Our World Tuesday: Precious Water

 Last Tuesday started out looking like this.  The day was perfect.  So Adella and I packed a few sandwiches and filled our water bottles and went over to the North Carolina Coastal Federation's property at Morris Landing in Holly Ridge. We were early, so we took a few minutes to enjoy the view of the Intracoastal Waterway from the pier.  Later, we would see dolphins in these waters, but early on, the waters were still.

 When we got to work, it was our job to plant salt marsh cord grass. along the waterway.  The grasses help to prevent erosion, thereby contributing to the overall health of the waterway, which is rich in marine life.

 It was Adella's job to add fertilizer to the holes and to plant the grass.

 This worked only if I did my job correctly and dug the hole deep and wide enough with the orange thing, which is calle a dibbler but might be called Gold's Gym.

 This is what happens a few years later if you do it right.

 The Coastal Federation folks had power augers, so they were able to dig a lot of holes fast and to get a lot done before the tide came in.  There were lots of kids volunteering, and they filled these holes.

It's dirty work, but it's worth it when you figure you're taking a step or two toward improving the quality of botht the water and the shoreline.  After lunch, the Federation folks showed the kids how to use various types of nets to gather up some fish and check out the health of the water.  It was very cool.  Our hosts were so into what they were doing--whether they were in the water with the kids or talking water with others--that we had no idea what time it was.

Over the weekend, I read a story about the public water supply in Toledo, Ohio, being contaminated beyond earthly use and leaving half a million people scrambling for bottled water to do everything from bathe to cook.  This made me realize yet again how precious is our earth and how much it needs our kindness.

Our World Tuesday