earth day

i am thankful for...

the sound of birds chirping, the feel of warm sunshine on my face, the way that spring smells like mustard and cut grass, the impossible blueness of caribbean waters, the way that the sound of a babbling creek breaks through the perfect silence of mountain air, getting lost in a summer breeze, the shadows cast by the early morning sun, the sound of rain on the ground or the roof or the porch, the way that cold winter air pierces your lungs when you take a deep breath, the feel of soft grass under my feet, the vibrant colors of sunrise, the feeling of smallness that you get from staring into the night sky, watching the endless motion of a body of water, the way that winter smells like dead leaves and burning wood, the joy of finding a rainbow on a rainy day, the postcard-view from the top of a mountain, the sight of a pristine white landscape that has just been blanketed by fresh luminous snow, dancing in warm sweet summer rain, the feel of being surrounded by more trees than you can count, and the quiet softness of twilight.

happy birthday to julius sterling morton (april 22, 1832 – april 27, 1902) who served as grover cleveland's secretary of agriculture and was also the founder of arbor day.

happy earth day!