Spider Update

Yesterday the spider in my window was mostly inactive.  I figured it was resting from its large meal.  This morning I woke to find the creature had indeed laid an egg sack in the corner.  Her body was noticeably diminished.  She still has not been very active today.  

The egg sack is papery, unlike the silky sphere I was expecting.  It is larger than the spider herself.  What an amazing event to contemplate!  How did this small arachnid create such a large home for her progeny?  I suppose she deserves a day or two of rest after all that labor.  I fear the next step will be her death, but I suppose she could still live to lay more eggs before the autumn comes.  I'll keep watching.