Leonardo da Vinci described water as “the driving force of nature.” There are many ways in which water can be used as a force, or merely witnessed as a force of nature.
“The finest workers in stone are not copper or steel tools, but the gentle touches of air and water working at their leisure with a liberal allowance of time.” ~Henry David Thoreau
Thoreau refers to the process of erosion. Erosion is the process by which soil and rock are removed from the Earth’s surface by exogenetic processes such as wind or water flow, and then transported and deposited in other locations. The result is a rock or mountainside with evidences of the effects left by the water and air.
Some of the results are breathtaking to behold. There are rock formations that are as varied as their geographic locations. From desert rocks beaten down by wind and sand…
…to lake shores and seashore rocks that gradually take on new and different shapes…
…to hills and mountains touched by rain and waterflow…
…there are innumerable examples of erosion to be found. Water is truly a powerful natural force, capable of inspiring awe and admiration.