Tom Kimmerer, PhD

Tom Kimmerer (@tomkimmerer) To us, it is still winter, with snow and cold to come. Trees, though, are no longer dormant. Dormancy is not caused by weather but by internal chemical signals, and it fades after some period of cold,...

It feels like it's still winter, doesn't it? To trees, it is not. Tree dormancy is not caused by weather but by internal chemical signals which protect trees from cold. Now, most trees are ready to grow as soon as it warms a bit. This photo shows the tremendous flow of sap. Read more at Our Trees.

In the 4 years we were in Madison, we lived at the edge of Curtis Prairie, a magic place. We were the security guards at the UW Arboretum, with almost no duties except to lock the gate at night.

This is from a big restoration project where we removed acres of honeysuckle and spread rye seed to keep the honeysuckle from returning while other natives were established. It worked.

My home is constantly occupied by fruit flies, reflecting the extent of my frugivory, and is down the street from Tom Morgan's childhood home. But, unlike one of my kids, I don't do any fly science, so I guess I won't run.

Good one! 😀

I use it for native rye mixtures. Works fine.

Tom Kimmerer in helmet and safety vest wearing a seed spreader on his chest, standing in a young, disturbed woods on a lake.

I should be writing, but it's warm outside and the soil is wet. I'm going to go spread my seed.

Very interesting. I will read it this weekend. Thank you.

Wow, that’s impressive.

An Andrena bee, her pollen baskets loaded with yellow pollen, is gathering pollen from bur oak flowers. Copyright Tom Kimmerer

Here is an Andrena bee gathering pollen from a bur oak. Pollinator insects are busy as flowering begins. Honeybees get all the attention, but we should know this: There are over 4000 species of native bees busy pollinating; and honeybees are not native to North America, but are imported livestock.

Ah, yes, my kids had the golden spined version, but my grands have them now.

Thrift Books has it. www.thriftbooks.com/w/walt-disne...

A beautiful look of joy. Thank you for sharing.

YouTube video by Berliner Philharmoniker Lang Lang, Yun Zeng, Diyang Mei: “Sai Ma” (Horse Racing)

To celebrate The Year of the Horse on Lunar New Year, here is “Sai Ma,” Horse Racing, performed by Lang Lang, piano, Yun Zeng, viola, and Diayang Mai, horn. The latter two are 1st principals of the Berlin Philharmonic which has a long relationship with Asian countries, composers, and performers.

Fascinating. I will read the paper tonight.

What a beautiful house in a beautiful neighborhood! I may ask to stay there when I am working on the Baltimore part of my next book.

These are splendid!

These are warm, delightful photos, Laurel.

So, he was vary short?

Delightful! Thank you.

No need to be insulting. There were scientists before Darwin. Those of us who have studied science history are well aware of Darwin's predecessors. None of them, except Wallace, understood the significance of natural selection. Erasmus was Charles' grandfather.

This is delightful. Thank you! (I had to look them up).

Beautiful! Many artists don’t understand how trees grow. You do.

It’s about time.

Read what I wrote, please: Darwin discovered evolution by natural selection, along with Wallace. That means that he elucidated the mechanism of evolution, which has stood the test of time.

Tom Kimmerer (@tomkimmerer) Today we celebrate the birthday of Charles Darwin, who elucidated the mechanism of evolution by natural selection and wrote On The Origin of Species By Means of Natural Selection. All of modern biolog...

Today is the birthday of Charles Darwin, the discoverer of evolution by natural selection and perhaps the most influential scientist in history. Here is a brief reflection on his life, his contributions, and his amazing family.

And, of special relevance to me, plants.

Which explains the barnacle obsession.

Umm, I suggest tossing it.

Very interesting, Rick. I have visited this little mangrove stand, along with many others in Indonesia when I worked there.