No matter the light showers we accompanied two of our grandchildren to the Fox River for some fishing and exploration.  (The fish in the river proved to be totally safe, from our efforts.)  The exploration was an adventure of great interest.  There’s always a lot to see whenever we leave our accustomed habitat and follow our curiosity, allowing ourselves the luxury of wandering, sometimes to be amazed at “life.”  Life is competitive for resources, for moisture and nourishment, and for energy, sunlight.  The form and hues of light which life displays are interesting, delightful.

The four of us walked for about twenty minutes along the Fox River Trail toward Geneva under tall oak and maple trees and dense undergrowth.  Walking we admired some old growth oaks towering many feet into the sky.  We speculated how many friends holding hands would be enough to reach around the trunk of one of these “old men” of the forest.

The path branched toward the river where we found access to the rivers edge, a low pebble covered, swampy area of riverbed that is underwater when the river is high in the springtime.  The rocks provided opportunity to find crayfish, the fresh-water crustaceans that fascinated me when I was a kid.

The creatures are energetic, defending themselves, waving arms equipped with pincers.  The river bank was occupied by maples hardly to thrive no matter the wet conditions of spring and the dryer, rainfall scarce weeks of mid summer when the river recedes from its banks.  The roots are intertwined, the trunks gnarled.  These trees are survivors.

These photos were captured along the swampy area of riverbank where we explored.  Iphone 13 Pro.