Today is World Water Day! We could not exist without water. I think it is amazing how much we take water for granted. My river, the Magothy, which is a sub-estuary of the Chesapeake Bay, struggles environmentally. It is improving a little with the help of many environmental actions but still way below an acceptable level to sustain healthy wildlife, fish, and people. I stopped letting the dogs in the water years ago when several dogs died from eating dark false mussels and also as people and animals were starting to get the vibro virus (a really bad thing) from swimming in the water. We still go down to the river and run along the shoreline, though I am very careful that the dogs don’t eat anything. We really need to take better care of our waters. Scary thoughts for a mischief Monday, sorry.
Charles stayed home and missed all the fun today on our walk. Marc, the neighborhood river-rat dog, joined us for a roll when we got down to the point. He lives next to the community beach and is always around. We love a fall day on the Magothy River. Mom said we can’t roll in the new grasses or dig up the new sand*. We are not sure why but we kind of listen to her (you will see at the end of the second video that we are selective in our responses – Bark Out Loud!). There is nothing more fun than a beautiful day by the river with Mom.
Faced with a failing bulkhead, the community worked with South River Federation to replace approximately 390 linear feet of existing bulkhead with a living shoreline along Mill Creek of the Magothy River. The project complements the community’s nearby 187 linear foot shoreline installed two years ago. Additionally, this project includes a 4,200 square foot bioretention facility located between a parking lot and the shoreline to capture runoff, as well as 0.25 acres of voluntary reforestation.
This restoration will create a stable shoreline that will work to improve water quality, reduce erosion, and create habitat where there has not been any for decades.
The above photos, provided by shoreline contractor Maguire Marine, show the stunning before and after.
This was Sofie circa 2014 about the same time of year. The river looks the same but the bulkhead is now natural shoreline. Though it is humid and still warm many days, the nights are getting cooler and the fall rains have moved in. I am sure next week we will see very high water from Hurricane Florence (named after my Mom). It has been many years since Hurricane Isabel had a 7-foot surge and wiped out the playground and dock. I wonder what Florence might bring? We are seeing unprecedented changes year after year in water level. Who knew that weather would become it’s own TV channel and that we would watch it and listen to it endlessly.
It was about 10 degrees Fahrenheit. The big dogs and I went down to the river (it is way too cold for the little guy to be out long). We were going crazy cooped up in the house because of the weather.
Leave it to Sofie to find a blue crab claw hiding in the bushes. She thought she was going to have it for lunch. Though blue crabs are in the Chesapeake Bay (and my tributary the Magothy River) year round, I don’t think this crab was a recent catch.
Other than our own fenced yard, there are not many places that we can run off leash. There are always so many people around and other dogs that Mom is afraid that we, or she, will get into trouble. Mom takes us down to the very end of the peninsula, we live between 2 creeks off the Magothy River, where she feels comfortable with our antics. If there are no people or animals around then she lets us go because we are locked in on 2 sides by water and the 3rd side by her. This is our favorite free run place because we can chase ducks and geese and cranes and cormorant and still not get in trouble. Once Sofie jumped into the water and Mom had to go in after her, but that doesn’t happen much. Sofie is too short and heavy to pull herself up the bulkhead and Louise hates water. Mom doesn’t let Charles run free here though because she worries that (1) he would drown if he fell in, (2) the Osprey would pick him up quickly, and (3) we would roll him down the grass and throw him in the water.
Running free is great fun and we wish there were more safe places to do it. Mom used to take us to the dog park but there were so many aggressive people and poorly trained dogs that we found it more stressful than fun. We just want to run around with Mom for a little while that’s all.
Do you have a free run space that you like? Where is it?
Mom turned around and I was rolling very very close to the edge. “Oh Dog!” she said, “That could have ended badly.” This is the deep side of the point and I would have had to swim all the way around to get out of the river.
– Sofie, the Roller, Bear.
If I am not rolling in the picture, click on it, It’s a GIF.
This is a Wordless Wednesday Blog Hop. Thanks to BlogPaws for the hop. Head over there and see what they are blogging about.
We’re trying to teach Charles about the water and the docks. Not sure yet that he feels safe.
Do you see the ducks to the left of Sofie in the water. Luckily they were far enough out that the dogs didn’t try to swim on this cold day. And, I am not sure what the little man will do since the adult ducks are almost as big as he is.
Charles also got his first good whiff of the crab cages. Oh, spring will be interesting. I just worry about the Osprey and this 15 lb edible.
Tomorrow (September 22) at 10:21 am EDT it will officially be Autumn for us (the Autumnal Equinox). How can that have happened already? Wasn’t it just spring? There is nothing more incredible than the changing of the seasons. Mom loves autumn best of all. She loves the crisper days, and the fall tones of orange, yellow, brown and red. As the plants end their growth cycles and creatures go south or under ground, it makes us aware of the renewal that will come on the other side of winter. Sofie and I are both born in fall. Maybe that is why Mom loves this season so much? I was born on Halloween and Sofie on Thanksgiving (or at least that is what Mom tells us). As we kiss summer good bye, we say thank you to the earth for the wonderful colors, warm waters, butterflies and birds. Bye Bye, Summer. – Love, Louise
Have a wonderful Wednesday.
This is a Wordless Wednesday Blog Hop. Thanks to BlogPaws for the hop. Head over there and see what they are blogging about.
