Tuesday, August 21, 2018

Small Woodland Wonders

On a fine morning in late August, an old cedar stump along the trail into the woods wears a carpet of haircap moss (Polytrichum commune).  The tiny jeweled wonders emerging from the thatch are dancing seed capsules, the fragile sprouts wearing raindrops, strands of spider silk and a single watchful spider off in a corner waiting for breakfast to put in an appearance.

The moss colony was perfect, and for the life of me, I can't come up with the right words to describe it. It just is, all by itself. A small story. Amazing. Inspired by my friend, Shelley Krause, perhaps a haiku? 
morning on the trail
mosses sending dewy seeds into the light
small wonders

4 comments:

Tabor said...

Very worthy of a Haiku.

Kiki said...

Yes Small wonders indeed. Wonders we never get tired of. Wishing you a WONDERful(l) day.

Kiki said...

Yes Small wonders indeed. Wonders we never get tired of. Wishing you a WONDERful(l) day.

christinalfrutiger said...

It is a tiny, miniature forest...how beautiful! I am so glad I live in the Pacific Northwest of the US because it is the land of a thousand mosses...which I dearly love! I even have a moss lawn! Your photograph of the tiny water droplets on each individual moss thread is just exquisite!