6

My favorite little slice of land.

May 13, 2010 In Daily Ramblings, Oil Spill Cleanup, The Hubs

Mobile, Alabama has quite a few things going for it.  We’ve got Mardi Gras, which originated here, in case you didn’t know that.  New Orleans can SUCK IT!  We’ve got oak trees that will make your jaw drop.  And we’ve got beautiful beaches with brown sugar for sand…well, as of right now they are still beautiful.  We’re all waiting patiently for this oil spill thing to either ruin our beaches forever or just go away.

My favorite little slice of land here on the Gulf Coast is the Dauphin Island Bird Sanctuary beach.  Want me to take you there?  Let’s go!

First, you should know the geography.  Most people that don’t live on the gulf coast have no clue that Alabama has beaches.  Well, we do.

The purple circle shows where we live.  The red circle shows our favorite beach spot, about a 45-minute drive away.  But there’s also Gulf Shores and Orange Beach.  We got beaches, people!  Florida is on the right-hand side of the map and Mississippi is on the left.

What a handsome driver.

Anybody wanna go fishin’?

Almost there!

The childrens were happy campers!

“Dauphin Island: Alabama’s Birdiest Coastal Town!”

I’ve always loved the look of these little boat houses.

Yay!  We’re here!

I bet you’re wondering why we are driving into the woods, right?

Well, that’s because you have to HIKE to this beach.  Yep.  Totally worth it.

Because it all of a sudden opens up to the beautiful beach!

I love that there are trees on the beach.  Its a great spot to tie up the kids…I mean dogs.

Look at that beautiful scenery!  The Hubs looks nice too.

Molly’s such a ham.

Look!  Its my new bathing suit that was gifted to me by my bestest friend, Ashley!!!  Thank you, Ashley!

(Sidenote:  Anybody wanna take my muscles away?  Cause I look like a body builder, but I don’t even lift weights.  Its a curse.)

Look at my beautiful family!

So that’s our beach.  Our own little piece of Heaven on Earth.  For now.  At this moment, the Coast Guard and HAZMAT crews are on these beaches, 24/7, and we are sooo not allowed.  Not cool, BP.  Not cool at all.

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5

Help clean up the oil – local and from afar.

May 1, 2010 In Daily Ramblings, Oil Spill Cleanup

Picture taken Thursday, April 29, by NASA Satellite; drawn on by The Nerd

People…this just got personal.  See that red star?  That’s where I live.  Mobile is only a two-hour drive from New Orleans, so it is not very far.  This oil picture was taken on Thursday, but it is much, much worse now.  The oil has already reached some land on the coast of Louisiana.  Many organizations are looking for volunteers to help with the cleanup, but even if you do not live close there is something you can do.  Just please remember: DO NOT just run to the beach and start pulling oiled animals from the shore to take home and clean.  This oil is extremely dangerous and toxic, and there is a whole lot more to saving these animals than washing them with a bottle of dawn.  They need serious medical attention that non-profit wildlife rehabilitation organizations are working for.

This really hits close to home for me, as I am a bird and wildlife lover.  I worked for 5 years at the Environmental Studies Center Wildlife Rehabilitation Center (listed below) taking care of sick and injured wild animals.  I’m really hoping this experience will help me get the chance to clean some birds.  But even if you don’t have that kind of experience, please sign up anyway.

1. Mobile Bay National Estuary Program – The Mobile Bay NEP is taking volunteer info online.  They also provide hotline numbers to report oiled animals and shorelines.

2. Pascagoula River Audubon Center – This organization specializes in birds and is offering a training course in cleaning oiled birds.  You must sign up online for this free course.  There are also phone numbers for reporting injured and oiled wildlife.

3. Environmental Studies Center – I love this place dearly.  You can call and get on the volunteer list, but the center will not be accepting animals at this location.  The International Bird Rescue Research Center is a rehabilitation group that specializes in oil spills and travels the country helping wildlife in areas where oil has affected them, and they have set up a warehouse here in Mobile.  The Environmental Studies Center is lending support in the form of volunteers.

4. Donations – If you don’t live here, you can still donate to these important organizations by clicking on the links below:

International Bird Rescue Research Center

Environmental Studies Center – click on “Adoption Letter” to adopt an animal, “Wildlife Wish List” to view specific items needed at the center, and “Give a Hoot” to give a monetary donation.

Pascagoula River Audubon Center

Now if you’ll excuse me, I’ve got a mess to go help clean up…Zack Morris style.

P.S. If you don’t get that joke, I’ll be very sad.

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