Hurricane Season 2010

Many have contemplated how a hurricane could potentially affect the process to stop and clean up the oil spewing into the Gulf of Mexico. Meteorologists are speculating that Alex will become a hurricane before reaching land and believe it will hit closer to Texas and Mexico, hopefully lessening the impact on the Gulf oil containment efforts. However, any other hurricane can (and most likely will) have an impact on the condition in the Gulf. In order to allow ships to evacuate and then come back, work efforts could be halted for at least five days before and after the storm. Until something further is done, oil will continue to flow freely into the ocean for these ten days. In addition, waves, wind, and heavy rain could also force more oil towards the shoreline. Again, this affects humans, their livelihoods, and innocent sea life. Until this oil leak has been completely plugged (and probably for long after) the Gulf needs all the prayers it can get.

Today

"This is the day the Lord has made. We will rejoice and be glad in it."---Psalm 118:24

Once again, today was a beautiful day and it made me realize how truly blessed I am. After a much-needed afternoon downpour, I went outside to enjoy some fresh air. Not only had the sun come back out, but the quick rain must have refreshed the animals because I watched them scampering and fluttering all over the place. A gigantic yellow butterfly sucked nectar from a beautiful pink flower bush. Two squirrels scurried up and down my trees teasing my dachshund by staying just out of her reach. A gorgeous bright red cardinal pecked in the grass looking for a nice, juicy dinner. All of these beautiful creatures made me feel so close to the Lord and the world He has created. If I ever forget to be thankful for the little things in life, I know all I have to do is step out of my house and into the wonderland that God has created in my backyard.

Summertime Loss

I'm a little off topic with this one, but this thought crossed my mind as I was enjoying nature this evening. As I walked my around my neighborhood this evening, I noticed that things were unusually quiet. It was beautiful outside, but I saw none of the neighborhood children outside enjoying the fresh air. As we know, many children are spending less time outside and more time watching television and playing video games. As teachers, we also know that all this time spent on "mind-numbing" activities causes the average student to lose quite a bit of knowledge over the summer. Many schools are attempting to stop this lose by requiring students to read, finish math packets, or complete other educational activities. Students at my school (from kindergarten to fifth grade) are required to read two books selected by the teachers and then prepare a project, such as a book report or diorama, to turn in within the first week of school. However, this rarely happens. As sad as it is, parents in our community cannot always afford to buy the books and expecting the public library to supply the same book to 100 students is not feasible either. How can I expect students to read and complete a project when their parents truly cannot put the money aside to buy the books for them? At the same time, I know that these students are the ones that usually get the least help at home and REALLY need to have something they are expected to do over summer to stop the usual knowledge loss. I would really LOVE any ideas about how my coworkers and I could stop this loss without expecting parents to take on the financial burden, which in turn actually hinders the children.

Summer

Ah....the first day of summer. But, for how long have we been experiencing heat indexes in the hundreds now? I often wonder why we even acknowledge the first day of summer down here in Mobile, when truly we've been experiencing summer for weeks now.

Today though, I felt was a different story. I know many would disagree, but I couldn't have asked for a more beautiful start to summer. Today, spending time outside was actually enjoyable, instead of the usual feeling of spending hours in a sauna. Because I love spending time outside so much, I absolutely love days like these! Sometimes I just like to sit on the back porch and watch and listen to nature and today was the perfect day for doing this. It's doubtful we will get so lucky, but it sure would be nice for the rest of the summer to be so pleasant.

The Babies

Well, my baby birds have not only hatched, but they have now flown away. They only first left yesterday so they are still hanging around my backyard and they are so cute as they learn to fly! I'm not sure what kind of bird they are, but they have the prettiest yellow stripes down both sides of their beaks. While I do love watching them, I think my little dachshund loves it even more. She will just lay in the grass and attentively watch them fly around for hours. She's usually full of energy and I have never seen her so still and quiet. It's amazing and absolutely adorable how entranced she is by them. I'm so happy for this miracle to be a part of my yard and hope more babies join us as the summer goes on.

Helping Oceanlife

While I have no desire to discuss the politics of the Gulf oil spill, my blog is about nature and I am sure all of you are aware of the devastating impact this tragedy is having on nature. It is absolutely heart-wrenching to see helpless sea life struggle to breathe through their oil-covered mouths. Those who wish to help these animals must first go through training and this is not feasible for everyone. However, there is something quite simple these people can do. As you all know, Dawn dish soap is commonly used to wash the oil off the sea animals. For some time now, Dawn has been donating $1 of every purchase towards this cause. All consumers must do is log onto the Dawn website and enter a code to show that they purchased a bottle. Doing something like this is a quick and easy way to help the rescue effort of those animals affected by the oil. If any of you know of any companies donating some of their profit to the relief effort or know of any volunteer opportunities, please feel free to share with the rest of us. Regardless of what happens with this spill in the future, it has already created millions of victims, including animals, and we should do whatever we can to help them.

Gardens

Yet another reason I enjoy spring is the fact that plants begin to bloom. In my backyard, I grow several kinds of food, including satsumas, blueberries, and cabbage. I love knowing exactly what has been used to grow my food and that I can bring it in straight from the yard to prepare it. However, I seem to have a problem making my flowers grow as beautifully as my fruits and vegetables. I have gone as far as researching on the Internet and followed directions exactly, but my poor flowers still wilt within a few days. My mom jokes that even though they're easy to grow, I'm the only person she's ever known to kill a cactus and she's probably right. My dad has such beautiful gardens as his house, but apparently I didn't inherit his ability and his advice hasn't seemed to help much either. I'm not going to give up though and hopefully by the end of this semester, I will be able to post a picture of at least one flower I have been able to keep alive.

Beauty

Not long ago, after an afternoon thunderstorm, I noticed a double rainbow arching through the sky. It had to have been the brightest rainbow I have ever seen and was absolutely breath-taking. Looking at this rainbow made me realize how blessed my life truly is. I thought about people who are unable to see or hear the beauty of nature and about the gifts they are missing out on. Then, I thought about people I know personally who feel so rushed and stressed by life that they feel they can't take time to enjoy the simpler things in life. So many people seem to be living such a fast-paced life that something as wondrous as a rainbow goes unnoticed and unappreciated. As cliched as it may seem, I believe lives would be so much less stressful if people just took the time to stop and smell the roses. I feel so lucky to be able to enjoy the splendor of nature and suggest that no one ever take advantage of this ability.

The Nest

If asked my favorite season, I would definitely choose spring. I love the weather, the sights and sounds, and the reawakening of nature. To me, it is truly amazing to watch the new beginnings that come with spring. While working outside sometime last week, I stepped into my shed in an effort to find something I needed. As soon as I stepped foot inside, a tiny bird flew past my head. I walked into the direction she came flying from and found a gorgeous nest inside an empty shoebox. While looking at the intricate detail she had put into making this nest, I realized that it was already filled with minute, pale pink eggs. As crazy as it may sound, the thought of how hard this tiny creature worked to make a loving home for her babies took my breath away. Of course, I have been checking on the nest daily and cannot wait until these precious baby birds hatch and become part of the wildlife in my backyard.