oil.

I'm thinking about the oil spill this morning. I remember being a kid and learning all about them, their devastating effects on the land and the wildlife touched by the poison spilling into the sea. In those days, the early 90's, they were almost common. You can find the lists of historically devastating spills here if you're interested. I was much too young then to know which was which, but I remember learning about them in school, and reading about them in Highlights Magazines. haha!

We would visit the Gulf coast, as my grandma lived there, and play on the beaches. Tar was always a problem in those years. We never were allowed to wear our "good" bathing suits, and in every beach bag was a bottle of tar solvent to get the inevitable streaks off of our feet before getting back in the car. It wasn't a big gross thing, but it happened, and we learned to deal with it.

Anyway, I was young, but I knew it was a problem. Also, I've always been an animal lover, and could just not understand how anyone could put so many animals in danger with such carelessness. Even as a child I wanted to help. Since then, the incidents have been much less frequent and apparently under better regulation... until now.

The BP oil spill is happening right in my backyard. I know people who work for them, I know people involved with that particular rig, my husband in fact was an x-ray tech for the construction of the rig years ago even. It's hitting close to home. And as selfish as it may seem, I really wish the timing was different, because I want to be there to help.

They're releasing photos of the devastation... the animals, the wetlands, the beaches, everything. If I wasn't like 8.75 months pregnant and about to pop, I'd be there. For sure.

My heart bleeds for the birds covered in oil, unable to fly, and unable to help themselves.

A nest of Pelican eggs, covered in oil. :(

There have been at least 6 dolphins wash up dead on the coast... see them here trying to swim beneath the surface of the tainted water.

Even insects suffer in this tragic eco-event.

Someone needs to get this situation together before it destroys thousands of miles of coastline. I only wish I could personally do more than I can right now.