A tree offers an uncontrived response
A strong westerly is blowing and there’s a ‘yellow warning’ of high winds. The still-bare trees outside my window are bobbing and weaving like a lad in a pub, hands over-full of a large round of drinks, somehow making his way back to his mates through a throng of wildly gesticulating half-time big-screen football fans. Will he stay upright? We shall see. The deep green clad evergreens further back are full-on dancing and it’s more 90s Acid House than graceful Calypso. When the wind stops for a moment, so do they. As soon as it resumes, they move again. There’s no gap, no ‘shall I or shan’t I?’ I would never say that trees have no intelligence1, but they are not encumbered / blessed by individual minds. Only a mind can say, ‘Something is happening, but I think I will not respond…’
Well, something is certainly happening. I shall respond, but how?
Read the whole piece, with full transcript, footnotes, photos, links and more, here on Substack, first published March 12th 2026.
