Earth Day - April 22, 2009

Blank Beauty

Beautiful blank pages

kiss our

imaginations

with backgrounds

that demand precision.

Our black letters cross

on tightrope lines,

curving

without wavering

across deep, invisible currents.

These beautiful blank pages

are promises of our

reflections.

Our gentlest strokes

of darkness upon light.

Graham Park Adoption and Earth Day Celebration.

Clients and staff participated in several celebratory activities. We started early in the morning digging a perennial garden bed in front of the park sign and loosened soil around the trees. We planted over a hundred donated Iris bulbs. The bulbs were donated by the medicine man of the Karuk Tribe in Yreka, CA. He was thinning his garden to make room for potatoes. He was happy to donate them and was pleased to hear we had such a successful event. This was a learning experience for our clients. They learned to use a bulb planting tool and really enjoyed the act of planting them. Next, wildflower and perennial seeds were sown and spread into the fresh soil. Everyone was given an opportunity to give an offering of blessed Indian tobacco and crystals to bless the new garden and give thanks for the donations. A general park clean up was done with weeding and trash pick up. Clients who could not participate cheered us on and enjoyed the spring day.

Another group of clients participated in a community clean up activity. They picked up trash in the neighborhood.

Indoors, the staff offered Earth Day activities for fun and education. Examples were making pet rocks for the garden. Earth Day puzzles and other art projects were offered. Educational groups about earth saving behaviors and a Planet Earth video was appreciated.