The River Ripple

The River Ripple has long since been a part of life in Bluebell Oaks. From the very first travellers who settled by the waters and built their settlement around it, to the wheel on the Water Mill Bakery that the river powers, it has always been appreciated and made use of. It's summer here at the moment, and in the afternoons the banks of the River Ripple are dotted with villagers, swimming, paddling, or dipping tails and paws in the cool water, all trying to seek refuge from the heat.

The Robinson family decided to spend their afternoon enjoying a picnic by the river's edge. 

Florence packed a variety of food and summer fruit.

After the picnic, Wilbur and Florence can relax a little while they watch the children playing. Wilbur loves the summertime, but Florence can't stand the heat. Her favourite season is winter, when she can snuggle up beside the fire with a good book. 

The heat has brought alot more villagers out of their houses or workplaces and down to the river. Ripple and Pebble Clearwater, who live in a little house tucked away amongst the willow trees down in Reed's Bend, seldom venture into the village, but even they have been seen more often recently. 

Ripple is a needlewoman, doing embroidery. Both she and her daughter Pebble are very skilled with their hands, and Pebble too is learning the art of needlework. They both love taking a break, however, and spend time by the river; whether swimming or just sitting on the banks, they have both always adored being by the water.

Wade Waters is another who has spent his life on the banks of a river. He prefers to keep away from the main areas near the village that are filled with hustle and bustle, but down where the river widens and the waters float by amiably in a deep blue, Wade has his fishing spot.

Although Wade doesn't really keep alot of fish for himself, he still enjoys the thrill of waiting for a bite on the line and then seeing what he's caught. Most of his catches, he throws back and only keeps the odd one.

Lately, Wade has been trying to share his hobby with his son, and teach him his first fishing skills, just as Wade's father taught him when he was that age. 

I think Bucky's interest in fishing will need a little more cultivating yet, though. He is more interested in floating his toy boat. 

Wade's fishing rod proved to be useful though when Bucky's boat floated too far out in the stream out of reach.

As soon as Wade put his fishing rod down to get ready to pack up, he spotted some fish out in the river, swimming just below the surface. Sighing, he wondered how the fish always manage to just evade him. 

Bucky and Wade were just about to make their way through the forest to home when a little rowboat appeared around the bend. 

It's a common sight on the River Ripple to see Yvette Blackberry and her little boat floating by. Yvette learnt to row when she was a young child, and has always been intrigued by its flowing waters and different species of plants and creatures. The lapping of the river against the sides of her boat is very calming. 

Yvette saw Wade and Bucky standing on the bank and gave them a friendly wave. They waved back and watched her float past.

A little way up the river Yvette paused her rowing and manouvered her boat beside an overhanging branch. Something had caught her eye-a stunning blue butterfly perched on its leaves!

Yvette's mind raced and she scrambled for her camera, thankfully still strung around her neck from earlier when she photographed a patch of irises growing on the riverbank. Quickly, she snapped some pictures before the butterfly could flit away and made a mental note to mark it in her butterfly and moth spotting journal later. 

Someone is also a regular visitor to the River. Deep in the woods, Briar Wildwood has her caravan home tucked away. Her creativity has an outlet here, and it allows her to always take inspiration for her art from the nature around her. Just a short distance from her caravan, through a patch of birch trees and down a grassy slope is the river. 

In the heat of the day she prefers to stay beneath the shady canopy of trees in the woods, but in the evenings she has started venturing out to paint by the river. She loves setting up her easel just on the water's edge.

 Evening is the perfect time to capture the golden dappled light that falls on the water in her painting. Her work is still relatively unknown in Sylvania, although it is gaining popularity. There is an art competition coming up, and this new work is what she is hoping to enter. 

Sometimes when her work is done for the day she dabbles her feet in the cool water and watches it as it floats by peacefully. The River Ripple never stops, it never slows; the waters gently pass by in a continuous flow.

Thanks for reading! 

Hope you are all managing to stay cool, or warm!