Winter Sky…

(Photo: Winter Sunset on the Salt Marsh ~~ c. Pamela J. Leavey 2011)

It’s a beautiful day here on the river…

As I sit here at my desk, to my left I see the river sparkling with a fervent, intensely brilliant reflection of the sun. Not a cloud in the sky, with my desk facing south, the sun sits at 11:23 outside of my window.

To the right of my desk, outside of the bay window in which my desk sits, I watch as the ice floes float down stream, creating ever changing patterns.

Housebound as I am for a few more days, I am re-minded every day how blessed I am to live here on the river with my slivers of river views that constantly fill my heart and soul with love and gratitude.

The mighty Merrimack River is rooted in my body, mind and soul. As a small child I grew up along the river in West Newbury. At eleven, we moved to Newburyport and short walk to the Chain Bridge area.

It was one year after moving back to this area (a little over 3 years ago) when I realized that more than anything in this breathtakingly beautiful estuary, abundant in Mother Nature’s gifts, it was the river that most spoke to me.

She lifts me up, she carries me in her bouyant arms, like the mother and she lets my heart and soul float in her love.

(Photo: Winter On The Merrimack River ~~ c. Pamela J. Leavey 2012)

Having your right foot in a cast is truly a pain in the a**. I’m not sure what is most annoying about it all, but not being able to drive is a big one. It’s tough being stuck in house and dependent on family and friends for supplies, etc…

I also sorely miss my hiking at Parker River National Wildlife Refuge, Maudsley State Park and along Point Shore in Amesbury. Before I started hiking a few weeks ago, a good drive along the river to Plum Island always served to clear my head.

Thankfully, my hiking partner came by to rescue me on Monday and we took a wonderful drive along the Merrimack River, from Amesbury, through Merrimack and Rock’s Village and then over the Rock’s Village Bridge and back along River Road in West Newbury (my early childhood stomping grounds).

We were looking for Bald Eagles which have been here in smaller numbers this season. The Bald Eagle proved to be elusive on Monday, but we treated to a sighting of 4 – 6 Eastern Bluebirds… Yes, that’s right, the Blue Bird Of Happiness.

Sadly, the afternoon light was not in my favor as I tried to take some photos of these delightful creatures of the Great Mother Goddess, as the photo above attests.

As we headed back to Newburyport along Rte 113, we decided to veer off and take a drive by the Upper Artichoke River Reservoir before heading home. As we drove along the reservoir we spotted a few Mute Swans gliding along the reservoir with their wings up.

What a glorious sight. I’ve had a great deal of contact with the Mute Swans in recent weeks while on my hikes on the Parker River Path.  Their grace and beauty are simply astounding and watching them fills my soul with a powerful awe.

The nearly two decades that I lived in the Los Angeles area I longed to be closer to nature. Aspects of my life have opened up and changed to provide me the time, at least for now, to enjoy this place, this glorious span of nature’s bounty, that I call home, here on the river.

A few weeks ago I joined the ranks of the unemployed and took to walking 3 – 5 days a week with a dear friend, to clear my head and get grounded. There’s nothing better for freeing your mind than a brisk walk in the cool winter air.

Most of my walks were spent exploring the many trails and pathways at the Parker River National Wildlife Refuge. The Hellcat Swamps trails have become a favorite, from the observation tower on the Parker River side to the 50 foot dune on the ocean side.

My hikes abruptly stopped on January 8, after a fall in my driveway left me with abrasions, bruises and a badly sprained foot. The following day I ended up with a cast on my right foot which needless to say has kept me from the hikes and trails. The cast is scheduled to come off on January 23 and I am hoping to get the okay from the doctor to start hiking again.

The photo above is from the observation deck atop the 50 foot dune mentioned above. From the top of the dune on clear day, the Isles of Shoals and Mount Agamenticus in York, Maine are visible.

The Parker River National Wildlife Refuge is a birder’s paradise and during the past weeks spent there I have come to think of myself as a birder too. My heart and soul fill with sheer delight when I spot a Red Tail, Rough Legged or Harrier Hawk. And the Mute Swans simply fill my heart with radiant love.

The day before my fall my friend and I were blessed to witness the flight of four Mute Swans from the edge of the Parker River and then up and over the observation tower at Hellcat Swamp. Flying a mere 8 – 10 feet overhead, the sound of their wings beating was like the primordial beat of the mother’s heart (the Great Mother Goddess)… Thump… Thump… Thump.

Ah… but there was more… We watched their magical, mystical dance through the air as they swooped down towards the northern end of the swamp and then they rose again. Up… up… up and swirl back towards the observation tower. We stood awash in the magic of watching the swans fly overhead, not once but twice, before landing back where they started from. And we knew that their flight was a gift from the Goddess.

I maybe grounded right now from hiking (and driving) but every time I think of those swans flying overhead, I feel their blessings and I know they will be there to greet me when I return back to the Parker River Path.

I just had to share this video from NBC Evening News about the pod of blue whales that have been delighting whale watchers in the Los Angeles area.

The blue whales were once almost extinct but they have mande a huge comeback and NBC News reports that a blue whale was also “spotted by whale watchers just off the coast of Maine last Sunday.”

Maybe we’ll hear of sighting by one of the more local whale watching boats here on the North Shore sometime soon.

Newburyport’s harbor as seen from the mouth of the Merrimack River…

(Photo: c. Pamela J. Leavey 2011)

In the foreground, Eastport, ME; in the background, Lubec, ME.

Eastport to Lubec, 10 minutes by boat, 1 hour by car. You can’t get there from here.

(Eastport, ME ~ c. Pamela J. Leavey 2011)

The Newburyport, MA area has been under a tornado watch since this afternoon and the watch has now been extended to 11:00 pm. Just a few hours ago a huge tornado hit Springfield, MA. NBC News reports:

Tornados are so rare in this area. I’m hoping they pass us by, right now we’re under a severe thunderstorm warning…

Last week I drove up to Eastport, Maine with a friend. We both commented along the drive how green everything looked. It seemed as though a palette of rich and glorious greens had spilled across the canvas of our ever changing view…

Was it the mist hanging over the day that made the colors of spring look so verdant and rich? Spring was slow starting after a rough winter with lot’s of snow. Perhaps it is a greener spring…

Eastport, Maine Trip May 2011.