Water - oceans, lakes, streams and ponds - each has its own mesmerizing feature. The pounding surf that brings countless grains of sand from distant lands to the quiet lapping of gentle waters against a little boat dock...bodies of water contain and sustain life in endless forms on our planet.
Born in Miami, raised in Virginia with numerous summer visits to the Eastern Shore, being around water was a part of my younger years. (though for whatever odd reason, I never learned to swim beyond a clumsy dog paddle). When we moved to Wisconsin, our first house overlooked the Wisconsin River. Based on artifacts I unearthed as I worked the garden, a knowledgeable friend told us our land was once the site of an Indian village perhaps as old as 500 years. The river would have been a vital location for the tribe. We have settled farther North away from the river and view a pond from our deck that satisfies the love of water at this time in our lives.
When we travel, I always take note of the vast rivers we cross. The Mississippi; a curve of the Missouri River that once saw Lewis and Clark travel on as they explored the upper reaches of what would become South Dakota and Montana; the Columbia and the Rio Grande.
The milky blue waters of the Toad River in British Columbia have a special spot on my list of rivers. The Toad becomes part of the Laird which flows into the Yukon River and eventually empties into the Bering Sea which mixes with the Arctic Ocean. Rivers connect us around the globe, offering transportation, food sources and power along with their flowing beauty.
One of my favorite pieces of music is "Old and Lost Rivers" by 20th century composer Tobias Picker. Listen to it and close your eyes.. float slowly down some unknown waterway and feel its heartbeat.
"R' is for Rivers...
Be sure to visit other "R" postings at Jenny Matlock's Alphabe-Thursday.
River is an excellent R-word. Your text shows how deeply rivers have run through your life! Nice post!
ReplyDeleteBest wishes,
Anna
Anna's AT-rd-2-R: 'R is for Red Jewellery'
Rivers are fascinating things in nature. Your text and picture were enjoyable. I'm happy to see you again this week!
ReplyDeleteAhhh...you have taken me away with your words to a place of peace and calm.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful photo and post. :0)
ReplyDeleterivers are cool,
ReplyDeletelove running water in river,
beautiful take on R.
cheers.
It certainly is something special to have that water source close to home. Your place sounds very peaceful.
ReplyDeleteWhat a lovely post.
ReplyDeleteThere's something about a river - so different from a lake or the ocean - something so alive. We lived for some time near the St Lawrence, and for many years beside the Rhine - two very different, powerful rivers.
I grew up near a river. It is a beautiful thing!
ReplyDeleteI love your post today - I was brought up on the Chesapeake Bay and never liked the salt water, just walking on the beach. I dearly love the tranquility of lakes and the flowing of streams and rivers far better than being on the ocean. We always seem to camp in parks that have lakes and hike the rivers and streams every chance we get.
ReplyDeleteI love looking at and listening to a river.
ReplyDeleteWonderful!
=)
I am kind of a "river junkie". I live pretty close to the Provo and the Weber Rivers and regularly spend time walking along them, pretending to fish, but actually just listening to their music...
ReplyDeleteI love water. Oceans, lakes, rivers, whatever form it takes. It would be fun to kayak one from its source to the ocean one day.
ReplyDeleteGreat post.
In Harper's Ferry, WV you can climb up a hill and look down to where three rivers meet. It is really beautiful.
ReplyDeleteWhat a beautiful post.
ReplyDeleteI've been feeling quite stressed today and these words and pictures really soothed my soul.
I thank you for a relaxing and enchanting stop today on our little journey through Alphabe-Thursday's letter "R'.
Lovely.
A+
I love rivers. They seem alive and each has its own special personality!
ReplyDelete