Wednesday, February 1, 2012

A Mushy Missive and a Mossy Meander

Let's start February off with a BANG! 
A new Blog Header and the first completion of the month.

Design - "February" Flip it - A Year With Charm
Designer - Lizzie Kate
Fabric - 28 count Country French Cafe Mocha linen
Fibers - GAST - 2 strands over 2 threads
Started - 30 January 2012
Completed 31 January 2012

I think we should title this walk "A Mossy Meander".

Our unnaturally mild weather continues this week.  No need for gloves or mittens.  Just a light coat or sweater and a good pair of boots.

My mother was the trail-blazer for this walk, and we followed a deer path (proof later) along the west side of our property.  This old stump is about at the end of its cycle - the interior has totally decayed, and just the bark and outer layer remain. 

A Mossy Meander - Yes, moss and lichen - this looks like a photo from outer space.  The tall lichen are called Cladonia Ecmocyna Lichen - Pixie Lichen (Cladonia ecmocyna) It is widespread throughout the Pacific Northwest, and found in soil, humus or moss. It is prevalent in exposed to lightly shaded habitats  


This lichen looks like a sea anemone.  I need a lichenologist to help with the identification.

And I need to take a walk with a muscologist - someone who studies mosses. I think the moss is Broom Moss (Dicranum scoparium).
 I love this photo - the bright green moss and the red capped lichens.  The amazing thing is that this photo and the two above it were all taken of the same decaying stump - such diversity in minutiae.

This stump has several small symmetrical holes...who? 

Remember, I said we were following a deer path - hoof prints.

More moss...

...and more moss...

...and yet more moss...

...and still more moss!

I've featured this lichen before - Lungwort Lichen (Lobaria pulmonaria). It is commonly found on trees in humid forests, both coniferous and deciduous, at
lower elevations.

  
And leave you today with...moss!

18 comments:

  1. Oh I love that L*K February...and I think I even have all those charts...LOL! never stitched though *of course*.

    Your flora and fauna pictures...beautiful!

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  2. oooo love your start and finish for feb :) and mmmm moss moss and more moss ... love the one with the wee mushrooms with it :)
    hope your mum had a good walk today too :) love mouse xxxx

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  3. What a cute finish. Perfect for the 1st of Febuary :)

    Thank you for taking us along on your mossy adventure. It's all so beautiful!! Hope your day is a beautiful one as well.

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  4. Your 'Febuary' is soo cute. And I love the mossy post. Who knew there was so much moss.

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  5. Very nice finish! You are sooo quick!!! I love your header...I see a lot of the Heart in Hand Heart Collector patterns! I have all of them up to 2010 and have only stitched one or two. Also love your pics of the lichens and moss. Beauty in such small packages!!

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  6. What a plethora of life you wonder amongst! Beautiful is all it's shapes and sizes. (I say this after looking thru a few of your posts.) And I must also comment on your cutie of a start for February.

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  7. Moss, I always want to touch......favorite header sampler is Be Nice....... Like the sign says , be nice or leave

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  8. Your new header is wonderful-I just love all those hearts. And here I thought we had all the world's moss up here in Washington!

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  9. I love your header...Lots of hearts! And, you already have a finish. Congrats!

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  10. Love your new header and your finish is super cute! Great walking tour, too.

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  11. Your new header is fantastic! And, of course, I love your L*K finish. I think I may have that one...

    The first time I saw those red topped lichen in my garden, they kind of startled me. I don't see them often, but I believe they came from the hardwood mulch I use.

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  12. Love your new blog header and your first February finish. Very sweet!

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  13. Love the new header and the adorable first finish of the month. Such interesting photos - thanks for sharing!

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  14. Ha ha!! What is this psychic thing we have going on, Beth? Guess what chart I just pulled to stitch today--yep!! I love your February finish--such pretty colors.

    And wow! All those pieces in your Feb. header are great--lots of love at your house, that's for sure :)

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  15. Love, love the February header! And your latest finish is darling. And the walk was beautiful. Thanks.

    Bobbi

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  16. Mosst interesting!

    I love your new finish.

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Thank you all. I appreciate that you've read my blog and are taking the time to comment.