Spring has arrived (salute the vernal equinox) enticing us to relish and explore our corner of the world.
Bright Decade
The planet-protecting initiative known as Earth Hour is celebrating its 10th anniversary. The global conservation event unites us all when we simply turn off our electric lights from 8:30-9:30pm on Saturday, March 25 to help counteract climate change.
Visit the inspiring earthhour.org website or Facebook page to view how individuals, neighborhoods and cities around the world participate in this celebration. In addition to showcasing creatively beautiful ways to light up the 60 minutes of Earth-saving darkness, the site explains how you can join in the worldwide party!
Unique Treks
Stride along one of your favorite walking or hiking trails during Take a Walk in a Park Day on March 30 and National Walking Week March 31–April 7. Venture into territories which offer unique experiences, such as Middlegrounds Metropark’s one-and-a-half-mile walking trail which provides gorgeous, encompassing views of the cityscape, the Maumee River and our major bridges— the MLK, Anthony Wayne High Level, and Veterans Glass City Skyway (111 Ottawa St. downtown Toledo, metroparkstoledo.com).
Immerse yourself in the 64-acre Toledo Botanical Garden, where the curving pathways take you through stands of mature oak trees, emerging lady slipper orchids and across the bridge through early bloomers in the perennial garden (5403 Elmer Dr Toledo, toledogarden.org, 7am to dusk every day, free admission and parking).
Take an artistic stroll through the Toledo Museum of Art’s Georgia and David K. Welles Sculpture Garden which hosts over twenty-five sculptures, both awe-inspiring and delightfully whimsical, woven into a landscape of budding trees and plants (TMA 2445 Monroe St. toledomuseum.org).
Seasonal Light
Gaze up into the early spring evening sky to see the beauty of a standout star and six of our planetary neighbors (late March through early April— no telescope needed). Sirius is twinkling overhead, while Mercury and Venus, along with Uranus and the reddish glow of Mars, are visible in the western sky after sunset.
Look to the early dawn sky to spot Jupiter to the southeast and Saturn’s golden light to the south. Consult astronomy.com for specific timeframes for viewing, and to use their interactive star maps. Download apps like Sky Safari or Google Sky, then hold your smartphone up to the night sky and it will chart and label the visible stars and planets for you.
