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The forest is a sensory playground. If you have ever walked a trail, you can probably take a breath right now and glimpse the sense of bay leaf mingling with wild fern. Let your gaze wander outside and you can almost feel the breeze playing in the branches of live oaks or pine. Pine trees have a particular sweetness when mixing with the suede texture of the sage bush. It’s a great time of the year here in July - longer days, warmth - and there is a natural invitation to be outdoors.
Beneath the forest floor, trees whisper. Wisdom moves. As forest ecologist Suzanne Simard (2021) writes:
“A forest is much more than what you see. It’s a complex, interdependent community of life that’s been growing and evolving for millions of years.”
Through vast underground fungal networks, called mycorrhizal networks, trees exchange nutrients, send distress signals, and support struggling neighbors. Mother trees send resources to the younger ones. This interconnectivity is sometimes called the “Wood Wide Web.” What looks like stillness above ground is actually alive with unseen conversation, connection, and care.
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