Spring River Songs from Central Pennsylvania

It was March 1, the first day of meteorological spring, and it was actually starting to feel like spring. We had a lovely, sunny day, so we took advantage of it. My husband and I started with a hearty breakfast at the Altoona Eat 'n Park (our new favorite breakfast place, with coupon), shopped at Big Lots (again, with coupon), and then went out into Pennsylvania's beautiful woods and waters to get some exercise and fresh air.

We made two stops. One was at the Lower Trail, along the Frankstown Branch of the Juniata River; we parked near the flea market at Water Street to access the trail. I showed you the ghost trees (sycamores) along the water before, and I can't help myself; I had to revisit them.

There is a picture of the sweet ghost trees in the extras, from a closer angle than last time; I think of them somehow as angels of mercy, watching over the water and all who pass by. The photo in the extras was made using a posterized filter, which gives it those odd, spooky colors. (A thing that you can't see, but that I know, is that there is a large freezer chest off to the left of that nearest tree on the left frame, brought there by the force of recent flooding while the waters raged untamed.)

My husband jogged and I walked, and we only encountered a few people along the trail. Conditions were mixed: muddy, mostly, but with areas of standing water, and even a bit of ice. The water is running high and green, and it is starting to look just a little bit like spring. Somehow, I am almost always showing you the water itself, as I am doing now, rather than the pretty, little, flat trail, with many wooden benches along the river.

From there, we made just one more stop, along the Little Juniata River, just off route 453. We used to go to this place a lot, an area beloved by local fishermen, and I loved to photograph the water and the many railroad tracks and bridges. However, it was closed off to public access a number of years ago.

We had not been back, but I'd seen rumors online that the area had been reopened. So our mission on this day was simply to stop, on our way home (it was 10 minutes from the Water Street flea market to there), and assess whether it was open to the public.

Well, I am delighted to report that the area along the Little Juniata which I loved for so many years, and then missed totally for a few more, is back open! There is a sign near the access point stating that the Little Juniata River Association (LJRA) has paid a lease for public access to be restored. So hooray for the LJRA, for allowing us back into this beautiful place!

We walked down to the river and I looked at these arches I have loved. And the sun shone on them and lit them up and it was beautiful, like hearing your favorite hymn. And I stood there, happy as a child in a candy store, putting some love on those arches and making them shine!

So please enjoy these two photos of beautiful Pennsylvania's woods and waters as we approach springtime!

I asked my husband to pick a song for our day, and he said it had to be from the Badlees album, River Songs. So let's let our first song be this one: the Badlees, with Angels of Mercy. I get a turn too, as we've got two pictures, so here is mine, and it is so, so good: Garth Brooks, with The River. Oh, now, wait. I can't have a river song posting without this one, which I consider to be our wedding song (as we got married in a great big hurry at the justice of the peace, too): Bruce Springsteen, with The River.