The Search for Pebbles at the Muskingum River

Ah, the Muskingum River.  River of my dreams.  River of my Home. 

Maybe not the stuff of love songs or Hollywood movie franchises, but certainly the river of my memory.



This is the Bridge. The one my school bus (and later, my own car)
went over twice a day. I know this bridge like the back of my hand.



It is the Muskingum that lazes through my hometown.  The river that my school bus crossed every day on the way to Middle and High School.  The river that fed Zanesville's Art Pottery boom in the early 20th century.  The river that I return to.  Always.



This trip was no exception, and I had a mission.

My goal was to gather pebbles from the Muskingum to transform into Curious Pebbles, and then to plant them around town while I was there.  Ah!  The best intentions! Alas, between family-time and friend-time and memory-time, I really never got around to making the poor dears their little crocheted pebble jackets, and so...



Under the Bridge (Go ahead.  Begin singing the Red Hot Chili Peppers'
song.  I do.  Here.  I'll start..... "Sometimes I feeeeeel.... ")



...In the end, I even left the box of Muskingum River pebbles on the nightstand in my room at my parent's house, because my suitcase was already pushing the weight limits.  Dad says he'll ship them.  He will.

But as I was gathering pebbles, I (as usual) was practically FORCED by the hand of ______ (something?)into taking pictures of this lovely place.  So I did. 



(Stick with me, and in the end, I'll reward you with a photo of the lone remaining Muskingum River Curious Pebble... although in truth, I actually did succeed in making TWO, but gave one away as I'm wont to do)



Perfect place to start a family.  If you're a bird.  And you can make
your house out of mud.  And don't mind the sound of semi-trucks
barreling overhead at all hours. 

The search for the perfect pebble begins.  Huh.  Not so easy here.
These guys are kinda craggy.  And small.  Hmmmm....



... Oh!  Look over here!  It's LOVELY!

And... it is at this point that I forget about pebbles and start photographing like mad.  I live in the DESERT, you know (sorta.  Close enough).



I could build a cabin and just live r.i.g.h.t. here.  I'd be happy.
You know... If someone would bring me groceries and stuff.  And
maybe DVR "Weeds" for me.  That kind of thing.



Ummm... yeah.  We don't grow moss like that in California.  Nope.  Not at all.

There's something witchy and wonderful about these tree roots.
Something permanent and tenacious.  Something very cool.

And then there's THIS guy.... Like a giant yawn, he is. 
The strange thing was that it's still alive.  Still breathing.
And the hole/cavity runs about 4 feet deep.  Cabin?  Who needs
a cabin?  I could just live in this tree....

I adore the bark pattern on this maple.  Adore it.  Spotty!  La-La-LA!

Bug!



Would have been nice if the monarch I was photographing
on this blossom stuck around... but I suppose he had other
things to do, places to go, nectar to suck....




Blurry Bug!  But the antenna we so freaking cute, I had to
post it.  I think he was a'smilin' at me.  Hard to tell,
though.  With a bug. 



Muskingum River Curious Pebble.  Now residing on my mantlepiece.
NO, that's not my mantle.  That's a PIANO.  Piano's don't hang very
well above fireplaces.  A simple rule of decorating you'd do well to follow.

MY! I'm snarky this afternoon!

/Julianna