Intricate Simplicity

“Every dew-drop and rain-drop had a whole heaven within it.”

~Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

It was one of those mornings when I woke up and instantly wanted a pair of fuzzy socks and a flannel robe.  The chill had me rushing to make my java and itching to reach some state of comfort and warmth.

Looking out the kitchen window while rubbing my palms together for warmth, I followed a squirrel across the fence and I admired the herbs and they reached skyward.  

"Burr," I thought.  "Fall is approaching."

Just then my coffee finished its brew cycle and Little Peep-ster "ruffed" for potty time.  Grabbing my java I followed her to the patio, enjoying the rising steam as the warm coffee mingled with the cool, damp air.

While I stood, cupping my toasty morning kick with two chilly hands, I noticed it.

Gently-- and with amazement-- my eyes traced a helter-skelter, zig-zag path through the lawn.

They were everywhere.

Every single nook and cranny, every tree and every shrub and every plant....

Everywhere.

Woven in the most intricate and beautiful patterns, hundreds of dew-covered spider webs made their day-break debut.

The absolute beauty and exquisite detail of such creations completely captivated me and before I realized it, Charlie and I had traded warm coffee and cozy socks for wet and soggy bare feet.

With old pajamas and bare tootsies we canvassed the lawn, pausing to admire the construction efforts of the spider.

Invisible except for the dew, the spider webs created the most gorgeous decor.

As the sun reached higher into the morning sky and the golden rays gave warmth to the day, those magical water droplets vanished, leaving only a sticky reminder of the morning wonder.

I knew it was a beautiful sign.  

A sign reminding me to search out true beauty and to look for the silver lining.