Happy Earth Day!  As touted on the Earth Day Network’s Facebook page:

“Today is a day of action. Attend a local Earth Day event, plant a tree, write to your elected officials, or simply commit to living more sustainably. Every little action counts.”

As I looked for a photo to represent each of the four seasons in Minnesota, I almost gave up on Spring . . . more often than not, Spring is but a fleeting thought sandwiched between winter and summer (or quite often spring-like weather starts late and steals a large part of our summer away with cold, rainy days throughout June).

“When one tugs at a single thing in nature, he finds it attached to the rest of the world.” ~ John Muir

Summers are late in coming and never long enough, but a perfect summer day in Northern Minnesota is one you will remember.  The Land of 10,000 Lakes has countless bodies of water from which to watch the sunset.

“We do not inherit the earth from our ancestors, we borrow it from our children.” ~ Native American Proverb

Fall is one of my favorite seasons.  The crunch of leaves beneath my feet as I hike along a forest trail, the amazing array of colors changing daily on the trees, along with the fall flowers, and the crispness in the air.

“In wildness is the preservation of the world.” ~  Henry David Thoreau

Winter . . . . well, what can I say about winter this year?  Its beauty has overstayed its welcome, and is wearing on all of us as we wait for the snow that has been on the ground since early December to fully melt and show us signs of Spring!  But, almost as if to direct attention to Earth Day’s message and remind us of the crazy weather patterns that climate change brings, Spring must wait another day as another winter storm is forecast for tonight.  *sigh*

“Never doubt that a small group of thoughtful, committed individuals can change the world; indeed it’s the only thing that ever has.” ~ Margaret Mead

We had our energy audit done this month, and will be working on some energy-conserving projects throughout the year, sealing up those hidden drafty spots in our century-old house (a never-ending battle), installing power-saving power strips, and replacing the few remaining incandescent light bulbs with CFL’s or LED bulbs.  Small steps perhaps, but every small step adds up to change.  What are you doing to celebrate Earth Day?

Ciao! ~ Kat