This morning I found something in the shallow basin of a fountain. It's been raining of late, and the inch of water in the basin was rather murky, the color of rust. There were a few fallen leaves, but this one stood out. Its shape was swollen, cylindrical.

Being a bit of a scaredy cat, I was reluctant to pick it up. Yet it was something that was unlikely to survive under water. So I gently lifted it out, and sure enough, though its appearance was that of a furled leaf, no longer than two inches, its weight suggested something more. There was what looked to be a horn at one end, like that on some caterpillars. I've watched caterpillars go into metamorphosis, 'melting' into chrysalis or cocoon state, and this curled green object was similar in appearance. Though small and apparently motionless, its life felt much larger than its size. I placed the chrysalis amidst some moist shrubbery, in hope that it might complete its transformation.