Our Creek

Our Creek

November 4,2010

We have went walking all kinds of places around our area, we almost forgot we have a creek on our property. The lack of rain has given us a wonderful opportunity to be able to walk down our creek that is pretty much dry now. All that is left is a few pools of stagnant water, however pretty they may be with the fallen leaves gathered in it.The first thing my little monkey does is climb a tree, "Mom, look at me!" Adam shouts in accomplishment.

It is hard to believe as we walk over the dry ground that this creek can turn into a raging whirlpool that threatens to come out of its banks during the rainy season. Right now it seems so calm and peaceful.

Fallen trees litter the way, probably some of the reason the creek breaches its banks on occasion.
Austin calls, "Hey mom, are these spores on the back of these leaves?"
"Yep, sure are, good job spotting them," I say after a quick investigation of a small fern growing out of the side of the bank.

"Hey mom, take a picture." Anna requests. Up a tree she and her brother go, both squabbling over the lime light.

A stump has been smoothed by the water rushing by it on so many occasions. A tree fallen overhead of the creek, a reminder of Hurricane Rita. Orangey, the cat leads the way. There are only a few puddles in the creek bed now, probably left over from the recent rain we received earlier this week. Just enough mud to leave behind a nice set of foot prints from our neighbors the Raccoons.

Adam is all boy. He does this trick of hanging upside down from one of the fallen trees across the creek. Not to be out done, Anna copies, monkey see, monkey do. Austin thinks his brother and sister are crazy.

The high grass shows how long the ground has been dry. This area should be covered with water. Ahead lies a fallen tree that was here since we moved here, it is mostly rotten now.

We get to the trestle, long forgotten by the railroad. The train has not come through our town since the early 1990s. I remember as a child walking down to the train track and laying pennies on the rails hoping to get a squished penny from it, a treasure to a small country girl. With a closer inspection of the old trestle we see that the remains of it was put to good use, honey bees are using it for their honey fort. We leave them alone so they will continue to pollinate our garden each spring.

The little monkeys find the swinging vine, and take turns swinging across the little gully as brother looks on with amusement.

 Dad finds a bucket washed down from the rains, so he takes advantage of it while he waits by our fence for us to catch up.  Donkey also waited impatiently for us to cross the fence. He wants his family in the fence if he has to be in there. We cross into the pasture, being careful of the ornery donkey and head home.

It was a very nice walk without ever leaving our land.