Happy Earth Day Weekend (And Arbor Day Week)!

We've come to that time of year. Both Earth Day and Arbor Day are upon us. I was always a little baffled at the difference between the two holidays, so close to each other and seemingly so similar--why wouldn't they just be the same day? Naturally, I did what any scholar would do to research the matter: I Googled it.

And I found that Arbor Day came first (but is always the last Friday in April), a day established to appreciate the natural environment and, traditionally, show that appreciation by planting a tree.

Earth Day came a little after, with more of an emphasis on the "Reduce, Reuse, Recycle" motto. It was meant to make us mindful of our overconsumption of resources and creation of pollution. In a way, Earth Day has actually expanded to the other 364 days of the year, as we are so conscious of how very "Green" we are being.

Both days are respectable and come from the purest of intentions, but I actually find the idea of Arbor Day to be more generally positive (and totally romantic!). Though I won't be planting a tree this weekend, I plan on giving a hearty squeeze to the Magnolia in front of my house. Oh, and there's this: