monarch on asclepias, 7 Aug 2012 by mmwm
Today is the International Day of Happiness. The UN designation of The International Day of Happiness is for Wed., March 20th, which is also the first day of spring this year. Let us celebrate !!!! (see here)
What can make one happier than planning your garden if you are in areas where it is still too cold to plant and to be working in your garden if you live in areas warm enough to plant?
On this International Day of Happiness think about how happy you will be when the flowers you love will be blooming in your garden. Flowers that bring joy not only to you, your family and friends, but your neighbors and people who walk and drive by your yard as well as the insects, birds and animals that survive because of you. Today bring out those catalogs and check off your list all the flowering plants you will grow in your garden this summer.
This year please don’t forget to plant flowers and plants that the Monarch butterflies need to survive. Plant the native Asclepias or Milkweed for the Monarchs- google up the Asclepias plants that grow in your area and plant them for Monarch butterflies. In Texas a website for the different Asclepias is listed here. I am sure that you have read or heard the news about how depleted the Monarch butterflies are this year, the third straight year for the decline. How will we celebrate any International Day of Happiness in the future if we lose the Monarch butterfly to extinction? So plan for your garden to invite butterflies of all sorts. Here is a list of plants to add to your garden for all the butterflies of North America. (see here) If you live in any other part of the world, plant the plants butterflies in your area need to survive. (see here)
On the International Day of Happiness think of the delicious fruits and vegetables you will be harvesting this summer, fruits and vegetables that are so much more delicious than any you can buy in your local supermarket. How happy will summer eating be for you when it is fresh picked from your very own backyard? And if you are lucky and have the space, you might even have enough to preserve for the winter or to give to family and friends.
If these thoughts don’t make you Happy on this International Day of Happiness or any other day, I don’t know what will.
So my toast for a HAPPY International Day of Happiness to all my readers.