Lichen: Kennebunk, Maine, USA, June 2026 — I have a daughter who just recently (apparently) discovered a fascination with moss—and I am assuming with the lichen too—since they so often grow together. I have had such a fascination since childhood (and I suspect she has too…we just have a way of continuously rediscovering wonder, and it surprises us every time!) Lichen are indeed fascinating. As a child I did not know, of course, that it is two separate organisms living as one: a fungus for structure and durability (and the more rigorous aspects of gathering minerals), and an alga (or cyanobacteria), which makes energy out of sunlight. The alga itself is wonderful. It is a cluster of single cells, each one of which has its DNA loose (so to speak) inside it, rather than confined to the nucleus as ours is—and as is the case in moss and all true plants. And—I just learned this this morning—some lichen are powered by cyanobacteria which also do not have their chlorophyll confined to chloroplasts, but kind of etched into the inside of the membrane of the cell. Now that is wonderful. I suspect, from the color and texture of these lichen, that we have an alga pair here, but it is impossible to know for certain without microscopic examination (and sometimes even then). Together—algae (or cyanobacteria) and fungus—they make a formidable pair, able to survive harsh conditions, and literally eat rocks. Sony a6700. Sigma 16-300 Contemporary at 110mm equivalent field of view. Aperture with macro modifications. f/18 at 1/30th at ISO 3200 from my mini-tripod. Two images focus stacked for depth of field. Processed in Photomator and Pixomatic.