Forestgreenivy - Tumblr Blog

Roseate Spoonbill and Cormorant in flight above the marsh.

Everyone go outside right now. The Northern Lights are back. All the way down in South Carolina. I was lucky enough to be walking on a dark beach… wow.

It’s golden hour, and I’m looking for birds 📸

The signs of a Lowcountry autumn.

This Little Egret and I engaged in a staring contest.

Update: It isn’t.

I think October will fix me.

Send this to five other bloggers that you think are wonderful. Keep the game going, make someone smile! ❤️

Yes. You. You're wonderful!

Right back at ya! Thank youuuuu❤️❤️

Golden Hour signaling a wedge of white ibises in to roost.

Rainy days on the marsh.

Crazy to live life as a tourist today (I’m hungover at a Myrtle Beach breakfast house atm)

So I haven’t really been seeing folks talk much here at all about what’s been going on with Hurricane Helene recovery- but I thought I might share something I thought was cool and important.

Because of how roads have been washed out making homes and towns inaccessible to vehicles, the Cajun Navy (organizations that performs search, rescue, and assistance during disasters) has partnered with Mountain Mule Packer Ranch to use the mules to get medications, food, and water to people in need.

I just think it’s incredible. Despite all the technology you’d think is accessible to help people out, mules are still the most reliable form of transport to save people’s lives

My local news shared this photo from space, and I’m going to share it here. This is before and after Helene.

I can’t speak for other places, but even here along the SC coast- Sams, Costco, Walmart, and many of the grocery stores have been absolutely wiped out - and this time I’m very glad to see it. The locals here in droves have been gathering supplies to send to those in need. Specifically, there are two little airports in Georgetown and Conway. Several private aircraft owners have been taking donations to remote areas that have been stranded due to road outages. Several local businesses have been coordinating with them to gather and deliver supplies to the airport. Most local churches have been utilizing their resources to gather and get supplies and money to those in need.

I know there’s a bigger issue at hand. I know the government tends to ignore Appalachian people, that’s a conversation that others can attest to far greater than I can. A huge portion of this blog has always been dedicated to my love for Appalachia. I did call it home for a time, and it will always have a huge piece of my heart. All I know is as a South Carolinian, it’s at the forefront of our minds, on local news, and I can’t open my phone without seeing more information. That is because I have so many friends there. I know it may not be the same on a large scale, and I just hope this momentum of help does not fizzle out. But from a citizen standpoint, it’s been hard for a lot of us here to sit and live comfortably knowing our neighbors are suffering, so we do what we can.

I and many others have been helping coordinate donation collections so we can fill up trailers, semis, and anything else to get water, food, and so much other needed supplies. I have a good friend up in Boone, a chef, and many of her friends have banded together to take over local restaurants that sustained damage to prepare free hot meals for her community. I know she’s been directly taking donations in order to purchase food supplies so she can continue to feed her community. I’ve been through a lot of hurricanes, and in the worst of them is when our communities really band together.

I know there’s such a long road ahead. I can’t even comprehend the damage. The death toll is over 130 last I checked, and hundreds are still missing and unaccounted for. Communities have disappeared and will never be the same again. It’s so bad. So if you can, send some money to a trusted organization, if your community is bringing in donations to the area. Do what you can. It’s hard to watch our government send an inconceivable amount of money to fund wars, but our neighbors will never see anything close to that type of funding.

See if there are any aircraft donation sites, those who are still stranded need help as they cannot travel to receive the donations otherwise. There are so many people who can’t flush, shower, drink, or anything because they do not have access to clean water. So many without a roof over their heads. People who still don’t know what happened to their loved ones. Thoughts and prayers are great and all, but take action where you can. If you live far away, and your community is not taking physical donations, I’d be happy to share some local places taking donations. Also, a quick internet search can get you that information too. Just make sure where you donate is going directly to the people in need.

If you are currently affected by this, and you or your community have specific needs that need to be met, feel free to share them so we can continue to get the word out.

Every bone in my body wants to get my boots on the ground there and volunteer and help, but I know right now, they don’t need a crowd- so I do what I can for now here. You can too.

I am desperate for October.

The endless beauty of a coastal marsh.

I often have a hard time picking favorites, especially when it comes to nature… but, the Balsam Trail at Mt. Mitchell is absolutely my favorite I’ve hiked in the Appalachians. It’s the most unique trail - completely different from anything you’d ever see in this region of the world. Stepping from the peak of the tallest mountain in the Appalachians, and into the threshold of the Balsam Trail - it teleports you. The fog you see in the background is no fog, we’re in a cloud 6,684 ft in the sky. Pisgah National Forest has a huge piece of my heart.

Alright so how many of y’all wouldn’t be mad if I stopped by to say hi in the dms?