Happy Early Valentine’s Day Everyone!
I am sure that most of you are worrying about what to
do on Saturday for that special someone in your life, as well as who will
babysit for you. If most of you are like me, I never have a ton of money to spend on romance,
especially when babysitters increase
their prices during this day of love. Not to worry! There are many family-fun,
romantic and affordable things for all of us to consider doing for our
Valentines. If a candle-lit dinner is romantic, why not turn things up by
having a picnic out by a campfire with the kids? Some of my favorite childhood
memories are around campfires, and I’m sure your little ones will love to feel
involved and put their special touch to your Valentine’s Day surprise. If a
dozen roses with a box of chocolates is more your thing, why not take your
sweethearts on a romantic hike through the woods where nature’s flowers and
sweet smells are starting to come through. Just let your
child run around along the trail and start building that love for nature early
on. Both of these options are, in my opinion, way more exciting than their
cooped-in counterparts, plus they are kid-friendly so there is no need for a
babysitter. However, there is one popular romantic gesture that can only be
done outside that I would
like to see disappear. Every year I see a new heart with two initials
inside it carved onto beautifully large tree trunks. Why do I have a problem
with this you ask? Well my concern lies with the health of the tree itself.
Allow me to explain…
A tree’s bark
is its skin and serves the same purposes as our skin. Our skin protects us from
diseases, insects, rapid changes in temperature, and other outside
commonalities. If our skin gets scratched deeply, our blood quickly puts up a
protective barrier to block out these threats to our health. Trees do not have
such a luxury. When a tree’s bark gets cut to expose the sensitive inner wood,
it cannot just put a Band-Aid over it and call it a day. It stays exposed and
vulnerable to diseases and insects, which wouldn't be a problem with just one.
However, some trees have super thin smooth bark (American Beech), which makes
them prime targets for the initialed heart carving. I have seen many trees
covered in initials from years of romantic people just trying to show their special
someone that they care, and those trees are extremely weak and dying.
So please,
this Valentine’s Day, instead of shortening a tree’s life span, leave your
sweetheart a sweet little note and have your children make a home-made card.
Let their imagination run wild and it will definitely be a more unique gift.
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