Trashy Treasure?

  Living on the water gives us no end of items that have either been lost or tossed by hapless people.  All sorts of things wash up to the pier or into the marsh.  While I try to "fish" out most of the things simply to keep the shoreline clear, it is a never-ending process.  It is understandable during stormy weather as the tidal surge wreaks havoc on the opposite shore causing our side to be the recipient of whatever has fallen to the wrath but the everyday stuff is a tad confusing.  Just outside of my reach is (or was, at one time) a perfectly good tarpaulin.  (Yes, I am still one of those folks that use the proper name for the covers.  Most call them "tarps".)  It washed into the marsh and has since been ripped to pieces.  On the other side of the pier, someone obviously lost their shirt.  A white T-shirt wafts proudly like a flag on a clump of marsh.  Hopefully, both of these items will either rot away quickly or shift to be within my reach so I can fetch them as they are now useless...not that either one would have much more than garbage.  Still, it would be nice to get both out of the marsh.

  The other day, however, Mark was able to retrieve something of use!  As we ambled down the pier before he headed out in the little skiff for a morning of fishing, I spied something bright red hung up in the marsh. "Please, please go get whatever that is before you head out to fish!" I begged him.  He did and was pleasantly surprised to find a brand new gas can!  This thing still had tags attached and had never been used!  He carted it to the pier and I lugged it up the hillside to be cleaned for future use.  Score!!!

  Before I left the pier, however, I noticed that the nozzle on the can sure looked like some sort of odd critter...perhaps some quirky pup or maybe a strange duck complete with a monocle and a bright green hat!  Yep, that overactive imagination was at work here but, in all fairness, if I have to lug other folk's castaways up the hill, I might as well make light of it!  I wonder if anyone else has noticed the odd noggin on this gas can???  Nope?  Oh, well...

Speak Softly

  I guess I am just tired.  It seems as if this week has contained more attempts at wearing on my last nerve than the entire year.  From losing the sweet old dog to being treated rudely, things started to pile up until the "ugly" was peeping close to the surface.  At times like this, it is a struggle to keep the head level and mind gentle.  "Speak softly, lady, speak softly" is a constant reminder flitting through my brain.

  This morning, yet another thing irked me.  This time it was not something that I can control other than to "clean up the mess".  While Mark was motoring out from the pier in the small skiff, I noticed several bits of trash in the mud.  The tide was low so everything was exposed.  I am used to picking up the occasional beer can or water bottle.  Those are bad enough as they create a total mess on our beautiful shoreline but, this morning, the trash was actually a danger.  Someone had obviously discarded large beer bottle.  This bottle had become broken (either before being tossed or after..who knows?) and could have caused a wicked injury to anyone swimming, throwing the net or cleaning up the mess, as I do.  I was careful not to be cut by the jagged glass.  A cut would have been painful but with the bacteria still lingering in our waters, a simple nick could be life-threatening.  

  I realize there are those who will find my dismay trivial and, like I said earlier, I guess I am just tired, but the fact that people throw their garbage in the very waters that are enjoyed around here really irks me.  It brings to mind that adage...Only trash litter.  Yep, only trashy people think to dispose of their garbage by littering up the place, however, when it comes to putting others in immediate danger (as this broken glass does), it is downright hateful!  So, my day began with a bit of irritation.  Once again, the speak softly refrain echoed among the cobwebs in the dusty corners of my mind.  Speak softly.