The third liturgical season runs from the spring equinox to mid-spring (approximately May 5th) and covers the period from the Cambrian explosion to the invention of trees in the Devonian?. Again what are the major advances of this period? Leaves, veins, roots, wood?
Here is [[Eric]]'s draft of the opening ceremony for the [[Weekly Service Calls]] during this season:
:Bare rock ... still ... bare rock.
:And then ... <gasp> ... Green!
:Cells clump. Organs specialize. Nascent Senses emerge. Structures harden.
:Forests grow.
:In the lush green forests, species are born.
:And for every species ... there was a story!
:This is the story of how they came to be,
:these trees with whom we breath!
:First came the leaves, floating leaves,
:the surfaces on which Sol's fire was captured!
:Next came the veins, organizers of resources,
:Both Xylem and Phloem,
:raising water and minerals,
:and storing sugar.
:Then came the roots!
:Digging deep, searching for minerals.
:Digging deep, anchoring stems fast.
:Finally, plants invented wood!
:Turning soft cells into tall trunks,
:Reaching high into the air, thickening the biosphere,
:Making 100 meters of air freely available to crawling and jumping animals.
:Leaves. Veins. Roots. Wood.
:From bare rock ... Forests!
=== Discussion ===
[[Ben]]: The third season is a beautiful homage to the Old Testament (the book ''Seeing Nature'' by [[Paul Krafel]]). The only improvements I might suggest would be to reference the term “The Upward Spiral” directly, and double-checking the science on when we think each innovation arose (I suspect roots may have arisen earlier than you suggest).