Beautiful things: String of pearls

It's spider season. Every few years it seems the spiders proliferate in Potrero Hill. Just in time for Halloween, there are perfectly symmetrical webs spanning tree branches and fences, complementing the front porch pumpkins starting to appear.

With fascination, I've been watching the Nature Channel-worthy documentary of 2 particular  garden spiders in  residence in my front yard. Over the past couple months they've grown to fat little ladies, nightly spinning beautiful webs. I've watched them catch prey, mate - unbelievably, I was there during the whole courtship and subsequent demise of the poor suitor.... black widows aren't the only ones who kill and eat their lovers apparently, ish (and yes, I do have a life and a business beyond just staring at nature).

Both girls now seem only occasionally to be spinning and hanging out in their webs.... incubating eggs I imagine (oh, the life of the single mom). One hides out under a leaf now. the other spun a gorgeous web last night that glistened with rain drops this morning. I'm sure if I had more time I'd wax poetic here about all the life's lessons available in these little spider stories. Instead, for now, I'll get back to work and just share the simple wonder of nature.