Mother Earth

Happy Earth Day!

I recall the first one, back in 1970. I was the generation that first called attention to the health of our planet. Up until that point, no one thought anything about pollution or it's genetic legacy. 'Give a hoot, don't pollute' was popular, as was Iron Eyes Cody's teardrop. I was in an enrichment group-a forerunner of today's gifted programs, and we designed and created a nature trail on school grounds, with labeled plants and such. We also made a "high tech" audiovisual presentation about pollution using slides choreographed to music. Compared to how it could be done today, it was rather cheesy, but the research that went into the presentation was eye opening, and I believe it shaped who I am today. It certainly directed my focus to science. Later in the year, we made another audiovisual presentation, again with slides and displays and models, about Skylab and space stations in general. There were only about 6 of us in that 'class', and we had a blast. Good memories.

Within the next week or so, we should get our 50 Paulownia trees to plant in the front pasture. It is the beginning of a silvopasture project where the trees provide income, products, and shade or screening. As they grow, animals can graze beneath them. I'm not looking forward to digging 50 holes, but at least the holes don't need to be large. The trees will only be a foot tall or so.

Today was supposed to be a day of gardening and playing in the dirt, the earthy Earth. However, my friend Ava called me this morning and invited me to go with her to the county library's annual book sale. I love going, but I always forget it so I usually miss the event. This year, we were there when the doors opened! It wasn't exactly the way I had my Earth Day planned out, but it was great!

For $11, I got the following items:
2 music CD's-classical music by Handel and the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra and Chorus Christmas music (it is beautiful!)
3 videos-The Lion King, Overboard(I love that movie!) and Dead Poets Society
Weight Watchers 15 minute cookbook (for Katie)
Plant Science: Growth Development and Utilization of Cultivated plants
From Outhouse to Whitehouse to Treehouse, by Sam Isaac Edwards, a local author whom I've met. He lives in a treehouse in town and his house has been featured on Extreme Homes and several other shows.
Rodale's Naturally Great Foods Cookbook
Culinary Arts Institute Scandinavian Cookbook
Euell Gibbon's Stalking the Wild Asparagus (!!!)
DeWitt and Rosland's The Pepper Garden
Creekmore's Making Gifts from Oddments and Outdoor Materials
Sorosky's Cookery for Entertaining
Mara Rogers Cooking in Cast Iron: Yesterday's Flavors for Today's Kitchen

Can you believe it? All of that for $11!!! I'm a book bandit! Maybe I should have eaten breakfast as most of the stuff is food related! I was exceptionally happy to find Euell's book. It is from 1962 and still has the paper jacket. The 1977 Rodale's book seems to have simple but nutritious and classic recipes that I can make from garden produce. The Scandinavian cookbook has a recipe for Glögg that sounds like a lost family recipe-not that I personally would be drinking it, but those kind of things should be passed on as family tradition. The Cast Iron cookbook seems to have some unique recipes, too. I'm looking forward to reading the Plant Science book. Sadly, the only botany study I had in school was during Biology 102 or something like that. I've never had any kind of botanical or horticultural training, so I am quite excited to be taking this via homeschool (bet you thought it was just for kids, HA!)

As an Earth Day bonus, we stopped at Ava's on the way back and she gave me some verbena (Purple, homestead type) a cutting of anise hyssop, some creek irises, and a nearly dead Scotch Moss that needs ICU treatment. Woohoo! Books and plants to boot!