A gift in the woods

One afternoon I was walking in the woods that rise up to the South of our home. The afternoon light slanting through the trees is always a favorite experience. Not much is here except for trees, some very large and some very dead trees. The ground is mostly leaf litter, fallen branches, moss and a few large rock outcroppings. I reach the top of the rise and continue along the flat area toward the rocky cliff. A tiny iridescent movement catches my eye. Iridescent colors flash back and forth, disappearing and reappearing. As I get closer it seems to be something really small and it appears to undulate from cone shape to a flat shape. It’s just a few feet above the ground near a branch. What the heck is that? Seems odd to have so much color in these barren woods. I approach slowly in case it’s a living thing.

Up close I discover it’s the tiniest cobweb - smaller than the palm of my hand. As it moves in the slight breeze, it flashes its beauty perhaps in hopes of catching a flying insect. On close inspection, I see it is anchored by four thin threads to a forked branch. This tiny, intricate spider web is a treasure to behold and makes me smile. Delicate art in the midst of towering trees. No sign of the tiny spider, even when I gently touched an edge of the web. With reverence, I slowly walk home through the slanting light beams.