One of the key features that drew us to this land was the wild water.
It's continually amazing that water cycles through the porous aquifers of the rocky Ozarks, seeping out from countless springs. We're blessed enough to have one of these springs on our land, plus our western edge is a cliff edge with a creek at the bottom.
Luci investigating as our spring (water you see from this vantage point) meets the spring-fed creek.
We were prioritizing a piece of land with wild water on it and crossing our fingers for a spring. Land can get pricier with a checklist like that, but we found some! Walking down our hill to the water always feels like walking into another world. And it truly is; we enter in a world that is much bigger than ourselves, one over which we have no control (and don't want any). We've left over 3/4 of our land wild to do what it will.
Wild water.
Each time I come down here, I am reminded of the vast age of this area. The rocks are so big and so ancient looking. The waterway changes each time it floods and trees get displaced and gravel bars moved, yet large rocks like this don't budge.
This waterway has changed drastically in the 3 years we have lived here. When we first came it was a lot wider and now the gravel bar has filled up a large portion of it. It changed a lot even in the last two weeks!
It's always hilarious to see how Luci immediately goes and lays in the water when we go to the creek. She plops on her belly and laps it up, sometimes thrusting her head into the water to try to catch the little fish.
As we go down to the creek, this view is always nourishing to me. The dark from the forest's canopy invigorates me in ways only the wild can. It calls me forth to STOMP!
As we walk through the creek, we look up at the cliff edge of rocky outcropping. I don't believe humans can "own" land, but it is amazing that we get to live here in relation with this place and even protect it. We're very grateful.
These next shots are views of the cliff side that I took today while on a walk.
Still life. I'm always amazed at the beautiful texture of this rock.