written by Raulla S. Mitchell “To sit in the shade on a fine day and look upon verdure is the most perfect refreshment.”    Jane Austen

Earth Day is today.  How do YOU celebrate Earth Day?

I’m interested, because there seem to be infinite ways to celebrate a day all about the planet on which we live, and conversely, without which, we couldn’t live, at least not yet, and certainly not in the same manner.

Years ago, I saw part of the film “The Martian” while my young daughter was watching it on Netflix, and I have to say, Mars is not for me.

The verdant landscapes, trees with abundant leaves, and flowers in bloom this spring hold the potential to transform our spirits.

In Minnesota, we deal daily with temperature and climate pendulum swings.  Is it spring, is it winter, is it spring, is it winter…?

Mushy snow that melts nearly on contact with the pavement mid-April leaves us waiting to unveil our charming (let’s hope so) personalities to our neighbors at our mailboxes, walking our dogs,…

By the way, isn’t it fabulous that several animal shelters currently report that they no longer have dogs awaiting forever homes?  Since we’re in extended COVID 19 isolation, it’s the absolute best time to train a new family dog!  The secret’s out.  And from what I’ve seen on daily walks, our neighborhood dogs are getting oodles and oodles of walks!

Back to Earth Day…Based on our empirical knowledge and faith, we know and believe that spring will eventually come, as it always does.  We’re adept at leaping from freezing winter temps, wind chills that threaten to push down my heavy Volvo trunk on top of my head while reaching for my purse inside (yeah, that’s right it did just that, and it was as frightening and painful as you might imagine when it happened at Costco), and a slippery mess of a rain-snow mix to 70 degrees the next day.

It can also feel a little like “En attendant Godot”, waiting for Godot or Mother Nature to brighten our yards and our spirits.  Come on Mother Nature, please hurry on over to Minnesota with your powerful feminine charms, we want to see daffodils, tulips, irises popping up!  I’d even be immensely grateful for a hosta or two pop up along the boulder wall and alongside my mailbox, even if soon to be munched on by our resident family of 10 or so deers already trekking through from our backyard to the front and roaming on over across the street to the woods behind.

I’ve been staring at colorful silk flowers (now fading) in pots outside my front door all winter, because I can’t bear life without color.  Still, I don’t for a sec believe they’re real, and I’m sooooo….ready for flowers that grow in the earth! → Read more