Title is derived from the quote: "If there is magic on this planet, it is contained in water." Loren Eiseley, The Immense Journey: An Imaginative Naturalist Explores the Mysteries of Man.

I first heard this quote at the edge of the Middle Fork of the Salmon River, where our rafting trip host gave each of her guests a quote about water to read aloud to the group; a few of them are included in the collage under the painting. The quotes, from a variety of writers and thinkers, were gathered in the book "The Emerald Mile" by Kevin Fedarko, about another river journey altogether; I'm glad I didn't read that all-too adventurous book until after our rafting trip.

It was indeed magical on that river, and it was somehow rendered even more sublime (occasionally eerie) by the forest fire smoke chasing us down the valley. We were the last of the trips allowed to proceed that season, and we often felt like we were the only humans in that wilderness at all. It made for a powerful experience.

This particular widening of the river happens at the Flying B Ranch, where our outfitters resupplied, and we all got to use a proper out house...