Old Sam had seen much during his lifetime, more than most in the neighbourhood, having been here for almost 99 years. I say almost because it’s difficult to ascertain his real age.
What we do know is that he was present to see the children of three families grow to adulthood and more renovations to the cottage than he could recall. He lived through winters that lasted so long, they began in November and went until June. There was so much snow, his lower branches were covered. Summers so hot the heat would shimmer off the pavement. There were dry spells when flowers were desperate to absorb even minor droplets of rain and times when heavy rains flooded the land.
Through it all, Old Sam dealt with the challenges he faced with stoicism and good humor, always ready to help those around him.
He wasn’t always called “Old Sam“. In his youth, people called him Sammy until he grew taller and became Sam and then, a bit later, Samuel. Now he was known to everyone as Old Sam, a name never used in front of him, as he was quite sensitive about his age.
Perhaps you’ve already guessed that Old Sam is a tree. Not just any tree. He’s the large maple - standing proudly overlooking a beautiful country cottage and surrounded by a neatly trimmed front lawn. As you will soon learn, the lawn wasn’t always well groomed, nor was the cottage always cared for, but I’m getting ahead of myself. Let’s get back to Old Sam.
As a sapling, he was surrounded by dozens of trees and bushes in an unspoiled forest. Plants grew in abundance, taking advantage of their freedom to expand and flourish in the way nature intended. The floor of their natural habitat provided nutrients and moisture that sustained them throughout the growing seasons. Occasionally, someone would walk through and break off a branch or pick a flower, but for the most part, it was an idyllic setting for all, including the small animals who made it their home. At first sight, forests may seem quite tranquil, but they’re full of unexpected connections and relationships and even secret messages. They are really quite complex. What few humans realised at the time was that there exists an underground synchronised mycorrhizal network that connects the roots of plants via fungal filaments. It’s like a free underground exchange network. Plants provide fungi with sugars produced through photosynthesis, and in exchange, the fungi supply them with nitrogen, phosphorus, and water. This symbiosis occurs in over 80% of plant species. In addition to connecting plants to one another, it redistributes resources, like an equalisation system. When one species is stressed, another responds by sharing carbon via their linked mycorrhizal, and this flow can change direction several times per season. It’s almost a collective intelligence, underground and silent, that redistributes resources where and when it’s needed. Sam’s location was untouched and peaceful. Unfortunately, it was not to last.
