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What do you call them/it?

Alright, here it is the Eve of Christmas Eve. My entire family will be at my house tomorrow night and I really need to CLEAN. However, being an AR addict, I just had to check my email and AR. I ended up reading Dale Barker's post: Do you have a Streams on your property! Home Owner's, Home Buyer's in which he discusses Riparian Woodlands. Then I came up with this burning question, that is preventing me from cleaning house.

What do you call the water that runs through a piece of property that is smaller than a river? Do you call it a creek, a stream or something else?

I've spent the better part of my life Brazos County, Texas. My family has always called that them creeks. I'm pretty sure creek it isn't just me, because I can think of Lick Creek, Cedar Creek, Big Creek, Yegua Creek, Carter Creek, and Barton Creek - in the Austin area. We have some creeks that are wet weather creeks or seasonal creeks. Others that run year round are spring fed.

So....what is a steam? When I think of streams, as a Texas gal, I think of the Field and Stream magazine. I think of something that is maybe big enough for people to fish in - which definately isn't any of the creeks that I'm personally familiar with.

I looked up both terms in the Websters Dictionary. A creek is what I thought it was. "A natural stream of water normally small than and often tributary to a river.

Websters defined a stream as, "A body of running water (as a river or a brook) flowing on the earth."

So..... a stream could be a river? A stream could be a brook? Could a brook be a creek? Who has streams? Who has brooks?

Well, we have lots of creeks and rivers in this part of Texas. We also have lots of tanks, stock ponds, and a few lakes. The latter is a set of topics that I have found tends to confuse potential buyers way more than the creek/stream issue does.

As I sit here rationalizing the time I am spending pondering these questions, I think the answers to these question could be very relevant from a marketing perspective.....The cleaning awaits....

I hope that you have a safe and Merry CHRISTmas.

Grace and Peace,

Sondra

Posted by Sondra Meyer on 12/23/2007 06:37 PM

Comments (12)

creeks, streams, brazos county, texas, big creek, lick creek, cedar creek, yegua creek, pond, tanks

This post has been included in Texas Information

12 Comments on What do you call them/it?

I call it a Creek, but I know others who pronounce it like "Crick"... we used to catch minos in the creek and watch them turn into frogs.

12/23/2007 06:42 PM

by Donna Harris, ASP (Re/Max HiNet)

Sounds to me like the definition of either doesn't really matter, other than the sound of it in the advertisements! Which word sells better! (while remaining true.)

What's more important is that you, (don't feel lonely, I am also suffering from it right now too) are exhibiting the tendencies of:

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Procrastination is a type of avoidance behaviour which is characterised by deferment of actions or tasks to a later time. Psychologists often cite procrastination as a mechanism for coping with the anxiety associated with starting or completing any task or decision. ^[1]

For the person procrastinating this may result in stress, a sense of guilt, the loss of personal productivity, the creation of crisis and the chagrin of others for not fulfilling one's responsibilities or commitments. While it is normal for individuals to procrastinate to some degree, it becomes a problem when it impedes normal functioning. Chronic procrastination may be a sign of an underlying psychological or physiological disorder.
=========================================================

AR is so much more pleasant than getting the house ready for tomorrow's company coming. Fortunately for me, the task master will be back from shopping (another thing I avoided) soon, and then I'll get to the tasks I really should be doing right now.

Ah well, I'm learning thru AR participation. Yeah, that's what I'm doing. Getting educated, not procrastinating.

Good luck with your tasks! and Merry CHRISTMAS to you!

That's "tadpoles" that turn into frogs!

12/23/2007 06:48 PM

by Erby Crofutt, Central Kentucky Home Inspector (B4U Close Home Inspections & Radon Testing)

Hey, I may not have pregnancy brain anymore, but I do have sleep deprivation brain...

12/23/2007 07:08 PM

by Donna Harris, ASP (Re/Max HiNet)

I've always called them "creeks". As in, Little Donohoe Creek runs across our ranch (that's what they call it on the maps).

12/23/2007 07:11 PM

by Tricia Jumonville, EcoBroker® (ERA Colonial Real Estate)

I am going with what I was brought up and not where I live now, though I may need to change so they know what I am talking about I call it a creek. A place that is normally dry until it rains.

12/23/2007 07:21 PM

by Susan Trombley Re/Max Broker Raleigh NC & Surrounding Areas (Re/Max Hometown)

I'll go along with creek also. Or how about a large stream!

take care!

12/23/2007 07:23 PM

by Orlando Homes Armando Rodriguez Real Estate & Mortgage Broker-GRI (QUEST REALTY SERVICES)

Sondra ~ I tend to agree with Erby - are you procrastinating?

We had a creek behind the house I spent my teen years in. At least that's what we (the family and neighborhood) called it. To me a creek is a narrow "stream" of water, and a stream is larger, but smaller than a lake. I think people can fish out of streams, right?

12/23/2007 07:35 PM

by Kathy Passarette, L.I. Staging/Decorating (Creative Home Expressions)

Another vote for creek. I have no idea what a stream is!

12/23/2007 09:32 PM

by Debbie DiFonzo, Broker, United Country VIP Realty

A stream comes out of your shower head and runs over Niagra Falls.

(Just more procrastinating here.)

Sondra, Hope you got over your procrastination and got the cleaning done in time!

12/26/2007 06:35 AM

by Erby Crofutt, Central Kentucky Home Inspector (B4U Close Home Inspections & Radon Testing)

Hi Sondra! Or, should I say Howdy neighbor? One of our sets of in-laws live in College Station and I go there often to the Scott and White clinic. Our insurance coverage requires it. You kept talking about brooks! Well, I'm a brooks!! Okay, that was a bad one. Whether it's right or wrong or insignificant or not even close, here's my take on this subject. I consider a river (like the Brazos or Trinity) as a continually flowing body of water usually always wide enough to navigate. The depths of the river reach 80 feet deep in the Trinity and it's always flowing. Now, a creek (or crick in Texas) doesn't necessarily always have to have flowing water. We have a creek on our property and it usually has puddles and trickling water when it's dry. When we get a big rain it can raise a good 12 to 15 feet over its banks with rushing water. A stream I consider to be very narrow but with continuous streaming water. An example would be a continuous stream of water running down a mountain (ie: spring fed).

Actually I agree with all of the above. I read your blog about having to send the boys off for Christmas and I felt your sadness. Separation is always difficult. They will return soon! Bless you bunches. Deb

12/27/2007 11:59 PM

by Deb at Brooks Prime Properties

We call them streams over here, whether big or small, though occasionally a river.

12/28/2007 12:20 AM

by Georgina M. Hunter R(S) e-Pro Maui Real Estate Sales (Jim Sanders Realty Inc. - Maui)

Reminds me of Firesign Theater from yester-year. That's a hill... No, that's a mound... No, that's a butte, and right purty, too!

Is it a creek, or a crick?

01/24/2008 08:04 PM

by Jon Miller (United Country-Marshland Realty)