A Wonderland of Rivers and Forests
Author Archive
April Magic on an Ozark River
When the Bluebells drip Swallowtails And the sun peeks through the trees You understand the Bottomlands become Fairylands Sorcery in seclusion just above the river So conjure the time for this April portal call This temporal beauty transforms, Delivers ___________________________________________________________________________ Or better yet, find a little creek that wanders back into the woods. Park your […]
Hope for the Hellbender
Under a large flat rock in an Ozark stream Dwells an ancient aquatic sentinel With a Gaia messenger scheme Calling all good earthly stewards Protect these precious waters Please the fish, the frog, the turtle and the toad Let the mystery of this peculiar amphibian, continue to unfold _________________________________________________________ He goes by many names: Snot […]
Spectacular September on an Ozark River
Floating in September has blossomed into one of my favorite times to be on the river. The greens of summer still linger while there’s a surprising display of colors from a cast of late bloomers that are flourishing in brilliance all along the river- just before the fall. Yet the crisper hints of autumn are […]
Drought times in the Ozarks; Some Rivers still floatable
The heartland of America is facing the worst drought since 1956 and it’s only getting worse. And here in my home state of Missouri(at the moment aptly named; from the French word Misere, meaning “misery), most or all counties experienced the hottest and driest July in history. The creeks are dry. Ponds have evaporated. […]
Time Travelers on the Big Piney River
It’s early afternoon as we arrive at our put in site at Baptist Camp access by the new bridge. There’s a small yet striking little bluff that overlooks a good sized pool that’s just a little upstream from the bridge. This place has all the attributes of a favorite local swimming destination. And sure enough, […]