Insect and Spider Identification: CLOSED: CLOSED: Identifying spider?, 1 by ekfw

ekfw wrote:
Can anyone id this spider that has spun a very intricate web about 5 foot in diameter with 'guy' wires reaching 6 to 8 foot between a tree limb and shrubs outside my dining room window. The attached picture is the back of the spider. I can also send a picture of it's belly side. We are in the Houston, Texas area. The spider's body is about 1 1/4 inches long and about 3/8 to 1/2 inch wide. The legs range from about 1 1/4 to 2 inches