I think many American ADULTS cannot identify a plant or
animal…
I was hiking in the mountains with my drummer one time so we could take some photos for our album cover. I scoped out a nice cliff, overlooking the valley 10k feet below with more mountains in the background. I asked ‘special k’ to take her place on the rock.
I walked back down the trail and started setting up my tripod and camera when K screamed bloody murder at the top of her lungs. I looked up just in time to see her whiz by me screaming “SKUNK!!!!” I shook my head and walked to the rock to investigate.
As I reached the cliff, I saw some branches move in the scrub next to me. I looked down and was greeted by a gray SQUIRREL. She told me she didn’t mean any harm, she was just gathering food for her winter cache.
I’m laughing hard just reliving this event!!!
If you’ve been following me for any length of time, you’re probably aware that I have an enthusiasm for plants and animals. In fact, I have conversations throughout the day with my cat and dog and I’m always singing to my plants or talking with them as well. Notice I said ‘with’ my cat and dog, and ‘with’ the plants.
Ever notice a dog cock her head to the side while you’re talking ‘to’ her? Well I believe the pup is trying really really hard to understand me. And I think she does. Did you know that the average dog can understand about 165 words, possibly more with training? Well let me tell you about my pup Lakota. She speaks dog, and understands English, ASL, German and Spanish. When I say that I have to go to work, she immediately goes to her pillow and blanket on the couch. My cat is very vocal. I can ask her if she wants to be held or if she wants food, she’ll answer back. Of course I have to ‘guess’ what she really wants.
Plants are amazing! They’re alive and provide us with all kinds of benefits; clean air, medicinals for our apothecary, beauty. I can tell when my plants are happy (when I talk and sing - and of course feed and water them). I also believe they communicate, if you learn to listen.
Did you know that plants communicate and interact with each other, both above ground and below? Well they do. Some click, some release a chemical/odor to warn of insects, and they use their own telephone line below the surface via a fungus that connects the roots of the plants.
Speaking of connection, have you ever looked at a line of Quaking Aspens on a mountain side? Any group of Aspens you see next to one another are not just a bunch of single trees, but a single root system called a clone; all of the trees in the same clone are genetically identical. If you cut one down, the others feel it.
The Aspens remind me that all are connected; humans, plants, animals, rocks (and the list goes on - like the energizer bunny). So why not get out there and talk with some plants and perhaps a skunk or two?
Go ahead; grab a plant, animal, bird, insect, geology guide and have fun communing with nature.
Namaste,
WS
I walked back down the trail and started setting up my tripod and camera when K screamed bloody murder at the top of her lungs. I looked up just in time to see her whiz by me screaming “SKUNK!!!!” I shook my head and walked to the rock to investigate.
As I reached the cliff, I saw some branches move in the scrub next to me. I looked down and was greeted by a gray SQUIRREL. She told me she didn’t mean any harm, she was just gathering food for her winter cache.
I’m laughing hard just reliving this event!!!
If you’ve been following me for any length of time, you’re probably aware that I have an enthusiasm for plants and animals. In fact, I have conversations throughout the day with my cat and dog and I’m always singing to my plants or talking with them as well. Notice I said ‘with’ my cat and dog, and ‘with’ the plants.
Ever notice a dog cock her head to the side while you’re talking ‘to’ her? Well I believe the pup is trying really really hard to understand me. And I think she does. Did you know that the average dog can understand about 165 words, possibly more with training? Well let me tell you about my pup Lakota. She speaks dog, and understands English, ASL, German and Spanish. When I say that I have to go to work, she immediately goes to her pillow and blanket on the couch. My cat is very vocal. I can ask her if she wants to be held or if she wants food, she’ll answer back. Of course I have to ‘guess’ what she really wants.
Plants are amazing! They’re alive and provide us with all kinds of benefits; clean air, medicinals for our apothecary, beauty. I can tell when my plants are happy (when I talk and sing - and of course feed and water them). I also believe they communicate, if you learn to listen.
Did you know that plants communicate and interact with each other, both above ground and below? Well they do. Some click, some release a chemical/odor to warn of insects, and they use their own telephone line below the surface via a fungus that connects the roots of the plants.
Speaking of connection, have you ever looked at a line of Quaking Aspens on a mountain side? Any group of Aspens you see next to one another are not just a bunch of single trees, but a single root system called a clone; all of the trees in the same clone are genetically identical. If you cut one down, the others feel it.
The Aspens remind me that all are connected; humans, plants, animals, rocks (and the list goes on - like the energizer bunny). So why not get out there and talk with some plants and perhaps a skunk or two?
Go ahead; grab a plant, animal, bird, insect, geology guide and have fun communing with nature.
Namaste,
WS
No comments:
Post a Comment