This winter has been brutally cold and windy. The snow cover has been stunning and has highlighted the sublime shapes of the mountains. The Delaware River had frozen almost entirely across. This rarely happens and has only occurred twice in my twenty years here.
Last week, the blackbirds arrived in mass. This always signals spring! And yesterday, after a heavy downpour, the Delaware lurched upward and released the ice entirely. Early in the morning, at about 6 AM, a thunderous boom was heard- this was the release- dramatic both in sound and visually.
I had only witnessed this sonic reverberation once before while living along the Farmington River in Canton, Connecticut, during another brutally cold winter. That evening, as I was sitting on my couch, I was arrested by an unusual noise, far off, that I couldn’t quite grasp. It quickly approached. When suddenly, I heard a cosmic ripping sound speeding by my house. Like a tree being cleaved in half. The rupture of the ice was, quite literally, hair-raising! In the morning, I could see a black, inky line stretching the river’s length right down the middle.
This year, the thick ice sheets rose with the flood waters and were liberated all at once. This event occurred suddenly and passed quickly. I am grateful I happened to be near the river for the dramatic event- truly beautiful! By 10 AM, most of the ice had passed. Watch my video and observe the speed of the floes and the spiraling of the ice near the bank. The blackbirds echo that spring has, indeed, arrived- a time of longing and rebirth!
Very cool!
Stay away from the edge . . . really! In that cold water, you could lose consciousness in 30 seconds; it’s that cold!
Thank you for your description. The words alone, your words, make the moment magical. I will take the time to look at your paintings …. Thanks again! Jacques Bourret.