National Spinach Day Is Real
Today is National Spinach Day in the United States. It is. It’s true. Okay, it’s National Spinach Day unofficially; no one gets a day off from work, and the post office is not closed, but — thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic raging across this planet at the moment — most of us are staying home today anyhow. Spinach does not grow on a tree, but it’s still super cool. It deserves to be celebrated. If you do not have any spinach in your home, that’s okay — you can still celebrate the mighty, leafy green, famously touted for its iron- and strength-giving properties by Popeye the Sailor (who was credited in the ealy 1930s with increasing U.S. consumption of spinach by 33%!). Maybe eat some collard greens, or plant some dandelion greens in a window box or backyard, if you have one. Maybe do a relaxing sketch of gorgeous spinach leaves. Maybe meditate on spinach and instantly feel stronger. Maybe consider having read the entire previous paragraph your one act related to National Spinach Day.
Though at first glance this next info nugget may appear to have nothing whoatsoever to do with the preceding info nugget, it is interesting to note that March 18th was International Women’s Day. In Uganda, one of the ways the day is celebrated is by planting trees. Women give and sustain life. Trees give and sustain life. Spinach helps sustain life. Makes sense that one way to celebrate life-giving-and-sustaining women is by planting life-giving-and-sustaining trees.
Not many countries have National Spinach Day on their calendars (actually, as far as I can tell, only the United States recognizes this day), but nearly all countries observe International Women’s Day. Somewhere in between the number of counties that celebrate National Spinach Day (one) and the number of countries that celebrate International Women’s Day (more than one hundred) is the number of countries that celebrate a Tree Planting Day or an Arbor Day. Not surprisingly, most countries’ Tree Planting Day or Arbor Day lands on the calendar sometime during their respective countries’ spring season. This year, in the United States, Arbor Day will fall on April 24th.
Aaaaaaaaaall of that to say that we collectively recognize the value of trees (and greens in general, thank you, spinach) and even have various days peppering our national and international calendars to remind us to celebrate trees (and yes, other greens — don’t worry, spinach: we’re not forgetting you). But many of us don’t need a day to remind us how absolutely magnificent trees (or spinach and other dark, leafy greens) are. I suspect you are one such person. Otherwise, what are you doing here? Not here on Earth — I am not deigning to question the purpose of your very existence. But here visiting this blog. I know why I am here. Because trees are my people. And you are, too. And yes, spinach is, as well.