Welcome to the Jersey Shore Habitat

When people think of the beach, they may have some misconceptions about America’s Armpit: New Jersey. The MTV show of the 2000s and 2010s featured a bunch of people from Staten Island (which is in New York by the way) being as stereotypical as possible. This was “The Jersey Shore” for many.

But growing, I spent time in South Jersey, north of Cape May and the Wildwoods (there are a few), on a 7-mile island (conveniently called 7-Mile Island). The beaches on this island were smaller, well guarded, and fairly shallow. It was perfect for families wanting a safe area for their kids to enjoy - and it still is.

From my (limited) experience, New Jersey takes care of the beaches. Each town provides seasonal tags the produce enough revenue for lifeguards and cleaning crews. Their sand dunes are well protected and high, preventing damages from storms. Even after super storm Sandy in 2012, the beaches were ready for the 2013 season.

Picture of Ocean City, NJ.

But the Jersey Shore isn’t just an excellent place for people, it’s also a fantastic habitat for plants and animals. Laughing Gulls are a dime a dozen - stalking people foolish enough to bring food to the beach - however, the rarer Red Knots can also be spotted on their migration from Mexico to Canada, stuffing themselves on horseshoe crab eggs to complete the journey. 7-Mile Island has two bird sanctuaries, along with a protected area at the southern tip of the island, and a Wetlands Institute that educates visitors on local marine wildlife.

Cacti can be seen in the sand dunes, while sea grass and kelp will wash up during a bad storm. There are rocks for an octopus to hide and barnacles to stick to. The brackish water of the back bays that separate the many barrier islands from the mainland are good spawning area for sharks and fish. Plenty of filter feeders like clams and muscles hang out in those waters too.

Even bunnies and rabbits call the islands home. They have very few predators on the islands (apart from people’s pet dogs which are supposed to be on leashes).

Off the coast of New Jersey, the state has started building artificial reefs for animals, fishermen, and divers. They sink boats and other materials (even a whole subway car in some reports) to build the reefs. It’s part of an effort to keep the ocean habitat diverse and healthy.

Though I didn’t see them this year, a family of dolphins tend to hang out at the southern tip of 7-Mile Island. They’re far enough away that people can’t really get to them, but ever year someone tries to swim out to them. The lifeguards blow their whistles and, if the people are really stupid, bring out a life boat to rescue the morons. Not only is the surf strong going out to sea once you can’t touch the bottom, the dolphins also aren’t very friendly and will bludgeon anything that gets to near.

However if you see the dolphins, you can rest assure that sharks in the area have scattered. 

Yes, sharks are off the Jersey coast (like in ever ocean), however the shallower waters only provide easy access for sand sharks and dogfish to come close. Earlier this year (2023), a surfer was bitten by a shark, but they was fine.

Remember, the ocean isn’t just your playground. It’s an ecosystem and habitat that provides food and shelter to a lot of plants and animals. Migratory birds enjoy the layover before flying north to Canada. Turtles and horseshoe crabs feel safe enough to lay their eggs. You can go dolphin and whale watching. You might even spot a bunny or two.

100 years ago, hardly anyone lived on 7-Mile Island. Now there’s summer houses from North to Southern tip. It’s only three blocks wide from East to West. And rising seas could swallow it whole.

Welcome to the real Jersey Shore.

If you enjoyed this post (or it really pissed you off) please like, comment, and/or share it. I love hearing from my readers and I hope y’all like hearing from me.

Until next week.

Welcome to Scary Blossom

 I am a local to the Washington DC area. I spent my formative years within reach of the heart of the city center. I know this city, it’s seasons and it’s moods. 

This past week was the start of our tourist season. Bus loads of sightseers and out of town visitors are swarming the city. Traffic is worse than usual and everyone is driving five miles under the speed limit.

It’s Cherry Blossom time y’all.

Otherwise known as “Scary Blossom”, the DC cherry blossoms at peak bloom are truly beautiful. However, the tourists make navigating the city nearly impossible - even worse than the forth of July and protest season. (Okay the 4th of July might be a bit of an exaggeration because the tourists are also insane, but Cherry Blossom is when the chaos begins).

No more is Washing DC for the locals to the DMV (DC, Maryland, and Virginia tri-state area). Now, we’ll have bus loads of school children visiting our world famous (and mostly free) museums, monuments, and government buildings. Protests will kick up activity in about a month - though they are easier to navigate. No one will know where they’re going (not just the tourists, but the new construction will create new,  longer routes to get to work).

For an event that lasts about a week (depending on weather, wind, and temperature), the Cherry Blossoms are an important part of DC culture. The original Sakura trees were planted along the Tidal Bain in 1912. These trees were a gift of friendship from the People of Japan to the People of the United States because of a correspondence between First Lady Helen “Nellie” Taft and the then Mayor of Tokyo. The original 3,000+ trees are over 110 years old and one of the icons of the city.

We put these flowers on everything DC related - along with the Washington Monument and Capital Building. Coffee mugs, pins, patches, chocolate bars, and more have pink blossoms and white buildings on a blue sky background.

One of my paintings of the event.

And yes, they are beautiful.

Sakura or Cherry Blossoms are incredibly pretty. When their petals fall, it looks like pink snow swirling through the air. They are the unofficial signal spring has begun and that warmer weather is around the corner. 

And they let the residents of the Washington DC area know that tourists are coming.

It is worth it to see the DC Cherry Blossoms once in your life. The Tidal Basin is a lovely area and the trees frame the backdrop of many of the monuments. My favorite area to see them is around the FDR (Franklin Delano Roosevelt) memorial all the way up to Jefferson. I haven’t done that walk in years, but it is beautiful on a clear day.

Another of my paintings of the Cherry Blossoms

However, I can’t stand the traffic and clusters of tourists standing in the middle of roads and pathways while they decide where to go. Parking is a nightmare and the metro is overcrowded at all times, not just peak rush hour.

I love DC. I love the Cherry Blossoms.

I don’t love the tourists.

But that’s part of the life being a resident of Washington DC.

Until next week.

If you enjoyed this post (or it really pissed you off) please like, share, and/or leave a comment. I love hearing from my readers and I hope y’all like hearing from me.

Welcome to Walking it Out

I am someone who can’t sit still for extended periods of time. Ask my parents and they’ll be happy to tell everyone how I used to run through the house on loop - it drove them nuts. Prior to the lockdown and quarantine, I would often go hiking or to the gym to walk for about an hour or so. It helped to get out all my pent up energy.

Even while I’m working in an office, I can find ways to move around without causing too much disruption. Taking a quick walk around the office parking lot helped me cool down and collect my thoughts...especially if it was a really stressful day.

Now that I’m stuck working from home all the time, I try to take a walk at least once or twice a day (no matter the weather). It gets me out of the apartment and, though I keep my distance, gives me an opportunity to say high to the people in my area. Once the quarantine is over, I plan on petting all the dogs I pass on my walk as well.

To get ready for a walk, I quickly check the weather, grab a face mask, and select a fun music playlist to listen too. Thankfully, there are a lot of paths for me to chose from and my walk doesn’t have to be the same each time.

A view of DC on one of my walks.

One of my friends recently mentioned how they miss their commute from work as it was a nice opportunity for them to decompress from the stressful day. I suggested taking a walk in place of driving - at least around the block - after finishing work to make it appear that they were commuting home. I’ve incorporated this routine into my evenings and it’s helped a lot.

Walks not only help me relax, they also help keep me healthy. When I got for a walk, I might be gone for as little as 15 minutes to over an hour. The terrain is hilly and allows for different levels of difficulty. They get my heart rate up and keeps me active.

On days when it’s too rainy for me to go outside twice a day, I do yoga in my living room. There are some great programs to stream, but I prefer listening to my body and doing my own workout. I do miss going outside when the weather is bad, but as is said in the movie The Crow: “it cant rain all the time”.

But when the sun is out and the birds are singing, it’s wonderful taking a walk. The sun provides vitamin D and being around plants makes me happy in general (probably why I’ve started a balcony garden now that I have a balcony). Everything is so green right now and the flowers have been blooming nonstop since mid-March.

A flower I’ve found on a walk.

Often on my walks I’ll come across chalk drawings and messages - little reminders that we’re all in this together. I don’t know if the messages are one person or a group of people, but every few days there are new ones to replace the faded old ones. Hearts and hopscotch games are also common to see.

Some people have placed messages in their windows or hung from their balconies in support of doctors, nurses, and critical workers. They’re nice to see and I often find myself smiling when I spot a new one.

If you are able to, see about taking a walk. Remember to wear a face mask and sun protection. Keep your distance from other people.

And enjoy the time you have.

Stay safe everyone.

If you enjoyed this post (or it really pissed you off) please like, share, and/or leave a comment, I love hearing from my readers and I hope y’all like hearing from me.

Until next week.

Welcome to the Land of Ice, Fire... and Rainbows?

I couldn't fit my trip to Iceland into one blog post. My time there was very short, but it definitely left an impact on me. Therefore this post  is an addition to last week's post, but with rainbows, lots and lots of rainbows.

I feel this is a good visual of Iceland's philosophy of life, but maybe I'm wrong. I was a tourist after all.

 On all of the tours I went on, Iceland was described to me as the land of fire and ice. This was reflected on all of the other tours I was offered, but didn't go on for one reason or another (time and money come to mind). There are active volcanoes like the one that went off a couple of years ago and grounded all the planes in Europe. There is the giant glacier that provides some of the best drinking water I have ever tasted. There are tours for people to explore both.

Iceland is full of natural wonders. I mentioned in my last post about my Golden Circle tour. The Golden Circle is advertised as a must see if you visit Iceland. There are several tour options, but if you rent a car they aren't necessary (and you can go at your own pace, though you might miss out on the history and geology lessons).

This waterfall on the Golden Circle Tour produced tons of rainbows.

I definitely recommend seeing the Golden Circle at least once if you visit Iceland, especially if you aren't able to go too far outside of Reykjavik. All of the natural wonders are beautiful and allow for some great hiking. I got to see them in my favorite season which added some really pretty colors to my experience.

If there was one natural wonder I think Iceland should add to its list of amazing wonders, it's the rainbow. I don't think I have been anywhere else that has so many rainbows. There was a rainbow the day I landed at the airport, there were tons of rainbows visible when I hiked Videy island, there were rainbows painted on sidewalks and houses, the water falls created tons of rainbows, and there was even a rainbow statue welcoming me back to the airport when I was leaving.

The rainbow when I landed, it rained the rest of the day.

Seriously I saw a rainbow in the sky everyday I was there (the weather is notorious for changing frequently and with little warning).

There might have been a lot of rain, but the city of Reykjavik always had a rainbow after.

Then there are the rainbows you can only see at night. Okay fine, the Norther Lights aren't actually rainbows, but they are a light show like no other and I didn't even leave the city limits. There were only two nights that I saw them. The first night was totally by accident and because another person in my room said you could see them in the park across the street. I personally found that to be amazing. They weren't the brightest from that location and I only had my phone to take pictures. The next night (which was also my last), one of my new friends offered to drive me and another person out to the lighthouse for a better look.

We arrived at just the right time. It was still pretty early and you could see the sun setting in the distance, but the night was alight with vibrant green streaks. I have never seen anything like it before and I truest hope I will see it again someday. I'm sure the lights are a whole other kind of sight if you are out in the middle of no where and don't have to battle light pollution, but for that hour I got to see one of the most amazing natural wonders our world has to offer. It was worth every second in the cold windy night.

Two streaks of the northern lights in the sun set.

 Maybe someday I'll also see the Southern Lights. Anyone want to go to Chile and Antarctica with me?

Along with the natural rainbows, Iceland is very proud (so I was told) to be very welcoming to the LGBT community and very pro feminist. I''m not kidding, there is an amazing example of how much they celebrate their feminist side in the Reykjavik city hall (I will not post pictures, nor will I elaborate). It is not something I would expect to see in a city hall in the USA anytime soon. One of the tour guides had a lot of fun telling us about how they also had the first gay Viking after someone put lipstick on their founder's statue during a celebration.

This wasn't the only house painted like this.

This is why I feel Iceland should add rainbows to its list of descriptive natural wonders (I''m not sure that makes sense, but it's the sentence I'm going with). You can venture into the depths of a volcano in the morning, walk across a glacier in the afternoon, see the northern lights at night, and in between see beautiful rainbows all over the place.

More street art!

 Please add Iceland on you list of places to see. The people are very friendly, the water is some of the best I have ever tasted, and the nature is one of a kind.

The statue outside of the airport.

And no I'm not being paid to say that.

If you enjoyed this post or if it pissed you off, please like, share, and/or leave a comment. I love hearing from my readers and I hope you guys like hearing from me. I'm off to my next great adventure and maybe, just maybe I'll find that pot of gold at the end of the rainbow.

Until next week.