What’s can you see the distance? On trees, bees & the sun.
ON TREES AND BEES AND THE SUN
What we are doing to the forests of the world is but a mirror reflection of what we are doing to ourselves and one another.
~ Mahatma Gandhi ~
A week or so ago an amazing event occurred here at the lake, on an unusually warm and calm spring day. At first we couldn’t figure it out. It wasn’t fire or smoke. Nor was it dust from logging or mining. After a bit of puzzling we got it – eureka! Away in the distance at the base of the mountains, an outburst of pollen was rising from the trees. It was as if before us, the earth and forest were making love. Mother nature, re-creating. Giving us life and sustenance…
“The mountains and hills will burst into song before you, and all the trees of the field will clap their hands.” – Isaiah the Prophet
A close-up of the pollen flare…
Most trees in our local ecosystem are evergreen conifers such as spruce, red cedar, douglas fir, and western hemlock. The only local deciduous broadleaf tree is red alder which grows rapidly and may shade out the more commercially favoured conifers. But red alders have important eco-logical value because their root nodules fix nitrogen in the soil and their leaves create rich compost on the forest floor. They also reclaim slide zones from logging and floods, hence preventing further soil erosion.
So, where did the pollen burst come from?
Although I’m not certain, I suspect it came from the alder trees – from the male flowers or male catkins, to be precise…
Red Alder catkins (male) on left, and
slung over a huckleberry bush (below)
As for the future, where is the pollen cloud is heading?
To the female red alder catkins (below), one might accurately surmise.
“The creation of a thousand forests is in one acorn.” — Ralph Waldo Emerson
Below is another view of the pollen burst. The lakeshore (left) is lined with broadleaf red alders.
To the left side of the frame are alder branches.
To shift the story a bit (and indeed the paradigm), the next day pollen was everywhere…
Can you see where I wiped it off the glass of the solar hot water heater?
Usually our solar electric panels need little maintenance. But there was so much pollen I had to clean off the yellow film that was blocking out the sunlight.
It was good I took the time, because for the first time I noticed some discoloration and darkened purple color on a few our oldest panels. These solar photo-volt-aic panels have been producing power for 31 years now. When brand new in 1985 the cells were all bright blue like the center one. Over more time they’ll begin to give us less electricity and in future we will need to install a few more solar panels to make up the difference.
It is also a good thing that solar solutions are rapidly becoming less expensive. Especially considering the harm that fossil fuels are igniting, and on the overall future of the planet.
“We cannot hope to either understand or to manage the carbon in the atmosphere unless we understand and manage the trees and the soil too.” Freeman Dyson
I think the dream of a solar age is now coming to fruition. In realizing this, it will be good for us to be aware that nature will always provides us with the best most important solar collectors –
the flora of the earth around us – the plants and trees.
And of course the pollen, and the birds.
And the bees…
Cheers – Bruce
The future depends on what you do today.
~ Mahatma Gandhi ~
ENDNOTES:
(WPC The future – potential of things to come)
Spectacular phenomenon – and some great pictures to share it too 🙂
Yes, a spectacular natural event indeed. And I loved the spectacle of those rather unique rabbit statues too! Thanks Noeline.
the nature of things
including the birds & bees
beautifully reflected through
your words & images, Bruce 🙂
Ah, David… you too, as always reflecting the true nature of things. I have to admit I’m a bit slow at some things… I only now noticed your adding the video of Thich Nhat Hanh to my previous post, where you ask a him question “how better not to behave as a victim.” Thank you for this gift. This evening I will savor it.
That was an amazing view of the pollen cloud. I have never seen it in motion only landed upon stuff. Those are some great photos!!
Thanks Amy. It has been the same for me … always before, seeing the pollen landed on things around us, but never until now, seeing it in motion of the air.
Fascinating stuff Bruce, beautifully captured. Us townies know so little of how the natural world operates.
Thanks Roy. Us rural folk get lost in the city… 🙂 and my step daughter thinks I drive too slow.
Fascinating, never been able to see a cloud of pollen but have certainly seen and felt it’s effects.
It was the first time for us, and it was fascinating as it developed.
Fantastic photos here.
I love the pollen photos! We have pollen everywhere right now. On the cars, the front porch, the back deck, the table and chairs on the deck. Everything is yellow.
This is exactly what happened here Debbie. I can’t remember it being so intense other years.
Fascinating! Spring is such an astonishing display of love-making and reproduction in so many places, but I’d never seen something like this!
Yes Priscilla, spring is a wonderful season of new birth. As for the pollen outburst. we too had never witnessed something like this.
Bruce, you have an awe-inspiring view from your home. Cloud of pollen! Never knew such a thing existed.
Thanks Rosalienne. We never get tired of the view. 🙂 You know what – I hadn’t heard of a pollen burst either, until this happened. I checked in with Fr. Charles Brandt who lives a few hundred miles south of us, and he also was thinking it was likely coming from the red alders. Where he’s at they were getting a heavy amount of pollen from big-leaf maples.
Gorgeous. So wonderful to catch the pollen burst. Your location is lovely.
The pollen burst was wonderful to witness, and of humbling too. Thanks for the kind compliment, Ken & Darlene.
You were so lucky to have such wonderful weather that enabled you to witness this event. Thank you for brilliantly capturing it for us. When I lived on Porcher Island a bit north of you, we had such sunny weather only a few days in a year!
Yes we were lucky for the good weather. I notice that Porcher Island isn’t Prince Rupert, about a 16 hour ferry ride north of us. Prince Rupert is probably the rainiest location in BC, so I get what your saying. Here on northern Vancouver Island, though it rains quite a bit we’re inland from the pacific coast so don’t get much fog. Also we have ideal southern exposure. The pollen event was awesome, indeed. Thanks for the comment my fellow solar pioneer.
I love the picture and the reason behind the pollen cloud. I never saw such an event before. Your lake is very beautiful and nature can still enhance it, so easily missed.
We hadn’t seen this ever before either Cathy. In a way, it was if we were witnessing a miracle of nature… all these particles of pollen, probably trillions. The yellow film is still visible on different objects and leaves, even after a couple days of rain. I am glad you were able to appreciate it, and thanks for your kind compliment.
That’s amazing! Wonderful photos too 🙂
Thanks Cathy. It was an amazing event. It definitely stopped Francis and me in our tracks. Gives “the light never lies” a whole new meaning.