Shamrocks, sheleighlies, rainbows and pots of gold.� Little men dressed in green with a conniving look on their faces.� Upside down horseshoes, long Irish pipes and a tankard of ale.� It must be St Pattys day!� Out with the...

Shamrocks, sheleighlies, rainbows and pots of gold.� Little men dressed in green with a conniving look on their faces.� Upside down horseshoes, long Irish pipes and a tankard of ale.� It must be St Pattys day!� Out with the old and in with the new!� This holiday traditionally serves as the transition from the dark, cold winter into the gentle warmth of spring.

Little green shoots of crocuses, daffodils and tulips emerging from the ground.� Gardeners brushing off their pots and scanning seed catalogues dreaming about their upcoming masterpieces.� The birds, noisily chirping as they prep their nests and, on the last warm night, the tree frogs were deafening.� New life is about to emerge!!� (I tend to be a �fall� person myself.)

Whatever season you prefer, one cannot deny the fact that �spring� brings a momentary glimmer of hope, wonder, excitement and anticipation to even the most stoic of individuals.

Yesterday, I saw five wild turkeys foraging in our meadow.� I was worried, because I hadn�t seen or heard any all winter.� But, there they were.� And now, I will be watching attentively for the young hatchlings who usually make their appearance in late April.� I have seen as many as 13 goslings waddling down toward our pond.� In late June, they will gather around the raspberry and blackberry bushes and feast on them.

This past weekend, I had the joy of seeing a pair of eastern bluebirds making their nest in one of our soffits (much to my husband�s chagrin).� Soon, there will be hundreds of them in our meadow as they migrate to the north.� How can one not be enamored with the beauty that surrounds us?

Those of us who live in southeastern Ohio are keenly aware of the fragile state of our land.� Mining, climate change and other invasive elements have defiled our waters, stripped the protective coverings from our vegetation and weakened our eco-system.� If actions aren�t taken, the land and animals we love will cease to exist.

And so, the counties, communities and municipalities of southeast Ohio have put into place some pretty forward-thinking plans and approaches to maintain and protect �nature�s playground�.� From �dark sky� lighting to reusable shopping bags; from �green cabs� to �green industries�; from local food producers (Farmers Market) to local �green space�.� All contributing to lessening our carbon footprint.

Sustainable is a word that is frequently heard around the Athens area.� It is using goods and services that create the �least� impact on the world around us.� At Deer Ridge, most of our food is bought locally from producers who practice sustainable farming.� Instead of being pre-wrapped in plastic, we bring our own containers to the farmers market, thus decreasing the landfill.� And, the foods themselves need to be able to �naturally� decompose and not be harmful to the wildlife around us.� Are you aware how many fruit seeds naturally contain toxic materials?

Most of our lighting points down, or has a hood to minimize the effect it has on our wildlife. And, we turn it off at a certain hour because our nightlife thrives better in the dark, just like we do.� Planting �natural� vegetation for pollination and food sources is vital for the propagation of our land and animals.� Like fresh ears of corn ?� They need pollinators like bees and butterflies to flourish.

Most of our cleaning supplies are developed using �natural� ingredients that �work with�, not against, our environment.� Our furnishings are made with products that have a �long shelf life� such as cotton, leather and wood.

Can we do better?� Absolutely!� Currently, cost prohibits us from going to �zero-waste�, but, the truth is �every little bit helps�.� From toilet paper made from discarded bamboo and beets to �plastic� silverware made from corn, we all can do our part to �keep our world GREEN�!� Take some time to discover ways that you can �go green� and make a point of visiting us at Deer Ridge Bed and Breakfast in Athens, Ohio to see how �we� are striving to �keep America beautiful�!

View Entire Post