I bundle up as the earth gets naked. The stark bareness reveals a hidden layer of the forest. In the lush greenery of summer, the lichen covered tree trunks just don't catch your attention.
The grey skies and wet bark accentuate the chiffon lime green of the lichens. Most of the larger tree trunks are mottled to greater and lesser degrees with this living apparel. There is always something to see when you look, even in the solemn hues of winter.
The sky rises and falls and the resting forest beyond the grassy knoll changes mood with it. Small changes become more evident within the larger seasonal changes over watchful time.
The winter undergarments of the front roadside bed have been revealed. The tall Iron Weed, New England Aster and some of the Goldenrod were cut down to show off the golden hue and dried plumes of the Miscanthus. Next year I will try not to divide them just to see how much bigger they will get. At least I will not divide all of them.
This bare earth reveals just how much ground a new garden really needs to cover.
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12 comments:
The barren landscape has its own beauty, doesn't it? Love the "chiffon" lichen!
Try not to divide them? I don't think that will be possible. They grow so fast and you have much ground to cover and they look so good, the list could go on and on. It is getting much colder here too in the lower elevations, time for the ear warmers. The long johns were added several weeks ago. We both have skinny legs. :-)
Frances
You have captured the cold in these photos. Brrrrrrr
Hey Chris, Sorry to plug up your post with previous subjects but I wanted to mention that, if you are not familiar with Spray foam from a can, there is something that you should know. You should always buy it in small cans. Even if you have a lot of area to cover, once you break the seal and start to use a can, you have to use it all or it will harden up in the nozzle and you won't be able to get the rest of the foam out of the can. Large cans tend to be wasteful. If the nozzle freezes up on a small can, its not such a loss, you just throw it out...
I have always found the concept of Lichens not being harmfull to trees incorrect. Just like Moss, I think it tends to smother the host over time, my opinion, but it is pretty in a odd way.. stay warm! Patrick
It's amazing how much beauty there is in the winter landscape isn't it? Love the perspective of that last shot.
Winter does show it's beauty, of which I found, to be very pretty. It's amazing just how much you can see when the trees loose their leaves. There is something rewarding, I found, in the winter views not visible at any other time.
I too think that the lichen does smother, over time, the life of it's host. Like the moss in the trees in the South.
Regardless of either season I find that there is beauty in each.
I am missing something; if the lichen is on the bark and the vascular system of the tree is internal to the bark, how can the lichen smother the tree? It doesn't have any weight to speak of. Does it penetrate the bark?
bev
Winter has definitely hit your area. But it looks lovely. I've always liked lichens and for some reason, they make me think of ancient forests.
Interesting to say the least. Lichen is caused by too much moisture. High humidity or too much sprinkler use. From what I understand the moisture will cause rot. Therefor I don't think the term "smother" applies.
Lola, you should google Lychens and read up about their morthology. Very interesting, actually. The abundance of water in the environment is more likely to cause Mosses than Lichen, although Lychens can live under the conditions you described...
Patrick
Phrago, goggled, interesting indeed.
Phrago, googled,{not goggled} lol
Seems I need to go back to school.
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