Top of the Heap!

The World's Lungs

Monday's Riddle was an effort in conservation, and Lizzy's review of Hoot by Carl Hiaasen gave us an owl's eye view with a story about preservation. Friday, get ready, because the Character Book Club is meeting right here! The DMS will be interviewing Pete and Weasel from the new action- packed middle grade novel Alligators Overhead by C. Lee McKenzie. Saturday, we always enjoy hearing from you on The DMS Wants to Know. Today, we thought we would tell you about two conservation efforts we feel are very important to the well being of the world.

This week's top of the heap: Important Conservation Efforts ✌

Fairday: Considering life and all the amazing things hurling through space right now, I thought I would bring up the idea of conserving our stories. The preservation of our ideas; creativity, mysteries, knowledge, etc... all the parts of us that make us real remains vastly important. I think sharing our stories and passing them on is a wonderful form of conservation- the preservation of the idea of us all; where we come from, who we are, what we thought. So keep reading, keep writing, and keep looking for the magic of the day in your own space. Take a trip to a library; life's sanctuary for books ; ) ~ F

I found this online the other day and loved reading it- 

Artwork: Unknown artist

Swallowed Keys

We locked up our wisdom into our bones
And swallowed the keys
They sank in our rivers of blood
And we forgot the maps

Because we had to forget the mysteries

To keep them safe.

We wove our hair into brooms

And swept over our paths

And then burned the earth with our rage

We didn't teach our children

It was the only way to protect them,

we thought

But in them we planted seeds, seeds and keys

And told them stories and riddles and songs

With no roots, just tangled threads

That would take years to unwind

Just enough time

For the rains to fall again

and put out the fires

For the dams to break

For the rivers to flood

For the paths

to be walked again

For the soil to breathe

And as the old bones crumble

Deep beneath the rubble

We find we've always had the keys

Our stories and our maps

Our paths are revealed to some

And the seeds grow again

The threads are unspun 

And woven again.

~ Amara Bronwyn

Lizzy: There are so many wonderful and amazing places being protected and conserved today. One of my favorite conserved places is national parks. I am thankful for the national parks and the land that was set aside for them. I know there have been many influential people who have helped secure the land for future generations, and Theodore Roosevelt was one president who helped establish 5 national parks and he created the United States Forest Service, which just about doubled the amount of protected forests. Altogether he secured and protected about 230,000,000 acres of land. Wow! I have been to a handful of national parks throughout the United States and each one takes my breath away. The vastness of the land, the colors, foliage, and animals are so rich and vibrant that I feel blessed that these parks will be available to me and to future generations for enjoyment. Visiting the national parks has allowed me to see land formations I have never seen anywhere else, as well as to observe animals in their natural habitat. Protecting nature is a gift that keeps on giving! ~ L

"There are no words that can tell the hidden spirit of the wilderness,that can reveal its mystery, its melancholy and its charm." ~Theodore Roosevelt