This time of year, the River plays a central role in the life of my wife Carol and I. We spend many an afternoon on our bluff overlooking the river letting the river float our cares into the downstream sunset. We had a kayaking date this past Saturday morning. As a date, I highly recommend it. Our trip began

at our place paddling at a very leisurely pace down to Lake of the Woods. Nature provided us with blue skies, a gentle breeze, and a slow and steady current. The trip even allowed me to prove my chivalry by climbing up on a log to pull Carol’s kayak across. What a gentleman!

On Sunday our security crew (a lab, a pit bull mix and a Chihuahua) signaled something down on the river. Turned out to be a large group of young people enjoying their afternoon canoeing and tubing the river. I sat by the lower bank keeping my crew in check and chatted with them as they floated leisurely by. They put in at 2500 and were headed down river to Barber Park, quite the trip by inner tube. It does my heart good to see young people out enjoying our Sangamon River.

Currently (pardon the pun), the warm sunny days and the waist deep river perpetually beckon. So on Monday after a morning pulling weeds, I went for a pre-lunch swim to wash off the dirt, compost and sweat. My crocs float my feet so I lay back on the river, give a stroke or two with my arms and stare up at the dark green silver maples, the lime green and white sycamores, the deep blue sky and the buzzards circling overhead wondering if I’m a tasty dead snack. Later, after an afternoon spent mowing, transplanting daylilies, and trying to kill still more weeds, I went back out just before dark for a final cleansing dip in the river. A great way to wrap up the holiday weekend for our River and I.

Scott