Embracing the Golden Years by combining Travel, Adventure, and Self-Discovery
What a wild and crazy week it has been! I returned to Dallas early this morning, around 1230a.m. I still haven’t caught up on my sleep, but I have caught up on my laundry. I will be writing and posting about the events in St. Lucia this week, and in the interim, please enjoy these photos of a beautiful week spent above, and below, St Lucia’s surface!
I am presently in St Lucia with REEF, doing fish surveys on the coral reefs, which are not well documented. The last time St Lucia was surveyed was 2009. There are eighteen of us, so we’re doing our best to see what is living here. For those of you who think I am a total fish geek, think again! The REEF folks have amazing skill at identifying fish! I love learning, so I will be more of a fish geek than ever! Enjoy the photos!
I am super excited to be on my way to St. Lucia with REEF.org on December 5 in order to do Fish Surveys. REEF: Reef Environmental Education Foundation is a grass-roots organization that seeks to conserve marine ecosystems by educating, enlisting and enabling divers and other marine enthusiasts to become active ocean stewards and citizen scientists. I have contributed data to their database for many years, on and off, but this will be my first opportunity to actually meet other, and very active, members of REEF.
REEF has three main projects: the Grouper Moon Project in the Cayman Islands, the Lionfish Project, and the REEF Volunteer Fish Survey Project. The Nassau Grouper is a Caribbean icon but was reaching very low numbers. The project began by witnessing a spawning event in the Caymans, but has now grown to educational efforts, tagging, and study. I saw a Nassau Grouper in Cozumel during October…I had not seen one for many years, so I was overjoyed. Lionfish are an invasive species in the Atlantic and the Caribbean, and REEF has programs to try to minimize this fact, including Lionfish Derbies to remove them. Lionfish are actually quite tasty, and hopefully more and more people will begin to fish for, and eat, the Lionfish.
I have been entering data to REEF’s Volunteer Fish Project Survey for many years. I confess I don’t always do it when I dive in the waters they survey, but it is imperative to get population numbers right, so if I am immersed in another project or in photography, I don’t keep track. I have wanted to go on one of REEF’s sponsored trips for years, and now I am getting my wish! Diving vacations that matter! I will post photos and blog from our base in St. Lucia, a place I have never visited. Exciting!
Do you love animals? The ocean? Terra Firma? Do you have a conservationist in your family or friend group? If so, consider these gifts which will not only please the recipient, but give a priceless gift to our fellow creatures. Did you watch RACING EXTINCTION last night on Discovery? It premiered, and it has the power to change the terrible outcome that awaits us and future generations. What one thing can YOU do to help? #STARTWITH1THING
It takes one small thing to start a revolution. What will you do to help?
How about adopting something really BIG??? Like a Whale Shark or a Manta Ray? The person it is gifted to can name it as well, and sightings of the animal will be reported to them! check out http://www.marinemegafauna.org/support-us/adopt-a-giant/! The team at Marine Megafauna knows how to give a BIG gift opportunity! Here is my BIG girl! 
Daenerys Targaryen, the Stormborn, Princess of Dragonstone, Queen of the Andals and First Men, Queen of the 7 Kingdoms, the Unburnt, and Mother of Dragons! We just call her Dany for short!
I was given the wonderful gift of naming this beautiful Manta in the Revillagigadoes Islands. The Manta had not been seen since 2003 until I photographed it in 2012 and turned put it in the database for the Pacific Manta Research Group. I decided on JEDI with the help of Karey Kumli at the Pacific Manta Research Group! I had two names, and Karey said “I like Jedi, it has a positive and powerful message. Keepers of Peace & Justice in the galaxy.” Isn’t that what we are trying for? Peace and Justice for the creatures that populate the earth?
JEDI
Manatees and Dugongs are endangered by humans and their boats. They are such sweet, friendly creatures. Remember them this holiday season! Donate here: https://secure3.4agoodcause.com/save-the-manatee-club/gift.aspx?id=2 or adopt one!
A Little Fun Rolling in Crystal River, FL
Join the fight for a healthy ocean and ecosystem! Join the Ocean Conservancy! http://www.oceanconservancy.org/the-ocean-matters/
Let’s not forget our other friends: African animals http://www.africanwildlifeconservationfund.org/
With the death of Cecil and so many other lions, they have become critically endangered. Can you imagine a world without Big Cats? I can’t. Help by High Five Give Five! http://animals.nationalgeographic.com/animals/big-cats-initiative/get-involved/
Black Rhinos are almost extinct in the wild…and the Northern White Rhino is on the verge. There are three left in the wild. Yes, only three. They are in such desperate shape. They truly need all the help they can get. http://www.savetherhino.org/
and don’t forget Pelagic Life, http://www.pelagiclife.org. From studying animals to assisting sharks who have been “hooked”, this group is always active in the cause of saving our Pelagic Life. Nurture YOUR soul in the open ocean!
Give a gift of life and conservation for the holidays, and help humans preserve not only wildlife, but ourselves.
PS: Please don’t forget when you travel, fly airlines that do not carry endangered species cargo. American Airlines just announced it will no longer carry shark fins as cargo! They join, just to name a few, Air New Zealand, Air Pacific, Cathay Pacific, Singapore Airlines, Jet Airways, and United Airlines. Many, many carriers are joining the crusade to stop transporting ivory, rhino horns, shark fins, manta fins, sea turtles and other endangered species parts. Choose your airlines and hotels and even shipping companies based on this kind of criteria. If they contribute to the shark fin trade, do not fly them. And let them know why you won’t fly them. Use social media to chastise any transport of these endangered species parts!
Happy Holidays to one and all! Let’s all help make this a friendlier planet!
Here we are, it is the season of giving! Happy Holidays, regardless of what you celebrate!
My family has a history of a BIG Christmas, and no, my relatives were not rich. The packages were always piled high, regardless of how much money was spent. Even a paper doll set was a huge excitement if it came wrapped and under my Grandma Nash’s Christmas Tree.
Even after her passing, our family continued the practice. My father loved Christmas. He also liked to act like a Scrooge. Every year, he went shopping on Christmas Eve, for just one more gift for everyone. We received clothes and practical items as well as toys and fun things. Excitement for Santa’s arrival was always at fever pitch.
How many Christmases, or holidays, do you have? We had our family Christmas on Christmas morning followed by Christmas with the Warners, and a big dinner. The weekend after Christmas we drove to Maysville, Kentucky to the Nash family gathering. Now that both of my children are married, we’ll be working out holiday schedules.
I cannot stand to think of children who have a hard time during the holidays, and my chosen philanthropy is to adopt a family at Genesis Women’s Shelter in Dallas. How tough to spend a Christmas in a shelter, frightened, in shock, going through huge life changes. I want to do what I can. There are other programs I give to, but Genesis is a very important one. 
Do you have a special gift you give at this time of year? Please share it!
Yesterday we discovered that a very close friend of ours had a “mini stroke”, and had to have his carotid artery operated on to clear it out. That news made our blood pressure go up (thank goodness we both have low blood pressure). The symptoms were worrisome enough that he and his wife, who is a nurse, sought medical care right away, and it is a good thing they did! The older we get, the more our bodies throw crazy, unheard of, health issues at us! My husband ended up with a double lung transplant two years ago (he was never even on oxygen!) and now Tom had a “Transient Ischemic Attack”, also known as a “mini stroke”. He is doing very well, and probably will get out of the hospital today or tomorrow. Scary, you know? I mean, this is the stuff that is supposed to happen to our parents, not to us! Of course, these things did happen to our parents…both of mine are gone now, but I still think of myself and our friends as young. Certainly too young for strokes and heart attacks and lung diseases! Get better FAST, Tommy Boy! We love you.
The symptoms of a clogged carotid artery are the symptoms of a mini stroke…apparently that is how most carotid artery disease is discovered. At your annual check up your doctor could pick up a “whoosh” sound in your carotid artery, but I’m really not sure how many men go for annual check ups. (I found this guide online for checkups every guy needs, for each decade of life, because once there are symptoms, the disease has already advanced).
Stroke and mini-stroke symptoms may include:
So, I take this as another warning that we cannot take anything for granted. I’m always anxious to do everything NOW. My 90 year old uncle and 79 year old auntie have not been to Dallas in many, many years for a family event. I finally just bought them airline tickets and said, get on the f#%king plane! (Yes, I did use the “F” word.) I pick them up tomorrow. My uncle really wanted to come, he told my aunt, “this may be the last time we see the kids”. You know what? He could be right. So do it now, folks!
Oh, this makes me want to eat fruit and go scuba diving!
