Spring and summer bring flowers that decorate our world visually and emit aromas that smell wonderful. Those aromas however are not for our enjoyment, they attract pollinators so the flower will continue to grow and blossom.
Another aroma many of us love is the smell of fresh cut grass. Did you know that that smell is a 'cry of despair' by the grass that are screaming in pain from a haircut!
When I began reading about trees, how they survive, how they communicate with one another and how the mother tree takes care of younger trees, it opened up a whole new fascinating world of understanding about nature.
There is a delicate balance of life in nature. That's why when a species from another part of the world is introduced here, it can grow rapidly and take over and area.
If you live in the south, think about kudzu, that vine that grows on everything. It's an invasive plant that takes over. Or take fish like the Asian Carp or the Walking Catfish (yes, that is a fish). Introduced into an area where they do not belong destroys the balance and they eliminate the local fish and take over.
When you really get down to it, nature is for more complex than most folks realize. It is something to enjoy. Who doesn't love a walk in the woods, or the serenade of birds, the beauty of flowers. But it is also something to respect and treasure.
If you want to learn more there are some interesting books:
Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge and the Teachings of Plants by Robin Wall Kimmerer
The Hidden Life of Trees: What They Feel, How They Communicate: Discoveries From A Secret World by Peter Wohlleben.
That's it for today...
Talk with you tomorrow...