck many times, strange feeling but done without malice, he's more scared of me than I of him we have many redbacks, which I destroy, we also have the white tail spider (flesh eating variety) which I quickly dispose of, the funnelweb also resides in our yard with us and we have had no dramas with them, the little daddy long legs are also common residents al in all I like the spiders (most of them) and I welcome them into our home, there is nothing like the sight of an orb weavers web glistening with dew in the early hours of the morn, we have a lady that visits us that actually "collects" webs, she sprays them with hair spray and then introduces a blackboard on to it which it sticks to, absoluteluy amazing finished article I have watched transfixed many times the life and death struggle of a large insect trapped in a web and then the aproach and strike of the spider with susequent bundling up and taking off to the lair our fernery has a few webs with resident spiders, i often sit and stare transfixed when a white eyed honey eater comes in and hovers in front and then gently picks the spider out so delicately so as to not disturb the web we have many large breeding droptail lizards that reside in our fernery as well and to watch the stalking of a spider can amuse me for half an hour or more, I have also seen the reverse when a large spider grabs a small droptail and devours him spiders are a small part of my world and I will gladly move over and allow most of them a little space in which to live I have been bitten many times by many types of spider, I dont like it, it's not pleasant but I wouldnt go crazy with the bug spray for it I still get a thrill out of seeing the first dewy orb weavers web, something tottally magical about it!!!

Yes Dave , There was a resident "ORB" in the bush about 10 mins walk from my gate, used to go and watch him in the evening housecleaning up all the small stuff that was caught during the day and preparing for the night flying moths, in the morning walks they sparkle like any cut ewel, and are absorbing to watch if you have the time

some things in life we must simply make time for!! without these "little" things then the bigger things can also become unimportant, thus rendering life as a waste of time!!! and as we all know life in all it's glory is NEVER a waste of time!!! we have a lovely couple with us at the moment, they will be spending the night as the camper trailer they brought with them has developed a cracked stub axle which is threating to fall off, so until I make the necesary repairs they cannot travel on their journey around this fantastic country of ours, rhonda and julian are living our dream, sold up and have taken off, but I think our busy way of life is a bit of a shock to them all the people coming and going a lovelier couple one would not wish to meet, just sitting here talking with them, about all sorts whilst I repair the trailer is a very pleasant way to wile away a day like today even though I have 10 million and one other things that need doing, today, they can wait every now and then we must just STOP and take a look around at whats important, smell the roses if you like!!! have a cuppa with a stranger, gotta love it!!

dave06 wrote:

---

some things in life we must simply make time for!! without these "little" things then the bigger things can also become unimportant, thus rendering life as a waste of time!!!

and as we all know life in all it's glory is NEVER a waste of time!!!

we have a lovely couple with us at the moment, they will be spending the night as the camper trailer they brought with them has developed a cracked stub axle which is threating to fall off, so until I make the necesary repairs they cannot travel on their journey around this fantastic country of ours,

rhonda and julian are living our dream, sold up and have taken off, but I think our busy way of life is a bit of a shock to them all the people coming and going

a lovelier couple one would not wish to meet, just sitting here talking with them, about all sorts whilst I repair the trailer is a very pleasant way to wile away a day like today even though I have 10 million and one other things that need doing, today, they can wait

every now and then we must just STOP and take a look around at whats important, smell the roses if you like!!! have a cuppa with a stranger, gotta love it!!

---

Dave it keeps us young my friend, helps us to recharge the batteries and invigorate the soul so to speak.  Far too many seem to be rushing around willy nilly without the time to even say g'day and those people miss out on so much that life has to offer. 

This planet we live upon for such a short time has so much pleasure to give us if we are only prepared to, as you say,"stop and smell the roses." A little kindness goes such a long way and a smile, that costs us not a thing, can make a strangers day so much more pleasant.

 

One of the most difficult things to give away is kindness, most often it is returned.  This is equally true for a smile I would think

no, no, no, no!!! I always carry a couple of bags of kindness and smiles, if I find a person who cant afford a smile then I give him/her a couple of mine, as for kindness I find it the most easiest thing to part with as I receive so much of it myself, I cant possibly hang on to it all the old saying of "what goes around comes around" if I havent got a reason to smile then there are always plenty of people around me to refill my bag of smiles which I can then pass on to others!! as you all know a smile does not belong to me or to you, it is placed in your keeping only so you can give it away only then does it become of any value, keep it to yourself and it is worthless, given away it can achieve happiness far beyond wealth a poor man can still afford a smile, a rich man has very little reason to!! if we are too busy to sit and watch a spider or to just study a lizard or say g'day to a kookaburra then what the hell are we doing!!! I start work at 7 a.m. but I arise at around 6 a.m. so i have my first cuppa of the day outside, sitting on an old aluminium set of tables and chairs that we have owned for the best part of 30 years which by the way is in dire need of a coat of paint again, I sit in the peace and quiet and just watch and listen as the old joint comes to life, best part of the day I reckon

Here are bloody....white tail spiders...I been bitten twice on same leg....years apart.....but I hate to say.....they left nasty marks where flesh has been eaten away... Dave

Dave, think you may have misunderstood my meaning here, you can always give away kindness as you and I do, and it is returned, hence "what goes round comes round"  this is the same for smiles, give one away and you will be "usually" assured of getting on in return.

Mike just for you http://www.onemotion.com/flash/spider/ Dont for get to feed him. Just left click on mouse anyware on the map. Enjoy Popeye

Thank you VERY VERY much sir, os should that be cur, what a shock for this old man, now there in the bloody computor, Its just as well we had a visit from Xina, and the bag full of prawns she bought us, Come again Gayle and bring your mate too, thank you Bet all you southerners are jealous, a cold beer , a bowl of prawns, a warm wind with lots of, sunshine

It costs nothing to smile and be kind, and the rewards can be priceless. As for spiders, there are some huge golden orbs out in the Great Sandy Desert in WA. A drive through the country results in a mass of web around the radio aerial, with a collection of the web builders attached. My favourite spider is the St. Andrews Spider. They hang on their web as the St. Andrews cross, appearing to only have 4 legs. The white, fury back takes on the appearance of a pearl, and in the sun, shines like a pearl. They grow to about 5cm across the diagonal. Apparently they can inflict a bite, but I haven't had that experience, in spite of working among them in the garden. The bush holds all the wonders wherever we go. It only takes a little while to enjoy it. A very large new spider has been surfacing in this part of the world over the last few days, as unseasonal rains have washed them out of their burrows. The size of a saucer, a tarantula no to be argued with apparently. I wish we could send some of this rain south. We've had enough up the FNQ coast. Cheers Chris

Hi Guru and Ma,

What a great sentiment, thank you for the remainder!!

Welcome Locky, I hope you get as much out of this site as we have.  find it absolutely addictive.

Welcome Locky, there is a few GN around you. and if you are around here anytime stop in for a cuppa, AND BRING THE DOG

Love the spider pop-eye. Sent a PM Mike and Judy. Cheers, Gayle.

Xina Dont for get to feed him. Just left click on mouse anyware on the map.

Don't worry, I'm a good Mother. I didn't forget to feed him. Will do it regularly. He's on my Favourites. Cheers, xina.

Hi Locky and welcome to Grey Nomads. You are soooo cute, but what's your owner look like? Doesn't matter, forget I asked. But you are really cute. Cheers Chris