Swelling Creek

Being that I grew up in New Orleans, a place surrounded by water, regularly flooded by water, below sea level, and a culture that dares to throw a party when watery hurricanes threaten from the sky... I have developed a secret love for the power of water when it begins to overflow. Some people get a thrill from sky diving or a roller coaster - I get a similar adrenline rush of happy contenment to see a flood swelling up. The power of nature is something I can depend on, understand, and sometimes even relate to. Even when it crosses the fine line between beautiful over to destructive.
The massive rains we had the last few days filled the streams, creeks and rivers to the very edge... staying in the beauty zone and not so much the re-creator - I had to take my bike out yesterday morning and see what my favorite creek down the road had turned into.
I parked my bike next to the bridge, immediately realizing where I usually play under there and collect rocks was now totally underwater. I had to carefully climb some slimy wet boulders to get to the soggy mud and squish my way upward into the woods, towards what was once a noticeable waterfall.
The water was so high in the creek and rushing down so hard the sound was deafening! I wished so much I had a video camera to share the sound with ya'll... the intensity and power was such that the once waterfall was eclipsed by it's own water volume and could hardly be seen. (Check out this link to see what the Willow Creek Rd waterfall looked like in April!)
I crouched down in the trees for a while and watched - but more so listened. I was by myself and thought it was a good time to stay quiet, sort of a nod to mother nature for being so cool.
Eventually I felt tired and was ready to go back... hiking back through the slippery leaves, steep hill, crawling under pines tree branches and squishing through the muck, and back over the slippery boulder to the bridge.
I pulled by bike back up to the road and took off.
XoXo