Yesterday, I spent three hours on a walk that normally takes half the time. Instead of just glancing at 'things' as I passed, I looked closely and truly saw the trees, vines, plants, and all the vegetation making up the understory.
There is a beauty in the organized chaos that comprises our natural world. Berries and fruit still cling to the bare, leafless vines of a dying Maypop Passionflower (Passiflora incarnata) and an American Pokeweed (Phytolacca americana), gifting birds and wildlife one more meal before the plants succumb to the changing seasons.
Snags and deadfalls that have been hidden by the greenery reappear, offering sanctuary to insects, animals, and birds over the winter. There is a symmetry to each structure's bumps, lumps, lines, and overall design. No two are alike in size, shape, or texture. Each unique shelter will protect its occupants from freezing temps and the elements until spring. Isn't it cool how something that's been dead for years still has a beneficial purpose?
Even the leftovers in the harvested corn fields depict a portrait of a job well done. The bent-over and broken stalks with the cobs and husks illustrate how the corn withstood the summer's heat, drought, and even high winds from a couple of tropical storms and still fulfilled its mission. Now, the cornfield is tired and ready for a well-deserved break before starting over again next spring.
I'm gob-smacked by all the magnificent artistry I witnessed. Mother Nature is no slouch when it comes to beauty. She uses every color in her palette to create a landscape no one else can replicate. Finding the proper words to describe what I saw and how I felt while rambling around the countryside is very difficult. I'll just let the rest of my photographs do the talking.
 You can see each strand in these webs. One is on the ground and the other suspended on a dangling branch. How long did it take for the spider to create them ? |  |
 Speaking of spiders...  Dew makes everything sparkle in the morning light.  The deer are not letting the leftover corn go to waste.  One of the last meadow beauties hanging in there. |    Goldenrod paints the first bit of color  The flowering dogwoods are preparing for autumn. |
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