Im lovin' lichen

[Magoo]

Most people treat lichen and moss as they would a noxious weed or dose of the clap.
they hate it.they try to rid themselves of it.
i embrace it.
i think its grand.
New Zealand is the lichen capital of the world, and has more species of lichen than anywhere else on earth.
More than 2000 differing types.

i have a lovely drift of it growing on my driveway, and ive got the mailbox right where i want it.
isnt it gorgeous?

this side has blooms

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total coverage

   

[Oh_hunnihunni]

It is beautiful stuff. And there are some really stunning rare ones in the strangest places. I love it too.

We should stop treating it like a bad thing.

[Oldfellah]

Ummmmmmm Lichen Wine

[Zurdo]

Roll it into a joint...see if you get a good hit off it. Could be some good money in it for you.

[Olive]

I remember watching a Rick Stein episode about Indian food in (I think) Madurai, and a particular lichen was used as a flavouring in a meat dish. He said it tasted a bit like cinnamon but more musky. I've since then gazed at lichens with greedy eyes, never been confident of finding the right one.

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This is it: https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Parmotrema_perlatum

[Oh_hunnihunni]

Intriguing stuff, botanically. A melding of life forms. Back in the day I used some varieties as dyestuff, but then I got older and more eco educated. So now I just admire...

[Magoo]

lichen is a very interesting creature.
its actually a symbiotic relationship between a host, which i think is fungal and an organism to feed it.
they can shut down for years in drought and reactivate later on.
they develop different chemical defences against parasites and the environment so there is much to be studied that might help us. some lichens are resistant to air pollution

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along with DMT (used to make those nasty 'synthetics') whose properties are both psychoactive and physical.
which is derived from acacias and silk trees etc it is a field that we have barely scratched the surface of.

[Oh_hunnihunni]

Bit like us really, we'd all be dead meat without the work of the host of creatures sharing this body with us.

[Lilith7]

There's lichen on my letterbox too; its quite old & battered but still serves its purpose so it - & the lichen - stays. its on the top, where there's a small dent so it gets water when it rains.
Some of my fruit trees have a bit of lichen too.

There's also the odd toadstool or three in the front lawn as well; might have to mow it, or around it, we'll see.

[Oh_hunnihunni]

Corporate landlords do not appreciate these little miracles.

[Magoo]

Corporate landlords do not appreciate these little miracles.

tis oft maligned
this magic mantle draped 
across my mail box

[Lilith7]

I like moss as well & every winter when its wet, a patch arrives on the damp, shady bit by the fence. I read somewhere that to get it to grow, put a bit of yogurt down & spread it around.

Haven't tried it yet but maybe this winter.

[Oh_hunnihunni]

The theory is you grab a clump of flowering moss, bung it in a blender with some yoghurt, whizz it up and paint that onto a damp dirted up surface, and keep in the shade for a few months.

Try it and report back...

[Lilith7]

The theory is you grab a clump of  flowering moss, bung it in a blender with some yoghurt, whizz it up and paint that onto a damp dirted up surface, and keep in the shade for a few months.

Try it and report back...

Bugger that - my food processer's temperamental enough now, I hate to think what it might do if I put moss & yogurt in it! 
Probably do an exorcism all over the kitchen, spewing moss & yogurt merrily everywhere.