April 22: International Earth Day. Respect and protect our mother.

April 23: William Shakespeare's birthday. Also St. George's Day, a national day of celebration for many European countries, including England, Spain, and Portugal. St. George (besides being a champion dragon-slayer) is the patron saint of farmers.

April 24: National Zucchini Bread Day (but zucchinis aren't in season!)

April 25: Arbor Day

• Chickweed (Stellaria media). A zippy addition to salads in early spring, the seeds of this plant are especially loved by birds and poultry. Traditionally used to treat liver and kidney ailments, coughs, rheumatism, pleurisy. (You may remember this plant from the China Bayles mystery, Dead Man's Bones, which features its European cousin, Stellaria holostea.)
• Dandelion (Taraxacum officinale). You can probably see this plant just outside your window. The young leaves are used in salads; the blossoms are made into wine; and the roots can be dried, ground, roasted, and brewed as coffee. Medicinal uses of this native herb mostly derive from its diuretic properties.
• Milkweed (Asclepias syriaca). Native Americans used the fibers of this plant to make twine and netting; collected the latex sap to make chewing gum; collected the fuzzy seeds as stuffing for pillows; and used a decoction of the roots to treat rheumatism, stomach complaints, and gallstones. Don't eat this plant unless you're a monarch butterfly. (Milkweed is the monarch's favorite food plant.)
• Purslane (Portulaca oleracea). Purslane migrated here from India, brought by the Europeans who enjoyed it for salads, soups, and pickles. Plenty of vitamins and minerals. And the seeds can be used like poppy seeds, sprinkled on baked goods and in salad dressings.

Plan your family Earthday celebration. To find out what's happening, go here. For kids' crafts, check out this page. (Cut tin-can herb pots!) For recipe ideas, click here. This beautiful Earth is the only planet we'll ever have. Let's love her.

Get into the garden. If your nighttime temperatures are between 45-55 degrees, you can transplant your herb seedlings into the garden (don't forget the chile peppers!). Direct-seed borage, catnip, chervil, chives. When nighttime temps rise to 65 degrees, it's time to put out those basil seedlings. The stand-by is Sweet Genovese, but also include cinnamon, lemon, and licorice basil. You can never, never, never have enough basil.

Bake a loaf of zucchini bread. (Why didn't they schedule this holiday for July, when zucchinis are coming out our ears?) For a bushel of zucchini bread recipes, check out this AllRecipes page. You could put a candle on top and call it William Shakespeare's Belated Birthday cake.

To celebrate Arbor Day, plant an herbal tree. Chaste trees, bay trees, gingko, elders, hawthorn, holly, juniper—all these are notable tree herbs. You'll find an interesting partial list here, compiled from Mrs. Grieve's famous herbal.

Register your book club with Susan's Book Club Friends, and become eligible to participate in contests, giveaways, and phone chats with China's creator.

I do not understand how anyone can live without one small place of enchantment to turn to. —Marjorie Kinnan Rawlings

To find out what's going on in Susan Albert's life in the Texas Hill Country, read Susan's blog.