29/2/2020
There is a cherry tree down the road a ways that has been infected by Psuedomonas syringae. This bacteria makes ice nucleation-active proteins, which have little slots for water molecules to fit into tidily. This makes the water freeze more easily, because it's already perfectly lined up to be ice crystals. Water inside the tree freezes, which splits the wood and bleeds sap to give the tree vaguely unsettling curled amber horns.
Psuedomonas syringae also floats up from trees into the atmosphere and freezes water up there. It grows hailstones. You know, Chunks of Ice that Fall Out of the Sky and Smash Things.
Two days ago, we brought home a couple of cherry trees to add to the orchard. Today we got some hail.
Scientists claim there’s no reason to conclude the Tawny-Horned Hailstone Tree sent us a warning that we'd better treat our new cherry trees right, or else.
But everyone who’s ever farmed cherries knows better.