Do the Earth Day Thing

Earth Day: releasing of lady bugsYes, yes .. many people are celebrating International Earth Day today. I'll go release some lady bugs in a friend's yard shortly; in the Spring, garden centers carry packs of about 5,000 half-hibernating lady bugs for about $5. Earth Day: releasing of lady bugsI started this practice while living and going to school in Santa Cruz. "It's a good thing" - Martha Steward. Afterwards, I'll order an Earth Day Happy Meal from the local fast-food joint and nap under a tree as the clouds lazily drift across the blue horizon. [click on images to enlarge]

Though Cesar Chavez Day is less sexy than Earth Day, it seems that we ought to link both days in our celebrations; teaching about agriculture as a renewal resource is key to saving the planet. The Wisdom Keepers of the Mohawk Nation teach their people to respect the land, and that "...everything [we] do affects the Seventh Generation and we must think of the unborn faces looking up from beneath Mother Earth."

With not much else to do today, I'll be dreaming of tomorrow: International 24 Hour Comics Day. Cartoonists all over will face the challenge: to create a complete 24 page comic book in 24 continuous hours. Time to dust off the pad of parchment and sharpen my graphite pencils. This should be fun; looking forward to seeing all the Wonder Women and X-Men.
tags: ........
another point of view ...

Anonymous Anonymous


What a great idea! I'm going to Home Depot right now and get some ladybugs. My daughters will absolutely love releasing them. Thanks for sharing this idea.

Here's an idea for you: springle some wildflower seeds in an abandon lot. With all the rain we've been getting, it'll be wonderful this summer!

- Sandy
 

Anonymous Anonymous


It's too late for me to get some Lady-Bugs today, but I'll have to remember this for next year. - Lucille
 

Blogger True Jersey Girl


Wow, I never heard of the lady bug thing! I wonder if they do that here in NJ? It wouold be a great tradition to start with my daughter (who, incidentally, loves ladybugs).
 

Blogger Nam LaMore


sandy: oh, i've done the 'sow mystery seed' before .. but it was in front of a police precinct, and they weren't wildflowers. 4:20 was not just a time of day :-)

lucille: well, it's ever too late, you can release them in a few days (bike to work day) .. just tell people you're sparing the air in your own way!

truejerseygirl: i'm not sure if it's a tradition with anyone else; i just did it cuz it seemed like a 'santa cruz thang' to do at the time .. and i've been shelling out $20 each year for this. well, time to go release my lovely ladies!
 

Blogger Unknown


Linking C Chaves and Earth Day together is a good idea. I think next year I will join you in releasing ladybugs. I did plant a few more veggies on earth day. But, then again I have been doing that everyday.
 

Blogger Nam LaMore


mquest: it's very relaxing to see as each of the ladies take wing; some, of course, linger about waiting for a gentle breeze to give them a lift. how are those peppers going? be careful of touching your eyes when you pick them, less the capsicum send you to an immediate culinary hell.
 

Blogger Nam LaMore


love hurts: i'm really surprise to hear that you can't get ladybugs to release into the garden; i bet you can purchase them from some of the online outlets that focus on organic gardening. the brits are famous the world over for their appreciation of gardening.

it wouldn't surprise me if you hadn't seem the ladybugs for sale at local shops because they can't keep up with the demand and are always out-of-stocked when you're at the garden centers!
 

Anonymous Anonymous


What a nice way to spend Earth Day - napping under a tree. I had to work the world day, and, what's worst, I think printed a few documents that my boss said to reprint because the font was just a bit too small for her. Bitch. I probably killed a whole orchard for her stupid report. I told her it was Earth Day and we should conserve. She just said, "So?" Bitch.

I think I'll be looking for a new job after my birthday (next week).

- Darlene M
 

Blogger Nam LaMore


darlene: sorry to hear that your boss wasn't very earth-friendly on the one day that you would expect people to relax a bit. i wonder if that means she'll go buy a hummer suv on 'bike to work' days. she does sound like a b*tch. if you get a new job, ask them about their values first .. that's one thing i often ask about during interviews; it's mostly so i can share with them my values, just so we both know what we're getting ourselves into. :-)

good luck with the job hunt! let me know how it goes!
 

Blogger Unknown


Touching your eyes is a must have experience. It is odd--all you can think about is finding running water. All other thought ends. The peppers are fine. I will bring up pics later.
 

Blogger Nam LaMore


mquest: oh my! sounds like you have the start of a very spicey haiku:

Rubbing eyes til red
Stings mind until numbed and dumbed
Water, where is she?
 

speak up!


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