Rain Walks

This is a story from Paul Krafel that I think should be more widely known and celebrated.  Thank you, Paul.

Rain Walks

A simple play I’ve made hundreds of times exemplifies “every play is two plays.” High in the drainage, as runoff increases, the rising runoff begins overflowing its shallow channels, spreading out into easily overlooked overflow routes. Sometimes a rock lies in the overflow channel, obstructing how much of the runoff can flow that way. I lift the rock out of the channel so that more of the runoff can flow in this new direction (Play One). I then place that rock in the main channel so that it shunts more of the runoff towards the overflow channel (Play Two). 

This simple moving of the rock is two plays. The broader, slower overflow route receives more runoff because of the removal of the rock, and the deeper main channel receives less because of the new placement of that rock. Though much of the water still flows down the main channel, more is now flowing along the broader, slower overflow route.

Rising water has a distinctive appearance. Surface tension holds the water’s surface against plant stems and rock edges so that this ring of contact lags behind the rising level of the surrounding water. This creates a dimpled surface around each stem and rock sticking up out of the water. These dimpled surfaces sparkle with focused light. I can watch this dance of light advance with the increased flow down the overflow route.

Read more here...

Another interesting article by Paul here.