Below is the tat that graces my right forearm. It is a blended map (one from the late 1800s and one from the the early 1900s with the watershed hatches included) of part of the Huron River which is the main artery of the watershed of the place where I am rooted. is a great organization--check them The Huron River Watershed Council
This river runs through the town I live in and it runs through part of the county I grew up in which is different than the county I currently live in. The Huron River watershed is expansive and beautiful and connected to the great lakes watershed.
Everyday that I ride to work I ride along the Huron River. I see the birds that gather near her sometimes fast and forceful/sometimes calm and glass-like waters. I see bluebirds and goldfinches and barn swallows and cardinals and tufted titmice and nut hatches and geese and blue jays and various varieties of ducks and crows and common sparrows and robins. the voices of the birds blend in perfect harmony with the rushed lapping of the river and the soft hum of the wind.
Other days I walk down to Riverside park and experience the full fury of the Huron as it cascades past the Depot town bridge in white capped torrents of volumes of fluid. It is powerful and glorious and the rushing waters always bring me to calm.
This river moves in the middle of my life--it is as close to me as my own veins. The smell of it seeps through the spring and summer air up to my house and leaves the presence of the animals and fish and bugs and worms that depend on her for sustenance laced gently on the inside of my nose--present in my breathing and exhaling--actually in me.
For an amazing story on how humans have buried water to make the land more usable for us people throughout the Huron River Watershed down load this pdf and check out the storyBuried Water by Janet Kauffman
3 comments:
that's a cool tattoo.
i left a comment on here before, i found your blog randomly a few months ago (from ann arbor) and have been drawn into your story. i just set up my own blog so feel free to stop by. then you can also see that i'm not a random stalker :)
I'm not often drawn by tatoos, but in yor case, the term 'body art' is supremely apt. I love that these hold such significance for you, as well as looking so spectacular.
What a great description of your personal connection to our beautiful river. The parallel of the river and your veins/arteries, both visually and figuratively, is quite interesting. Thanks for sharing.
-River Ric
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