"Eventually all things will merge into one, and a river runs through it." -Norman Maclean

The rocky beach at the bottom of our property line.

Discovery of a Treasure

When we first set foot on the property, we felt destined to live there.  A black angus farm bordered the property line on one side; the river bordered the property on the other.  During our first hour there, while four towering oak trees awed us, only one car passed.  We watched it drift away over the steel bridge feeling as if we had found heaven.

What drove us there was a neighbor who would not give us an easement to have our electricity installed.  This is the way the universe takes care of us.  Pure luck drove us through the year it took to acquire the property.  On December 23, 2011, a new world of possibilities opened to us.

A freshwater clam

The River

The Shawangunk Kill stretches from New Jersey and into the Hudson Valley of New York.  It is a north running river.  One of the cleanest, the river is privately owned by the properties that border it.  Only a few small parcels are city owned.  Small mouth bass, cray fish, and a few rare species of mussels are native to the Shawangunk Kill.  Our twelve acres of freedom are DEC regulated in order to preserve the integrity of the fish and plant life it supports and the wet lands.  

In the summer that we found the property, we bought river walkers and dove into the river.  The portion by the bridge was deep and filled with boulders and the water was warm.  Due previous floods the river had etched out an island on our side of the property.  With our river walkers, we were able to explore the sandy beaches on the other side.  Because a stretch of forest borders the field and the river, it is hard to reach.  Dense undergrowth, ferns and skunk cabbage, reach our waistlines.  Coming in through the river gave us the opportunity to see the various beaches (rocky and sandy) and cut out slopes.  We walked and swam up and down the length of the river.  The experience was surreal, but the knowledge that it could be our private heaven was sublime.

Skunk cabbage

Swamps

In the spring, the swamp land gives rise to some of the most interesting plants on the planet.  Since forever have I been partial to skunk cabbage patches.  Their Jurassic sized leaves always filled me with a sense of mystery.  This spring, we have had the chance to discover many wonders of wetlands.  Rubber boots are essential on such a property.  At times, the river overflows into this forest wetland area.  We have many fallen trees where we can sit and watch the greenery grow.  Small flowers I have never seen before carpet sections.  Many will be introduced in future blogs.  We even found a mound of pachysandra.

Just an old stump

Driftwood

Stumps, fallen trees, and driftwood sculpt many areas.  Because the trees have grown undisturbed, they have shaped themselves into swamp and ocean-like expressions.  Agador (our kitten, if you haven't met him) will have a ball with the driftwood climbing tree my husband plans on making.  His claws will also be pleased with all the downed trees during walk time.  For me, the curves and shadows will serve as inspiration for drawing, painting, and photography projects.