How Beautiful the Leaves

How beautiful the leaves grow old.
How full of light and color are their last days.

~John Burrough

Of Note: At www.thehungersite.com you can help several great causes by clicking on CLICK HERE TO GIVE--IT'S FREE at each of the tabs. What's amazing is the act of clicking is the donation. It's simple, and did I emphasize enough yet, it's FREE. What's more, from each tab, e-cards that donate even more can be sent to friends. One I sent around the other day donated seeds to African farmers when a friend just opened the card; another from the literacy section donated a book. That effort ended with over 30,000 books sent to children in need. There's something for everyone with sites for hunger, child health, the rainforest, breast health, animals and literacy. Quotes like the one above from the rainforest section will inspire. Go ahead--try it out. Make it a habit every day. You will be glad you did.

Today's Weather Report: I opened the blinds this morning to see at least 4 inches of new snow on the ground. It was beautiful and looked like a warm, white blanket across the landscape. The perennials underneath do consider snow a blanket. Without it, many would likely die when the 30 below temps hit in January. One year with no snow and temps like that, we lost 50% of our plants, even the hardy ones that are never supposed to die. As my husband says, never say never, especially in the far north woods of Wisconsin. Fall finally came to north Texas this past month, trailing us by a good 6 to 8 weeks, and Marie snapped these two stunning photos of autumn leaves gracefully dying in her neighborhood.
Watch For Change Snippet: It will be with little fanfare that on Monday, December 8, the Great Lakes Compact will go into effect. However, there should be at least a marching band and drum roll. This unprecedented international agreement between two Canadian provinces and the eight states that border the Great Lakes, which comprises one-fifth of the world's fresh surface water, will "usher in a new era of conservation and cooperation." Specifically, the compact prohibits long-distance and large-scale diversions of water from the Great Lakes while encouraging conservation. Speedy passage of the measure in less than three years was prompted by threats to the supply including mass diversions for water bottling plants, manufacturing and irrigation as well as rumbles from the Western USA and China about piping or shipping the water out. The Secretary of the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources proclaimed: "This is a great day for Wisconsin, the Great Lakes Region and the world community. The Great Lakes is an international treasure. The compact assures they'll be the foundation for a healthy economy and a healthy environment for generations to come."