Monday, October 23, 2006

Crossing Hasty Brook

Hasty Brook has a different face when the leaves are down. The tall grasses that grow along the banks have died back and the contours of the land are visible. Here is the west side of our land, across the creek, out of reach.
The water is much clearer than it looks in this photo. I liked the reflection of the trees on the water. The pines are more visible with the leaves down too. I notice the range of greens in them, more so on such a cloudy day.
Art has been wanting to check out the old beaver dam all summer. He felt confident that we could cross the creek over the dam. He's much more daring than I! The water just this side of the dam is 4-5 feet deep and COLD!
He crossed it! At this point I'm so envious it's unbearable. I NEED to be on the other side. Not sure how, but I did it. The dam was squishy and bouncy. If you look down while standing on it, you can see the water running through under your feet. For most folks this is no big deal, but it was for me. (I really cannot climb stairs that I can see through) The land over there was beautiful- all high and dry. It must have been logged out some years ago as there is a lot of younger (4-6 inch) aspen growth along with old balsam, black spruce and birch.


Blogger won't upload pictures at all this morning, but I can post 4 pictures through "Blog this" in Picasa, so it will have to be lots of short posts for me! Posted by Picasa

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

This is my fourth try at leaving a comment this morning that Blogger would not upload. Apologies if this appears more than once.

Just wanted to say how lovely Hasty Brook is, and what a bonus to have beavers. Aren't they the most amazing engineers? Their habitat modifications will attract all sorts of wildlife through the years. Enjoy.

Rondeau Ric said...

Blogger hasn't had enough coffee.
Nothing seems to be loading.

The problem with falling onto a beaver pond, besides being cold, is the leaches.
I try to be open minded but i REALLY don't like leaches.
Ric

Lynne at Hasty Brook said...

LauraO-
I'm not sure, but I don't think the beavers are active there any more. There is lots of evidence of chewing and downed trees, but we haven't seen anything fresh in the 2 years we've had the place. I did watch 2 river otters playing and rolling in the water upstream of the dam this last May. I was watching from uphill and the leaves weren't out yet so I had a great view. I had never seen otters in the wild before so that was a thrill for me!!

Ric-
Thanks...I hadn't thought of LEACHES...uugghh...shiver...

NatureWoman said...

Oh my, you are very brave! I can't do see through stairs, either. I don't know how you did see through sticks with water running underneath. And then leaches, oh my, I didn't know about leaches. I would have needed to be on the other side though, too. Tour Hasty Brook is beautiful!!! What a wonderful peaceful looking place.

LauraHinNJ said...

Looks beautiful, Lynne!

When can I come visit?

;-)

Lynne at Hasty Brook said...

Pam-
I am so relieved to hear that I'm not the only on with open stairs issues!

LauraH-
You would be most welcome ANY TIME!!