Small Fascinations

Recently out for a morning walk, I noticed my neighbor's bushes filled with spider webs.  The unusual construction caught my eye, backlit by the rising sun.  I hurried on past, but on my way home later, I stopped to examine them more closely.

They looked like little upside down parachutes, including the first chute you pull to slow things down a little before pulling the main chute.  and underneath the bigger chute I could see a small spider on each one.

I went home to retrieve my camera, and after getting a few pictures, headed for my computer to see if I could find out what this little creature was.  Rather quickly I came across "bowl and doily" spiders - and they looked just like what I'd found.

So often things catch my eye or ear and it may register briefly, but I'm too busy with what I'm doing to stop and investigate.  I don't look up words I come across, just figuring I get the gist of it from the context.  I don't go look for the little moth in my book to see who's sharing our garden.  I don't follow through to see what kind of work an artist has done when I hear their name for the first time.  In this day of information overload, there's just too much to take it all in!

But when I do step aside and look more closely, I feel richer.  I feel more connected.  I don't have to go looking for learning opportunities.  They are coming at me every day.  How about you?  What has caught your eye lately?