On a recent walk I noticed a little vine that held fast to the surface it claimed as its home—the trunk of an immense pine tree. The graceful, serrated leaves contributed to the vine’s delicate appearance and created contrast against the furrowed gray-brown bark. How did the vine cling to the rough tree covering? Maybe it wasn’t as delicate as I’d supposed. Upon further investigation, I noticed the vine’s stem had sprouted bunches of tiny tendrils that grasped the bark like the spikes on hiking boots grip mountain surfaces. The collection of tendrils tethered the vine to the pine…