Autumn on the Boise
Marianne Williams Park, Boise, Idaho, USA
It had been raining for three days straight when there was finally a break in the weather. In Idaho’s Treasure Valley, particularly in Autumn, this sometimes means a brief period of crisp, clear skies before the haze settles back in. So, from the right spot, one can glimpse far-off landmarks with near-perfect clarity.
It’s a small detail in an otherwise familiar scene for most Treasure Valley residents: the Boise River, just off the Greenbelt. The setting of this photograph is east of downtown Boise near Marianne Williams Park, facing east and upstream towards the foothills around Lucky Peak.
For me, the photographer, it’s the details that evoke feeling. I see skies like this, and I’m reminded of the freshness of the air after a long rain. I see the leaves falling off the trees and I can sense the cool evenings in late autumn. I see the movement in the water, and I can almost hear its ubiquitous murmur, seemingly quiet but still somehow holding off the bustle of the surrounding city. I see the others that were passing by, enjoying the same lovely evening (maybe with their dogs), and yet somehow, I feel like I have the entire scene to myself.
In other words, it feels like another beautiful evening stroll along the river in Boise.