July Monthly Challenge: Water
Dripping, flowing, and washing away
I live in a river valley. The land was settled by puritans in 1661, though it had previously been occupied by the Nipmuc people. It was an appealing area for its fertile soil, and for the river’s power to run mills and irrigate fields. I suppose the river might have been a trade route at one time, though I’m not certain of that.
Growing up, I was hardly aware of the big river that brought people to this town. I rarely did anything “downtown” and mostly spent my time further up in the hills, often crossing borders into neighboring municipalities. My son is having a totally different experience: he’s great friends with a boy who lives not far from the river, whose family of farmers work much of the local land. My son and his friend spend hours exploring the river, fishing and swimming, and I am deeply grateful for his growing connection to the place that raised him.
I was more familiar with streams and brooks as a kid. The forested lands around us are literally overflowing with them. I once happened upon a text called Western Massachusetts; a history, 1636–1925, by William Pitt, which includes the following description…
