Willow Catkin

Once upon a time, something happened with nature. This happened when winter was turning into spring. The plants and creatures were waiting for the first spring breeze so all the greenery would start to grow. The landscape was still a gray-brown colour and the ground was covered with rotten leaves and fallen branches. Everyone who lived in the nature knew that first, the spring breeze would arrive bringing hope and strength and then the willow would appear with its willow catkins - because that was nature's order. The willow and the spring wind were the basis of all life. But time passed and the spring breeze did not arrive. This created great concern. Several plants felt so bad so they fell asleep for good. A little fairy did not understand what was happening. All around her she saw dead plants and trees. Then one day she felt the spring breeze, but it came like a storm, aggressive and vicious. The spring breeze sang songs of mourning as it veered over dead trees and plants. The fairy climbed into a seemingly dead willow trunk and said aloud to herself: “What's going on? What is happening to my country? ” Strangely enough, the willow answered. He told her that a diamond willow fungus(Haploporus odorus) wanted to take over the tree. The fungus had taken a lot of energy from him and not even the spring breeze could bring him back to life. The fairy replied that if the willow could find the strength to open up its willow catkins they would stand up together against the fungus and everyone else who wanted to take over. They would do it together, they would do it for the right to freedom and they would do it for the right to choose for themselves! One by one, the willow catkins began to erupt and together they did what they could for freedom!
A difficult conflict is currently raging in Ukraine. This affects the population very hard. This text is no solution but perhaps it can give power to all those affected. We must help! Spring symbolizes health and rebirth. Willows (Salix) are the only plants that bloom when the hop queen bee wakes up in early spring. The willow is a key species, which means that many other species are dependent on it. The seal can shoot even if it has apparently been dead for several years. The Diamond willow fungus(Haploporus odorus) is a wood decomposer and acts as a parasite on its host. Everyone has the right to live in freedom!