Make a difference tonight...I am

From http://www12.earthhourus.org/

On March 29, 2008 at 8 p.m., join millions of people around the world in making a statement about climate change by turning off your lights for Earth Hour, an event created by the World Wildlife Fund.

Earth Hour was created by WWF in Sydney, Australia in 2007, and in one year has grown from an event in one city to a global movement. In 2008, millions of people, businesses, governments and civic organizations in nearly 200 cities around the globe will turn out for Earth Hour. More than 100 cities across North America will participate, including the US flagships–Atlanta, Chicago, Phoenix and San Francisco and Ottawa, Montreal, Toronto and Vancouver. View cities involved around the world.

We invite everyone throughout North America and around the world to turn off the lights for an hour starting at 8 p.m. (your own local time)–whether at home or at work, with friends and family or solo, in a big city or a small town.

What will you do when the lights are off? We have lots of ideas.

Join people all around the world in showing that you care about our planet and want to play a part in helping to fight climate change. Don’t forget to sign up and let us know you want to join Earth Hour.

One hour, America. Earth Hour. Turn out for Earth Hour!

"Cotton" Trees

There is a small one or two week period in the spring that I love and as an added bonus usually pops up as a surprise to me. The Bradford Pear flowers in the spring with white buds that when I first saw them reminded me of cotton - hence my nickname. A good year will have the flowers stay for a good two week, with bright, full tree coverage. They then begin growing green leaves and resemble a normal tree.

It is really a nice surprise when they bloom in spring. I am aware that they will do this each year, of course, but I tend to forget when it will happen. This is a very popular tree in my area (and in most that are hospitable to the tree) and makes for a truly splendid viewing. This year was a little different as we had a rare snow storm. I was enjoying the snowy look of our town and thought that was a lot of snow on the trees. As I looked more closely, I realized that my cotton trees were blooming as well. It was cool seeing the whole area white, then as the snow melted the Bradford Pears trees in full bloom. Some are still blooming now - this is truly a great year!