15 Comments
Oct 9Liked by Andrew Smith

"...but to really have a good time as a plant, you need to be anchored somewhere."

Tumbleweed: Hold my beer!

(Yes, technically tumbleweed is just the top of a plant that leaves the root behind, but also shut up!)

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Tumbleweeds are also Chineese and immigrated to the US and became part of the western motif. We hate them.

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We sure it's China? I've heard Russia, but don't know for sure.

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Same continent. I’ve heard China but i never looked it up. Sounds like a topic for GoatFury.

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If they're from Russia, the title has to be something like "That Time Russia Invaded the US" or something equally evocative, but more clever.

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Oct 9Liked by Andrew Smith

Build That Weedkiller!

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I'm shutting up for the rest of the day! I'm only typing responses from here on out.

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Oct 9Liked by Andrew Smith

I believe roots also give nutrients back to the soil after they decompose

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Yes, absolutely! That's a big part of the reason other plants could continue to spread out onto the land.

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You didn’t end with a question so I’ve got nothing to say

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I think I've said it all!

Kidding, this easily could have been a book. I think I pared about 10x as much away as I wanted to say.

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It’s a good one. It’s interesting how some stuff you read and there’s obviously a period - the end, that’s that. Other stuff it’s a think and you want to hear more, say more - it ends with a question.

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For sure. This one could have gone the other way pretty easily, but I felt like keeping the focus narrow let me off the hook.

The moment that really got me was thinking about that moss. David Attenborough does a great job of articulating that evolutionary moment in a book of his I recently finished, and I really admire his ability to convey that sense of awe.

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And some of those evolved species use the literal meaning of "roots" to define charts that outline their family lineage in a similar way.

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This reminds me of the quip about how the universe has created something that can think about itself.

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