I walked outside into the fog this morning to be met with an eerie sight. Not only was the hill completely covered with thick, quiet fog, but the spiders have been busily working outside.The whole front garden and all of the shrubs are covered with so many webs that it looks like that stuff you buy to decorate for Halloween. I noticed that the evergreens in the next field have been festooned as well.
Spiders are supposed to be good things to have around, keeping other insects in check. They also have powerful symbolism. Spiders are the weavers of the web - and internet associations aside, the web is what connects all things. I love that particular bit of symbolism. The idea that by tweaking one of the threads on a web, all parts are affected and feel the movement. It reflects how I envision the earth and the environment, and how every little thing makes a difference to all things. For instance, the use of chemicals in farming disturbs the fragile chemistry of the soil, destroying bacteria and micro-organisms that are necessary to the fertility of the soil. Introducing or removing a species in the wild can create a whole landslide of changes.Spider webs have been used to staunch bleeding in folk medicine. The strong filaments were used to cover a wound, giving blood a network on which to coagulate.
Still... I have to admit that spiders give me the willies. There's a big one living in one of the bathtubs, and I've decided to ignore it completely. Seeing what they managed to do in one night makes me wonder if one morning I'll need a machete to get out through the door. I'll keep you posted.