All by myself

The world is about to go crazy.
I don't mean the 'world' news, I mean my private little corner of the world that involves my mother in law, sister in law, and husband.
MIL is going to come home from the Nursing Home Rehab today.
I anticipate some major changes of the daily routine yet again.

So on Sunday I decided to grab a some time by myself. I needed to stay pretty local even though I wanted to go back to Duck Egg. So I chose to go to the Double J Bridge. In September of 2016 we had a major storm with flash flooding. The Black Bottom Creek [that is the name all the old timers still call it] gathered the run off from the ridges and dry runs and it rushed down the long valley towards the Kickapoo River.
The JJ Bridge was over run with trees, trunks, parts of buildings, and the overwhelming power of rushing raging waters. The support beams are missing and exposed, there is a huge hole between the road and the bridge itself.
One more flash flood like that and I imagine the other bridges will be condemned.

Bridge JJ this fall:

And then on Sunday from the other side:

With such a dry winter and spring [so far] the water level has really decreased along this Trout Stream. There is no money in the budget as of yet for the township and the county to fix this bridge properly.

All of the bridges along 'Black Bottom' have been compromised, but JJ has been closed now since September 23, 2016. 

However, one can park nearby this bridge and fish for trout in the deep pools. I park and walk along the creek to look for pretty photos.

It was very cold Sunday morning so I was able to find some ice 'fingers' that develop from the stream water splashing upwards on to sticks and branches that are along the stream.

I really find them quite fascinating.

To get the two shots above, I did stand in the water. I wore knee high boots and the swift water came to just about my calves.

There is something very soothing about listening to the rushing water. 

I found a rock to sit on and just decided to enjoy the solitude for a bit.

Sticks, rocks, water. They make a tremendous soothing sound.

This was a long exposure of sorts.
I like long exposures. I like very long ones and shorter ones, depending on how I want to present something.
The shot above is 1.3 seconds. Just enough to give a feeling of the rushing water, yet not make it too smooth.

Then there is the 40 second exposure which makes takes on a different sort of character.
The water is smoothed out with patterns of white where the water splashes over rocks.
I look at the two and think I like the shorter exposure in this instance.

I did these two shots for fun. This one above is taken at 1/30th of a second. The rocks are nice and sharp. There is a sense of water flow.

Same shot, 1/3rd of a second. It changes the whole feel of the shot.
I feel this one shows a better sense of movement.

And...I leave you with a shot from the top of the bridge in 2010.

The stream has changed a lot since then.

I don't know how things are going to go from here on out but I will do as I always try to do.
Enjoy a bit of time by myself doing what I love.
Walking stream beds,
Walking the dogs,
Hiking,
or riding mules.

Even a small amount of time doing those things can make me feel recharged and ready to take on the world.
Well.
Sort of.