Driving down the back road, I am forced to stop for a herd of cows being driven into a new pasture. It has rained hard for the past three days and I roll my windows down. Sunlight filters through the new, fragile leaves on the trees and dew glistens on  the ever-lengthening prairie grasses. A tall cowboy on horseback thanks me for shushing five calves away and tips his hat. I offer a smile, "Have a nice day."

"Same to you, Ma'am."

I smile and drive off slowly. Never been called,"Ma'am" before. I suck in a deep breath and it hits me: that lovely essence of the earth just after a hard rain. I cannot describe it but we all know it when we smell it. It speaks of brilliant blooms in the meadow and mile-high tomatoes ten feet across. It presages frost on the fall pumpkins and the coming of winter snow. And it is...beauty itself. The earth. Love her, protect her. Do not allow future generations to miss the experience of breathing her life into their lungs on a fine, spring day and being thankful for the breath that allowed them to awaken to the morning sun spilling rainbows onto their bedroom floors.