For this past Christmas, one of my gifts was the Planet Earth set. (http://dsc.discovery.com/convergence/planet-earth/planet-earth.html) made by BBC and shown on Discovery. Got to see a couple when they were shown but the set is much, much better. For those who have not seen these – there are five disks and fourteen shows plus about the same number of how it was made articles, the set is absolutly fascinating, breath-taking. You've got to get or borrow or rent it.

One of the thoughts which jumped out to me was the variety and prevalence of life. Where ever there is a niche, Mother Nature puts a critter to take advantage of it. What a marvelous thing life is. And if life takes advantage of every niche, what a marvelous thing evolution is. Said it before and will say it again, one of our greatest blasphemies is not using this spectacular brain we have been given.

And out there in my yard and garden there are a bunch of weeds. Do more fussing around than actually gardening and the weeds have a good strong hold. One of them is a little low-lying plant that puts up a tiny white flower. The flowers are on a stalk about two or three inches above the leaves. A couple of spikes stick out about an inch above the flowers. The seeds form on the ends of the spikes. And the seeds are spring-loaded! Any time the plant is disturbed, the seeds go shooting all over the place. Some of them go a couple of feet into the air!. Like a minature anti-aircraft barrage, clouds of seeds. Have no idea what the real name of this is. I call it pistolero. It is a good weed. Spreads fast and is much too hardy. Cut the grass for the first time really early this hoping to get a head start. Alas, too late. All I did was spread them more.

What a marvelous adaptation this plant is. It has covered all the bases. Smarter and tougher than I am. Like that *&%($ wiregrass. These have adapted to thwart all my attempts. I know they hate me and are deliberately attacking me. Survival of the fittest and afraid that is not me. But wait, adaptation? That is another word for evolution. Believe me, pistolero and wiregrass have evolved.

For those unbelievers out there, let me tell you the story I heard from beyond the grave from my Uncle George. He was in line at the Pearly Gates behind a preacher. Saint Peter read off the impressive list of the preacher's accomplishments. Big smile and the Gates started to open. But then Pete got a scowling frown and the Gates slammed shut. “You do not believe in evolution! Preached against it! Do you know how much effort we all put into that? Evolution is one of our best accomplishments, our greatest miracles! Mikey, put this one on the down elevator.”