Mississippi River by Artist Troy Richard Thomas

The Upper Mississippi River meanders through a series of lakes and marshes. At one point I came to a dead stop in a large marsh. I stood up in my boat to get my head above the high marsh grass. I looked around and was surrounded by miles of marsh. Usually I would follow the flow pattern but the flow had come to a dead stop. I was surrounded by deep mud and grass reeds. A painted turtle swam by the boat and disappeared in the grass. Way off in the distance I could see a small speck of dry land, with a picnic table at the edge? I backtracked and headed that way and found the exit into the river again.