ALL OF YOU SOUTHERNERS, I hope you're happy, basking in your balmy temperatures and blue skies and warm sunshine. I hope you're enjoying yourselves in your non-winter bliss while us northerners are imprisoned in winter's icy grip.
Wah, wah. Yes, I confess. I'm a weather wuss. I don't like it when it's cold and this is why I live where rain is more common than snow and ice. And rain is what I expect and anticipate. I don't like it when it turns cold.
So what is there to share besides my winter's discontent? Well, how about photos I took a few weeks ago of one of my favorite plants? Yes you say? Okay. Here goes.
Presenting: MOSS
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Here you see moss living on logs that were once attached to a Sweet Gum tree.
Isn't it lovely? |
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| Reminds me of 1960s shag carpet, only way better. |
And then there's this Lichen stuff.
We call it "Elephant Snot" at our house.
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| Like moss, Elephant Snot likes to attach itself to Sweet Gum bark. |
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| Sometimes moss likes to grow in the little cracks of things. |
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| Especially in a location that gets a lot of rain--like western Oregon. |
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| It's a work of art and I would never, ever remove it. |
Finally, I walked outside one Saturday a few weeks ago and noticed something very peculiar on my 'Pamina' Japanese anemones. I hadn't deadheaded them and the seed pods opened up!
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| They look like foamy bubbles. |
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| The tiny seeds remind me of tadpole eggs. |
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| Cool, huh? |
So, I've got all my tenders protected. I either brought them inside or left them outside but close to the house under a blanket on the covered patio. Are you ready for winter? And southerners are also welcome to comment. Hugs and love to all.
What beautiful moss! I also love how it grows on just about anything here. The seed tadpole eggs are way cool! Not enjoying this whole cold business but no one asked us what we wanted. I think I'm ready but always discover one or two things that make me wish that I'd protected them or brought the inside. Oh well.
ReplyDeleteLove your moss pictures. I love moss too. I'm not enjoying the cold either.
ReplyDeleteLovely moss and bird bath! I've never seen anemone seeds and your photos Grace are wonderful!
ReplyDeleteHave a nice week!
I am one of the ones who lives in a warm climate at this time of year. I wish it were cooler, ya know down into the 50's at night would be nice. So. FL in the winters are delightful though, no stifling heat and humidity to deal with. Aaaahhhh!
ReplyDeleteI love mosses and have some that grow here too.
Love those tadpole seeds, really interesting and beautiful.
Happy Christmas holidays.
Love and hugs ~ FlowerLady
Love moss…hate the cold. I'm staying in doors for till Spring...
ReplyDeleteLOL - we totally had that carpet growing up. :)
ReplyDeleteWe to the south have thin blood and shiver in our boots when the temperatures drop into the 60s, as they have now. I guess that makes us even bigger winter wusses. Love the moss in all its incarnations.
ReplyDeleteYes, yes, yes! I love Moss! I'm with you regarding the cold weather. People ask why I live in Wisconsin if I don't like it. Well, it's only because all my family lives here. Actually, a little winter is OK with me...I just don't like it to drag on like it does. Great find with the Anemone seed heads!
ReplyDeleteI love the moss on the concrete birdbath. Elephant snot? Pretty funny.
ReplyDeleteI never in my life saw so much moss as I have since we moved to the PNW six years ago! It has it's charms....but get discouraged with all the rainy wet weather that causes it.beautiful photos, Grace.
ReplyDeleteGrace, I am at the point where I am yearning for spring to get here. We had some unseasonably warm temperatures up until today. The streets and sidewalks were icy awhile this morning. I think it only got up to 30 or so. I am having trouble warming up. I think it is supposed to get down to single digits tonight. Well, at least the days will start to get longer again in a few weeks.
ReplyDeleteI enjoyed your moss photos. I don't think we have much of that here, but I have seen some on some stumps.
Gracie girl I am stil in the midst of "reno-HELL" but I am having a drive-by of your blog and loving the moss, I am a fan too! Your elephant snot is too funny and how cool is this "cotton" of the anemone !!.. the tadpole description is perfect as well .. hey, I will get to that e-mail soon I promise but I know it will be 99% full of complaints and whining of what reno hell is like here .. so I apologize ahead of time? haha
ReplyDeleteJoy
Loveliness. Thank you. Moss and seeds that look like tadpoles. Nature is ever entertaining. Brrr, it's cold here, and I don't have much moss. Hugs from windy and chilly Oklahoma.~~Dee
ReplyDeletethis post charmed me...very interesting...save those puffy delights..the mossy was afiry worthy
ReplyDeleteI think that we may well share similar weather at this time of year Grace. Certainly rain is a common denominator as I've got several mossy growths too. I love moss though, leave it in place and occasionally stroke it. Don't mind if the birds help themselves though at nesting time :) Thanks for your recent comment on my blog and congratulations on your fifth year of blogging :) You are right - we did start at the same time and I've greatly enjoyed my visits here and have appreciated all your friendly and thoughtful comments on my blog xxx
ReplyDeleteMy tenders have 2 choices: be gorgeous and come inside or drop leaves, release pestilence levels of insects and die outside. Some get trialed in the house and then are whisked back out to die on the front deck. It's a very brutal life here in the subzero north.
ReplyDeleteAnd I will never, ever forget Elephant Snot. Thanks a lot.
Christine in Alaska
Ah, the southerners are getting clobbered with this last system. Texas is getting snow and nice and we're going to be getting cold cold rain tomorrow. Yesterday was wonderful -- upper seventies and sunny -- but now it's gray and wet and in the 40s, and it's only going to get colder.
ReplyDeleteWe are lucky though, we get a lot of nice days.
Love the anemone seed heads. You must live in moss paradise. Moss is fascinating stuff and adds so much interest to the garden.