{"id":2118,"date":"2011-06-19T08:30:11","date_gmt":"2011-06-19T12:30:11","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/p4td.lightshedder.com\/2011\/06\/19\/6192011-lichen-flowers-happy-sunday\/"},"modified":"2011-06-19T08:30:11","modified_gmt":"2011-06-19T12:30:11","slug":"6192011-lichen-flowers-happy-sunday","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/psnp.info\/p4td_\/?p=2118","title":{"rendered":"6\/19\/2011: Lichen Flowers: Happy Sunday!"},"content":{"rendered":"

<\/a><\/p>\n

Happy Sunday.<\/p>\n

As I mentioned in my extended essay on shooting in the rain (Acadia from under an umbrella<\/a>\u2026), one of the advantages of prevailing mist and falling water is that you tend (or at least I tend) to look at what is close to hand more carefully\u2026and, of course, the water on everything adds a glisten that catches the eye. I have always been fascinated by moss and lichen, though I know next to nothing about it. I like the forms it takes, the colors (or lack thereof) and the textures. The northern coast of Maine has both moss and lichen in abundance.<\/p>\n

This whitish, antlered lichen forms large dense beads from the seaside path to the tops of the mountains of Acadia. It generally hosts a variety of other plants, but only a few hardy individuals, well spaced, as below.<\/p>\n

  <\/p>\n

I had, however, never seen the flowers, if that is the proper word for these reproductive parts of this particular lichen, until my day of photographing in the rain. <\/p>\n

Nikon Coolpix P500 in 1) Close Up Scene mode, 32mm equivalent field of view, f3.7 @ 1\/60th @ ISO 160. 2) 100mm equivalent, f4.6 @ 1\/60th @ ISO 160 Program.<\/p>\n

Processed in Lightroom for Clarity and Sharpness.<\/p>\n

And, of the Sunday thought, that matter of looking close come to mind. Though we Christians don\u2019t give \u201cpaying attention\u201d as much attention as some other religions, I certainly find that a sense of reverence has to be grounded in attention\u2026in looking closely at life\u2026in seeing and celebrating all the works of creation, from the most grand landscape to the smallest lichen on the forest floor. And when you do pay attention, you see the most amazing things. I mean, how unlikely are those flowers, or whatever lichen have, and how unlikely is the lichen itself\u2026a fungus and an alga living entwined, supporting and feeding each other? The infinite forms of creation is enough to keep me reverent\u2026and entertained\u2026even on a rainy day. Even on a Sunday. Especially on a Sunday!  <\/p>\n

Share this:<\/h3>