Archive for the ‘Calm’ Category

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Blogging the River

April 10, 2011

Just enjoying summer today…whoops…I mean Spring!

Met a woman at a conference I was presenting at and she told me that her brother writes about the River and that he knows more about the River than anyone she knows. She agreed, however that i probably know more about the 500 yards of so that i survey everyday…at least on the North Shore.

Then some golf buddies wanted to know if I blog anything controversial like the possible poisoning of our waterways due to natural gas fracturing. I pointed out that the blow off natural gas up at the mall up River a bit, but that is outside my 500 yard coverage.

The day belonged to the seagulls and the sun as the River begins to drop

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Posted in Birds, Calm, Spring, Sun | Leave a Comment »

Spring Life

March 31, 2011

I remember the cormorants from last year and have begun to see them again. When they cruise on the surface, they look like little loch ness monsters as their bodies are half-submerged. And then without warning, they are gone, diving downwards to find small fish, eels and other River delights.

An empty coal barge came down River today pushing its empty holds from the side as opposed to the back. Wow, how much excitement is there over here.

The River was calm today for the first time in weeks. Trees and other spring cast-offs drifted slowly by as the seagulls hovered looking for something to eat

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Posted in Barges, Birds, Calm | Leave a Comment »

The Early Spring Returns

February 23, 2011

Just as fast as it came, the snow began to leave us today. The River that showed some chunks of ice as the temperature dropped to single digits gave them up although the harbor saw its share of Lake Erie gulls fishing through the tender fishing holes.

The River remains high as we have a new gauge to measure the rising and dropping water that is the kayak access rocks (or which will now be known as the KARs).

A beautiful row of red shrubs border the harbor where the gulls relax

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Posted in Birds, Calm, Color, Reflections | Leave a Comment »

A River in Transition…not (probably)

February 15, 2011

Is spring really here a month early? Probably not but like the rest of us the River seemed to enjoy the quiet that accompanies a warming trend. The River lazed around and barely made a ripple (compared to yesterdays little whitecaps) and with the seagulls sauntering from shore to shore it presented a calming energy that reminds me of why I love to be by the River and just enjoy her beauty

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GBH Watch

December 4, 2010

With the water still high, Bill (the smaller GBH) was seen standing in our newly developed wetland all day long. It wasn’t until I checked things out later in the day that he left for his other hideaway.

Will we have these guys here all winter long? What a treat that would be.

Not much traffic to see on the River today or for the past several days. While I  haven’t been sitting around and watching, when I have the river is just being herself.

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We’re Back

November 29, 2010

Sorry for the missed week but we were with family in the heartland without a drop of water to reflect upon. I had to keep the faucet running just to remind me of how water flows (down).

I returned to naked trees, sunny skies and a quietly flowing River that is a counterpoint to the noise of commerce and recreation.With fewer distractions and visual impediments the pure pleasure of the River’s movements are  evident and her personification returns in a way in which she is not in service to others but in service to herself.

Perhaps as it was for me, you found yourself in recovery mode today after the “family, food and football” of the weekend and needed a day to catch your breath. Watch the River or perhaps the water out of your faucet to help you reconnect

 

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Posted in Calm, Vacation | Leave a Comment »

Just another lovely Friday

October 22, 2010

Since I was going to be downtown today, I thought  I would get some bridge pictures today. As I’ve mentioned before, I want to take photos of all of the River’s bridges so today was the day. But when I took out my camera and went to snap a picture, I got a big goose egg for a message indicating that the memory card was back in my card reader by my computer at home….ooops.

So instead its just more pics of the beautiful River up in O’Hara. Another beautiful fall day. Crisp cool breeze, full sun and a River that enjoys her time off from supporting barges, boaters and birds. Back in August when we had our first cool morning, I mentioned that we were seeing the first signs of Autumn. My friend Dave laughed at this but I stuck to my guns. Today, we saw the first signs of Winter when the temp was all the way down into the 30s with no mist on the River. Her temp has dropped these last two months. We’re thick into the Fall and everyone knows it and is enjoying it. Soon it will cold…so enjoy being cool

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Posted in Calm, Sun | Leave a Comment »

The morning flyers

September 26, 2010

Went down to the River this morning to capture pictures of the river bottom. The clarity of the water revealed the muddy bottom out for 25 feet or more.  I looked for Fred and Bill but did not see them anywhere. But then just as I was finishing up taking these pictures that didn’t really show much of the bottom, Fred and Bill showed up out of nowhere and gave me a view of their flight and dance to find just the right place to settle over on the south side of the River. Its my longest video to date and while a little jumpy at times, is very soothing and is part of my morning ritual.

My daily walks on the River almost always happen in the morning with no assurance that an afternoon or evening walk will happen  due to work and other commitments. Now I’m a morning person and I can appreciate that getting going in the AM may be easier for me than for others. But I have to believe that finding your little peace of nature in the morning can only help get your day off to a great start. And if you can find your Fred or Bill hanging out around your neighborhood, take some time to watch them do their thing!

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The view to the other side

August 10, 2010

I spend all my time on this side of the River. Of course I drive along the other side but if I stop to take some pics I’m always looking across to my side to see the perspective from over there of over here. About the only time I really checked out the other side was last month (July 3) when some campers set up for the weekend.

It is only natural, perhaps, to pay attention to our own little part of the world. That is where our attention is drawn, that is what sustains us and it is not as if  there isn’t plenty of natural beauty and perspective to keep me busy every day examining it. But somehow, when I took a picture of the other shoreline, I realized that there is a whole other world across there. I know the GBH’s house themselves over there. That is where the eagle was perched in the winter time and the water’s edge is more natural than our side over here.

I’ll stop off over there and let you know what is going on…

I will be going on away for a long weekend from August 19-23 and am looking for a guest blogger…If you would be interested, please send me a comment and I’ll get back to you. No blogging experience needed, just a love for the River…or any River.

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Posted in Calm, Perspective | Leave a Comment »

Low water…

August 9, 2010

The River handles low water pretty easily and attractively. Little breaking waves (if you can call them that) wash up in the harbor and sometimes  I can hear them against the shore particularly if  a fast-moving but fairly heavy boat comes by. Surprisingly the barges make small ripples in part due to their flat bottom and slow movement.

Items are revealed, like yesterday’s hippo, today’s trees or the River’s bottom. No impact on commerce or play and most people (probably except the barge captains) are even aware of it.

It’s just the rhythm of the seasons and the River has seen it for thousands of years. Us, we just note it for a couple of days during the hot summer…

I’ll be on a brief weekend get away from Friday, August 20-Monday August 23 and am looking for a guest blogger. If you love this River or any River and have some pictures and text to share, please send me a comment so we can connect. Would love to have a reader or River lover share their views of this or another River!

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Posted in Calm, Shoreline, Trees, waves | Leave a Comment »

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