Blessings on the Assabet

These colorful flags caught my eye when paddling the Assabet River the other day...how could they not have against such a muted background?  Suspected they were Tibetan prayer flags and later confirmed that to be the case when I found the following info on the internet (mostly Wikipedia):

The prayer flags bless the surrounding countryside and are displayed in sets of five colors.  Each color represents one of the five elements: blue for space, white for air, red for fire, green for water, and yellow for earth.  Those seen represent the Lung ta or "windhorse" style and are made of cloth with wood-block printed text and images.   Older flags are usually replaced with new flags at the time of the Tibetan New Year (which this year occurs on February 5th). 

By the way the flags were arranged it appears the person who placed them was looking toward the river.  I must have instinctively known the prayers (for peace, compassion, strength, & wisdom) are meant to be carried on the wind as I lingered downwind until the breeze kicked up...
...and felt it upon my face.

Of all the human-placed things I've encountered alongside waterways, I'd have to say these prayer flags are the finest. 

Across the river two deer were seen wearing their dark brown winter coats...

Perhaps the prayer flags benefited them the most as they appear to have survived another deer-hunting season.

The Assabet's fast-falling water levels of late left this image of a stone personage resting upon a bed of ice...



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