Trees don’t grow as children draw them—straight trunked, bushy leaves at the top, maybe a couple of branches off in either direction. Instead, they grow with the sun. In the Northern Hemisphere, when the sun is at its highest point, giving out most of its energy, it is due south. Trees here will naturally be thicker and greener on their southern side. If you are ever lost, look for a tree, and you’ll have a ready-made compass point. Go closer and you’ll find more clues. While on one side branches grow straight out toward the sun, branches on the opposite side will reach upward, trying to peer over and catch the light. Leaves on either side are different, too. Sun leaves are thicker, paler. Shade leaves are larger, thinner, darker. Then, look for the insects: Trees tend to bend with the prevailing wind, and spiders will spin their webs to shelter from that wind. If you know This story is from Kinfolk Issue Thirty-Seven Buy Now Related Stories Arts & Culture Issue 19 Going Incognito We all secretly wonder what mischief we’d make if invisible: When our identity is hidden, everything seems possible. Arts & Culture Issue 19 The Best Policy Sometimes we talk to each other without feeling heard. Honesty—a most intimate interaction—can be just as thrilling as its more devious inverse. Arts & Culture Issue 19 A Sense of Suspense With unhinged imaginations and mountains of cliff-hangers, the filmmakers behind the sci-fi podcast Limetown have all the makings of a scary story. Arts & Culture Issue 19 Like Clockwork In this new column about time, we learn how slipping off our watches makes us feel like deadline-damning renegades. Arts & Culture Music Issue 19 On a Grander Scale Malaysian singer-songwriter Yuna now may live on the opposite side of the globe, but she’s determined to evolve while staying true to her roots. Arts & Culture Issue 19 Neighborhood: Fire Stations The firefighting profession has evolved over time from Ancient Rome’s rudimentary bucket brigades to today’s sleek life-saving departments.
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