Everyday Biophilia

I have several types of trees around my house; a red maple, a couple of white oaks, and an enormous black walnut. The black walnut ( Juglans nigra ) has come to play a bigger part in my day-to-day affairs than perhaps any other single tree I’ve ever been around.  (Black Walnut Info) This time of year, early fall, while the leaves are turning, the walnuts begin to drop from the tree. Unfortunately, my parking space is right underneath. It’s a good thing my car is elderly and worth basically less than a dinner for two, because over the last couple of years so many walnuts have dropped on it that the roof and hood now have the rough contours of a golf ball. On one memorable occasion I had inadvertently set the car alarm and in the middle of the night a walnut landed on the vehicle with enough force that it set off the klaxon and light show. My neighbors were, quite naturally, miffed. People have said black walnuts are worth money and I should collect them as they fall, but I don’t h...