My River
It is a beautiful day today, sunny and not too hot. It is worthy of note only because we have had a month and a half of rather rainy weather. Great growing weather but must be giving hay farmers ulcers: they need hot drying days now.
It has been a while since I posted pictures of my river , the Temagami. It crosses my property which has a mile of frontage. I feel possessive toward it although we are at best privileged to be stewarts of nature's gifts like rivers.
The Temagami drains out of the historic highlands of the Temagami Wilderness forest. It is one of the best accessable canoe tripping areas in Canada which of course has endless canoe routes.
Many of the canoe routes of rivers, lakes and portages predate European settlement when this exquisite land was the home of the Nishnawbe Aski Nation, the Eastern Woodlands Ojibwe people.
(click on photo to enlarge)
This is looking downstream (west) from the Bailey bridge on my property. If you enlarge the picture you can see the peek of the log cabin we built a few years ago for my son and his children can use as a summer camp, a place to build memories.
The river is vey full, witness to the rainfall we have had.
This is the view from the other end of the bridge still looking downstream. I have gone to great lengths to protect the banks of the river. When I had cattle I fenced them in so they could not reach the river. Most of the 10,000 trees I have planted were planted along the river. For thirty years, I have watched the natural regeneration of the slope across from the camp. It is now just showing dramatic improvements. If you have ever viewed the the slideshow of the cabin in the sidebar there is a picture of this stretch of river in 1922 stripped of its trees due to farm use and the log drive which passed down the river every Spring.
I only wish my neighbours were as protective of the river as I am.
This is the view of the river looking upstream (East) from the bridge. The water is very clean, cool and sparkling. I pump my drinking water from it. It is soft and wonderful for washing your hair. Throughout its course it passes over rock, sand and gravel. There are only two properties above here before the forest access road enters the Temagami Forest Preserve.
11 Comments:
Looks wonderful. Do many paddlers go by your place? Do they ever stop on your banks?
In answer to A/C's comment. Yes canoe party's (mostly from summer camps on Lake Temagami) pass by here. Some pull out at my bridge to be picked up. I have a group which stops every year lead by a teacher from Georgia. Others end their trip three miles upsteam at a wide spot in the river know as Laverne or a mile downstream at the bridge for road 805 in River Valley. Some may even be going on down the Sturgeon River to Lake Nipissing to pick up the fur trading route west down the French River and into Lake Huron and on to places far away.
Hello Philip
Like the look of the reflections in the clear water
I am enjoying your blog.
There's lots to read, think about and contemplate, also cry about as well
Take care
Cathy
It looks like a bit of heaven to me. There are so few rivers and lakes that have retained their pristine conditions. I was thrilled when Pete Seeger and his bunch helped to clean up the Hudson River...we used to watch his boat (and listen to his music and his speeches) when I lived in NY.
Hi Philip
I am amazed by these pictures, both Jane and Big Pete said to tell you that you'd better get another cabin built.. as we all all moving to your place as soon as... ha!... You did such a great job on the river bank... I could go on and on about these pictures but really what I need to say is you are a great guy with a heart of gold and a love of nature I wish all others had. I'm proud to say that I have contact with such a chap as your self..
Tom, Jane and not forgetting Big Pete.
Beautiful, beautiful river shots! Just stopping by to say hello...so...hey Phillip! xoxoxo
such beautiful surroundings. i am envious.
What a gorgeous river. You are truly blessed to have that running through your land.
Truly a lovely spot on this earth.
I am so impressed that you have planted 10,000 trees. I am a tree nut, but I have planted nowhere near that many.
Keep on planting.
Finally had a moment to check your blog... been so busy cleaning up from being away and writing papers.... well, you know the routine.
Those pictures are great. How wonderful that you have this space and are such a good steward.
I am broken hearted about Gage. I am so sorry for you. Gage will be back in another body - he will find you! Your neighbor is accumulating a lot of bad Karma. Bet he has 4 legs next time.
That is such a beautiful area. We could have beautiful scenery here, if people cared enough to stop throwing their trash and sewage in the river. The world needs more people like you.
Post a Comment
<< Home