Today I remember my first Earth Day, April 22, 1973.  I was a junior at Warwick HS in Lititz, PA.  Those of us taking biology or the NEW ecology(!) class, like me, got the day out of school to clean up the spring that run through Lititz Springs Park and out to farmland.  We clean the excess algae, trash and junk from the spring head out of town along the railroad tracks.  We removed a washer from the wash, my friends Jorg, Diane, Dan, Mike, Tom, Deb and I.  I always remember that day and have cherished Earth Day ever since.

Today I recycle all that I can but more than I try to reduce waste, reuse everything I can.  I compost.  I haven't gotten a plastic store bag in over a year.  I keep my cloth bags at the ready in the back of my car.

Today I will plant a new trees, some more herbs, sprinkle a few flower seeds in the garden bed, add a few annuals and dig in a few new bulbs.

Every day is Earth Day!

that I am okay alone.  even better than okay.  I need alone time.  It is what helps me thrive.  I could have enjoyed my time with myself more. 

That things don't feel the hole in your heart.  I could have spent less, saved me and not had so much clutter!

That a dog completes me.  I would not have gone so many years without a furry friend (no offense to our kitties)

That I would not always had the energy I had.  I would have hiked and camped out more.

I have many from the redwood forest, the Lassen Volcano, Yellowstone, Lake Louise, camping in the Poconos, hiking in Zion, meditating in Sedona. But on Earth Day my mind goes back to Earth Day 1972, the first one, right?  I was a sophomore at Warwick High School in Lititz, PA.  We got the day out of school to work with our science classes in cleaning up our community.  Lititz is a pretty clean place but when you follow the nature spring out of Lititz Springs Park, you find a lot of junk in it.  We cleaned out cans, bottles, old tires.  By the end of the day we were tired, sunburned, muddy and happy to see the spring flow smoothly.  I kept that memory in my head and find that I often seek it out to reflect on it.

I recycle bottles, cans, newspaper and magazines.  I make my own compost for my garden and recycle all my clippings.  I recycle my grocery store bags.  I use organic and environmentally friendly cleaning supplies.  I only use my dishwasher and clothes washer when I have a full load.  I am changing all of my light bulbs.  I gather the water that flows to get warm for my shower and use it on my plants.  I tried to recycle or reuse all that I can.  And I am always looking for new ideas!

Pets Need A Voice Too and Keep Our Pets Safe (KOPS) have joined forces in calling for a nationwide march this coming Saturday, April 28 to call public attention to the low FDA standards for pet food and the FDA's unacceptably slow response to the pet food recall crisis. Nevada Voters 4 Animals' Gina Griesen and I are working together to organize a march in our community.

We are marching in memory of pets that have lost their lives due to a lack of oversight of their food. We are marching in hope of recovery for those pets who ate tainted food and are fighting for their lives. We march as pet owners, dog lovers, cat lovers and average citizens who are tired of the low safety standards for goods coming into our country and being sold in our stores.

We will meet at Noon this Saturday, April 28 on the sidewalk in front of the U.S. Federal Courthouse located at 333 Las Vegas Blvd South. Please feel free to bring your dogs with you to the march. Please ensure that your pets have current vaccinations and are licensed according to the requirements of your local government entity. You should bring sunscreen and water for yourself and your dog. Please bring materials to address potty needs.

Please forward this information to your friends and post it on the message boards that you belong to.

For more information on this nationwide effort, you can visit www.pnv2.com. The color of the campaign is brown, in case you and your dog would like to dress accordingly. Please feel free to bring signs, posters, etc.

Hearings into the FDA response are being conducted tomorrow on Capitol Hill, so stay tuned.

Donna West

 had no idea that when I wrote and posted my first online petition that it would draw so much attention.  I wrote out the petition at http://www.thepetitionsite.com/ to recall Nevada Governor Jim Gibbons.  I am just disgusted with his duck and cover over a myrid of ethical charges.  So I thought that I would see who else felt the same way, hence, the online petition.

I posted it here, on zaadz and on my care2connect.com page.  The next thing I knew, I am getting calls from the media.  They tracked me down to talk to me about this petition.  That just blew me away.  But take a look at these reports --

http://www.kvbc.com/Global/SearchResults.asp?vendor=wss&qu=recall

http://www.lasvegasnow.com/global/video/popup/pop_player.asp?ClipID1=1356920&h1=Woman%20Launches%20Website%20to%20Recall%20Gov.%20Gibbons&vt1=v&at1=News%20-%20Special%20Coverage&d1=157300&LaunchPageAdTag=News&activePane=info&playerVersion=1&hostPageUrl=http%3A//www.lasvegasnow.com/Global/story.asp%3FS%3D6349630&rnd=64277681

Just blows me away.  And they didn't paint me as some whacko or dummy.  wow.

Only 3 months in office and this governor is the worst in the nation.  He is unethical and a liar.  Before being elected we learned that he hired an illegal immigrant to be a nanny in his home.  He paid her cash.  Then he fired her when she was honest about her legal status and employment.

He was accused of molesting a single mom who works as a cocktail waitress.  They were out drinking when he walked her alone to her car.  Why would he let a drunk lady drive?  No matter how he spins it, he was wrong.

The FBI is investigating him for accepting free travel and favors from a company vying for federal contracts while he was a congressman.

And now we learn that his wife got a high paying verbal contract with another company looking for federal contracts.

Enough is enough.  This man is not the guy the voters thought he was.

To top it off he has done nothing since taking office.  Nothing!  He isn't working with the Legislature.  They are halfway through their biennial session and he has accomplished exactly nothing.

It is time for him to realize that his 29% approval (71% disapproval) rating is saying something.

To view/sign the petition, please go to:    http://www.thepetitionsite.com/takeaction/748805536 

My miniature schnauzer, Lily, who is not yet 18 months old, and I have been volunteering as a pet therapy team for almost 5 months now.

We have worked in a hospice, visiting patients, their visitors and staff.  Lately we have started visiting our community's children's home.  There has been an overwhelming increase in the number of children in the system and at this place.  They are housing twice the number of children they had at the beginning of the year.

Lily's energy is magical with kids.  She will sit patiently while 10 kids (that 20 small hands) reach out to touch her.  And touch her mouth, pull her beard and her ears, pick up her paws.  And she just sits there patiently till the kids settle down and begin to pet her nicely.  If there is a child in tears, Lily will single that child out and sit next to him or her till the tears stop.  Lily will lick and kiss the tears away.

When we are working in the medically fragile cottage (these are where the babies born with drug addictions and those who have been physically abused are housed) she is at her best.  She will sit next to these kids and let them hug her, lean on her.  With one child today she sat and waited for nearly 30 minutes while this little one got closer and closer till she finally touched Lily.  Lily kissed her hand.  The wide smile on that child's face is something that I will not soon forget.

And we saw the older kids on the playground since school is out for the summer.  These kids love to feed Lily treats and help me walk her on her leash. 

I can feel so low and so sad and sorry for myself when I get there.  But the kids work their magic on me while Lily works her magic on them. 

She's an old soul in that lil furry body and a blessing, to me and everyone she meets.

Namaste'

Donna

My daughter is the best thing I have ever done in my life.  My most important 'job' has been mom and she is my best work.

About a year ago she married a wonderful, kind hearted, loving man.  I was thrilled to be the one she chose to walk her down the aisle.

My son-in-law is a serious, smart, hard-working man.  He was in the Air Force when they met.  He finished his commitment in February.  He's an air traffic controller.  He applied to the FAA and we have been waiting for them to pick him up.

Because of this I have known for a few years that the time would come when my daughter would not only leave the nest but leave her home state.  She's never lived anywhere but Nevada.

Well, last night she called and said the time is close at hand.  They've been offered a slot at a Virginia tower.  Now we just have to get all the details and find out the timeline.

While I have been preparing for this day, it was hard to hear.  I have such mixed emotions.  I am so proud and happy for my son-in-law.  This is his chosen profession and his passion.  It is his dream come true.  It is an exciting adventure for this young couple.  Moving across country.  My daughter expressed her fear.  I can understand that.  It's a big move.  But they are up to it, she is up to it.  She will shine during this time to stretch her wings and fly further from the nest.

I am kind of glad they are going back East.  I am from the east.  She will get to see and explore the places that I grew up in and love.  It will be adventure and I know she is up to it.  I am too.

But my heart is aching.  She's my golden girl.  We are so close.  The idea of not seeing her every week to 10 days and getting one of those wonderful, warm hugs of her just tugs at my heart.  But I raised her to be strong and independent and now it's time for her to take that out for a spin.

I'm going to miss her so much.  Thank goodness for e-mail and cell phones. 

Namaste'

Donna

Hi again all,   Sorry, I thought this one was coming out tomorrow --  but we are also in the Las Vegas Business Press!   http://www.lvbusinesspress.com/articles/2006/06/12/news/news10.txt  

Hugs again,  

Donna & Lily