Odd Dreams

Every night I dream.  Every time I close my eyes to nap I dream.  I always remember my dreams at first until they fad away.  But there are times that the dreams stay with me for years.  Its as though someone or someones are trying to send me a message.

Now I'll share a dream from last night's sleep.

I was in a run down trailer in its little attached porch and it was Christmas season.  I know this trailer well as my ex in-laws, who are now deceased, lived there once upon a time and on the enclosed porch they'd put their Christmas tree each year.  All their kith and kin were gathered there, including the broken family ties and the new ones which made for an odd gathering.  I was there and my ex and his new family was there.  My infertile ex with his new wife and baby were present.  He made sure I saw the baby.  But I knew it was her ex-husband's child and not that of my ex's.  Long story there but he was in real life sleeping with another man's wife that was pregnant, the SOD!  Still he had the family he always wanted now.

I had come by to return to him an item he had left behind.  This is a non-existent item and just something symbolic that my dream state made up mind you.  I was returning a large glass paperweight, similar to my actual life real one which is way smaller, that was made of Murano (Italian) glass.  But this one was gaudy, flashy and had no real substance except to be what someone of  trashy taste would want.  We all know the type and I'd rather not hurt my reader's feelings by going too deep.

I had a second Italian glass ball in my other hand.  Inside it was a simple piece of genuine white coral.  Captured when it was full of life and potential but this one belonged to J.

To me this is stating that my first husband had no substance and was what you see is what you get type and that meant slob, fat, lazy, and well trash. 

J's is the untapped potential that I know he has.  The quiet dignity, the protection like the coral protects the fish, and the grace of giving.

I think that my dream is of letting go of that which never really pleased me and finding what I really need and want that is with me now in my J.  I love my husband.  Whether or not we have children together I know that he will always do his best to provide for me and protect me.  He is willing to correct things that go awry; to fix the balance.  Marriage is a balancing act especially when married to a soldier.

Blue Green Algae Blooms and Anoxic Waters

photo of China with blue green algae blooms


Okay sure it might look pretty but what is often pretty isn't so good for us.  Blue-green algae blooms lead to the death of oxygen in water.  What?  No, really it does happen and all too often.

I realize that today is Saturday and I was going to save my environmental posts for Sundays but I'm going to be busy tomorrow and thought I'd better do my post now.  So here it is.

First off I'll explain just what Anoxic Waters are. When too much organic materials are dumped into waters they start to decompose and the bacteria that eats through the organic materials uses up the available oxygen in the water.  So is it the fault of the bacteria that is doing its job?  Nope.  We are at fault for the anoxic waters.  Just one example is the farmers that live on the edge of water systems who often dump their excess fertilizers, organic matter like cow poop and pig poop into the waterways.  Overloading the waterways with the organic matter causes the ecosystem to die off.  No more fish, toxic waters, and bad smells are the end result.  More examples are when we have heavy rainfall that cause run off of organic matter like plants into the waterways. Aquaculture operations and sewage discharge from, boats, yachts, and ships are also the culprits.  We can't do much about the excess rainfall but we can do something about how we dispose of our own organic materials.  If you want clean drinking water think before you discharge your organic materials into a water system.

Okay so that is quite simplistic I realize but I'm trying to reach the masses with these postings.

Now for the blue green algae blooms and how they do the same thing and how we can try to help fix the problem.  First off what exactly are blue green algae blooms?  They are cyanobacteria which is a microscopic bacteria that feeds off of photosynthesis.  Basically they need a good light source in order to grow so that is why you find them on top of water.  They are fast growing and block out the sunlight from reaching to the bottom of the water where other plants and creatures would be seeking out sunlight.  Your beloved catfish is going to die off if you don't clean off the bottom of your fishing boat before you go from water system to water system.  Okay so those of you that like to fish need to be more responsible fishermen/women and check out the boat bottom to make sure there aren't any blue-green algae blooms attached to your outboard or inboard motors.  Mutations occur when the native species to your favorite fishing spot don't get the proper environmental fix.  Just like you want your nutrients in the form of your desired food so do the creatures and plants in their natural habitat.

Here is a bit more from two resources on blue green algae blooms:
http://www.cdph.ca.gov/healthinfo/environhealth/water/Pages/bluegreenalgae.aspx
http://www.epi.state.nc.us/epi/oee/bluegreen.html

If you are swimming in waters that have blue green algae blooms, get out of the water and wash off with clean sourced water.  Don't eat the fish from those waters and don't let your pets drink or swim in those waters either.  The water can be toxic.

"What are the possible health effects related to blue-green algae blooms?

Exposure to blue-green algae can cause rashes, skin and eye irritation, allergic reactions, gastrointestinal upset, and other effects.  At high levels, exposure can result in serious illness or death.
Depending on the particular cyanobacterium, and the amount to which one is exposed,  blue-green algae have the potential to cause a variety of adverse health effects, including liver toxicity (e.g., Microcystis aeruginosa) and neurotoxicity (e.g., Anabaena circinalis).  Microcystin toxins may also promote tumor growth.
Destruction of cyanobacteria cells may release the toxins into surrounding waters, so care must be taken in dealing with blue-green algae blooms."  from the California Department of Public Heath webpage.