I love to come to this creek week after week to watch the rhythm of the seasons shape the water and landscape. I’m always amazed at the diversity of life nestled into this valley surrounded by city on either side. The creek is not only a place for me to raft in the spring, or cool off in the summer, but it is a year-round home for my non-human neighbors. I’ve seen beavers, jackrabbits, and more species of birds than I could count. There was one day in April when the creek was just beginning to melt when I saw a pair of moose calves splashing through the creek with their mother. The creek was where I learned to be curious about the world around me, and I have carried that curiosity with me to learn about the plants and animals wherever I have lived. There is an irreplaceable sense of peace and perspective I get from sitting by the water that I never want to live without.