December Walks

I took my daily walk outside again today. Friday was rainy, and I had used the treadmill. Satuday we exhibited at an Art Show, and, although we walked the little city of Ottawa, taking in the Ice Sculpture Show, it was an 'urban' walk. Today, I was back to MY walk, which always takes me down to the Illinois River.

What is it about walking outside that soothes and cleanses me so much? Is it the always magical seasonal changes in flower beds and trees? The look of tree bark after a rain? The changing cloudscape of the sky? A mushroom bursting out of the ground?Or is it the contrasts of sunny days and gray days...both of which have their own beauty?

And the Illinois River puts on a different persona every day. Some days, it's color is blue, with a gentle current driftin waterfowl along as fish jump flashing silver. And there are cold days, when it is almost black, and the little whitecaps indicate the biting wind that drives fish deep. The river is so opaque where it is the deepest, and, after a drenching rain, it's edges are tinged with roiled mud, outlining it in brown.And, on rare, perfect days, the river is a shimmering mirror reflecting the sunshine.

Today, the river is peaceful. It is Winter, so there is no pleasure boat traffic, and no barges go by today. All I find is a mallard watching me from beyond a washed up log.