Lichenloglichenblog

Something going in a hole...

Something coming out a hole.

Make sure to smell the linden trees if you get the chance.

Chastity belts have finally been added to Portland's saucy fire hydrants. Thank god for the morality police!

Will report. I hope the leader doesn't quote the often quoted made up fact about how much of the earth is covered with lichen 'cause that will cause me to despair.

Ever hopeful.

Last Saturday I woke to find that a downy woodpecker in association with a flicker and a chorus of bush tits had sculpted my suet block into a dog silhouette. I suspect the birds wanted to let other birds know that there was a dog in the house which is hilarious because she has no interest in them at all.

Then three days later they pecked a teddy bear in the other suet block. Clearly they are messing with me.

Next a glamour shot of little lichen lovelies.

These goodies were found on my walk this morning. I found those in photo #2 and Ms B brought home the treasure in #1.

Guess which I like the best?

Long before I lost my heart to lichen, I began a lifelong affair with glass. I see now that both attracted me because both are wildly appealing and challenging to understand.

I've decided to combine my passions by setting off on a exploration of how to create versions of lichen in glass. It may result in me blowing up from excitement and frustration but, lucky you, you have a front row seat. Welcome to the journey.

The two pieces above are going to be my first models.

Don't get a cup of tea, this trip is going to be a long one.

Happy New Year to all of you out there in Lichenland!

These are from a New Year's Day stroll in Camassia Nature Preserve! The biomass of lichen is SHOCKING!

My resolution for 2023: lichen emoji!!!!

Here in the lichen-bountiful Pacific Northwest even our snow has lichen. It is always so delightfully plump in the snow.

First an alligator lizard sporting a brand new tail. Then a TINY western redcedar sporting HUGE Coulter pine cones and last a gorgeous western garter snake I was able to photograph because it was, unfortunately, dead.

I get this but it still looks mysterious. No lichen whatsoever on the paint layer below. When my son was in his master's program for historic preservation he read that "lichen is not always entirely benign." But here I have to wonder if the lichen caused the peeling. See, it's mysterious.

While I know barred owls are bad news for spotted owls, it was still impressive to have one swoop over and land near me this morning at Powell Butte.

This fungus I spied last week at Powell Butte by this week had shriveled to almost nothing and was replaced by a dog barf slime mold. The decomposers are really hanging up on this log.

As difficult as it is to imagine this is three bumblebees making more bumblebees. In the parlance of those who discuss this sort of thing it's called a "beeway."

Boy, autocorrect had a lot to say about that word and it didn't even know what it was. In its defense, it took me a bit to figure it out too. The people at the Oregon Bee Project were happy to get the video.

Apparently, bumblebees mate in the air whilst flying but the added weight of the third brought the party crashing to the ground.

I have another video of it too but it's longer so I don't know if it will post.

Lichen, my lichen, why do you taunt me so with your willingness to grow anywhere but on my waiting logs???

This was the most unique sight of the trip and possibly of my life: a restroom with a much longer line on the men's side than the women's. And I've been to fire island, but admittedly not in the height of the season.

Once I recovered from the awesomeness that was skyward shooting lava against a dark sky (and the sun rose so it was light enough to see anything) I was delighted to see some lovely local lichens. In a world of exotic plants and critters it was nice to see what looked to be familiar forms.

Oh, and I 🤿ed, which is the past tense of 🤿, with the manta rays.