International Earth Day 2020

Today is International Earth Day...it seems ironic that it's also the first day of Spring 2020. It doesn't feel much like spring with all the chaos that has literally brought our land almost to a complete halt in our daily activities and lives because of the Coronavirus disease (COVID-19). I'm not going to discuss this pandemic any longer as, like many of you, I'm over it already...I'm ready for life to get back to the norm - whatever that looks like and then again, we may never be back to the normal way of doing things. 

International Earth Day was proposed in 1969 by McConnell at a UNESCO meeting in San Francisco. The idea was "to celebrate the need to preserve and renew the threatened ecological balance upon which all life on Earth depends." John McConnell had his reasons for keeping the vernal equinox as International Earth Day. One is it is the first day of spring and a time of renewal. But more importantly, it also the time when day and night are equal throughout the planet. It is a time of perfect balance and a reminder to us of how we need to live, in harmony and balance.

Many times, Earth Day consists of people cleaning up the environment by picking up trash and debris from the local parks, streets, waterways, beaches, planting trees and sometimes, even planting gardens. Like Mr. McConnell believed, Earth Day is about bringing balance and harmony back to our planet. 

Today, there aren't many people out picking up the trash and debris from the parks, or the beaches, or the streets because of Covid-19. However, there are many individuals who are doing other things for International Earth Day as well as preparing for Earth Day next month. I'm going to share a story of one of those people...

Earlier in the day, one of my cousins (who I met through a cousin's Facebook group that I started for Descendants of my 2nd Great Grandfather) posted on her wall - a number and asked people to leave that particular photo from their phones or computer on the comment thread. Watching the different photos populate, one caught my eye. 

Mason's Garden

When I saw this photo, I commented asking if they were planting a garden. I thought it funny because 'garden' conversations have been on my mind and in my dialogs now for about two weeks with different individuals. In fact, the other morning before my husband left for work - I mentioned to him, that we needed to plant a garden this year and his reaction was, 'a garden'? LOL - Now mind you...this was BEFORE all the chaos in our world really came to a screeching halt! 

Mason replied, "figured I’d teach the kids while they were out of school and never know when we can’t make it to the stores in the future". I thought that it was awesome and commendable that this father would take the time to teach his kids about a garden. WOW - - 

Only meeting Mason a few weeks ago from the same cousin FB group mentioned above, I don't know much about his family just yet. Since I've been sick, I haven't had the opportunity of working on my family tree to update it yet with all the new family members I've had the wonderful opportunity of meeting. In my mind, I was thinking about his comment and his kids. I thought, they must be young since he was taking time to 'teach' them about cultivating the soil, tilling the soil, preparing the ground for the garden, planting the seeds, etc. The more I thought about this picture and his comment, I knew what I wanted to write about for International Earth Day 2020. 

I messaged Mason asking permission to use his photograph and his comment, then I asked the ages of his kids. I didn't want their names for the blog out of respect and privacy of his family. He graciously said I could use the photo and indicated he had posted more out on his FB page of some of the seeds and plants. I thanked him with a big AWESOME!!!

I clicked over and snagged the pictures. A few minutes later, he replied with the ages..."My son is 12 and my daughter is 15". I sat there...thinking back to when I was 12 years old and 15 years old, I sure didn't want to be out in the garden with dad while he pulled/hoed the weeds, or watered the plants or even picked the garden. I'm amazed by the family dynamic Mason has with his family. For this father to want to teach his kids in the 21st century 'how' to plant a garden just in case they can't get to the stores in the future was awesome to me. 

I wonder how many other families are doing things like this together at their homes right now being on lockdown since they can't go out and about to the amusement parks, the museums, the movies, go on their vacations, participate in spring break trips versus being in front of the television sets, or other electronic devices? If I could, I'd be outside planting flowers and putting my bird feeders out - but since I'm on home quarantine from a recent hospitalization - I am stuck. I don't have the television on though and I am trying to be useful with my time by working on a few crafting projects as my energy levels rise. 

Planting a garden...that is a concept. Many of our grandparents worked the soil for their meals, their parents worked the foil for their meals and so on...our generation, not so much. I'm amazed when I drive down the road and see a garden in someone's yard. I immediately think back to mom and dad's 3/4-acre garden back in the day...the food was delicious throughout the year that they canned and preserved. Today, I wished I'd taken more interest, but I was too busy being a teenager and didn't think I needed to help pull the weeds! I sure did enjoy the harvest though...

Looking at the other photos Mason posted, my heart jumped with joy thinking about his bounty that would be growing over the course of the next few weeks and months. My mouth began to water thinking about the juicy watermelons, the fresh green beans or even an ear of fresh corn on the cob.

When I snagged the photos from Mason's FB page, this is what he had commented, "The kid's first week of homeschooling went well. Planted Watermelons, Cantaloupes, Corn, Tomatoes, Cucumbers, Purple Hull Peas, Bell Peppers, Okra, Elderberry, 2 Peach Trees, 2 Apple trees and 2 Pear trees. Next week they will plant some more Watermelons and some Peanuts. They also have some school packets to work on".

another view of Mason's garden

The name of the Peach Tree

 

 As I finish writing up this post, I'm floored that families still plant gardens together and want to learn how to eat off the land for those 'just in case' moments in life the way we are experiencing them today. 

Regardless if it's International Earth Day or Earth Day 2020, learning how to bring harmony and balance back into our lives through the simplest things like gardening will prove beneficial to the planet. My dad always said, 'if we learn to work the land - we will never go hungry'. I suppose there is truth in that...today is evidence of that truth because of Covid-19. 

In closing, Mason - I may just have to take a road trip to meet you and your family sooner than the Family Reunion in June. I'll be more than happy to help snap green beans, blanch okra, shuck corn in order to share in your bounty of fresh vegetables! Thanks for letting me use your photos and your comments. Love you cuz!! 

Garden fresh veggies, there's nothing like them in my book! 

Heart to Heart Soul Creations

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