Get your Canoe!...The River is Up!

Sam told me first thing this morning that the river was up and we would be able to go in a canoe. I was a little bit suspicious. I know about half and inch of rain had fallen over night but canoing seemed wildly unlikely. Once the sun was up (Sam is an early riser) I glanced up the field to the Water Meadows and, sure enough, the river was up. This needs to be put in perspective...
For 36 of the past 38 months the water meadows have been lush green pasture. In summer the grass went a shade of hay and in the winter the wild birds have found it to be a haven; out of the wind and with hedges stuffed with berries. It is only in the past two months that we have had sufficient rain to turn it back to water meadow. The stream flows off the top of the hills between two villages. The high ground is clay covered, but as it runs off the hills it comes over the chalk, where is starts to soak in. It will soak in until the chalk becomes saturated.
The picture shows the river as it starts its journey down the hill. It has come from about one mile away, and about 70m vertically up a very gentle slope. Watching the slow but inexorable progress of the stream making its way down the valley keeps the children entranced for ages. Then they have the opportunity of building dams and bridge for a couple of days if it does not dry up again and disappear until the next downpour.
So much for my canoe trip!