Be the Tree

28 April 2017 – Astro-Weather: As twilight fades in the west, spot Aldebaran & Mars to the lower right of the crescent Moon

Gray Crawford

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What is told as “history” today must first cease to be called “history.” In not too distant a future, instead of speaking of all the things contained in history as it is told today, people will speak of the spiritual impulses standing behind the historical evolution, impulses which are only perceived as if in a dream by human beings. These are the spiritual impulses that call man to freedom, and make him free, because they raise him to the world from which intuition, inspiration, and imagination come. For what happens outwardly on the physical plane, what constitutes outer history loses its meaning as soon as it has occurred, if not seen as a spiritual impulse… What is now called “history” is a “corpse-history” compared with the reality of what constitutes karma”. ~Historical Necessity and Freewill Lecture 5, by Rudolf Steiner, Dornach, 15 December, 1917

Rudolf Steiner’s Lectures on this day 

ON THIS DAY IN HISTORY

Arbor Day – The first Arbor Day took place in 1872 in Nebraska. It was the brainchild of Julius Sterling Morton, a journalist & politician. Throughout his career, Morton worked to improve agricultural techniques when he served as President Grover Cleveland’s Secretary of Agriculture. But his most important legacy is Arbor Day.

Morton set an example by planting orchards, shade trees & wind breaks. He proposed that a special day be set aside dedicated to tree planting & increasing awareness of the importance of trees.  Nebraska’s first Arbor Day was an amazing success.  More than one million trees were planted.

Today all 50 states celebrate Arbor Day although the dates may vary in keeping with the local climate, usually the last Friday in April.  Arbor Day is also now celebrated in other countries including Australia.  Variations are celebrated as ‘Greening Week’ of Japan, ‘The New Year’s Days of Trees’ in Israel, ‘The Tree-loving Week’ of Korea, ‘The Reforestation Week’ of Yugoslavia, ‘The Students’ Afforestation Day’ of Iceland & ‘The National Festival of Tree Planting’ in India.  Julius Sterling Morton would be proud.  Sometimes one good idea can make a real difference.

For the homeowner, Arbor Day is an excellent opportunity to take stock of the trees on your property & plan for the future. Inspect your trees. Note any broken branches or evidence of disease or insect infestation. Think about how planting new trees might improve the look of your property or provide wind or heat protection.  Take a trip to your local nursery to see what’s available to get new ideas. Walk around your neighborhood. Are there any public areas where tree planting or tree maintenance might make a real difference to your community?  Talk with your neighbors.  Find out what their opinions are.  And, oh yes, plant a tree.

1945 – Benito Mussolini & his mistress Clara Petacci are executed by a firing squad consisting of members of the Italian resistance movement

1967 –Boxer Muhammad Ali refuses his induction into the United States Army & is subsequently stripped of his championship and license

1969 – Charles de Gaulle resigns as President of France.

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Rick Stevens

 

POD (Poem Of the Day)

~I come
To the stony place hidden
In the nook of a willow
By the great inland sea
It has the shape of memory
In its fragrance
My weeping unfurls
Into the earth
To be taken
Up by the thirsty laurel
Which bursts into bloom
With the souls of the dead
Like pale yellow flowers yet to come
Again like Spring
~hag

 

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