The Wrack
The Wrack is the Wells Reserve blog, our collective logbook on the web.
The Wrack is the Wells Reserve blog, our collective logbook on the web.
I'm such a drag. Just as a single failing mark ruins the straight-A student's perfect GPA, my middling response to a simple question slipped our staff average out of the top notch.
This #iheartestuaries week, I launched a quick survey to gauge my coworkers' attitudes toward the annual campaign and its subject. Fifteen people took a minute to respond to three questions:
Only one-third of us planned to use the hashtag. That didn't surprise me; I know not everyone here is into Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter (homes for the Ie campaign).
Despite being social media sticks-in-the-mud, they left no doubt they l-o-v-e estuaries. The sliding scale from hate to love nearly went beyond the right bezel of my monitor — 1,422 points against a 1,500 max. Infatuation!
Honestly, I don't feel guilty for deflecting Cupid's arrow. (And I know I had help; I didn't unlove estuaries by *that* much.)
For one thing, I'm not all that emo. Take the heart out of it and I'm all in. Brain says estuaries = amazing. Fascinating. So very cool.
For another, how does one heart an estuary? Love? Really? Research reservists? With all that science at the core? Love that mixing of salt water and fresh? Love that deep mud and saline crust? Love that crab, clam, and sculpin? Love those saltmarsh mosquitoes and greenhead horse flies? Love that sulfurous stench of bacterial decomposition?
Hmm. Maybe I'm coming around. I do adore the egret's plumes, the salt hay sway, the roiling surface waters of a fish-filled salt panne. But I need more inspiration. How did the rest of the staff justify their enthusiasm? Again, I ask…
Wait a minute. There's a lot of brainy answers in that heartfest. I think I need even more opinions.
Days before the employee poll, I sent our monthly e-news readers a button with this prompt: "Why I Love (or Like) Estuaries." A scant few replied. I thank them for sharing.
Katherine C. wrote:
I always love the many 'faces' of Laudholm. Each Season is special because each Walk I take there is enjoyable and envigorating:)!
Jim B. said:
Each time I visit our Estuaries at Laudholm you can be sure to find helpful volunteers to greet you and help direct your visit to be a satisfying experience. You will learn something new each time or meet a familiar face and be able to share with the world a place a very special place.
I sense some conflating of the whole "Wells Reserve at Laudholm experience" with "estuaries," but that's okay. You can't put boundaries on love.
Then I read that reply that seemed to say "intellect, meet emotion; emotion, meet intellect." Thanks, Gale M., you brought my heart, brain, and soul together. #iheartestuaries 100%.
I can sense the earth breathing.