How many people think about the value of a tree?

Have you? I find myself being drawn to their beauty. I think my mother instilled this wonder about trees in me. She would always say, "Did you see how beautiful that tree on so and so street was?"or "We passed the most gorgeous tree on the way home today?" She always made sure that I noticed! I think I've been the same way with my boys. I do believe that they have gained the same appreciation for them as I have.

I have been studying lately about a new problem children in our society are facing called Nature Deficit Disorder. Children, today, are spending so much time indoors and not enough time outside where they can breathe the fresh oxygen these stately treasures give us. There is a new initiative coming down called No Child Left Inside. It focuses on getting kids outside where they can experience nature. I will write more about that later, but for now, I think it's important that we all pay attention to the TREES. Appreciate them!!! Respect them!!! Care for them!!! Without them, we couldn't survive!!!

Butterflies

Yesterday, I saw a beautiful Tiger Swallowtail. It was a large, yellow butterfly with black, vertical stripes. Seeing it, made me think about my Tulip Poplar trees. For those of you who do not know, Tulip Poplar Trees are a host plant for this butterfly. They lay their eggs on it. By having this tree, I am helping these butterflies multiply. I thought about my trees because the recent storm was very hard on them. My beautiful, stately trees are now mangled messes. Some people think we should cut one of them down, but I'm not going to do it. I love my trees and as long as they are producing leaves for the Tiger Swallowtails, I'm going to leave them alone!!