“My Orb Spider friend” was in a Sacramento Digs newsletter last year when I first read about Orb spiders. Before reading the article, I had mistakenly assumed the ones I had seen were poisonous.  I had recently learned what a black widow spider looked like, and we have a lot around our house, so all webs were considered fair game for extermination.  I had walked into some webs that spanned impressive distances: between Rose of Sharon bushes six feet apart, across the back walkway from citrus tree to a raised wall, across Smoke Trees. Fortunately, the spiders did not land on me.  Now, I admire the beautiful webs spun in such an intricate and strong pattern that Charlotte and Wilbur would approve of.  It is fun to show my grandchildren the webs and the insects that have been caught and bundled.  The spiders themselves, now that I know they are friendly, are also fun to observe.  Up close, their markings look ferocious;  from far away, they blend into the landscape.  I have become much more aware to look for them before I go down a path, or water the cherry tomatoes in the garden bed that has a small pomegranate tree next to them.  I have noticed that they like to anchor on trees or plants that have slender protuberances, like redwood needles or the pomegranate thorns.  That said, one guy, or gal, had the audacity to spin a web right across the door frame of one the sheds in the side yard.  Thankfully I saw it, at eye level, or I would have been wearing it.  I gently loosened one side of the web and the spider moved with haste on the web to the side of the door and curled up, or whatever spiders do to hide.  I wouldn't exactly say that I am having a similar experience to “My Octopus Teacher” (sweet documentary from 2020), but my Orb Spider friends have certainly enriched my outdoor time and added to my overall garden knowledge!