If I may gross you out for a moment...

Maybe you aren't as squeamish about spiders as I am. Honestly, looking at these photos makes me feel a little bit nauseated. When I let the dog out to do her business before bed last night, I went out with her, to make sure she went. She ran down the ramp onto the patio and had her nose to something. I went to check it out and THIS is what I found. Ugh! I shooed her away and made sure she did her business. I then took her inside and grabbed my camera. I wanted to get a shot with something else in it to give the spider a bit of context, and the only thing I felt safe putting near the gigantic spider was my foot. So that's where the 2nd photo comes in. I am sure by a lot of standards this isn't a very big spider, but for Saskatchewan, I think it is probably one of the biggest I have ever seen. I am so thankful that it wasn't IN our house, because honestly, I think I would have had a bit of a fit. Ewwwwwwww!