eight legs and a shell

My household has a new rule.  If I get out of bed, the lights go on.

And this is one reason why.

During the rainy season, all types of wildlife prowl through the night.  And my house seems to be the equivalent of a cave -- or a highway.  Scorpions.  Crabs.  The odd cicada.  Ants.  Mosquitoes

I was wandering around sleepless in Melaque about 4 this morning when I stopped in the bathroom and saw a shape on the wall.

I have become so accustomed to seeing crabs crawling up my walls, I did not give it a second thought.  Until I took a closer look.  It was not a crab.  Far too svelte.  But about the size of my hand.

Now, I have seen similar spiders in the house in the summer.  I suspect they come up through the drain.  But I have no idea what they are called.

What I do know is that those legs are made more for running than walking.

I thought I would be clever and rely on a Raid attack. 

Not a good idea.  Three strong blasts merely sent it scurrying down the wall and into the living room.  I lost track of it when it climbed the telephone table.  Perhaps to place a call to the tourist police.

Or, more likely, to find either a quiet place to die -- or to hide and make its presence known when I least expect it.

Because I was awake I decided to take a look around the garden before the sun came up.  At that time of morning, the sounds are Debussy subtle.  Just the occasional chirp of bats out hunting for a tasty cicada.

In the front courtyard, I noticed what looked like a rock stuck under the gate.  But it wasn't a rock.

It was one of my favorite animals that shares my garden with me.  A Mexican mud turtle that had made an almost certain fatal decision to stroll on a public street.

I freed it and took it to the other side of the house -- figuring that if it really wanted to get into the street, it would find an alternative route.

The turtles often come into the garden to hunt for food or to lay eggs.  With the water level in my inlet down, it may simply be looking for a refuge.

The spider and the turtle gave me a nice way to start the morning.

The sun is rising over the laguna promising heat and humidity.  And perhaps a few more entries in Steve's Wild Kingdom.