Clear water, dark beer

CLEAR WATER, DARK BEER

As September flows coolly into October, the Sangamon continues to meander coolly and slowly by.  Around here, Crooked Creek has been dried up for months now and the dry sand and gravel delta of Crooked Creek stretches two-thirds of the way across the river. A mulberry tree fell across my path down to where Crooked Creek meets the Sangamon. Jeff wants an 8 foot section of the trunk to carve a long-bow for fighting off medieval warriors, so the trunk is lying on the ground awaiting his imminent arrival. And the black walnuts are beginning to fall from the trees near the fire circle. For now, the squirrels are feasting, but after while, we’ll have too many even for the squirrels.

I walked out onto the Crooked Creek delta with my favorite fall beverage, a dark stout beer. This one is a Turbodog Abita Ale from Abita Springs in Louisiana, but I’m not a brand loyalist, as long as its dark and stout. As I enjoyed the silky rich texture and the flavor of the earth itself, I looked down into the stunningly clear water, for the Sangamon, at least. Visibility looks to be over a foot right now!  But I didn’t spot any crawdads, minnows or other river life. Just an old pull-top style drink can that must have been in the river for, oh, several decades now.  I also haven’t spotted any evidence of the 40,000 fish that recently gave their lives upstream for the cause of somebody having to drain off their excess cowsh**  somewhere. Might as well be the river. But it’s still beautiful here.

So enjoy your Fall, grab a dark stout and get out there and enjoy that Fall weather on the Sangamon River!

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