You can probably recall the lines from The Rime of the Ancient Mariner by Samuel Taylor Coleridge that read:
Water, water everywhere
Nor any drop to drink …
While this is a reference to being surrounded by sea water with no fresh water at hand, it serves as a reminder of how precious water is to all living things. As so many of us are landlubbers, South Africans enjoy seaside holidays. This is utilising the water for recreation. What is of more concern is the availability of water for drinking.
I mention our ongoing drought so often, yet water is the lifeblood we all need. I have several bird baths in the garden which I keep filled daily for the use of birds, the visiting mongoose, bees, wasps and anything else which requires it. Here an Olive Thrush enjoys a drink on a hot day.
Rain is something we long for daily. We watch the ten day weather forecasts and greet each other with the news of rain coming over the next few days … only to see those rainy icons disappear just as the sun draws the moisture from the laundry, until there is nothing left. This picture was taken two years ago. The lemon tree is barely surviving now.
In most parts of the country we have forgotten what flooded rivers look like – this photograph was taken five years ago.
The availability of clean, fresh water is currently being denied to many of our citizens – not only because of the drought but because not enough has been done to care for the water resources that we have. In our town alone a lot of water is wasted through leaks that are ignored for months; water courses being choked by alien vegetation and rubbish – not to mention the pollution of some of the streams.
Water is life and is a commodity that needs to be taken care of to the utmost of our collective ability.
Something Over Tea 
I feel for you Anne. I remember one summer here back in the early 90’s when we had a drought. Every forecast for rain was followed by the announcement that it had “dissipated”. I grew to hate that word.
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That’s it exactly!
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A salutary post. We are lucky with our climate.
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Our turn will come …
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Hear, hear. We’ve taken it for granted for so long, but Nature is only so resilient. Since life depends on it, we must step up our game to protect it.
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That is a priority all over the world for a variety of aspects of nature.
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I’m so sorry it’s that bad. I never understand why people can’t build de-salination facilities and use seawater. Mind you, knowing our species, we’d then drain the seas… 😦
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I think humans have already done a dark share by tossing their detritus into the oceans.
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Yes, sadly.
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I’m sorry to hear of your country’s continuing drought. It is one resource no one can afford to squander.
I do love your photo of the thrush enjoying a drink.
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Thank you. I enjoy observing the way different birds drink. Thrushes are fairly cautious: will take a beakful of water, look up, then dip their heads down again. Spotted Pigeons on the other hand, seem to gulp water down in a rush.
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Yes it is so sad Anne – very sobering. The lack of repairs and maintenance to infrastructure making it even worse. We have been waiting in anticipation here in Dundee for weeks, finally some proper rain over the last two days, with the lovely rumbling sound of thunder and flashes of lightning.
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How wonderful for you!
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