There is a special day each spring that is magical. That’s the first day of the year I notice the earth is really on the move. It’s not necessarily the day the first daffodil blooms or the first warm day of spring. It’s a day when the energy of life seems to be surging in every creature. Every bird is singing, plants are growing, snakes are sunning, and bees are buzzing. You can see it, hear it, smell it, and feel it. We don’t have a word for it, but I know when it happens. This day often corresponds to the day most students skip school. I call this “Spring Surge Day,” and in Swoope, Virginia, it’s usually the day Tree Swallows arrive from Central America to stake out their nesting territories (pg 96).

Tree Swallow in Swoope. Photo by R. Whitescarver

Earth Day 2019. Over the weekend we received an inch of rain. Yellow Warblers, Gray Catbirds, and Blue-Gray Gnatcatchers arrived last night. A thousand daffodils bloom in our yard. There must be fifty different kinds. Jeanne loves to walk around making bouquets to give away.

Bouquet of daffodils arranged by Jeanne.

Book Release Day

Earth Day 2019 is the official release day for my book. Thanks to each and every one of you who have pre-ordered. The limited edition, hardback copies will arrive any day now from the bindery. As soon as I get them I will be mailing them to you. Thank you for your patience. I also want to thank all the organizations helping to promote the book. Friends of Middle River, National Association of Conservation Districts, the Downstream Project, and the Alliance for the Shenandoah Valley have already promoted the release on their social media outlets— thank you!

Click here to purchase a copy.

I have the paperbacks and at the moment, only sell them at events. The next event will take place on April 28 at the Skipping Rock Brewery starting at 2 pm. The Brewery is just west of Staunton. The paperbacks will be available online after we sell the hardbacks. So, come by the brewery, drink great beer, and get an autographed copy of the paperback version of the book. They sell for $19.95 plus tax. They make great gifts!

Skipping Rock Brewery is located on Parkersburg Pike just west of Staunton.

We have come a long way since the first Earth Day in 1970.

Our rivers are cleaner now than they were in 1970. And we have an American Bald Eagle nesting on the farm. How cool is that? Without the courage of environmental activists—like you, environmental organizations like the Chesapeake Bay Foundation and the Alliance for the Chesapeake Bay, and environmental laws such as the Endangered Species Act, we would not have eagles in Swoope.

The Bald Eagles of Swoope built their nest on Hoffman Farms this year.

Challenges Ahead

The challenges we face today for a healthier environment can be solved. But we need all hands on deck. Climate change and plastic, water, and air pollution are significant issues. Using sound science and working together I am confident we can solve these issues. Water quality improvement in the Chesapeake Bay is a world-class example. The Chesapeake Clean Water Blueprint is working! The Bay continues to improve because we use science-based solutions and we work together.

What Can You Do?

Join any number of many environmental organizations that fight for sustainability, they need our support.

Plant trees, adopt a buffer, go solar, use less plastic, convert some of your lawn to native plants, take a kid fishing, buy one of my books—we’ll plant a tree for you.