It’s the New Year and we are now four days into whatever
resolutions that glass of champagne bubbled out of us (mine: Drink more water!).
So now that I’ve had a few days to think about others, here are some of the
resolutions I would make for myself … and you’re welcome to use any of
them for yourself.
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| I learned about this guy in 2013 (Cupido comyntas) |
Continue to learn new things – see a new bug or a new bird? Work
to identify it and learn more about it. I always try to take a quick picture,
even if it is blurry, to help remember the details. Researching helps me get
more involved, learning more about it and other things along the way.
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| I'd like to learn to identify more birds by sight and sound |
Try new things – find a club, go to a meeting. I’ve been
wanting to learn more about birds, so Georgia Audubon looks like a good choice.
I’ll learn new things, and I might help other people learn something that I
know.
Be active – go on a hike, get moving, learn as you go. Georgia Botanical Society has over 50 hikes scheduled for 2014. To help me stay committed, I’m inviting other people to go with me. (That also helps me stay in touch with friends!)
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| Betula nigra, river birch, is #4 on the list and grows naturally near me; I find it very appealing. |
Incorporate more diverse plants into the landscape. I’ll
start by reviewing the top 20 list of plants compiled by Doug Tallamy to see if
some of the ones I don't have are appropriate for my space.
I hope your resolutions include learning about or doing more with native plants. This blog contains a search feature in the top left corner - feel free to search for previous blog topics (such as "evergreens") to find information. Here's to a great New Year!
Excellent goals! I will steal a few of these too...I like the idea of inviting a friend along for a hike! Cheers to a productive 2014!
ReplyDeleteI want to learn more birds by sight and sound, too. Happy New year!
ReplyDeleteEllen,
ReplyDeleteAs I read your post, I often thought, "Hey, I do that!" It was not until I got to the "join a club" one that I realized I've been putting that off. I had asked about a native plant society and found there is none near me, but was told that several of the Master Gardeners are very interested in natives...so, I guess I'd better look into when they have their meetings at the local garden club.
I love how you explained that not squashing a bug "because it could have a purpose or might just be a meal for something else" is an excellent thing to teach children (and any adults who are willing to listen). I'm sure to use your explanation in the future. (For the record, I either let spiders be in the house, or put them outside...bugs go out too. Over Thanksgiving I found out that my siblings do the same! My brother said it was how we were raised...funny that I could never picture him doing that. It was good to hear. ...Oh, and I have a couple of snags on our property. :) )
Great suggestions. Let's hope more people adopt them.