Eew... Kinda Neat.

This freaky thing has been hanging out on the side of our house for a week or so:
I've been searching online to see what the heck it is and now I have a serious creepy-crawly feeling going on. Too many spider pictures affecting my brain. Is there a bug in my hair? A spider crawling up my leg? Spiders aren't my favorite among the buggy creature community, but this one is apparently a Marbled Orb Weaver, a shy and non-threatening spider that builds beautiful, strong webs.

Now I think I have to go take another shower so I can stop scratching.