IF YOU GO DOWN TO THE WOODS TODAY

We were up to Algonquin Provincial Park a few days back and while there hiked a few trails. I’m a bit older than a few years ago, so I no longer attempt to do the trail in record time preferring to walk quietly and slowly, and observe what I didn’t see when younger. There are bears, black bears, in the park so, although it’s rare to see one, it’s wise to pay attention to your surroundings. So I’m looking at this and that, and a tune comes into my mind,

“If you go down in the woods today you're sure of a big surprise

If you go down in the woods today you'd better go in disguise

For every bear that ever there was will gather there for certain

Because today's the day the Teddy Bears have their picnic”

(The Teady Bears’ Picnic by Henry Hall)

Of course, you thought that I was going to say that I saw a bear, but I didn’t. Instead, I observed a spider, quite an ordinary spider, I believe. However, I cannot be certain as I didn’t identify it preferring to simply watch it go about its business oblivious of my standing in the middle of the trail watching.

So, I’m standing there humming this ridiculous tune, and a strand of spider web goes drifting across the trail. It settles on a spruce tree at the other side of the trail about six or seven feet up in the tree, then low and behold, a spider begins to cross the trail on this strand of web. Now were talking a distance of about fifteen feet and considering the size of the spider this is one helluva distance. Quick as a bunny this spider crosses the trail and gains access to the spruce tree on the other side then disappears into the foliage. Amazing, was all that I could think. This tiny spider has the where with all to spin a strand of web and let the wind catch it and blow across the trail so it can safely and quite quickly cross the trail. Not bad, not bad at all, for a creature with a primitive brain that does not handle things like emotions, logic, or creative thought; or does it? Maybe, there’s more intelligence out there on the trail than we understand? So, it's quite possible, as was the case with me, if you go down to the woods one day you too will experience a big surprise.

By the way of an update regarding my publishing venture, WHERE RAVEN PLAYS (published and available on Blurb) will shortly be formatted as an ebook (more affordable) and SHADES OF GREY, AND THIRTY PLUS ONE are just about ready to be published and will also be formatted as ebooks. Then it's off to collect some sketches for future ventures. There's not much time for rest when retired.