Drabbles for Tolkien Weekly by Ysilme

Winter Preparations II

Signs of Autumn - Cobwebs

The next sunny day might find him hiking down the river, buckets and bags slung over his shoulders. The time was right for picking rose hips. A much sought-after staple for both kitchens and Healing Halls, the maws were dried, powdered, or cooked into a pulp for teas, physics, and sweetmeats. Even the seeds yielded oil for cosmetic and healing use.

The collecting was another unpopular task, and again one he enjoyed despite the thorny shrubs. This time less for the solitude, but for the hidden beauties of late autumn, like cobwebs wet with dew, glittering in the sun.