Streamside spirits

This slight tale has its beginnings last week at the Salvation Army store, where, out of the blue, a nice gent behind the counter decided that the Granddotter was the right fit for a pair of shiny black tap shoes. Only two bucks. Who could resist. We got to talking. He mentioned that he had carved a dragon and another sculpt to be found by the side of Granite Creek just behind Coffee Roasters.

Next thing you know, even before I managed to get over to the site, Warren of Touch Wind was up from Tucson and had posted some excellent pictures, especially considering how difficult the lighting is creekside. There was the impressively tall dragon, carved (chain saw, Dremel tools) from a big cottonwood stump still rooted in place.

To give you an idea of the size, the Granddotter posed between the creature and the remainder of the stump.

She explained to me that both of the claws (above, below) were at the end of the dragon's wings. I especially like the claws digging into the earth; former roots, I would venture.

I noticed this former stump nearby had been carved out, tho why, I do not know. Perhaps to provide wood for the dragon's teeth and fangs.

The Tree of Life is on the upper bank, looking out over the parking area behind the arty McCormick Street cottages. The entire piece is carved from a big stump that still supports a smaller living tree.

The woman is holding a masculine mask overhead. You can see the remaining part of the tree behind the mask (below).

Below the woman's belly button, which is a sun symbol, are all sorts of critters, with those that fly at the top. Next come a variety of land animals (below).

At the very bottom are sea creatures. Jeff Grabish is the artist who saw the possibilities in these two stumps and turned them into a remarkable pair of streamside spirits.

By Granite Creek on a winter Friday

What makes a winter picture? No, snow is not necessary. The answer is simple: an absence of green. Plus yellows that have muted to a straw color. Instead, the quiet elegance of blues and browns. And denuded trees that cast striped shadows.

Even the creek side building, with at least four layers of graffiti-bloc, matches the color scheme, though the sign below shouts its orange. Exactly what are the plans for the new, improved creek side trail, by the way? Anybody in the know?

On nearby a power line, a smug lot of pigeons, fluffed up for warmth, sit sunning. Then, oops, another bird arrives and the lot of them take off. 'Tis a hawk not much bigger than any of his potential prey. (Below) An admonition not to empty your beer can into the sewer.

This electric box on a pole on the Gurley Street bridge next the coffee house almost always sports either graffiti or stickers. The current artwork certainly suggests a sad story!

More Links: Must be a lot warmer in Tucson -- Warren went to the local botanic garden and came away with beautiful butterfly pictures. Up in Flagstaff, a different matter; all about the elk caught chest deep in the snow; too bad they couldn't rescue him and he had to be put down. A happier local critter picture I found at Wunderground: a wee snake guarding a tomato in warmer times. And, finally, to put an end to the idea that Alaska is some unsophisticated backwater: pay a visit to the Yak and Yeti restaurant.

Butte Creek

In our hiking days, the LH and I never tried to trace the course of local creeks down from the hills above town. As a result, Butte Creek is a bit of a mystery to me; the name certainly suggests its origin -- Thumb Butte. What I do know is that Gurley Street crosses this watercourse just before the light at Gail Gardner. The creek defines the boundaries of the shady Pine Lawn mobile home campus and the big Woodlands apartment complex. The crossing (above) at Willow Street is the next in line from Gurley! Once the creek passes under Willow, it cuts through the Prescott College Campus.

It seems to me that this driveway is a fairly new piece of construction. The culvert makes a fine frame for viewing the waterway upstream (below).

However, I was struck by the different evaluation of flood potential by the property owner above (fairly low), compared to the city (a good 3x higher), which installed three huge passages for melt water, the every-10-year 100-year flood or possible hurricane remnants.

Moving on, the low water crossing on Norris Street near Prescott College gives a picture of how high this winters' waters pushed debris.

Today, the creek is steady, fed by continuing mountain snow melt. But the flow is gentle, making wonderful patterns on the cement apron.

The course of the shallow water was parted here, detailed by flowing algae.

And here's a small discovery I made the day these pictures were taken: there is a spring slightly uphill from the concrete apron on the northeast side of Norrist. Butte Creek continues its run from here past several more Prescott College buildings, crosses under Miller Valley Road where it joins Miller Creek and then on to the big one, Granite Creek.

Water Puzzle

There was Granite Creek at the Gurley Street Bridge, partially filled with water (tho it was still and there were a few sand bars upstream.) And there was the granddaughter, tempted. So, whatever she found on the bridge suitable for tossing into the stream, she tossed. Mainly very small sticks -- we weren't aware of any gravel or stones. Every toss produced not just an expanding central ring, but all sorts of auxiliary rings, usually more or less in a line. These smaller rings started almost immediately after impact. GD's mother & I are asking any engineers out there "how come?"

BTW, do take note that the creek, along with my yard and the whole town, is pleasantly wet. Thus far, we're having a proper rainy season.

Further Note: Today (Thursday) has turned into a really wet, wet one and the Natl. Weather Service radar isn't even showing most of the storms -- flash floods in Sedona, frinstance. All of which is a good reason to read this official article about the AZ monsoon.

Water, Real Water, Falling from the Sky!

You may think it's strange for people to react so viscerally to a couple of storms. On the other hand, take a look (above) at Granite Creek. Dry as a bone on this past, hot Sunday when I took the picture; think of that old cowboy song, Cool Water. Compare with the view through the neighborhood pines today. See what I mean?

Here's today's rain, running down the street to join a rushing stream at the corner. No question that Granite Creek was filling fast.

The oak stems were wet from today's rain; the juniper held lovely drops of water.

Our mountain world begins to change drastically once the rains arrive. Good examples sent over by my neighbor -- an entire ant colony washed out from under the driveway concrete and ready to fly away... and a new crop of mushrooms in a patch of lawn.

Up my hill, a couple of mossy stones have started greening up -- and the ground was wet enough to catch a stranger's paw prints. Possibly a skunk or badger.

Another result of the change in the weather: the air now holds enough moisture to condense out generously on my cold bottle of water. Thus a new way for Max cat to quench his thirst without visiting his water dish. The pink arc is his tongue.

Granite Creek in Winter

I suspect that moderns and newcomers have no idea how central Granite Creek is to the history of Prescott. In fact, I had to be reminded by this bleak picture, from the Sharlot Hall archives, which is on the historic information plaque on the Gurley Street Bridge. Our creek was once a free-flowing (and free-flooding) stream that provided water for the townspeople and gold for early prospectors.

Today, the creek (looking south) is confined by concrete walls. Happily, the snow up in the hills continues to keep the creek well watered.

Looking north from Gurley: a jungle of twigs, branches and limbs.

Also north of the bridge, there's a new set of stairs leading down to the creekside trail. They're part of the new patio project at the back of Prescott Coffee Roasters.

Water is moving slowly enough that the reflections are serene pictures.

As I was photographing the creekside mural from the walkway to the Dinner Bell's back room, I spied these neat hanging bags of bird food. There was also a hanging platform feeder for other birds.

Another item that caught my attention (for the first time, tho I've been here many times) -- the big beam supporting the bridge. I wonder when it was installed, tho I vaguely recall that there had been some discussion of the necessity of shoring up the old bridge way back when in the
Courier.

And, while I was at the creek and not on a schedule, the timing was right to document the long mural depicting Prescott's history. Look for it on the east side of the creek south of Gurley. And catch it before the trees and scrub leaf out, hiding half the artwork.

If I'm not mistaken, the project was the work of Prescott High School students.

The Airstream is a neat symbol for modern tourons -- though I guess we're still supposed to look out for big cats that lie in waiting.

The authors and, perhaps, members of the touch-up team, too.

For some reason or other, painting walls and the sides of buildings is a popular pasttime in Prescott. Thus far, I've recorded the White Spar murals (both versions, here and here), as well as the four seasons painted at the back of the shops on Gurley. I've yet to catch up with the current state of the mural project next to the city parking garage ... I intend to redo my pix of Prescott College's new mural... and there are those history-of-Prescott windows at the high school in my files. Not to mention art I've found on smaller buildings (here and here.) Does anyone remember the two-storey solar system occupying the side of one of the old four-flats on South Montezuma Street? Too bad it was painted over in a fit of maintenance. It was cool.