A field full of cobwebs
Hungover heavy with morning dew
Natures artisan weavers
Must number in the thousands
I make my way through
Careful not to damage their delicate handiwork
If they were strung from the walls of a gallery
I could not be more admiring
All that work, no labels nor awards, weaving for their daily bread
A spider sews with sacred thread
Catching the sunlight
Catching the dew
Each day it strives again anew
How wonderful to know just what to do
*And then go ahead and do it.
I am rusty at writing, but not at observing. Spring has well and truly sprung, and the winter rain has left paddocks full of wildflowers in a way I haven’t seen for a long time.
This morning there was a fog and a heavy dew, as I walked through one particular field and looked toward the sun my eyes hit upon all the wet cobwebs shining in the filtered light.
Thousands stretched away as far as I could see. I had no idea that that many spiders existed right alongside me. I had never really thought about it before. All that wildness and nature – invisible until the right conditions bring them literally to light.
And then a wiry long legged hare shot out of the tall foliage beside me and hit my leg and made me jump! So I squealed and the dog barked and everything was noisy for a minute and then silence resumed.
It was a surprising sort of day
At lunchtime I was winding my way around the vege garden picking leaves and herbs for my salad, when a movement near my foot again made me jump. This time with very good reason as a brown snake slid away, his tail striking my sandal.
Knees up knees up knees up until I hit the safety of the other path – stop and laugh at the dog who again (not seeing the snake) looked at me as if I had gone mad.
Perhaps I have, but I’m certainly enjoying this sparkling surprising sunshine day.
A foggy morning start
Not great photos – just old iPhone snaps but … how can you not attempt to capture beauty when you see it? Even if you fail, the picture recalls a moment that becomes clearer in the mind. Thousands of photos or thousands of memories of beauty…either way, there will be more tomorrow morning and that’s a nice thought.
cobwebs and dust
gather time
as all we must
oh oh
Spiders, hares and snakes but most of all beauty and poetry! 😉
Thanks Colin, that’s very sweet of you to say, I wish I had footage of the snake incident as I reckon I jumped quite the Olympic standard 😂
Haha although I should not laugh as I know that you have many poisonous snakes there!
Oh I laughed too Colin, afterwards – snakes don’t bother me too much as growing up in the bush they have always been around. They are extremely poisonous though and to have one so close and be unaware of it was highly motivating – I wish I had footage though it would be so funny and the noise I was making! It was probably making the same noises as it shot off in the other direction – mostly, they are not aggressive and my father always said as long as you make plenty of noise they will get out of your way. Well I certainly it did that – and it worked – but we took each other by surprise and I’m sure if I had stepped on it, it would have been well within its rights to bite me. Anyway, I’m on high alert around my Vege patch now!
I remember my first visit to Australia when people warned me of funnel web spiders everywhere and the necessity of checking toilet seats haha. I guess bits were urban legend and others good stories for the tourist!
I never got to your neck of the woods though 🙁 Stay alert and stay well! 🙂
My Dad was bitten by the very poisonous red back spider whilst sitting on our outside toilet when I was a kid. He survived but the injury was shocking and truly story worthy – unfortunately for us – because he loved to regale us every single opportunity with the horrors of it all. Mother Nature is particularly fierce in Oz for sure.
Haha – hey, if you have a story – tell it! 😉 Especially when it is one as good as that!! 🙂 Take care! 🙂
The dew-covered cobweb is one of Nature’s great marvels. Unforgettable. What a way to start your day!
I’m blessed to always start my day walking in nature Rosaliene, even if it’s raining, I go. My dog loves it as much as me, so I feel I’m letting him down if I don’t go.
When my kids were young (and er, not so young) spiders freaked them out and slept in the family room when one was spotted in their bedroom. My response was always “spiders are everywhere.” And they truly are. I once read a stat about how many can be found it an acre. It was mind boggling.
I’ve always been fascinated by their webs and they don’t bother me at all Jeff but I know plenty of people who are freaked out by them. You’re right – the sheer amount of them would be mind boggling. I don’t know if you can see it in the picture as it’s just an iPhone snap, but when I stood there looking across the paddock – the dew and the sunlight showed every bush and plant covered in spiderwebs – it is mind boggling. And reassuring. We haven’t totally stuffed the planet if the spiders are still weaving their webs.
Love the reverent way you approach “delicate spider’s web”, I would have turned into someone “kung fu fighting” if caught up in it but you admired the beauty and made a spider’s web sound like a work of art…with glistening dewdrops as well. I love the way you write xx
Thanks Janet, I love nature, always have, it’s a fascinating world that we have to pay attention to see. Thanks for reading 😊
I love sunny days but I have to admit I prefer the rain. Hare’s are so cute but snakes scare me a little. I would yell too if it was near me, I may even start barking myself 😂
Haha that made me laugh Pooja, hares are cute but when they leap out of the shrubbery at me it becomes a bit nerve wracking – but then again it is Australia, maybe I could start a rumour that we have hares that attack people down under as well. We seem to have a bad reputation for killer wildlife as it is, highly believable 😂
I feel like that rumour would work because all the animals in Australia sound scary 😂
I’ve always loved spiders’ webs, too. Their wonderful intricacies fascinate me. I can see quite a few of them in your first photo, even if it is an iPhone rather than a proper camera. I used to be really afraid of spiders, although I always tried not to kill them as they are so important to nature, as well as being a living creature with as much right to live as I do. Now, I’ve found a way to be more friendly towards them. It may sound daft, but I give them a name! “Horace, do you think you could build your web in the living room rather than right above my bed!?”
I’d have run a mile if I got that close to a poisonous snake. I’m glad you didn’t get bitten. I wonder who was most scared, you or the snake. We only have one venomous snake in the UK, and that’s the adder, although I don’t think anyone has died from a bite before. Adders can look like grass snakes, too, which is a bit misleading. And how lovely to have hares so near to where you live. I’ve never seen one, but there are a lot of rabbits very close to where I am. The local footpath is called ‘the Bunny Walk’ because of that. I haven’t taken many photos lately of nature – your post served as a good reminder for me to get back into the habit. Thanks for sharing your day, your experience and your photos, Kate. I really enjoyed them all Xx 🕷🕸💞
Here it is Ellie – it’s just the time lag I think 💕
I just left a comment, Kate, but it seems to have disappeared, so I’ve copied and pasted it here while keeping my fingers crossed for better luck this time.
I’ve always loved spiders’ webs, too. Their wonderful intricacies fascinate me. I can see quite a few of them in your first photo, even if it is an iPhone rather than a proper camera. I used to be really afraid of spiders, although I always tried not to kill them as they are so important to nature, as well as being a living creature with as much right to live as I do. Now, I’ve found a way to be more friendly towards them. It may sound daft, but I give them a name! “Horace, do you think you could build your web in the living room rather than right above my bed!?”
I’d have run a mile if I got that close to a poisonous snake. I’m glad you didn’t get bitten. I wonder who was most scared, you or the snake. We only have one venomous snake in the UK, and that’s the adder, although I don’t think anyone has died from a bite before. Adders can look like grass snakes, too, which is a bit misleading. And how lovely to have hares so near to where you live. I’ve never seen one, but there are a lot of rabbits very close to where I am. The local footpath is called ‘the Bunny Walk’ because of that. I haven’t taken many photos lately of nature – your post served as a good reminder for me to get back into the habit. Thanks for sharing your day, your experience and your photos, Kate. I really enjoyed them all Xx 🕷🕸💞
Oh I’m glad I found your comment Ellie, sometimes it is a time lag between the two time zones and I think my comments get held up u til I approve them so it could be “pending” will check. I found this one anyway. I should be more terrified of snakes, I know I should, but I’m just not. Yes, I get out of their way in a hurry when I see them but at this time of year, they are everywhere and our rural block seems to harbour so many that I wouldn’t go outside if I was scared of snakes. I just make a lot of noise and try to stay alert – they really are very shy and certainly don’t want to be trodden on. When I’m out walking in the mornings I have a dog on a leaf in front of me, Hogan hates snakes and will leap in the air if he sees one (he also leaps in the air if he sees an odd stick at times too which causes me to leap, we have quite exciting walks at times😂) he has saved me a number of times from snakes though, and we get out of their way. Once it gets really hot they are less likely to be out and about.
Am busy reading “Down Under” by Bill Bryson.
Think I will give Australia a miss.
Hahaha – I think Bill Bryson wrote “Into the Woods” which I loved on the Appalachian Trail, it was funny and sweet and I really want to hike that trail some day. Australia is great, you would love it Granny.
Yes. I read that one.
Think there were bears.
I can imagine how beautiful the webs were. How special!
Thanks for reading Martha, nature is our tonic for sure
I also have written poetry about these amazing textile works 👌
Lovely Ana, I think they can’t help but inspire us, intricate and beautiful as they are.
Indeed! 🌄
Scaring and interesting
Thanks for reading Aana 😊
You are welcome💌