Slice of Life Story - The Creek Is Wild This Morning

It rained heavily overnight. Following successive seasons of below average rain, we now appear to be moving into a period of increased rainfall. Autumn has arrived with a series of resounding downpours. The creek below our house is running a gusher this morning. It is almost bursting its banks such is the rush of water down its course. Most of the year its maintains a low steady flow as it meanders around rocks on its way to Port Philip Bay less than a kilometre away. Ducks and wading birds such as egret occasionally drop in for a splash and a feed. Water weeds thrive in the warm shallow water along the banks during the summer months. Butterflies flitter about seeking out the butterfly bushes (Buddleia davidii) I planted near the creek's edge. .

Today the character of the creek is dramatically altered. It is ferocious and irrepressible. No wading today. The torrent races by our place along the valley of the creek with such impressive momentum. The birds seem impressed by the rain. From the trees that line the creek they sing out with raucous joy. I have been told that up to eighty species of bird have been identified living along the creek line. I can’t attest to sighting quite that many, but I do know they are out in big numbers this morning and their shrill cries astonish.
The sight of all that fresh storm water in turmoil, surging seaward has me in awe. It looks thick like brown cream as it churns past running slightly over the bank in places. Even the sight of water in such an agitated state is mesmerizing. It is hard to look away. For me the creek is always interesting, sometimes frightening and often quite beautiful. I watch in wonder.

Comments

  1. wlb29 March 2010 at 20:47

    Lovely! Living along water is paradise and you sound like you love every moment of it. We have wild rains here right now too and the river is swelling.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Tara @ A Teaching Life29 March 2010 at 22:29

    I grew up by the ocean, and always found the water's movement fascinating. I love the way you described the power of the water's flow.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Lennye29 March 2010 at 22:39

    Growing up in Oklahoma my grandmother would always say, "Good Lord willing and the creek don't rise." I always thought she meant the water creek. Once I moved to Georgia and became friends with a local historian I found out that the origin of the saying meant the Creek Indians.

    So Alan as the Okies would say, "I hope you have a great day. Good Lord willing and the creek don't rise."

    ReplyDelete
  4. Kevin Hodgson30 March 2010 at 08:30

    My little guy and I noticed the high levels of our river today. The waterfall was surging and it looked like the ocean had opened its mouth and spit up.
    Kevin

    ReplyDelete
  5. beth rogers30 March 2010 at 12:34

    This is a powerful piece of writing. We are studying fast changes in Science and I think I will share this post with my students. (It will work for writing too!) Thank you for this amazing picture of your world.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Karren Colbert30 March 2010 at 15:27

    I always look forward to the powerful images your descriptive writing evokes.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Donna Smith29 March 2011 at 10:12

    I love watching the river as the snows melt and cause great gushing heaves of water to weave between the river boulders. It is mesmerizing. Thanks for the images!

    ReplyDelete

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