New Year for the Trees

Since there is about a half hour left of Tu B'Shevat, I figured I'll wish everyone a Happy "New Year of the Trees" while there's still time. :=)

I've always loved this day, even as a child. We used to mark it by eating figs, of course, which I admit to only developing a taste for in the last few years; I was definitely more into fighting off the other kids to obtain a date or olive. But we also bought trees from JNF, and I still remember to this day how impossibly proud I was each time I received that certificate (with my name on it!) showing that somewhere in Eretz Yisroel there was a tree because of my contribution.

While on the topic of trees, and nature in general, I've been getting psyched up to start saying Perek Shira. Being Ms. Friend-of-Nature, I figured that saying it would remind me of my place in the universe, not to mention remember to be extremely grateful to Hashem for the incredible beauty and purpose of His World. For all of you fellow nature lovers out there, I would definitely recommend it.

So that's the story for now. A Guten Tu B'Shevat to everyone, and let's all go eat some more boxer (and enjoy another beautiful sunset, courtesy of Hashem)!