I have lived in Brantley County and on a dirt road all of my life and there are still some things that drive me crazy.
One is that right after the road grader does a great job on the road someb ody has to spin donuts at the T and make very deep ruts for us to have to bounce across.
I stopped a couple of youngsters one time and asked them who their mama and daddy was and they took off and wouldn't tell me.
Another is the tires, cans, bottles and just scattered trash. I have picked up so much of these over the years and it does not seem to be getting any better.
For a long time, I just picked it up and never said anything, but I always have my camera with me, so now when I see it, if I can't load it up by myself, I will at least take pictures of it.
Another thing that pure out makes me sick, is people throwing dead deer, dead hogs, and dead dogs in the creeks or river.
I don't have a huge problem with them killing them as much as I have with them throwing them in the water where people fish and contaminating the water. If they were left on the bank, the buzzards could get to them and do what they do best and get rid of the guts and carcasses.
We have a beautiful county and it could be way more beautiful if people would take pride in what we have and didn't trash it so much.
I can ride to the river one day and pick up beer cans and two or three days later ride that same road again and pick up beer cans again.
I have won several photo contests over the years and many of them were taken right here in Brantley County, BUT on most of them, I had to move trash out of the way first to get the picture, because I don't use Photoshop.
The SatillaRiverkeeper. org has had several clean ups over the years and a lot of trash gets picked up then.
Another thing that frustrates me is that when you go to the boat landings and see the Satilla River signs that have holes shot in them, beer cans scattered, and then look over at the boat ramp and the one at 301 bridge is in such bad shape and IF you can put a boat in there without knocking the bottom of your boat or destroying an axle, you will be mighty lucky.
It is supposedly in the plans to be repaired, but still another year or two down the road from getting fixed.
I have heard that some of this is being left or done by people that are on disability or down on their luck. I disagree.
I am 61 years old, on my 4th or 5th pacemaker (not sure which) and have heart disease inherited from my daddy and other health issues and I refuse to use any of this as an excuse.
I have never drank alcohol, used illegal drugs or even smoked a cigarette and figure I have had enough health issues like it is, without trying to add to it.
If you love the Satilla River and love Brantley County or whatever county you live in, I think you should do your best to pitch in and make it a better place.
Wayne Morgan is freelance wildlife photographer and author.
