Puppy Shadow, shown here with kitty Tiger, in rare harmonious propinquity —

— and I decided that today we would drive to Griffy Lake —

and hike the trail up and down the hill, then over to the creek that runs into the lake.

But what to my wondrous surprise, is this? After only two hair-pin turns on the way up?

A tiny meticulously fashioned altar!

Instantly, I think, “Kiera (granddaughter) would love this!”

Hiking further, I come upon a perfect geometrical form, made by an amazing spider, lit by the near-equinoctal mid-morning Sun.

Instantly, I think, again, “Kiera would love this!”

Memory started nudging . . . where and when have I seen exactly that form of spider web before? Aha! With grandkids Kiera and Drew, in early August 2018, when we hiked the Griffy trail with their uncle Colin. Notice, not one but two photos of the same kind of web . . . And notice too, from the photos, how luxurious the growth was then, and here we are, two years and one month later, already inside the season of decay. So much drier this month than last!

https://www.exopermaculture.com2018/08/05/grandkids-here-first-morning-griffy-lake-hike/

Once Shadow and I got to the creek, we discovered it was dry as a bone. So Shadow and I walked the creek bed for awhile . . . which again, reminded me of that time with the grandkids, when we walked the edges of the still flowing creek bed, looking for geodes.

This time, I photographed a root system that has always fascinated me,

while Shadow sat and waited patiently, way up ahead. See him (off center in the creek bed)? He’s the color of tree bark.