One of my favorite spots to go walking is along a nearby creek that is low ground on one side with a very steep bank on the other. Over the years, especially when the water runs high in the spring, the steep side’s bank has been cut into, and an entire underground world is revealed. It reminds me of the “animals in their environment” type of cutaways found in science books like “The World We Live In” or some issues of National Geographic. I used to spend hours pouring over those paintings as a kid imagining all the activity taking place unseen beneath my feet.

I came across this spot last December as I trudged through a fresh 6” snowfall. I was fascinated by the exposed gnarled root structures and incredible textures of the riverbank while the ground above was covered in a homogenizing blanket of snow.


Riverbank Christmas Day