Everywhere I go these days I run into water. Sometimes literally-like absentmindedly finding myself ankle deep in a puddle-but usually I see it rushing down hillsides and across trails, as if its very existence depended on it finding the lowest point in the valley as quickly as possible.
Since the days of film cameras I’ve had the opinion that blurred water in a photo simply showed the photographer’s skill in manipulating the camera’s controls, but otherwise served no useful purpose. I’ve had to revise that opinion recently because in photos of little rivulets like this one the water was so clear that it became almost invisible if it wasn’t blurred. My opinion has therefore been upgraded to useful, but easily overdone.
These mushrooms grew on a fallen tree near a stream and were as soft as velvet and wiggled like Jell-O, and they reminded me of cookies. (I hadn’t had lunch yet.)
Many bracket fungi are polypores and have pores on their undersides. These had gills and a short, off-center stalk, so they aren’t true bracket fungi and they aren’t polypores. Now I know a few things about what they aren’t, but I haven’t been able to identify them to discover what they are.
Way up in the hills small rivulets join forces and become bigger streams that fall down the hillsides. These streams might run for a week, a month, or a few months but few of them run year-round. The water in this photo wasn’t blurred. At least, not intentionally.
All along the streams and rivers red maples (Acer rubrum) are blooming. Here the male blossoms are showing pollen. Even though I became an allergy sufferer at age 50 I still love seeing the trees bloom in spring.
The female flowers of red maple (Acer rubrum) are just opening-waiting for the wind to bring pollen from the male blossoms.
All the water running off the hillsides has to go somewhere, and in this case it causes this small brook to swell and fill its banks. In high summer you can walk across this brook in places while barely wetting your ankles. This is called Beaver Brook after the many beavers that once lived here.
Sometimes when I walk through these forests it is easy to imagine the immense wilderness that faced the first colonists. I wonder how they felt when they first realized that, as far as they knew, this forest stretched on indefinitely. If I think back even farther I can imagine Native Americans living in a true paradise so alluring that many early colonists “rescued from the savages” didn’t want to return to what their race called civilization.
The brook tumbles through a small gorge before spilling over Beaver Brook Falls with a roar. The falls are fairly impressive at this time of year, but they look quite different in July and August.
I haven’t seen many turkey tail fungi (Trametes versicolor) over the past winter. I saw a lot of dried out ones with washed out colors, but very few with color like those in the photo. As I’ve said before, these fungi have a lot of secrets and they don’t give them up easily. Every time I see them I’m reminded of how little I really know about them.
With all of the water from all of the surrounding hills spilling into it, the Ashuelot River is feeling pretty powerful these days, and it is. The eerie booming sounds coming from the boulders and debris that it rolls along its bottom can be felt as well as heard. Almost like thunder, it rolls through you.
So far this year the Ashuelot has held all of the thousands of gallons of runoff water within its banks. From here it will travel to the Connecticut River and then to the Long Island Sound where it will spill into the Atlantic Ocean. Once it evaporates into the atmosphere it might return and give us some welcome summer rain.
Study how water flows in a valley stream, smoothly and freely between the rocks. Also learn from holy books and wise people. Everything – even mountains, rivers, plants and trees – should be your teacher. ~Morihei Ueshiba
Thanks for coming by.
The 4th picture down is incredibly scenic! New Hampshire is very photogenic, as you prove in just about every post.
New Hampshire is a very scenic state, so it’s easy to photograph it.
I got a bit nostalgic looking at you flowing streams. We have a very flat countryside around here and the streams don’t flow very quickly. I loved the feel of your melting snow.
I lived in Florida for awhile and it was also very flat. I never knew how much I would miss hills until I lived there.
Awesome post, as usual! People seem to fall into 2 very decided camps about water blur, for and against with very little middle ground. You’ve probably noticed on my blog, I fall into the blur group. I love the soft silky look of rushing water, but it does show the forcefulness that is actually there. Love the wave on the Ashuelot. Do you do any kayaking?
Seeing blurred water in a photo doesn’t ruin my day-I just never saw any use for it until now. Actually, as I think about it, I don’t take too many photos of running water anyway. I have kyaked in the past but I couldn’t say that I’m a regular. I’ve been looking into buying a small, light one that I could carry to beaver ponds, but the lighter ones are quite expensive.
I have 2 kayaks, perhaps when I get back (I’m in FL right now) we can take them out exploring.
That would be great! I know a few beaver ponds that I’ve been anxious to explore!
As I scrolled down your post, enjoying the photos and chuckling at your mushroom cookie, I saw the fourth picture and said out loud, “Wow!”. What beautiful steams and beautiful places.
How do you blur the water in a photo? Do you adjust the shutter speed for a slower exposure?
What you said about the Native Americans and living in a true paradise, sounds great but no hot showers?
Thanks for the wonderful post. 🙂
Yes, that’s exactly how you do it, but with a show shutter speed you obviously need a tripod. It was a dark, gray day that day so I used a monopod and handy trees to steady many of these shots.
The Europeans didn’t have hot showers then either! I think the natives probably would have had hot baths because they were used to heating rocks over the fire and then putting the hot rocks in soups and stews to heat them. Not sure where the bath tub would have come from though. Maybe a dugout log, like a canoe.
I have always loved water. I love how refreshing it looks, the gurgling sounds, and how cool if feels on your feet in the summer. There’s a beach bum in me somewhere!
Me too. I’m never very far from water but I don’t often consciously plan on being near it. It’s like a magnet that keeps drawing me to it.
Sometimes it is what you don’t see that matters most. All these wonderful water shots and no plastic. Yeah………………..
The plastic is there, unfortunately. I just work around it, and pick it up when I can.
I’m glad I’m not the only one with thoughts turning to food when I see the fungi.
That’s funny. I was in a cookie mood when I saw those, but I rarely eat cookies!
It’s interesting to see that the spring runoff there is so far along. It has barely begun here.
I think that it’s probably winding down here Montucky. It was kind of odd the way the snow melted this year-after every storm it would be almost gone before more fell.
Very captivating images. I especially like the last one: it looks like a painting!
Thanks Melanie. Apparently that shot of the river is going to be a painting. I was asked by an artist today if she could use it to create a painting from. I’d like to get a look at the finished piece.
Wow, that’s fantastic! Maybe a joint post could be made of that, so we can all see??
That’s a great idea. The artist sells her paintings online, so it would be visible that way too.
Glorious picture of the curl in the wave on the big river.
You have to be careful about blurring the streams, it can become addictive.
Thanks! I’ll try to show some restraint when I take shots of moving water!
LOVE that photo of the mossy rocks and the stream!
Thanks! It’s hard to take a bad photo of something so pleasing.
Beautiful shots!!! Especially waterfall is amazing!!!
Thank you Rexlin. The waterfall is impressive at this time of year. Later on it will be almost a trickle.
Wonderful post. All I can think is how you become lost inside yourself during these times. Thanks for sharing.
Thank you. Yes, sometimes I do get lost inside myself, hence the reference to finding myself ankle deep in mud puddles!
I don’t know if it’s from having lived in the desert for so long, but I am fully captured by the presence of water out in nature…rivers and streams, ponds, lakes, etc…just love it. You’ve some beautiful photos here, Allen…and what a wonderful river you have so close to home.
Thank you Scott. I never thought much about it but I suppose water would play a big part in the thoughts of those who live in deserts. We are very lucky here to have plenty of it, as you can see. It’s too bad those of us with plenty can’t get it to those who need it though. The Ashuelot river is a favorite of mine-I’ve walked its banks since I was old enough to leave the house alone.
You’re most welcome, Allen…and yes, it would be nice if we could easily transport it across the hundreds/thousands of miles to those who need it when we have a surplus of water. I find it comforting/reassuring that you have been near your river for your entire life and still favor it so…but I’ve gathered before that you’d be the type of person to do so….so no surprises there.
It’s a beautiful river that seems to change every day in one way or another.
And that’s part of what makes it so endearing…when you know it well enough to notice…..
I am enjoying all your photos, but especially those of the Asheulot river with the grand view. I’m in the process of painting the Asheulot for an upcoming exhibit at the Cheshire Historical Society… Perhaps you’re aware of it. I think they may accept photos as well.
I’m not sure of where your vantage point is in these photos. I’m wondering if I may have permission to use one of your photos for painting subject matter. I especially love the light and sky in the image you posted today. My websites: http://loriwords.com. And http://loriwoodward.com
If the answer is no, I understand completely. I do have some paintings and photos of my own, but not from your location with such great light.
Enjoying your posts. Thanks so much for sharing! Best regards, Lori Woodward
Thank you. I’m glad you liked the photos. I do indeed know the Cheshire County Historical Society. I donated much of the material in their Madame Sherrie collection, and I used to do a lot of their gardening for them! I’ve known the director Alan Rumrill since he was in College. We worked together one summer a long time ago.
Please feel free to use any photos you like, and thank you for asking. The photo of the Ashuelot at the bottom of the post was taken from the walkway of the covered bridge beside the old Homestead Woolen Mill in Swanzey late one recent afternoon. It’s a favorite hangout of mine. The other photos were taken in along Beaver Brook in Keene. I hiked Washington Street extension up to the falls. It’s beautiful at this time of year with all the runoff flowing and no leaves in the way!
I hope this helps. I’m going to have to look into that exhibit.
Your photos today made me want to get my canoe out. I don’t know if I’ll be able to talk anyone into coming with me though, so I hesitate. I really don’t want to paddle alone.
I’m hoping to be able to add a layer of fiberglass to Miss Nancy very soon. Once those canoes are restored, finding paddling companions should be easy. Then the problem will be finding a time when everyone can come.
I would absolutely love to do that here. I wish there was a group that did it and would rent you a canoe so you could tag along with them. I can’t wait to see your next restoration job finished!
If you’re free sometime next week, I’d be happy to come down to Keene with my canoe, paddles, and a couple of PFD’s. During the day works better for me right now, but I do have a standing engagement on Fridays.
Weekdays I work until 4:00 pm and I never know what’s going on on weekends, but I’ll see what I can wrangle for time and let you know. And thank you for the offer!
Thank you for another excellent post! I agree, many photographers overdo the blurred water, although I have to admit that I’ve done it at times too.
Believe it or not I was so against it that I only did it once before, just to see if I could. How’s that for a smug attitude? Actually, my attitude was more that it wasn’t “natural.”
Beautiful post — each photo kept getting better, and the water shots really had me lulled by the sound and smell and rushing exuberance of falling water. Love the male and female red maple flowers — fascinating close-ups that really show the difference!
And the scalloped turkey tails are so sculptural — I had some on a dead stump that I placed in the garden but of course they are dried out now, taking their secrets with them.
Thank you for the great comment! I just visited your blog and liked what I saw very much.
We lived in Keene for a short while and am familiar with the Ashuelot River. Can you tell me where the Beaver Brook Falls is located?
The falls is located on what is called Washington Street Extension. Just before Washington Street becomes highway you take a right and then an immediate left. This was the original road north before they built the highway over it in the 60s. It’s a short walk up the gated road to the falls-less than 2 miles and on the old, paved surface. It’s a great place for a hike, but there is lots of poison ivy on the roadsides, so kids have to be watched!
I have always wanted to see and explore a bit of true wilderness; somewhere that mankind has not changed from what it was before we ever went there. In England there is not a single inch of the land that is “natural”; a consequence of having over 50 million of us crammed into a country just five times bigger than New Hampshire.
I realise that the countryside around where you live is unlikely to be natural either but I do envy the space you have in the US and as I follow your walks, it feels a bit like I’m exploring wilderness by proxy. Great fun.
I’m glad you enjoy these post James. We do have stands of untouched, old growth forest here in New Hampshire and most of them have been set aside as parks, so they will always be there for future generations. You have things that we don’t though-for me, a history nut, I love hearing about the history of England and seeing its ancient, everyday working man sites. Farms that have been working for 500 years just aren’t possible here.
Thanks for another beautiful, informative posting. I especially l enjoyed your photo of the waves in the river and the one of the bracket fungi.
Thank you Mike. That mushroom was quite photogenic!