Tag: woods

April 30th Arbor Day

April Holidays

Today is a tree lover’s favorite day of the year, Arbor Day! It always comes on the last Friday day of April, since 1872, when a major effort was made to fill the nearly barren state of Nebraska with trees. Arbor is the Latin word for tree and today we have the National Arbor Day Foundation who helps us remember the importance of trees in providing all they do for mankind. In recent years the Arbor Day Foundation has planted some 18 million trees on Arbor Day to replace those lost due to natural causes, greed, fire and in the “name of progress”. If you get a chance, today is a great day for you to plant a tree and watch it grow over the years. It makes you feel a part of nature and is sort of like watching a child grow up.

How to celebrate – Give to the National Arbor Day Foundation. Plant a tree. Visit a forest.

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January 21st Squirrel Appreciation Day

January holidays

Here is an animal we tend not to think a lot about until they run out in front of our cars causing us to slam on the brakes. Yes, they are a rodent but they are a cute rodent so I don’t think that counts. We should show our appreciation for them today, in the middle of winter, because it’s hard for them to find food…. we can provide that and make them happy. Today was created by Christy Hargrove in 2001 as a part of the Western North Carolina Nature Center.

How to celebrate – Let a squirrel entertain you today. Leave some food out for the squirrels. Enjoy nature, even if it is covered in snow.

June 28th Paul Bunyan Day

June Holidays

Paul Bunyan and his pet cow “Babe” are known for roaming the Northern Mid-West and advancing the logging industry particularly during the French Canadian Papineau Rebellion in 1837 where his legend apparently was created. His is one of those stories hand down over the years by word of mouth and not written until many, many changes were added to the original. The Great Lakes were created by Bunyan as water bowls for “Babe”, Bunyan cleared the land in North and South Dakota for farmers, Bunyan trained Carpenter Ants to do logging to save men from the back breaking work and the 10,000 lakes in Michigan were created by “Babe”s” footprints walking across the land. I don’t know, I think I believe all that. Why not?

How to celebrate – Read about Paul Bunyan. Become a lumberjack. Visit the Northern Mid-Western states.

April 30th Arbor Day

April Holidays

This is a tree lover’s favorite day of the year, Arbor Day! It always comes on the last Friday day of April since 1872 when a major effort was made to fill the nearly barren state of Nebraska with trees. Arbor is the Latin word for tree and today we have the National Arbor Foundation who helps us remember the importance of trees for providing all they do for mankind. In recent years the Arbor Foundation has planted some 18 million trees on Arbor Day to replace those lost due to natural causes, greed, fire and in the name of progress. If you get a chance, today is a great day for you to plant a tree and watch it grow over the years. It makes you feel a part of nature and is sort of like watching a child grow up.

How to celebrate – Give to the National Arbor Foundation. Plant a tree. Visit a forest.

March 21st International Day of Forests

March Holidays

International Day Of Forests – March 21st

Today has been declared a day to appreciate the forests of the world by the United Nations. Most of us just think of forests as trees but they are actually a great deal more. They store carbon helping our environment as they improve the climate around us often acting like a filter. They give us fuel for heat and shade to cool, they are a natural sound barrier, provide food, give a watershed to the soil, and provide a soothing mental health environment.  We need to do what we can to save them.

How to celebrate – Visit a forest today. Plant a tree in your yard. Learn about the positive and negative sides of logging. List as many animals as you can that live in a forest.

June 1st National Trails Day

June Holidays

One of the world’s most loved pastimes is hiking the trails that nature has provided (And generally man has created). Trails are often human made roads, of a sort, made by foot traffic covering the same path over time. Visit practically any park or forest and you will find some kind of hiking trail for you to explore. They are generally safe to travel on, some having been there for hundreds of years. Since the weather is generally better now and people are beginning to be able to get out and enjoy nature, exploring trails can be both exciting and healthy exercise for you.

How to celebrate – Go for a walk. Travel a famous trail. Enjoy nature.

March 21st International Day of Forests

March Holidays

International Day Of Forests – March 21st

Today has been declared a day to appreciate the forests of the world by the United Nations. Most of us just think of forests as trees but they are actually a great deal more. They store carbon helping our environment as they improve the climate around us often acting like a filter. They give us fuel for heat and shade to cool, they are a natural sound barrier, provide food, give a watershed to the soil, and provide a soothing mental health environment.  We need to do what we can to save them.

How to celebrate – Visit a forest today. Plant a tree in your yard. Learn about the positive and negative sides of logging. List as many animals as you can that live in a forest.

April 29th Greenery Day

April Holidays, Unboxing the Bizarre

Greenery Day is based upon Emperor Hirohito birthday, April 29th, although apparently it is most often celebrated on May 4th in Japan. It was established in 1989 after Emperor Showa (The line of Emperors, same guy) died on Jan.7th. So I’m a little confused about his holiday, it came after his death, may or may not be on April 29th his birthday, and he has two names.

Hirohito-flag_pic

Hirohito was Emperor during World War 2. From what I have read he was basically opposed to the war but as the leader of the Japanese people he was not really able to prevent it. Huh? However they could not end the war without his permission, which he gave after two atomic bombs had been dropped, his navy destroyed and his people suffering beyond belief.

green meadow...it is imp to have greenery

So why do they celebrate it as Greenery Day? I have absolutely no idea other than beautiful gardens have always been a part of the Japanese culture. They are certainly green and I am sure that while the rest of his country was burning, he had beautiful gardens to walk through.

Screen shot 2012-04-30 at 3.09.26 PM

Now I am not blaming him for the war, and I am not denying that Japan does have some of the most beautiful gardens anywhere. The two things together are a bit odd though. However I do have to admit I am not all that versed in Hirohito’s life so maybe greenery was a huge part of his life.

Greenery_Day2013

I do know this… if more of the world was green maybe we all would be calmer, gentler people. It’s hard to be violent when surrounded by natures natural beauty.

How to celebrate – Enjoy your own garden, or your neighbors today. (Just don’t get caught tromping through your neighbors garden.) Plant something today. Go for a walk in a forest.