Earth Day is my favorite day of the year

Happy Earth Day

Mother Earth was kind enough to give presents -- a gentle rain shower that turned our Arkansas back yard into a rain forest. The sun is shining now. Like all females, Mother Earth is prone to changing her mind. As I look out the window into the woods, droplets of rain on the still new leaves sparkle as the warm sun caresses them. The landscape shimmers as if dressed in sequins. Thank you Mother Earth. The effect is spectacular.

Forty years ago on this day, I experienced a kind of environmental awakening that has forever changed how I see and think about things. This new kind of spirituality inspires deeper thought, a kind of peripheral vision that takes in new dimensions, and a sense of connection to all living things.

"When we try to pick out anything by itself, we find it hitched to everything else in the Universe," said John Muir, founder of the Sierra Club, who was born on this day.

That quote has been my favorite since I first heard it. Connections are not always clear. Sometimes they are difficult to discern, but we must not be blinded by the obvious.

On that day so long ago, I walked with a group of other nature lovers along a trail. It was a time when "Save the Earth" was a popular slogan. I was disturbed about oil spills, killing dolphins in tuna nets, too much plastic that never degrades, landfills overflowing with trash that could be recycled into useful products, and the very future of the only planet we can call home. But as I walked the trail, in the forest remnant that had been largely untouched since it was carved out by glaciers hundreds of thousands of years ago, I realized that humans aren't able to save the earth any more than they can affect it. Mother Earth will save herself, even if it is at our expense. I fear for humans who totally miss the point. The only thing that man's work will destroy is man.

I'm saddened that little has been accomplished in the past 20 years. And I am frustrated -- no angry -- at recent political attempts to reverse protections of the environment.

Even though I'm unhappy that there must be legal efforts to thwart man's destructive behavior against himself, it is too important not to be supportive since not everybody gets it. My hope for the environmental future of mankind is that more people realize the connections. 




...reprinted from 2010 but as relevant today as it was then

Happy Earth Day

Happy Earth Day

Earth Day, my favorite day of the year...

Today is Earth Day.

Mother Earth was kind enough to give presents -- a gentle rain that turned our Arkansas back yard into a rain forest. The sun is shining now. Like all females, Mother Earth is prone to changing her mind. As I look out the window into the woods, droplets of rain on the still new leaves sparkle as the warm sun caresses them. The landscape shimmers as if dressed in sequins. Thank you Mother Earth. The effect is spectacular.

More than thirty years ago, I experienced a kind of environmental awakening that has forever changed how I see and think about things. This new kind of spirituality inspires deeper thought, a kind of peripheral vision that takes in new dimensions, and a sense of connection to all living things.

American conservationist, my hero, John Muir 
photo credit: Wikipedia

"When we try to pick out anything by itself, we find it hitched to everything else in the Universe," said John Muir, founder of the Sierra Club, who was born on this day.

That quote has been my favorite since I first heard it. Connections are not always clear. Sometimes they are difficult to discern, but we must not be blinded by the obvious.

On that day so long ago, I walked with a group of other nature lovers along a trail. It was a time when "Save the Earth" was a popular slogan. I was disturbed about oil spills, killing dolphins in tuna nets, too much plastic that never degrades, landfills overflowing with trash that could have been recycled into useful products, and the very future of the only planet we can call home. But as I walked the trail, in the forest remnant that had been largely untouched since it was carved out by glaciers hundreds of thousands of years ago, I realized that humans aren't able to save the earth any more than they can affect it. Mother Earth will save herself, even if it is at our expense. I fear for humans who totally miss the point. The only thing that man's work will destroy is man.

I'm saddened that little has been accomplished in the past 30 years. And I am frustrated -- no angry -- at recent political attempts to reverse protections of the environment.

Even though I'm unhappy that there must be legal efforts to thwart man's destructive behavior against himself, it is too important not to be supportive since not everybody gets it. My hope for the environmental future of mankind is that more people simply realize the connections all around us. Man is not the center of the universe. He is just another piece of it.

...reprinted from 2010 but still relevant today

Happy Earth Day

Earth Day, my favorite day of the year...

Today is Earth Day.

Mother Earth was kind enough to give presents -- a gentle rain that turned our Arkansas back yard into a rain forest. The sun is shining now. Like all females, Mother Earth is prone to changing her mind. As I look out the window into the woods, droplets of rain on the still new leaves sparkle as the warm sun caresses them. The landscape shimmers as if dressed in sequins. Thank you Mother Earth. The effect is spectacular.

More than thirty years ago, I experienced a kind of environmental awakening that has forever changed how I see and think about things. This new kind of spirituality inspires deeper thought, a kind of peripheral vision that takes in new dimensions, and a sense of connection to all living things.

American conservationist, my hero, John Muir 
photo credit: Wikipedia

"When we try to pick out anything by itself, we find it hitched to everything else in the Universe," said John Muir, founder of the Sierra Club, who was born on this day.

That quote has been my favorite since I first heard it. Connections are not always clear. Sometimes they are difficult to discern, but we must not be blinded by the obvious.

On that day so long ago, I walked with a group of other nature lovers along a trail. It was a time when "Save the Earth" was a popular slogan. I was disturbed about oil spills, killing dolphins in tuna nets, too much plastic that never degrades, landfills overflowing with trash that could have been recycled into useful products, and the very future of the only planet we can call home. But as I walked the trail, in the forest remnant that had been largely untouched since it was carved out by glaciers hundreds of thousands of years ago, I realized that humans aren't able to save the earth any more than they can affect it. Mother Earth will save herself, even if it is at our expense. I fear for humans who totally miss the point. The only thing that man's work will destroy is man.

I'm saddened that little has been accomplished in the past 30 years. And I am frustrated -- no angry -- at recent political attempts to reverse protections of the environment.

Even though I'm unhappy that there must be legal efforts to thwart man's destructive behavior against himself, it is too important not to be supportive since not everybody gets it. My hope for the environmental future of mankind is that more people simply realize the connections all around us. Man is not the center of the universe. He is just another piece of it.

...reprinted from 2010 but still relevant today

Earth Day, my favorite day of the year

Earth Day, my favorite day of the year

Today is my favorite day of the year -- Earth Day.

Mother Earth was kind enough to give presents -- a gentle rain shower that turned our Arkansas back yard into a rain forest. The sun is shining now. Like all females, Mother Earth is prone to changing her mind. As I look out the window into the woods, droplets of rain on the still new leaves sparkle as the warm sun caresses them. The landscape shimmers as if dressed in sequins. Thank you Mother Earth. The effect is spectacular.

Almost thirty years ago on this day, I experienced a kind of environmental awakening that has forever changed how I see and think about things. This new kind of spirituality inspires deeper thought, a kind of peripheral vision that takes in new dimensions, and a sense of connection to all living things.

"When we try to pick out anything by itself, we find it hitched to everything else in the Universe," said John Muir, founder of the Sierra Club, who was born on this day.

That quote has been my favorite since I first heard it. Connections are not always clear. Sometimes they are difficult to discern, but we must not be blinded by the obvious.

On that day so long ago, I walked with a group of other nature lovers along a trail. It was a time when "Save the Earth" was a popular slogan. I was disturbed about oil spills, killing dolphins in tuna nets, too much plastic that never degrades, landfills overflowing with trash that could be recycled into useful products, and the very future of the only planet we can call home. But as I walked the trail, in the forest remnant that had been largely untouched since it was carved out by glaciers hundreds of thousands of years ago, I realized that humans aren't able to save the earth any more than they can affect it. Mother Earth will save herself, even if it is at our expense. I fear for humans who totally miss the point. The only thing that man's work will destroy is man.

I'm saddened that little has been accomplished in the past 20 years. And I am frustrated -- no angry -- at recent political attempts to reverse protections of the environment.

Even though I'm unhappy that there must be legal efforts to thwart man's destructive behavior against himself, it is too important not to be supportive since not everybody gets it. My hope for the environmental future of mankind is that more people realize the connections. 

 

 

 

 

...reprinted from 2010 but still relevant today

It really is Spring in the Ozarks

Despite the variant temperatures that during at least one day this month, it required the air conditioner in the afternoon and heat at night. The calendar really does have it right; it is Springtime. 

This is the best time of year normally--my absolute favorite--even if this year it has been less than ideal. I'm trying hard to enjoy it anyway.

One day it was so warm that hubby and I just had to take a ride to the lake. I don't know how it is for anyone else, but I know there are just days when my psyche needs to see, hear, and smell the water.

We had a picnic lunch at a favorite spot and happened across this duck who must have had the same idea. He had just resurfaced, after a deep dive where he undoubtedly found something good to eat. 

On another day when a cold snap retreated just long enough to take a slow, leisurely walk in the backyard, I was captivated by this old, gnarly cedar tree, a real thing of beauty. 

I couldn't help but wonder what kind of critter installed that rock at the base of the tree. It was obviously being used as a front door to the entrance to someone's den.

One of the most lovely sights to behold, at least in my opinion, is that of the bluebird keeping watch as the female sits on her nest inside one of our many bluebird boxes. 

I love everything about these birds. 

I recall seeing them when I was very young, growing up in a Chicago neighborhood, but they had long since disappeared. It wasn't until visiting Arkansas on vacation that I was re-acquainted with them. Now that we live here, I'm so happy to share space with a bunch of blues. I find that absolutely thrilling.

Of course the hummingbirds are back. We have been waiting, with the feeders in place for almost a month. This year they came back April 13. 

My husband saw them first. I didn't see my first until a couple days later. At first there were only one or two, but they are coming back in some numbers now. By later this summer, there will be the usual feeding frenzy going on. 

Springtime is the time for one of my favorite Holidays--Earth Day. That was yesterday when this picture was taken, of our Earth Day crabapple tree.

I always like to commemorate Earth Day with some kind of tree planting. Even though this one is teensy, I have high hopes that one day it will fill the front yard with fragrant pink flowers. 

Spring really has come to the Ozarks, even if the signs can be rather illusive.

Happy Earth Day

I consider Earth Day to be a day of celebration for the simple, natural things that are so often taken for granted: the beauty that abounds in the world we live, the earth's natural resources that sustain us, as well as the comfort and pleasure experienced by our interaction with the natural world around us.

There is no better time to recognize the beauty in the environment around us than in the springtime.

As my little part of the earth awakens from its winter sleep, it is easy to feel the changes. I am more eager to get up in the morning, anxious to give in to my annual nesting instincts. I feel ambitious, creative, and so alive. Aside from mundane household chores that require equal parts of vinegar, water, and elbow grease, the first thing I want to do is walk around the yard just to see if anything has changed overnight. Every place where last year's flowers grew need to be examined. There is an unmistakable joy as the first buds appear on the trees. Their silhouette against the sky becomes more intricate as the tips of branches elongate with new growth, resembling delicate lace, especially at dusk when all the once-vibrant colors of the landscape fade to black and white.

Even before the grass turns green, the first wildflowers appear. Then, there are tiny sprouts from last year's flower bulbs. Each discovery is a new revelation.

Mother Earth enhances the process with another of my favorite things--rain.

Rain transforms the woods like a hot shower after a hard day's work. The sweet fragrance and overall clean feeling is so revitalizing.

The rain is life-giving, a nourishing elixir that affects all plant life. After a spring rain flowers almost magically burst forth; the buds on the trees open as tiny leaves emerge. Once painted in shades of tan and brown, suddenly the world seems to change into every variety of green from yellow-tinged chartreuse to deep, dark forest green.

Early spring brings about a new awakening in the forest landscape. I am not the only one that feels it. The air is abuzz with bumble bees, butterflies, damselflies, and other insects. Tree frogs begin to sing their songs. Just after dawn, the woods are alive with chatter, as birds prepare to build nests. 

My personal favorite is the goldfinch who lives here year-around.

The male is, for me, one of the first signs of spring. During the winter months, his color is similar to that of mustard, a dull, olive-tinged shade of yellow. But as springtime approaches, he sets out to attract a mate. As he molts, his new feathers are the most vibrant yellow. The color of his body contrasts with the black bars on his wings. What female could resist?

When it isn't raining, the world is bathed in sunshine. Its warmth is almost intoxicating, making me want to spend the day outdoors. It sometimes gets so warm that it chases me into the shade, the shade made by those great, sturdy oak trees covered with its new leaves.

Some of the most glorious days of the year occur in the spring. Can anything be more pleasant than a day when the temperatures hover around 70º to 75º, with a gentle breeze?

Happy Earth Day!