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This time of year is just wonderful when you have lovely sunny mornings after clear nights, and the dew is not too thick.  My walks with Charlie are a great excuse to get out and as the mornings are drawing in, I am getting later and later….  If I’m not too late, the sun is at the right angle to catch the dew-drops suspended from the cobwebs hanging on the fences and between the gate posts and the stile-posts on my walk round the valley.  This morning, they were glorious, and my breath caught in my throat as I gazed on the visible results of the spiders’ industry. 

Unfortunately, I didn’t have my camera to hand, but whether you live in the country or in a city, you can see these little miracles of construction everywhere if you take the time to look.  I have plenty in my house, so I have no excuse!! 

What is just so amazing is the strength in these feather-light mazes.  The amount of water contained in little droplets (and not so little droplets) must be quite considerable compared to the weight of the web itself, and the suspension of the individual strands and the elasticity they have is phenomenal.  I know that spider silk is stronger than similar size steel, but is spider silk stronger than silkworm silk?  I’d be interested to know. 

The ones that are wrapped around the dead sead heads of the cow parsley are incredible!  Fly paper of the highest magnitude, and a wonderful silhouette against the stream and the mist rising off the water and the meadow behind…. 

Enough for me that every morning these little marvels are congregated where I can see them and that the sun shining on the dew makes them magical.  Would that I were a better photographer and be able to capture their elusive beauty!