The deadly albino mountain attack spider is a creature feared not for its size, but for its ferocious nature. It fears no man or beast alive and it has only one way of dealing with intruders in its territory. Like the words on the Claymore Mine say, “Front Towards Enemy”.

My mistake was not paying attention. My fear was I would pay for that mistake with my life as this 8-legged beast stared me down.

Whichever way I turned made no difference.

He relentlessly tracked my every movement and his fearsome jaws pointed directly at me no matter which way I went.

Only once I stepped back to a safe distance did this monster return to his normal business, whatever that may be.

Okay, there is no such thing, at least as I know, as a “deadly albino mountain attack spider” but this little guy gave me a good laugh the other day as I walked past one of the many flowers my wife plants around our property.

Catching a glimpse of something out of place as I wandered around looking at all the lovely tulips sprouting up everywhere I stopped and looked closer. Fully aware of my attention, this little guy reared onto his hindmost bits, raised his forearms and teeth and taunted me mercilessly.

“C’mon mister. I dare you!” he cried. “I’ve taken down better than you before and I’ll do it again!“

I suppose I’d take his ferociousness far more seriously if he wasn’t sitting atop a purple tulip, the breeze gently waving his newfound home before me.

You’ve got to admit though, nature is pretty amazing and the things you see if you stop for a moment to “smell the roses“, as they say, are as astounding as they are amusing.