River Girl

A novel about a girl who moved to the Klamath River Valley near Happy Camp, California, long ago.

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River Girl by Kelley Mickwee, a Song

January 30, 2016 by Linda Jo Martin

I have to say, I absolutely love this song, “River Girl” by Kelley Mickwee. It is a beautiful expression of life beside a river, like the Klamath River in Northern California.

I’m not going to post all the lyrics, because that’s been done already, but I’ll mention a few that mean something to me.

“Yeah I know what this water
Can do when she floods”

I was caught between flood waters during the New Year’s Flood, 2005-2006. We had to go into Yreka because of a medical emergency, then on the way home, the river rose.

We got past Klamath River (the town) but by the time we were going through Horse Creek, the problem became severe. It was cold and windy. We came across a place where the water had covered the road, receded, and left debris on the road, like branches, which punctured our car tire.

By the time we got the tire changed, the water rose enough to cover the road in both directions. There was no passing. The rain poured down, we were soaked, we feared being swept off the road into the river, and we had to turn around, several times.

We spent two nights sleeping in the church at Horse Creek with a group of about ten stranded travelers. It was nice of them to open their basement to us, but we were still cold and wet. On the second night they offered me the sofa in the church library, on the upper floor. I felt very blessed by that.

“It could wash me away
Down to the sea”

Anyone who lives near the Klamath River knows things about people who ended their lives in the water. It isn’t a safe river for swimming. The tributary creeks are for swimming. We usually don’t swim in that swift green river full of algae.

People have driven into the river, or drowned while swimming. When you’re near the Klamath River, a degree of caution is needed. My fictional River Girl, Claire Welch, was obsessed by crossing the river – and nearly paid the price.

“And I was on my knees
God only knows
So sing one for the river girl
Oh the river girl”

Any song that mentions God leaves a soft, warm place glowing in my heart, so I love this song, and I’ll sing it for the River Girl. If you’re ever down, empty, at the end of your emotions, hopeless, and wondering where to go next, remember, God only knows, and He cares. We’re never alone.

River Girl, the song, is on this album - You Used to Live Here, by Kelley Mickwee

The River Girl song by Kelley Mickwee is found on this album: You Used to Live Here. It has received nice reviews at Amazon… and I love her style of music. A CD is available but I’m more likely to get the MP3 version.

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Related

River Girl is available online at Amazon in paperback and Kindle editions.



In 1918 Claire Welch, age 9, moves from the San Francisco Bay Area to the coastal town of Eureka, far to the north. She must leave her dearest friend behind.

From there Claire heads toward a difficult life, traveling inland toward Happy Camp, a small town in the middle of a huge forest.

Near Happy Camp, in the Klamath River Valley, she faces the pain of loneliness and learns the true meaning of friendship.

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