A Day Along the Rock River

Today I kept thinking about a message attributed to Black Hawk about the Rock River:

“It is now yours. Keep it as we did.”

Those words feel especially meaningful here. The Rock River has carried generations of history, including the lives of the Sauk and Meskwaki people who knew this land long before the towns and roads that surround it today.

I spent much of the day outside, working in the garden, enjoying the flowers growing around the property, and spending some time on the water. But part of the day was also about taking care of the place. I walked the riverbank collecting trash and pulled three old tires from the river and shoreline.

It was a mixture of work and fun: getting my hands dirty in the garden, exploring along the water, watching the wildlife, and simply enjoying a beautiful late-summer day on the Rock River.

Living near the river has made me appreciate how much history, beauty, and life exists in one place. The flowers, trees, birds, fish, and everything else that depends on this water are part of that story too.

I cannot change everything that finds its way into the river, but I can take responsibility for the little piece of it in front of me.

Just trying to enjoy this place, care for it, and leave it a little better than I found it.