If you were out and about this past weekend in southern Suwannee County and wondered why the streets looked empty and deserted for most of the day, it’s because everyone was down at the river enjoying the sunshine and the cool waters of the natural springs in the area.

By mid-afternoon the parking lot at Little River Springs in Branford was full. The sandy beach along the river and around the spring was crowded with people, along with beach chairs, towels, coolers and picnic baskets.

From toddlers and teens to moms, dads and grandparents, and even a few canines, everyone was having a great time on Saturday.

Out on the Suwannee, the jet skiers kept folks entertained doing rooster tails and fancy maneuvers, while small pleasure boats zipped back and forth, some towing daring ski-boarders.

Meanwhile, over at Ivey Memorial Park, it was serene and quiet. Only a few people were sitting at the picnic benches underneath the shade trees. The parking lot, however, was full of trucks and SUV’s with empty trailers hitched to the back. It seems the paved ramp at the park is a favorite place for visitors and residents to launch boats and jet skis.

The natural landscaping at the park is a thing of beauty, especially along the banks of the river where the natural spring flows out into the Suwannee. Throughout the park, the new green growth of leaves and grass serves as a pleasant reminder that nature is truly beautiful.

There is an old tree that sits near the spring in Branford, and on the gnarly bark just above eye level you will find the face of Old Man Wind staring back at you. Whether the face carved into the bark is manmade or a product of nature, and whether or not his name is Old Man Wind is for you to decide. It is awesome to look at either way.

The water level of the Suwannee River is fairly low right now, but there is a stark reminder of floods from years past that stands near the boat ramp. The different colored markings on a telephone pole buried into the ground next to the riverbank shows the dates of previous floods, the worst of which was in the 1940’s. It’s hard to imagine that the river could have swelled that high, unless you have lived in the area for any length of time and witnessed it firsthand.

Spring is definitely here, thank goodness, after a long, cold winter, and summer is soon to follow, so get out and enjoy the wonders of nature in your own backyard – the historic and romantic Suwannee River.