Wouldn't Hurt A Fly

Behold Araneus diadematus, a Garden Spider sometimes known as a Cross Spider.  Now I like to have spiders in the garden.  I think they are interesting and attractive.  I usually admire them, sometimes photograph them and basically leave them alone to do their thing.  My first encounter with this lovely lady this morning happened when I opened the screen door to enter the kitchen.  Both spider web and spider hit me in the face.  I'm not crazy about walking into spider silk although it happens often, but when  I saw the size of this spider as it dropped to the deck I was spooked!
I thought the whole thing was behind me, but the next time I went out the door she was back.  I got the camera and took her picture for identification purposes.  I noticed that she is missing part of one leg.  I sure hope I didn't do that.  Usually I wouldn't hurt a fly!  I gently flicked her off the edge of the door.  Little did I know that this kind of spider always uses a parachute.  She made a strand of web and dropped slowly to the deck.

All she had to do was climb back up eating the silk on her way.  Here she is again disappearing into the space between the door jamb and the door.

It looks like a tight squeeze with little room to spare.

There goes the last of her seven and a half legs back where she was in the first place.  There is no doubt that I lost round one.  I'm not completely sure what to do next.  I refuse to stop using the kitchen door for the summer, but I don't care for the idea of squashing her  or worse pinching her legs off one at a time.  If I am lucky when I go back outside she will be gone, but probably I will have to see if Ed will evict her for me.  She is too smart, too fast, and too stubborn for me.  I'm fine with spiders in the garden, but when they cross the line and come into the house the rules change.  Things can get interesting when you wouldn't hurt a fly!