Picking in the river

It’s pretty easy to do nothing at the river. Everyone should cultivate an attitude of no expectations while visiting a river, just enjoy the site and be in the moment.

walnut woods 9 14 2013 ella
This is from 2013. Scroll down to see 2009.

Just being in the river or near the river can give a nice sensory experience. Or like my son did yesterday, you can “see what you can see” — basically you take a self-directed scavenger hunt. Many times we’ll see and then go home with clam shells, snail shells, fossils, interesting rocks, driftwood, and river glass.

Same kid, different year.
Same kid, different year.

I followed Mr. TellBlast upstream beyond a snag and found some different things.

walnut woods 9 14 2013 matt

I was hoping to see different things, too, with the river being very low and getting to walk nearer to the center of the riverbed than I have in the past.

walnut woods 9 14 2013 middle
I didn’t know this sandbar existed because it’s normally underwater or too far away to wade here.

I usually wear a pair of “water sandals;” on this day, two of us wore waterproof hiking boots. I’ve also worn regular shoes and taken them off, tied them by the laces, and carried them so that I could put them on again if I needed. My method this weekend was to spot “abnormally regular” looking shapes in the sand — things that look too perfectly round to be natural.

Ring and lid
Ring and lid

I found a lid downstream, then walked 200 yards and found the ring to go with it. They were mostly buried, but I saw enough to have a hunch that they were manufactured. They were.

I also spotted some rocks stuck inside a jug.

walnut woods 9 14 2013 jug bottom
It was a funnel in the flow. I washed out all the debris that I could.
walnut woods 9 14 2013 jug top
The rock is stuck!

The last perfectly round items I found was an old can of Hamm’s — I remember the jingle, “Hamm’s, the beer refreshing — Hamm’s”

walnut woods 9 14 2013 hamms

 

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