This year’s Earth Day brought us the first truly warm day of the year. It was a welcome relief after a late snow storm left us with several inches of unexpected snow (which I stubbornly refused to shovel from my driveway). The snow made me particularly nervous for the tender new growth of spring, but green sprouts peered through the undergrowth on our Earth Day hike. It seems life finds a way to endure, despite it all.

I’ll admit, when we began our hike, I had hoped to stumble across a dye plant or two, but the spring foliage was still too fresh for harvesting. We were lucky enough, though, to spot other things hidden throughout the forest, and a cacophony of spring peepers accompanied our walk. A tiny garter snake terrified Gabby, our big dog, but the rest of us loved watching him weave through the grass (note the hint of red near his underbelly–what a handsome snake!). Gabby made up for her cowardice; she located the bony remnant of an unknown critter, and Sprout (the Jack Russell) proudly carried it down the trail.

Overall, it was a perfect spring day that made me feel all the more grateful for our planet– truly the very spirit of Earth Day. I hope that others made the most of this beautiful day to get outside and appreciate nature.