Most days I think that we’d all be better off if the rest of us joined you there along the river. How far down river are you? Some day soon I hope to hop across the headwaters.
Very cool, my sister is in St. Louis too. I grew up less than a mile from the river in Iowa, but the experience that most clarified his power was the time I kayaked through a lock and dam in St. Paul. Seeing what a huge structure we have to build to even try to contain the river emphasized it's power to me in a way that I didn't understand just looking at the river’s power. Though the river up here in St. Paul is kind of puny compared to the river in St. Louis for sure.
My dream is that when my daughters come of age (like 14-16ish) that I’ll be able to convince them to do a solo bike or kayak trip from Lake Itasca to the Delta. That would definitely deserve the Mark Twain treatment if I succeed. In the mean time, your Mark Twain idea is inspiring me to think about a book I’m trying to write about healthcare from the perspective of rivers. Like how the fuckery we pull with rivers echoes the fuckery within healthcare and the culture at large.
I kan dig it. The Correspondence: The RIVER OF LIFE that is the BLOOD which, indeed, must be kept HEALTHY. Unfortunately, the FUCKERY within the Medical Industrial Complex aint helping....All the more reason that SELFCARE is the New HEALTHCARE.
Meanwhile, thats a strong idea for a book. Would love to see it.
powerful essay. FYI, elk were reintroduced in Michigan 1918, there are now about 900. a storm drove me out of the U.P. around 4:00 one morning and I had the wonderful sight of a cow elk just south of the bridge. keep writing
Thank you! That's cool that reintroduction was successful. If you'd like a giggle, there's a great video of parachuting beavers as part of a reintroduction effort back in the 50s.
Whoa, deep thoughts. I feel this pull to know more, the language that came before English in my very spot far from you. Yet still we are connected, by your beautiful writing and thoughts. ❤️
"Three years ago, a huge storm blew through, it blew the roof off the shelter at the beach and into the windows of the library. Nine inches of rain fell that night."
and
"She surely would have killed any creature who could not fly away or breathe underwater."
and
"What does it mean to be a person who doesn’t know the name Dead Elk River?"
I like the emphasis on knowing a thing by its name and on knowing all of a thing, not just its stalactites and sparkle.
Thank you Kristine! I think we often underestimate the power of beautiful language generally, and specifically names. Many of our European forebears guarded their names closely in recognition of this power. It also makes me wonder about our lack of curiosity about the place names that preceded us here. How much would we have learned simply by learning the names of places rather than making up our own?
"view a frozen waterfall" is now on my bucket list. Thank you for this musing and all your words. I enjoy learning from you and look forward to your posts.
Some days all I do is sit and watch The OLD MISSISSIPPI do its thang flowing and-a-Churning from MINNESOTA way. Yessir.
Most days I think that we’d all be better off if the rest of us joined you there along the river. How far down river are you? Some day soon I hope to hop across the headwaters.
Was in Mississippi proper....Currently, St. Louis. The OLD MAN RIVER is practically in my Backyard now.
Very cool, my sister is in St. Louis too. I grew up less than a mile from the river in Iowa, but the experience that most clarified his power was the time I kayaked through a lock and dam in St. Paul. Seeing what a huge structure we have to build to even try to contain the river emphasized it's power to me in a way that I didn't understand just looking at the river’s power. Though the river up here in St. Paul is kind of puny compared to the river in St. Louis for sure.
I B damn. Thats an Unforgettable experience. I hear MARK TWAIN in Ya background.
My dream is that when my daughters come of age (like 14-16ish) that I’ll be able to convince them to do a solo bike or kayak trip from Lake Itasca to the Delta. That would definitely deserve the Mark Twain treatment if I succeed. In the mean time, your Mark Twain idea is inspiring me to think about a book I’m trying to write about healthcare from the perspective of rivers. Like how the fuckery we pull with rivers echoes the fuckery within healthcare and the culture at large.
I kan dig it. The Correspondence: The RIVER OF LIFE that is the BLOOD which, indeed, must be kept HEALTHY. Unfortunately, the FUCKERY within the Medical Industrial Complex aint helping....All the more reason that SELFCARE is the New HEALTHCARE.
Meanwhile, thats a strong idea for a book. Would love to see it.
powerful essay. FYI, elk were reintroduced in Michigan 1918, there are now about 900. a storm drove me out of the U.P. around 4:00 one morning and I had the wonderful sight of a cow elk just south of the bridge. keep writing
Thank you! That's cool that reintroduction was successful. If you'd like a giggle, there's a great video of parachuting beavers as part of a reintroduction effort back in the 50s.
Whoa, deep thoughts. I feel this pull to know more, the language that came before English in my very spot far from you. Yet still we are connected, by your beautiful writing and thoughts. ❤️
Thank you Melissa, if you come to know the pre-colonial place names in your area, I hope you’ll come back and share.
The frozen falls are beautiful.
Thank you, I'm sure a skilled photographer could do them justice better than I can, my photo pales in comparison to the real thing.
"Three years ago, a huge storm blew through, it blew the roof off the shelter at the beach and into the windows of the library. Nine inches of rain fell that night."
and
"She surely would have killed any creature who could not fly away or breathe underwater."
and
"What does it mean to be a person who doesn’t know the name Dead Elk River?"
I like the emphasis on knowing a thing by its name and on knowing all of a thing, not just its stalactites and sparkle.
Thank you Kristine! I think we often underestimate the power of beautiful language generally, and specifically names. Many of our European forebears guarded their names closely in recognition of this power. It also makes me wonder about our lack of curiosity about the place names that preceded us here. How much would we have learned simply by learning the names of places rather than making up our own?
"view a frozen waterfall" is now on my bucket list. Thank you for this musing and all your words. I enjoy learning from you and look forward to your posts.
I hope you do, and you are welcome here at Willow River any time.