In Celebration of Trees on the Autumnal Equinox

By Michelle S. RSS Wed, September 22, 2010

Though it certainly doesn't feel like it here in Philly (I thought we were done with this whole 90-degree-temperatures business!), today is the first day of autumn--my favorite season. Hopefully soon, I'll be able to pack away my short sleeves for good and break out my plaid scarves and beat-up boots as the air turns crisp and the leaves turn color.

I lived for several years in a part of the country dominated by tall pines, so seeing the bright displays of deciduous fall color is a highlight of the season for me. If trees are your thing, too, why not listen to the Free Library's great Author Events podcast with David Allen Sibley, author of the delightfully comprehensive Sibley's Guide to Trees? 

Trees (both literal and metaphorical) also play an integral part in some of my favorite books:

The Giving Tree by Shel Silverstein: Who doesn't get weepy at this bittersweet classic about a boy who grows to manhood and old age thanks to the generosity of a tree who doesn't ask for anything in return?

A Tree Grows in Brooklyn by Betty Smith: This touching, simple story of a smart young girl trying to find beauty in her sometimes ugly, poverty-stricken life is an engaging and memorable read.

Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson: This award-winning YA novel tells the powerful story of 14-year-old Melinda Sordino, who finds herself a social outcast freshman year after calling the cops to an end-of-summer party. Retreating into herself, Melinda must find the words to speak the truth about why she placed that phone call, bringing to light the secret she's been struggling with the entire school year. Unfortunately, Speak has been the recent target of a book banning attempt in Missouri, which Anderson has been chronicling in her fantastic blog.

 


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The Giving Tree is one of my favorite books of all time! Thank you for reminding me. Happy Autumn to you! Kind regards.
Thursday, September 23, 2010

I feel so happy to have the chance to make a speech. The title of my speech is Protect the Environment, Protect Ourselves. I hope you will like it. Everybody knows waste paper and used coke cans are discarded everywhere. You might have seen plastic bags flying in the sky and getting caught in the trees when the wind blows or maybe you have seen old cans floating in the rivers and polluting the water. Our environment is the place in which we live, but it is being ruined by us. There is a story about house and trees. It is said that a man's house was surrounded by a lot of trees. Though the wind was strong, that man could have a good rest under the trees. How comfortable the life was! One day, that man wanted to enlarge his house, so he cut down all the trees. Then the autumn came without the protection. The strong wind blew the roof of the house into the sky. The whole house was gone with the wind. What a pity! But that's the price people have to pay for destroying in the ecology balance. People shouldn't be short-sighted. Protecting the environment is everyone's task. As you know, there are four kinds of pollution. They are air pollution, water pollution, waste pollution and noise pollution. But what can we do to solve the pollution? I think, firstly, we can make cars that don't pollute the environment. We can ask companies to use modern clean technology. In some big cities, we can limit the number of cars. Secondly, we can try to use less water and make sure that we do not pollute the water. We can tell factories that they are not allowed to pour waste water into the lakes and rivers. Thirdly, we should not throw rubbish in parks and cities. We can pick up rubbish if we see it. We can put more rubbish bins in our parks and cities. Fourthly, we can live far from the noise and make the laws to limit the noise. The air, water and the whole atmosphere directly influenced our lives, such as the air, people may cough and it will lead to cancer. So we must try our best to keep the world clean and tidy. To reach it, I want to put forward three points to everybody---Point 1: don't spit and liter; Point 2: don't draw on the wall; Point 3: clean the streets every day. In order to make the environment clean, let's join our hands together to make the world better.
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Thursday, October 28, 2010