Swiftly Moving Water Rushes Down River

Saturday, February 16, 2019    8 am   46 degrees

Swiftly moving water under a densely clouded sky and bitter cold are my morning greetings. Whoosh! Whoosh! Is what I hear as the water bubbles and swirls under Fair Oaks Bridge.

clouds, cloudy, Fair Oaks, Fair Oaks bridge, American River, mornings, rain, flood, widlife.

Walkers and runners dressed in warm layered clothing engage in their own conversation as they pass facing forward without stopping for a second to look left to right. A single bird calls. I hear honking Canada Geese in far off in the distance and then they quiet down, still unseen. The waterfowl are still hiding so far. Two ducks flap their wings on the riverbank to my left (north). Most have left the area for calmer and shallow water.

Fair Oaks, Fair Oaks Bridge, American River, flood, Folsom Dam, release water, Fair Oaks Bluff
The signature tree that clings to the riverbank is surrounded by water on all sides.

Folsom Dam releases water in response to recent storms. Water rushes through the Lower American River and through the gates of Nimbus Dam. The water level under Jim’s Bridge half a mile downriver appears only a foot or two below the deck. I suspect with more storms, the entire bridge may temporarily disappear under the river.

Fair Oaks Bluff, Fair Oaks Bridge, American River, oak trees, flood, habitat
Barren oak tree skeletons stand atop Fair Oaks Bluff.

This activity or the absence of it, is common for winter on the river. All spider webs are washed clean. Grass grows between every board on the bridge deck from one end of the bridge to the other side. When was  the last time I saw turtles sunbathing on the river? The long branch that extends from the riverbank over the river just under the bridge is empty. Where did the turtles go?

Canada geese, boat launch ramp, American River, Fair Oaks BluffA single bird calls. I hear the sound of Canada Geese honking in the wind and then silence. They remain unseen. Wildlife hide in nests safely away from the rising river. All spider webs have vanished. Do not remember the last time I saw turtles on the fallen branch that rests directly under Fair Oaks Bridge. As I stand observing the river, a succession of runners dressed in red t-shirts, all ages from new parents to older adults walk and run in training for a run.

At the boat launch ramp, resident ducks and Canada Geese search for tidbits of food. They find little – all washed away by the rain.

 

 

Cold, Frosty Morning

Saturday, February 23, 2019, 730 am, 37 degrees

A cold and very frosty morning! Slipper ice lines the deck of the bridge. 

Fair Oaks Bridge, Fair Oaks Bluff, American River, rain, sunrise, clouds,Sunrise emerges behind clouds that envelop the sky in a huge, gray blanket. A quiet and peaceful morning. A few walkers are out and we are all bundled in jackets and gloves.

I hear birds and wildlife that remain unseen. The river seems lower than this morning – water is periodically being released from Folsom and Nimbus Dams during winter rains raising the level of the river and expanding it on the riverbanks and up the boat launch ramp. I hear the sound of the water and the wind as my face is chilled in the morning air.

Meditations at the River

Saturday, June 9, 2019

Walking along the American River near Fair Oaks Bridge to write, take photos and share these experiences is as much as a healing journey and a reconnection to nature, as it is a time of quiet observation. The river is my place of peace and joy to share as a gift.
sunrise, morniing, Fair Oaks Bridge, nature, outdoors, writing, peace, beauty,shadows,

This special place at the river…

I believe this sense of peace is a shared feeling for many other visitors who stop on Fair Oaks Bridge to look, reflect and photograph. I see cars park on the road leading to the boat ramp. I see the drivers sit inside and enjoy the scenic views.  I see visitors resting on the bench alongside that road facing Fair Oaks Bluff to admire the view.

I am fascinated by the changing patterns of clouds in the sky, and how they filter the sunlight to create vibrant colors of pinks, blues, gold and flaming orange.

I find joy in watching the rhythm of a duck’s webbed feet paddle underwater. I love watching its body sway back and forth as it walks up the boat ramp.

I breathe easily and breathe in deeply. I listen to the sounds of birds, embrace the sweet scent of flowers in bloom, and feel a cool breeze against my skin.

I think of the salmon’s enduring struggle as they swim upstream to spawn. I watch the antics of wildlife as they try to catch a salmon as it swims past them, They guard their dead salmon as a treasure to assure no one steals their feast.

I reflect on its history – a critical resource close to the heart of California’s Gold Rush. To remember the history of seasonal flooding long before Folsom Dam was ever built. To remember the earliest settlers who established Fair Oaks Agricultural Colony by purchasing small farms. Fair Oaks was one of many emerging farm communities in outlying areas of the City of Sacramento.

I recognize all the people who work tirelessly to manage a wild river so it can remain a stable habitat for wildlife who make their home here. This river is also a place for anyone to ride, walk, enjoy and become connected with the outdoor world – and Sacramento’s past, present and future prosperity.

 

 

 

 

Spider Webs and River Stories

Saturday, June 22, 2019 730 am 56 degrees

Two roosters call to greet me at Bridge Street on my way to Fair Oaks Bridge. Fishermen sit patiently in their boats out in the river. A feeling of peace and calm washes over me as the cool, gentle wind crosses my face. Birds call softly to greet the new day.

Fishermen are busy casting their lines. Some Canada Geese dive in search of breakfast.

So many spider webs line the bridge this morning. I stopped counting at 12. Maybe more than two dozen webs stretched all the way across the rails on the west side of the bridge. They range in size from two inches to eight, all woven into perfect intersecting lines. The sun is a glowing yellow ball of fire hanging in an empty pale blue sky. Runners, walkers and cyclists pass by. No one stops. No one looks side to side.

They all miss the intricate spider webs – graveyards for hundreds of flies hanging in storage for future meals. With so many flies lining the entire span of the bridge, I wonder if catching so many flies is for the sport or the need to eat.

Today I look over the side of the bridge that is closer to the bicycle trail near the riverbank and see a fallen log lying on the river bottom. The tree uprooted during the early 20017 flooding and lays in the same spot as if held captive there to rest. I suspect that  many visitors have long forgotten the destruction caused by the flooding when Folsom Dam released heavy water flows down the river. The river still holds memories of that turbulent time.

 

Visitors crowded the bridge during those weeks of heavy flows to see water swirl in a dizzying frenzy under Fair Oaks Bridge, Sunrise Blvd. and submerging Jim’s Bridge farther west.

Scanning the riverbanks, I can still see trees bent over and debris and tangled bushes lying on the landscape. Animal homes along the banks may still be flooded.

The American River continues to hold its own stories for anyone to discover.

Gulls Claim Their Stake

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November, December and well into February, gulls stand guard watching, flying, eating and chasing away intruders from their long sought after salmon meal. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Gulls sit in  deeper rivers waters to find dead salmon.

 

 

 

 

At the boat launch ramp, a single gull returns each day to claim the rock at water’s edge as his stake.

 

Birds Sing in Chorus

Saturday March 7, 2020   630 am

duck, rock, American River, Fair Oaks Bridge, Fair Oaks, boat launch ramp, morning, nature, beauty, quiet, birds, busy
This morning the duck stands guard on the rock at the end of boat launch ramp. A very popular rest stop!

 

This morning was another busy day at Fair Oaks Bridge. A dozen geese flew in honking and circling. One landed on the concrete pillar. Didn’t stay long. Did not like being watched. The relentless quacking duck was there too. I could not see her. A chorus of birds sang in the trees behind the boat launch ramp for at least 10 minutes.

Suddenly, it got very quiet. I saw about 50 birds fly up and away out of the trees and over the bridge.

May the Beauty of Nature Surround You

Sunday, March 22, 2020

Out for a bicycle ride along the American River, I spotted fields of pure white wildflowers and small patches of golden poppies. The colors of Spring arrived in abundance to paint the landscape.

poppies, golden, light, beauty, nature, mornings, flowers, spring, American RiverMay the sun bring you new energy each day.

May the moon softly restore you by night.

May the rain gently wash away your worries.

May the breeze blow new strength into your body.

May Spring flowers of gold shine within your heart.

May you walk gently through the world and feel its beauty within you every day of your life.

Goats are Back!

Friday, June 12, 2020   7:30 am  64 degrees

goats, American River, Fair Oaks Bridge, weeds
Look closely for the brown goat in the back climbing the tree to find more to munch.

A cool and beautiful walk along the river this morning.

Goats returned to eat the weeds along the American River Parkway. I first saw them on a Friday afternoon  behind a series of fences alongside the bike trail nearby Bannister Park that leads to the American River.  Hundreds of them crowded in a very small space! They stay for a week and move on.

Second week they were eating weeds on top of Fair Oaks Bluff. Goats pictured in the photo are eating weeds alongside Bridge Street. Today the owner was loading all of them back into their trailer on their way to the next meal.

Fair Oaks Bridge is covered with dark berries falling from trees growing on each side of the bridge. The bridge looks like it has freckles.  My walk ended with roosters calling good morning, searching for friendship or food – not sure which?

The video below shows the goats roaming the area nearby Bannister Park. Watch for the dog directing the goats and one goat stopping to watch me.