That discovery pumped me up so, I decided to make one more outdoor stop before heading back to my recliner and an afternoon nap. Spring is the best time of year to experience the thrilling power of the magnificent Snook Kill waterfall off Greenfield Road, and it can easily be witnessed without having to venture far from the road.
Of course, as soon as I heard the roar of the falls, I longed to move closer to feel its power more directly. The banks are so steep, however, I had to cling to tree trunks as I descended. This was just one small section of the waterfall's turbulent course.
Here's where the Snook Kill takes its final plunge before charging along on its only-slightly-less- turbulent cliff-lined course toward the east.
It was truly a thrill for me to be out in the woods and along this gorgeous waterway, after so many days when I wondered if I would ever regain health and strength. I was feeling super-psyched, indeed. Except, guess what? Later that night, while washing my face, I discovered a tick embedded behind my ear. AAARGH!!! Already? On my very first day OUT?!! Ah well, time to dab on the DEET.
Still feeling a bit bummed by that bite the next day, I was granted a spirit-lifting sight right outside my breakfast window. A big flash of red caused me to lift my eyes from my eggs in time to witness this huge Pileated Woodpecker exploring our Box Elder just outside. I guess I'm glad the bird didn't stay to rip the tree to shreds, but I sure felt blessed to have seen it stop by for a moment.
3 comments:
Nice to see the Skunk Cabbage in spring! And a great waterfall too.
Since black-legged ticks are active down to 28 degrees, I've been wearing my permethrin-treated pants all winter. Some folks say that DEET really doesn't repel ticks which is why I use permethrin (but NOT on skin). That's a nice looking skunk cabbage.
The large white pine which is now lying at the base of the falls was perched at the lip of the falls as recently as last Columbus Day. It, along with a large chunk of the bedrock it was rooted to, came down during the big storm we had last Halloween. The boulder has altered the base of the falls quite "permanently," at least in the human timeframe. The slope leading down toward the falls and immediately adjacent to them is highly saturated from road runoff, very unstable, and slowly creeping downhill. Among the boulders and trees, which one day will end up where the pool is now at the base of the falls, is an old pedestal wall of stones which appear to have been part of some structure long ago (a mill?). Both the tree growing out of its top, and the stone edifice are leaning toward the creek, and I think it won't be long before we find that the falls will undergo an even more dramatic geologic alteration.
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