garden spider in wisconsin winter

All summer I watched this beautiful 2"+ (with legs) garden spider that had built her web out side my basement window. During the day I would throw icky bugs into her web and watch her zip down from her hidaway under our siding and grab dinner. Sometime just after Halloween she disapeared into the siding and didn't return. Today as I walked down my driveway I saw her laying on her back on the bottom of the sill. Not moving. Hey it is snowing. She's not crispy like I would expect a large dead spider to be, but she's not looking good either. I moved her to a safe local inside my garage. But I honestly don't know if she's sleeping or just dead. If she is just hibernating, what can I do to help now that I had to move her. Help.

You were lucky she lived as long as she did into the Winter. Garden orb weavers only live from Spring to Winter and die off once the cold weather comes. That's the length of their life span and nothing much we can do to lengthen that. I get lots of people who have enjoyed watching them build their beautiful orb webs over Summer, asking about them and they are upset when they disappear!! However, somewhere near, there will be an egg sac that will hatch out come Spring and they will see a return of these interesting spiders to their gardens and home!
glen