Okay so we’re firmly in mud season in Ohio and I think I’m going a little crazy. See, I ran across this absolute T H I C C unit of an oak that’s probably been here since the American Revolution (seriously this thing is like, ten feet in diameter, which is massive even accounting for it having two trunks - this may be a slight exaggeration but seriously I’m bringing a ruler next time I’m on this trail.)
It got me feeling a desire deep in my mud-covered heart that I wanted to see your chonky bois. Y’all got any squirrels that got too deep in the bird feeder? Seals that have have been chowing down on a fresh fish buffet? Maybe big squishy mushrooms that are unreasonably large? I just want to see them. See your big bois to give us some joy while us poor people in midwest wait out the rest of winter.
This is by far the biggest Loblolly I’ve seen. There’s probably very few pines greater than 150 years old in Northeast Texas, but I’m willing to bet this is one of them
You may enjoy this male Sierran Tree Frog. While not large in stature, he clearly thinks very highly of himself. He has a firm amplexus (mating grip) on a gravid female California Newt who is not only several times his size, but also highly toxic.
There’re many big trees I’ve seen, but the biggest birch (Betus pendula) is one still growing on our dacha, I’m still confused on when exactly it was planted, 60+ years for sure, so it long stopped growing up, but still is getting wider. https://maps.app.goo.gl/FVYPXmabQpiQPGgj8
This garden friend claimed his sweet spot on one particular branch during butterfly migration and soon thereafter began to look like this. We named him Puff, because his new enhanced physique made him look like he was wearing a cream puffer vest.
I was really noticing mormon crickets this summer. Even though they are a small animal, they are CHONKY for a “cricket”. I always think they are BIG when I see them.
I’m jealous of those big trees! I love the huge trees of the pacific northwest, but I’ve always found a towering deciduous like an American Chestnut or an Elm much more enamouring, probably because they’re all but gone where I live (we have tall trees but no thick ones).
The first observation of mine that came to mind these bad boys. Also, just hippos in general.
Honorable mentions to this chubby robin, this fat crocodile. this cat, these leafcutter ants and this borb.
Not quite as impressive as the giant sequoias, but these old growth tulip trees in Great Smoky Mountains National Park are pretty impressive, too. To top it off, like the sequoias this family of species has been around since the age of the dinosaurs.
