Standing amidst this thicket of 8 ft. tall Highbush Blueberry shrubs crusted with layers of various lichens, I couldn't help but feel they were sentient, ancient, and were aware of my presence. I half expected to hear them speak! There is a reason that folklore and literature have numerous examples of tree's becoming animated. From the crabby apple trees in "The Wizard of Oz" to Tolkien's character Treebeard the Ent, there is a fascination with the power of such wild, wooden, and silent sentinels.