JANUARY-2012 JOURNAL

JOURNAL-2012

Thus begins a new year, beginning now, ending how?

A small rent in the earth, formed by years of erosion and glaciation, is my quiet and special place, near enough to reality to hear the world go by, but sheltered enough to protect against intrusions invading ones thoughts. For as a ray of golden sun penetrates the newly opened autumn canopy, that special ray seems meant for me. Meant for me to see, to know and attest to its glory. Nowhere rays, nowhere in particular, each becomes within when I am about. We all have our special rays shining only unto ourselves, enlightening the special we each are. Sometimes to be shared, sometimes best to be kept within, for others see not as you and may not understand.

JAN. 6, 2012

JAN. 12, 2012 as sometimes I do not understand.

Winter chill has been rare and even now the ground is soft, springy even. Although the morrow will bring a change and near zero may be on the week-end. Two falls ago my creek was almost a stranger to me so seldom had I visited. With heavy snows and ice storms for several years building up debris by knocking down trees and branches, the stream had become an impassable mess. Last winter and spring heavy water flow had jammed the stream bed with logs and branches, rocks and mud and leaves. Instead of flowing over bed rock it flowed over this debris. Near the log jam itself the water flowed at a level almost four feet above the bedrock.

I had wanted to take photos of the area but it was not pleasant looking, so throughout the summer each visit was a working vacation. I moved branches and tree boles, rocks and mud, especially after each rain. Surprisingly the water channels I opened up widened and slowly the mud and leaves and small stones “floated” away. While it sounds like a lot of work, the water and rains did the most, I merely guided and encouraged. It is truly amazing how much stuff passes through this small ravine in the course of a year and yet superficially it still looks the same. I would guess the debris behind the log jam was four feet at the highest and tapered to bedrock at the first water fall sixty feet up stream. Not all was cleared out, but the main channel did make bedrock by this fall. The stream flow path is much narrower though, mud and leaves and twigs on one side, gravel and stones on the other.

JAN.13, 2012

Last night snow fell and November turned back to January. Every branch and twig, bough and needle, whitened. Into the woods the view was obstructed as if white leaves had sprouted overnight.

Now the snow is back it’s time to reflect again on fall with images captured of flowing streams, colorful leaves, on the ground and on trees, and summer warmth still fresh in mind.

JAN. 14, 2012

Below zero last night, calm and frigid at -2 F., but at least the sun will shine today. Although the snow fell yesterday and some breeze kicked up during the day the boughs and branches still suffer their snowy burden. Once evergreens sagging under heavy snow seemed “picturesque”, now they seemed stressed and sad. Perhaps I’ve seen too many broken and felled by ice or snow, friends disfigured or gone, leaving a vacancy in the heart as in the sky.

JAN. 17, 2012

Today the cold broke and all the trees are free from snow. Cold rain has shrunk the small amount of snow on the ground. Tonight’s freeze will ice the driveway, always fun.

Squirrels came out to play, first time since the bitter cold started the end of last week, at least 5-6 from every direction in the woods. Also turkeys made an appearance from the upper woods. They did not come down near the house looking for food since not much seed has been set out yet this year, only suet.

JAN. 18, 2019

Normal winter returned with seasonal cold and a few lake effect showers. Yesterday’s melt exposed the grass and three deer took advantage and grazed upon the still green lawn. Although there is some snow the green shows through, but the deer have not reappeared yet today.

With the warm snowmelt of yesterday the tree trunks and woods in general darkened with the wet. The lichens on the boles blossomed with color despite January being only half past. Remarkable is the resiliency of mosses and lichens.