This week’s theme, “Earth Day,” is inspired by 2024’s recognition of Earth Day, which originated on April 22, 1970.
“On Earth Day, we celebrate all the gifts the world and nature make available to us. We recognize our complete dependence on its bounty. And we acknowledge the need for good stewardship to preserve its fruits for future generations.” ~ John Hoeven
If you are a wilderness geek like me, you might know that today, April 21st is the 179th birthday of John Muir. If you didn’t know, let me tell you why he may have been considered (in my eyes) one of the most important men on Planet Earth.
John Muir was a Scottish-American naturalist, author, environmental philosopher, and early advocate of preserving wilderness in the United States. He was the founder of the Sierra Club.
“He traveled to California in the spring of 1868 and explored the high country of the Sierra Nevada, making California his life-long home.” ~ Sierra Club
His life is celebrated by the existence of Yosemite National Park, which he was instrumental in establishing in 1890.
President Teddy Roosevelt was influenced by Muir and as a result, “set aside 148 million acres of forest reserves, created 50 regions for the protection of wildlife, founded 16 national monuments and established 5 new national parks.” ~ National Park Service: John Muir
In fact, any of us who have enjoyed the outdoors has surely been inspired by Muir’s famous quotes:
“Everyone needs beauty as well as bread, places to play in and pray in where nature may heal and cheer and give strength to body and soul alike” – John Muir, 1869
Now that you are properly inspired by John Muir’s writings and the idea of Earth Day join me in sharing your favorite places and spaces Mother Earth has to offer. 🌎
U.S. National Parks
“Within National Parks is room–glorious room–room in which to find ourselves, in which to think and hope, to dream and plan, to rest and resolve.” — naturalist Enos Mills
American SouthWest
“The desert, when the sun comes up. I couldn’t tell where Heaven stopped and the Earth began.” ~ Tom Hanks
The Earth is a Watery Place
“Water flows from high in the mountains. Water runs deep in the Earth. Miraculously, water comes to us and sustains all life.” ~ Nhat Hanh
Heavenly Gifts Viewed from Earth
“The moon is the first milestone on the road to the stars.” – Arthur C. Clarke
What Can You Do to Honor Our Earth?
This article lists 13 things you can do to help the Earth daily. Some include those that I do regularly.
- Use your own grocery bags
- Re-use your coffee mug and water bottle (we do this on road trips too)
- Buy in-season produce or grow your own
- Support your local growers and buy their produce at Farmer’s Markets.
- Plant Your own garden
- Participate in a local clean-up
Having spent 11 lovely summers at the Sacramento River Delta, we often spent a day volunteering in a planned clean-up sponsored by various local groups.
Wind turbines loom over the wind sports area in the delta.
Plant Your Own Garden
Or plant flowers…
“The Earth Laughs in Flowers.” ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson
Inspiring Photo Challenges This Week
Each week, I find inspiration from my fellow bloggers’ photo challenges. I enjoy incorporating these into my Sunday Stills weekly themes. Special shout-out to Jane Lurie’s Earth Day post–it’s not to be missed!
Sunday Stills Photo Challenge Reminders
The Sunday Stills weekly-themed photo challenge is easy to join. You have all week to share and link your post.
- Remember to title your blog post a little differently than mine.
- Please create a new post for the theme or link a recent one.
- Entries for this theme can be posted all week.
- Tag your post “Sunday Stills.”
- Don’t forget to create a pingback to this post so that other participants can read your post.
- I also recommend adding your post’s URL to the comments.
This Week’s Featured Bloggers
Sunday Stills is a wonderful community of bloggers, poets, artists, and photographers who desire to connect with one another. Below are this week’s links from bloggers sharing their photos inspired by Earth Day. I add these all week as new links are posted. Please comment on my post if you link your post to Sunday Stills and wish to be included in each week’s listed round-up.
- YOUR BLOG’S NAME GOES HERE…
- The 59 Club
- Always Write
- Between the Lines
- Bushboys World
- Cee’s Photo Challenges
- The Day After
- Deb’s World
- Equipoise Life
- Frost on the Moose Dung
- Geriatrix Fotogallery
- Graham’s Island
- Hugh’s Views and News
- Live Laugh RV
- Loving Life
- Philosophy Through Photography
- Quaint Revival
- Tranature
- Travel with Me
- Walkin’, Writin’, Wit & Whimsy
- Wind Kisses
- Working on Exploring
I can’t wait to see how you interpret Earth Day this week! Join me next week as we explore the theme of “National Kids and Pets Day.”
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