Although I may see Earth Day a little different than some, it is a fun reminder and an important part of what makes me who I am.
I was a young teenager when my family moved from the city and bought our mini 6-acre farm in a rural community. I spent my spring and summer days working in the garden and fields alongside my father. We owned a small greenhouse where we sold vegetables, flowers, and trees. My Dad, my grandmother, and my great-grandfather taught me to love the dirt.
One thing that I helped my father do after we bought our property was to plant several shade trees. Although he has been gone for many years now, those trees stand as a memory to me of the time we spent together. He loved to plant flowers and we spent countless hours preparing and tending our flower gardens. Of all the flowers we grew, the Peony was his favorite flower.
Personally, I love Lilacs. The first home that my husband and I purchased had a large lilac tree. It is the only thing I wish I could have dug up and taken with me when we sold our first home.
My grandmother taught me how to bottle the fruits and vegetables from our garden. We spent all summer caring for the plants in our garden to ensure that we had a good crop, and our fall days preserving that hard work. My great-grandfather taught me how to pick berries straight from his berry patch and eat them before I got caught. I hope to one day be able to teach my posterity that same love for nature.
I see Earth day as a time to get your hands dirty and enjoy the outdoors. I see it as a day to disconnect from our virtual world and play in the dirt. It is a day to teach our children how to plant a flower, or a vegetable, or a tree if circumstances allow. If you don’t have the space or means to plant something outdoors, get a potted plant to put inside. Many places this time of year have beautiful potted flowers and plants. Some businesses even give away a free plant in honor of Earth Day… check your local home and garden center or nursery.
If you can’t plant something for your own enjoyment, go for an outing to a local garden or park and learn the name of one flower that you think is pretty, or draw a picture of your favorite tree growing nearby. Use today as a day to spend time away from electronics and be grateful for something provided by Mother Nature.
I hope wherever you are that today is full of sunshine and beauty. Have a great day!
