Mid-day Light

Early Morning Light

Four Years Since Irene

Although we had a day of rain raising the river for a time, the level dropped again.  You can tell on a day as quiet as this the stream is shrinking. The rocks rising from the water tell the story.  Just above where water and stone meet a dark line of damp, like a shadow, reveals that the river ran an inch or two higher not long ago.  The flood stoked by Tropical Storm Irene smashed through here exactly four years ago.

Morning Clarity

Flow of Clouds

Sometimes the flow of clouds match or exceed the flow of the river.

Evening Light

Before the Rain

Early Leaves Falling

This morning a light wind made ripples almost like goose pimples on the surface.  Yellow blade-shaped leaves fell here and there.  One twirled at an angle away from the bridge before its still landing on the slow-moving current.

Early Sunday Morning

Clear Shrinking Stream

As the water level continues to drop, the clarity increases.  Every detail of the bottom can be seen through the surface.  The only barrier comes from the vanishing circles begun by the tiny water skimmers' sudden turns on this calm stretch of the Ottauquechee.

Over, Under, Around the River

In the morning yesterday, a bird swooped into the water, flew up and swooped again, after a fish or a bug.  Then from below the water, something broke the surface, sending rings outward.  I may have caught a glimpse of a fish tail swishing.  Even from the height of the bridge, insect water skimmers could be seen darting swiftly in odd directions.  Right below, on the right bank, a mom stood in knee deep water while her daughter, about five, played with the mud.

Back on the Ottauquechee

After two weeks away, the river is down.  Toddlers were playing along the left bank just before I took this picture.  Receding water created enough shore to beach a kayak in the sand between grass and stream.

Upriver, the early evening sun played on the water.