Summer’s over, school has begun and the well-used rope at the old waterhole hangs straight and silent.

I wonder what the nature spirits of the area think of the silence. It feels like they are lonely. So many happy young people are around all summer, laughing and having fun. And now…nothing.

I enjoy seeing all the knots – each one an experience of youth adapting to change, fixing what’s broken and continuing on…

…my brother and I used to swing from a similar rope hanging from a tree along this stretch of the Saco River when we were young. That was many many years ago…times change but some traditions stay the same. Reassuring!

This photo was taken in 2019 – pre-COVID – in North Conway, NH. I’m certain the nature spirits, like us, are looking forward to a return to normalcy!