HOUSTON – Happy Arbor Day! A celebration of our trees. Today is one I remember well growing up in the 60s although Earth Day came along in 1970 and sort of pushed Arbor Day to the back. As long as we're saving the Earth, we're saving the trees, right? Don't go out on that limb so fast!
You may recall the horrible drought of 2011 when we lost so many trees across Texas. In fact, 301 million rural trees and another 5 million urban trees died that summer! A report is here.
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Memorial Park in 2011
The devastation only increased as the state's worst wildfire broke out in Bastrop County and the scars can still be seen as you drive to Austin today.
Bastrop County Wildfires in 2011
Thousands of acres went up in flames while 1600 homes burned and 2 people lost their life. You can read more here.
Trees are one of the most significant parts of our world and, particularly in Houston, look what we get from them:
Trees make a HUGE difference in our climate!
BRAVO to Missouri City which continues their Memorial Tree project. For a $100 donation, you can have planted a 6-10' tree in memory of a loved one and until Spring 2020 the Nichols Family of Quail Valley will match that! Just go here to participate!
My blog cover tree is the one in front of my house and from a distance my 100-year-old Water Oak stands strong and elegant:
I'll leave you with something else I well remember from the 1960s because I had to memorize it for 4th grade class. Trees by Joyce Kilmer
I think that I shall never see
A poem lovely as a tree.
A tree whose hungry mouth is prest
Against the earth’s sweet flowing breast;
A tree that looks at God all day,
And lifts her leafy arms to pray;
A tree that may in Summer wear
A nest of robins in her hair;
Upon whose bosom snow has lain;
Who intimately lives with rain.
Poems are made by fools like me,
But only God can make a tree.
By the way, Joyce was not only a man, he died at the young age of 32 while on a scouting party during World War I. The poem Trees places him in literary history. Aren't you glad you branched out and read my blog today?
Have a wonderful Arbor Day Weekend!
Frank