Psithurism psithurism/psithurisma noun [sith-yuh-riz-uhm]/[sith-yuh-riz-muh] 1. The sound of rustling leaves or wind in the trees. From the Ancient Greek ψιθυρίζω (psithurízō), meaning “to whisper,” or ψίθυρος (psíthyros), “whisper.” “Look from your window some March morning of east wind — Eurus, ab urendo — and you may tell the quarter whence it blows by the tortured movement of the trees. They struggle […]
Hay Fever Many people cite spring and fall as their favorite seasons. The moderate temperatures and humidities allow us to enjoy the outdoors without freezing or heat exhaustion. For billions of people on Earth, however, these in-between seasons don’t arrive string-free. Spring and autumn can bring a punishing reaction to nature’s rhythms: seasonal allergies. Colloquially termed hay
The World’s Oldest Beings https://youtu.be/Pf2vWYe8peM?si=O9QsYImQsq0iQrzG Further Reading and Exploration Bristlecone Pines – National Park Service
The World’s Oldest Beings Read More »
The Old-Growth Forest Network This is the forest primeval. The murmuring pines and the hemlocks,Bearded with moss, and in garments green, indistinct in the twilight,Stand like Druids of eld, with voices sad and prophetic,Stand like harpers hoar, with beards that rest on their bosoms.Loud from its rocky caverns, the deep-voiced neighboring oceanSpeaks, and in accents
The Old-Growth Forest Network Read More »
Fibonacci, Da Vinci, and a Tree Walk into a Bar written by Deborah S. And Da Vinci said, “Hey, Tree, it looks like the cross-sections of your branches sum to the cross-section of the trunk!” Then Fibonacci said, “Hey, that sounds familiar…” The tree reacted, “Well, of course, it’s not like I want my branches
Fibonacci, Da Vinci, and a Tree Walk into a Bar Read More »
The Golden Ratio and Leaves written by Deborah S. In our previous article, we learned about the Fibonacci Sequence. Today, let’s discuss another mathematical concept that is lesser known, yet also intricately linked: the Golden Ratio. Just as you may have heard of π (pi), which is equal to 3.14159…, and perhaps another constant, e, which
The Golden Ratio and Leaves Read More »
Fibonacci and Trees written by Deborah S. 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, 34, 55, 89, 144… You may recognize the numbers above as the famous Fibonacci Sequence. Developed by Leonardo Bonacci – that’s right, his name is not Fibonacci; Fibonacci is short for filius Bonacci, which means “son of Bonacci,” and was applied by historians to distinguish this
Fibonacci and Trees Read More »
The Migration of the Sequoia When he returned to camp, and there related the wonders he had seen, his companions laughed at him and doubted his veracity, which previously they had considered to be very reliable. He affirmed his statement to be true, but they still thought it “too much of a story” to believe—thinking
The Migration of the Sequoia Read More »
Mast Years In many parts of the Midwestern and Eastern United States (and perhaps more of the country), Autumn 2023 has contained a bit of an oddity. Yard owners and hikers have noticed a spate of squirrels on the prowl and a seemingly unending deluge of nuts on the ground. A member of my family
The Cake Forest The 1990s produced some fantastic rock music, both mainstream and underground. The bands most people recognize focused on riff-heavy guitars and soaring vocal melodies, mixed with a healthy dose of distortion. As with any era, some acts garner widespread success without adhering to the sound of the decade. For example, the Wikipedia