lichens from Madeline

My friend Madeline is the best gift giver. She was one who gifted me with the black swallowtail chrysalis (which she rescued from roadside boulevard mowers last autumn). And now yesterday, she gifted me with a bag full of assorted lichens and mosses from her weekend up in Grand Marais, MN on the North Shore of Lake Superior. Some people just have a knack for knowing exactly the right gift. It is such a delight, because it makes one feel seen. It’s hard to pull off consistently. I am not particularity skilled at it. I think it requires a certain level of attentiveness that I tend to save for the natural world. I rarely ever notice when someone gets a haircut. Or a new piece of jewelry. But I do notice lichens! And Madeline knew that. Thank you Madeline!

collection of misses and lichens from the North Shore of Lake Superior