Good morning! If you're a nature nerd like me and / or need something to occupy your brain while you're sipping on coffee this morning, read on ☕... Did you know that: "Trees share water and nutrients through...networks, and also use them to communicate. They send distress signals about drought and disease, for example, or insect attacks, and other trees alter their behavior when they receive these messages."? (Smithsonian) Mama Earth is fucking rad 🤘And trees are fascinating as fuck... Story Time: A few years ago, immediately after I quit a superrr toxic job without another job lined up (while also growing through heartbreak)...I took my hot mess depressed self on a solo road trip in a rented campervan. Long story short, the trip changed my life. I had read about Pando, an aspen clone that is believed to be the largest, most dense organism ever found at nearly 13 million lbs. According to the Forest Service, "it originated from a single seed and spreads by sending up new shoots from the expanding root system." When I was on my trip, I insisted on making a trip out to Fish Lake to see her even though it definitely was not the season for it. I drove my van over icy roads and made it to the frozen lake, where the Ranger gave me directions to Pando. I would have driven right past her had I not been looking for her... I stopped, got out of the van, took some photos, and stood still for a bit - soaking it all in. It blew my mind how vast this single organism was and how little of her we actually see. There's a whole world of life going on beneath the ground that we are so oblivious to because it doesn't directly impact us - even though it does in so many fundamental ways. 🤯🤯🤯 The tree in these photos isn't Pando, but it got me thinkin' about trees...which then got me thinkin' a lot about life and shit so I thought I'd share. Feeling all reflective ahead of my bday I suppose lol... What do you nerd out about??? I'd love to hear! 🧡🧡🧡