Lost and found

Eight months and another lifetime ago, Jennifer Scott and I hosted a model horse show.

photo by Anne van der Weel

People came from all over the world, including my friend, Laura Skillern.

She brought with her a cluster of tiny, hand-flocked tarantulas.

I'd seen these in their pre-flocked state while visiting Laura in San Antonio, Texas. I admired the transformation and was absolutely delighted when she gave me three of them. I put them in a baggie and tucked them into the pocket of my apron... and then they disappeared.

I looked for them on and off for weeks after the show. I checked my apron's pockets at least a dozen times, and I ransacked every single box that came home for the show hall. I looked everywhere I could think of and then a few places beyond that. None of it did any good. They were gone.

And then today, a quarantine miracle! 

I walked through my studio barefoot like I have a million times before and a loose baggie stuck to the bottom of my foot. I removed it and there were the tarantulas! I can't explain it, but they're back.

Aren't you glad?

Today's prompt for the May Shelter & Share Photo Challenge is "Craft item made by a friend." I am fortunate to have a lot of talented and generous friends, so this is just a tiny sampling. 

Thank you, Leah Koerper, Anne Field, Margaret Balch, Bobbie Allen, Nichelle Jones and Laura Skillern for sharing your talents - and your spiders! - with me.