Winter Record

My frequent trips to Syracuse take me past this small waterfall.  What it lacks in size is offset by its convenient roadside location.  No scrambling over icy stream beds is necessary to reach this special place.  It is located near a curve in the road and remained unnoticed for far too long.  Reluctant to park partially in the road, many great photo ops were missed.  Finally I decided to act like most people and simply park it.

This photo, taken on December 31,2016, shows little ice in response to a partial thaw and warmer weather.  The light snowfall is new.  Had I been willing to stop on my trip one week earlier, an ice bridge at the top of the first fall would have been pictured.

One week later on January 07, 2017, the waterfall shows the impact of returning frigid temperatures.  Stream flow under the ice continues but at a reduced rate.  This stream is so insignificant that it does not appear on the road map.  If permission to explore here is given, I will walk upstream in search of the source of this stream.  A spring will likely prove to be the initial above ground appearance of this water flow.

Two weeks later on January 21, 2017, much of the stream ice and nearby snow are gone in response to warmer temperatures.  Once again I missed a picture of the upper ice bridge.  This unnamed waterfall on its unnamed stream is nearly midway on the trip from my home to the hospital.  It provides a few moments of soul soothing natural stillness.  When there is no snow on the ground, I intend to pocket a couple of shale pebbles that were loosened from this shingled slope.  If I carry one with me always, placing it in my hand will allow me to mentally return to this special place.

By February 05, 2017,  more typical Arctic air has once again covered the moving water with ice.  Less obvious is the fact that the sun remains above the treeline on my return trip now.  Long shadows show that the sun is about to set.  Increasing day length at this time of year allows a  round trip to be completed in day light.

Rain and warm temperatures are forecast later this week.  A special trip to the water fall is under consideration if the amount of rain is large.  When this stream is bank full and roaring it is a sight to behold.