Metolius River

"Upstream the canyon is silent.
Water innocent and steady as window glass
slides over speckled stones.
Brook trout and kokanee, rose and silver,
cast moving shadows on the bottom,
announce themselves to eagles, to flies.
Hard to be either predator or prey
in such transparency."

A poem by Sharon Fain I found in a guide book to my favorite place: Some Common Birds and Flowers of Central Oregon's Metolius Basin. The river is spring fed, about the same level and temperature all year around, and is clear as glass as the poet writes. I fly-fished the river BC (before children), and today hike along the river banks lush with lupine, paintbrush and corn lily. When she was four, my daughter said, "I love the nature" and I hope today finds you out in it.