Down by the Creek

Posted byLisa at Micro of the MacroPosted inBeauty of Nature, TravelTags:, , , , , , , , , , ,
All photos in this post were taken in or near the Wind River Range of Wyoming

I have always been irresistibly drawn to water, particularly creeks, streams, and brooks.  While road tripping, I’ve stopped to photograph them more than any other feature in Nature.  Their beauty can be breathtaking, nestled beside a mountain, surrounded by trees and wildflowers.  And the sound of the water running over the stones in the creek bed is one of the most soothing I know.  In fact, it’s the white noise I use to lull me to sleep each night.

Looking at a topographical map, the myriads of little creeks in the US look like a diagram of human capillaries, and are similar in that they also transport oxygen and other nutrients.  Only after spending time in the Southwest did I learn that in much of the desert, trees can be found only where water runs through the land.  That may seem obvious, but it never occurred to me when I was living full-time on the East Coast of the US, where trees are much more abundant.

I’ve heard many stories about funny happenings at creeks, and I have one to share.  Years ago, I met a new friend from Texas at a hostel in Northern New Mexico.  We enjoyed spending time under some ancient trees that shade a creek running behind the village’s few merchants. We once bought a bottle of wine to share on the edge of the water and took it out of the bag to realize we had no way of opening it.  There was a bar a short walk away, so I strolled inside and asked the bartender, whom we had befriended, to lend us a corkscrew.  Back by the creek, we tried in every way known to man to get that cork out of the bottle, but couldn’t get it to budge.  (If anyone was watching, I can imagine what a belly laugh they had!)  Embarrassed, we took the wine and the cork screw into the bartender who smirked while opening it for us.  We laughed at ourselves the whole time we were drinking it.

On a more serious note, there is a little stream I crossed at least twice each day for a month when I did a work-study program at Esalen Holistic Institute in Big Sur, California.  It was canopied by trees and had a small wooden foot path. I often passed someone meditating beside it on my way to or from classes or my work in the kitchen.  It is one of the most peaceful places I’ve known.

In Eastern Nevada, I once camped at Great Basin National Park.  I arrived early enough during the week to have my pick of campsites, and chose one with a brook running through the back.  I set up my tent close enough that I could hear the water babbling at night.  It is by far my favorite-ever campsite.

The unique beauty of Sedona, Arizona, is magnified by Oak Creek, a canyon stream that runs through much of town.  West Fork, a hike mentioned in my post Red Rocks on the Water, is among the area’s 400 miles of trails.  It’s very popular, especially in Spring and Fall, due to the many wildflowers and changing leaves that flank the creek, which the trail crosses many times.  Fallen logs and small boulders form the paths across the water, and can be quite the challenge.  But the water is pretty shallow for the distance of the hike, and the surrounding red cliffs and colored stones on the creek bed are gasp-worthy.  So what if you get your feet wet!

The sights and sounds of creeks, streams, and brooks bring me joy, entertainment, and peace.  And I’m certain I’m not the only one.  Do you have similar stories that you’re willing to share?

Blessings from the Creek,

Lisa

The content of this article is for educational and informational purposes only, and is not intended as medical advice. Please consult with a qualified health care professional before acting on any information presented herein. Any statements about the possible health benefits of any subject discussed have not been evaluated by medical professionals or the Food & Drug Administration and are not intended to diagnose, treat, cure or prevent any disease or illness.

70 thoughts on “Down by the Creek”

  1. Thank you for sharing these beautiful photographs and sharing your story. Nature is so very healing. How wonderful to be lulled to sleep by the sound of running water in a babbling brook, river, or creek. I love the sound of water lapping against a boat; this too, can put you to sleep at night.

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  5. I too, am drawn to flowing waters. Once, we hiked up Jenny Falls in Wyoming, and walked upstream a ways. I took off my shoes and dipped my feet in the freezing water. Another time, we drove the Smokey Mountain Parkway, and I took pictures and videos of the various streams. The videos and sounds of the babbling water stir up strong memories of those great times

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  8. Thank you for sharing your wonderful story, and the pics are beautiful. Being around the water is a stress reliever for me. It calms my nerves. There are two lakes where I live, and we visit them very often. Seeing the fog over the lakes at night in the winter is so beautiful, and the night sounds to make it that much more soothing. Have a beautiful week.

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  9. Magnificent photos, Lisa. I have too many stories to tell of creeks and other bodies of water. There is healing in them, but also sorrow to go back to places remembered from childhood only to see the creeks gone or polluted with garbage. We don’t treat our most valuable resource very well much of the time 😦

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  13. There is something special, magical even, about the sight and sound of running water. Your stories and pictures are wonderful. Thank you for sharing them. Enjoy what’s left of the weekend 🌹🙋‍♂️

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  14. That first photo looks like Silver Falls at Mount Rainier. I remember taking some video … mostly for the audio, and now I’m thinking I should play it on a loop to help with sleep. It is a great comfort for sure. The persistence is what I love. It’s like a reminder that life goes on no matter what seems to be in our way.

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  15. Beautiful photos, Lisa. I love all of Northern AZ. So lovely. The streams are gorgeous up here too. There are many ranging in size from a trickle to much larger. It’s so fun to happen upon them on a hike, as you write. Have a lovely remainder of your Sunday, my friend! 🌻

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  16. Pingback: Down By The Creek - A Little TOO Picture Imperfect

  18. Love it!! I’m a new one to start my blog! Hope you follow me back to see my blog about travelling here in the Philippines. Thank you! 😊❤️

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  21. You have been to such gorgeous places Lisa and I love your sense of wonder and adventure. I have got to get to Esalen someday… crazy i haven’t been and so cool to do a work study program there. 💕❣️. Your words pull me to the great outdoors.. xo

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  22. Pingback: Down by the Creek – MobsterTiger

  23. Lisa, this is a beautiful post. Each picture is lovely in its own way. Gorgeous! Is this a challenge you run? I notice you asked for and got at least one pingback. It’s a great topic. I’ve included a few photos of Spokane Creek in my blog for this week.

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      1. Pingbacks are just when someone links their post to yours. It’s kind of a “Come check out my post,” message. If you’re running a challenge, this is a good thing.

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  24. Pingback: WQW #37: September Needs 31 Days! – Marsha Ingrao – Always Write

  27. What a great post topic. I too have always been drawn to water – a interesting entity as it can both soothe the soul and provide an exhilarating shock at the raw power it can possess. We have a large stream that crosses through the middle of our woods and we always enjoy just sitting by it and passing the time – then spring comes and it breaks containment to remind us it will not be controlled by mere humans. Life is always better when you carry a corkscrew around hehehehe.

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    1. Hi, Donna, I’m happy to see you here. I left several comments on various posts of yours, but I think they may have gone into your spam folder. I hope to get to meet you later this year. I appreciate your kind comment, and I’m glad you enjoyed the post. 🌞

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      1. Thank you so much Lisa. I am glad to see you here as well. It is funny because a few others have said that, and I know there were a few sites that wouldn’t even let ME follow. Strange sometimes with all this. Janet once told me of the spam folder, and how she had just discovered it. I don’t know how to find it. Yes…it would be nice to connect one of these days, we definitely share great company amongst other bloggers. Thanks again, Lisa

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      2. I get about 10 comments in my spam folder every day. Most of them are really spam, but sometimes, there’s a regular comment in there. Also, there is a pending comments page, to which quite a few regular comments are sent. Not sure why these things happen, either. But I’m happy to be hitting your posting page now! 🌞

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  29. I like the sound of running water – this is one of the best sounds in nature on a hot day while out on a hike! We already had so many wonderful adventures of camping next to the ocean and listening to crashing of waves while laying in our tent – at that moment, you do not want to be anywhere else!
    Oh, and thanks for sharing your story of (trying) to open that wine bottle – I had a good laugh 😁.

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  30. Natural sounds and pictures are so very soothing. Nature is so very healing as we are part of nature. How wonderful to be lulled to sleep by the sound of running water in a babbling brook, river, or creek. Thank you for sharing these beautiful photographs and sharing your story ❤ ❤ ❤

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