Month: August 2025

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Water: International Boundary

ellenparkerwrites

Water: in the form of ocean, gulf, lake and river, forms large portions of the United States borders. Today we are going to focus on a small section of the northern boundary.

This portion for the Niagara River is downstream from the famous falls and includes the Rainbow Bridge (opened in Nov 1941).

The river connects the Great Lakes of Erie and Ontario. While the waterfalls are the prime attraction — for both tourist and industrialist — the river at the bottom of the gorge has its own charm and beauty. If you visit the area, consider finding a vantage point along the river to enjoy a quieter sort of atmosphere from the powerful falls.

Water power from a creek flowing into the Mississippi River powers a grist mill and a sawmill in fictional Elm Ridge, Illinois during the 1850’s. Check into the sweet historical romance, New Dreams, to meet immigrants arriving in 1851. Here’s the link: https://amzn.to/3vWydWE

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Water: Pioneer’s Highway

ellenparkerwrites

Relax for a moment and pretend you are part of a family in 1780. Land is getting expensive, and the family decides to move westward — into the Northwest Territory.

With either oxen or horses pulling a wagon filled with your household goods and farming tools, you make your way via poor roads over the mountains to the area of Fort Pitt. Then the travel gets a little easier.

Either building or renting space on a flatboat, you use the Ohio River as a smooth road to your new home. Perhaps you settle in one of the new or established towns. Or travel inland a day or two to good farmland.

Today barges deliver goods up and down the Ohio River through a series of locks and dams which keep the water level sufficient for river traffic.

In the sweet historic romance, Stitching a Dream, Kurt Tafel, shoemaker, has made the journey from Pennsylvania to Illinois via steamboats on the Ohio and Mississippi Rivers. Check out the details at the link to find the story of his first months in a new home. https://amzn.to/3VwoeFh

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Water: Wider and Slower

ellenparkerwrites

Today we are going to consider a favorite portion of my favorite river. Yes, this is Lake Pepin, a portion of the Upper Mississippi.

This view, taken from the village of Pepin, WI was snapped on an exceptionally calm day. Often, when I was a child and we came within sight of the lake (often at the village of Maiden Rock, WI) we’d see either scattered or plentiful whitecaps.

Located between Lock & Dam #3 at Red Wing, MN and Lock & Dam #4 at Alma, WI, Lake Pepin is wide enough to slow the current of the great river. This is a scenic portion of the river. Both railroad and highways follow the contours on both sides. Allow enough time if going for a drive “around the lake” for the bridges are about 25-30 miles apart. Of course, in deep winter you could take a chance and drive across the ice.

Looking for a cruise within the United States? If you board in St. Paul, MN you’ll experience this portion of the river.

In the sweet historical romance, New Dreams, immigrants take steamboats from New Orleans to their new home in Illinois. River towns in 1851 thrived with most of the people and freight transported on the water. Check out the book at the link for a tale of new-immigrant experiences. https://amzn.to/3vWydWE

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Water: Fresh and Abundant

ellenparkerwrites

Fresh water lake — size large. Can you imagine placing an order for features in a new world and describing this? Actually, this is only a sliver of one of five — the Great Lakes.

They make for a distinctive feature on any North American map. Four of the five form an international border. And a highway for boats of all sizes. Icy in winter and swimming temperature in summer (near the shore) they host a wide variety of fish.

This photo of Lake Superior, the largest of the Great Lakes, was taken from the base of Split Rock Lighthouse in Minnesota. It was a tranquil, summer day for the lake.

The fictional town of Elm Ridge, Illinois is located on a different body of fresh water — the Mississippi River. Check out the sweet historical romance, Stitching a Dream, for a slice-of-life in 1851. The story begins when a shoemaker sets up shop across from the dressmaker. Follow the link for details. https://amzn.to/3VwoeFh

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Water: As Far as the Eye Can See

ellenparkerwrites

Today’s water photo was taken in the very western United States — Hawaii. From the summit of Diamond Head you can see city — and water. Lots and lots of water. The ocean was peaceful on this day, living up to the name Pacific Ocean.

Imagine a windy, stormy day with white-tipped waves dominating the view. Would you grab a surf board and go? Or find a secure perch and favorite drink and watch?

The narrow strips of land where water meets the shore get a lot of well-deserved attention. But think for a moment about the vast expanses where only water is visible in one or more directions.

The characters in the sweet historical romance, New Dreams, crossed the Atlantic Ocean in a sailing ship. Day after day the view was the same — with changes in the sky more noticeable than in the water. Imagine the courage to board the ship. The terror of a storm. Uncertainty when becalmed. More book information is at the link. https://amzn.to/3vWydWE

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Water: Plus Animals

ellenparkerwrites

A few months after the turn into the 21st century, I visited the Gulf Coast with some relatives. A day on Galveston Island was both fun and interesting. While I knew it was my first visit to this coast, I was not aware it would likely be the only.

Fishermen. Sand. Waves and tide. And thousands of these creatures recently washed ashore are the lingering images from this day. Oh — and telling the four-year-old multiple times not to touch the jellyfish.

Fish and other creatures from oceans, bays, rivers, and streams have been a portion of the human diet for millennia. Have you eaten fish? Shellfish? Have you gone fishing in stream, river, or ocean?

Fictional Elm Ridge, Illinois is located on the shore of the Mississippi River. Residents of the town often fish in the creeks and the river. I can imagine Joseph Black, when he is a little older, sitting on the bank of the creek with his pole, line, and hook — hoping to catch supper. Join his mother, Polly, in the sweet historical romance, Stitching a Dream, for a story before Joseph was old enough to go fishing alone. Book information is at the link. https://amzn.to/3VwoeFh

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Water: Plus Accessories

ellenparkerwrites

Humans have a built-in desire to get from one place to another. Do you see the other river bank? How can I get from east to west? Or north to south?

Bridges enable much of our modern travel. Of course, they enabled the Roman Empire’s army to cross many streams, rivers, and gulches also. They are not a new invention.

There are two bridges, twins of a sort — same span and design built 29 years apart in this photo. They are the bridges closest to the river’s mouth. However, that’s a distance of 95 miles — for this is the Mississippi River and the bridges are in New Orleans. Ocean freighters can pass below.

If you are planning an inland voyage from this point toward the river’s source, be prepared to pass under many of the 221 bridges for highway, railroad, pedestrian, and utilities spanning the main channel plus secondary channels. Note: be prepared to switch to a small boat for the final portion of your journey.

When the immigrants in the sweet historical romance, New Dreams, would have arrived in 1851 — not a bridge in sight. But a knowledgeable pilot would have boarded the ship to guide it through the tricky channels and currents from river mouth to the city. Click on the link for more book information: https://amzn.to/3vWydWE

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Water: Finding a Boundary

ellenparkerwrites

Wave after wave after wave comes ashore here. I bumps against sandy, but firm, ground after rising and falling for: yards? miles? more?

Today this particular beach is used for play. A pleasant place to walk and think. Take a dip in the ocean — one foot only or wade out deeper. Windsurf? Fly a kite? Birdwatch? The list is long.

Not far away — a few miles — is a natural harbor and thus a perfect place for early European arrives to America to establish a trading post which grew into a city.

This South Carolina beach welcomes visitors in all types of weather. Do you want to play ‘tag’ with these afternoon waves?

Americans are mobile. Each generation tends to contain many members eager to explore and move — up the river or inland and to a mystical city of gold.

The fictional village of Elm Ridge, Illinois, contains many Americans from other states. (In addition to the newer European immigrants.) In the sweet historical romance, Stitching a Dream, Kurt Tafel has moved from Pennsylvania to establish his own business. He finds people born in Ohio, Kentucky, Tennessee and other states. Check the information at the link to get more information on what awaits him in his new home. https://amzn.to/3VwoeFh

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Water: Protective Beauty

ellenparkerwrites

Only twice in my life have I been able to visit this state — both times I stayed close to the coast.

Oh, it’s a beautiful coast. Imagine you are in a sailing ship, and the man in the crow’s nest announces land is within sight. A welcome sight. Perhaps it has been weeks since you last saw trees and rocks. Or, if your route to here skirted landmass to the North, only days.

The Maine Coast welcomes travelers from the Atlantic Ocean. Bays, coves, and places to drop anchor and take the launch ashore. I can picture the men seeking a source of fresh water. I wonder if the early arrivals were aware of the winter weather?

Immigrants have been arriving in North America for centuries. For most of us, it’s not a question of “if” our ancestors immigrated. A better question is “when”.

In the sweet historical romance, New Dreams, the year is 1851. Literal boatloads of people were arriving from the German states and Ireland. Read about one pair of Deutsch — a young baker and a thief seeking to reform. More information at the link. https://amzn.to/3vWydWE