Valley Spring Creek Waterfall
Another water feature we visited for the first time at Inks Lake State Park on our May 6th visit was the Valley Spring Creek Waterfall. The view below, which looks about 90° left from the angle of the view above, shows some of the rock formations and pools adjacent to and downstream from the waterfall.
The other day I became aware of a horrible proposal being put forth by the current government of my country. The proposal calls for spending large amounts of public money to impose racism in America’s schools. You read that right: racism, which is the treating of people differently depending on their ethnic heritage and the color of their skin. You can read about the proposal in a brief summary prepared by the Foundation Against Intolerance and Racism.
I encourage those of you who are American citizens to go to the U.S. government website that is accepting comments on the proposal and to speak out forcefully against it. The May 17th deadline for comments is almost here, so you’ll need to act quickly.
Here’s what I wrote in my dissent:
“I am against this proposal with all my heart, mind, and soul. The 14th Amendment to the United States Constitution requires equal treatment of all citizens. Yet the government’s proposal calls for treating different categories of citizens differently. That violates the 14th Amendment and is therefore illegal. Officials in our government have sworn an oath to protect and defend the Constitution, not to fly in the face of it. If the government insists on flouting the United States Constitution, the Supreme Court will rule the move unconstitutional and will strike it down. This racist and unconstitutional proposal should be immediately withdrawn.”
© 2021 Steven Schwartzman
Portraits of Wildflowers 
I’ve never been to Inks Lake State Park. I think it should be a MUST for me.
Pit
May 15, 2021 at 8:23 AM
I wholeheartedly agree. In addition to the scenic end of the park shown here and in my recent post about Devil’s Waterhole, the opposite end of the park has worthwhile attractions of other sorts. You may recall these two posts from 2019:
Steve Schwartzman
May 15, 2021 at 1:32 PM
The power of water can be seen in the many holes it has carved over thousands of years. The present dry spell in your region caused the water level to drop to make the holes visible.
Peter Klopp
May 15, 2021 at 8:25 AM
As much as we suffer from occasional droughts here, you point out the revelatory advantage of low water. Maybe someday I’ll also get to see this waterfall when the water level is high.
Steve Schwartzman
May 15, 2021 at 1:35 PM
That circular hole in the first photo’s remarkable. Did it go entirely through the rock? It looks as though it might have. In the area outside Kerrville, it’s not uncommon to find limestone rocks with various sized holes lying about on the ground. I used to amuse myself by picking them up and hanging them on tree limbs. Clearly, even if this rock is hole-y, it’s going to stay put.
The curves in the second photo are especially nice. I wonder if pools like that contain as much life as the tide pools along the Pacific coast.
shoreacres
May 15, 2021 at 8:31 AM
I took other pictures of the waterfall from close to the edge. In the end I felt a view from farther back that included the hole was more effective. Impressive as the hole was, it didn’t go all the way through the rock; what looks like the bottom really was. It may be hard to tell from this view that the rock surface was considerably higher than the waterfall.
My guess is that the rock pools in this creek don’t abound with as much life as tidal pools, which are regularly refreshed with life from the sea. On the other hand, as I know so little about such things, I wouldn’t be surprised to learn I’m wrong.
Steve Schwartzman
May 15, 2021 at 1:48 PM
Aloha,
May I copy your dissent as my response to oppose the CRT proposal?
Mahalo, y
Yoli B
May 15, 2021 at 11:39 AM
Thanks for asking. I think it would be better not to copy it word for word, because authorities might consider that “boilerplate,” but you’re welcome to use the gist of it and to supplement with any personal thought or feeling.
Steve Schwartzman
May 15, 2021 at 1:38 PM
Wonderful! My kind of place. 🙂
harrienijland
May 16, 2021 at 4:37 AM
We were surprised that we’d not seen this waterfall on previous visits to Inks Lake State Park.
Steve Schwartzman
May 16, 2021 at 6:30 AM
Looks very refreshing, the first photo. We are bracing for a drought this year since the snow packs in the Sierra Nevada are very small. This means, slim waterfalls and low rivers.
Alessandra Chaves
May 16, 2021 at 6:57 AM
I’m sorry to hear about the impending drought in California, and with it the risk for more forest fires.
Steve Schwartzman
May 16, 2021 at 7:44 AM
Those pools are just gorgeous! I just sent in my comment to the link you provided. Let’s hope our leaders are listening…
Littlesundog
May 16, 2021 at 8:30 PM
Unfortunately, I’m pretty sure the current administration will do what it wants regardless of the comments against the proposal. Taking comments is merely a legal formality. I’ve never lived through a time as bad as now, even the Vietnam era.
Steve Schwartzman
May 16, 2021 at 8:55 PM
That says a lot right there. I haven’t lived through anything like this either. It’s stressful and I’m losing hope that people will ever see what’s happening.
Littlesundog
May 16, 2021 at 9:12 PM
Some people say and are even speaking out, but I’m afraid the “woke” ideology has already taken over too many institutions for people of good will to stop it.
Steve Schwartzman
May 17, 2021 at 6:33 AM
The pools in rock are interesting. These are beautiful photos, Steve!
Lavinia Ross
May 17, 2021 at 11:22 AM
Are you aware of any landscapes like this near you?
Steve Schwartzman
May 17, 2021 at 6:29 PM
Not nearby. If I went east up into the cascades near Sisters I might find similar.
Lavinia Ross
May 18, 2021 at 11:14 AM
Then that’s another area I’ll have to keep in mind for future exploring. Maybe someday…
Steve Schwartzman
May 18, 2021 at 11:44 AM