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"And God saw all that He had made, and behold, it was very good.   And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day" (Genesis 1:31)

The Moss Forest:
A World in Miniature

Sometimes we don't see the forest for the trees, and other times we don't see the individual trees within the forest.  In this series, we will look at a forest within a forest, a forest so small that we usually only see it as a green patch upon the ground.  It is only through our understanding of the whole of creation that we can work together to preserve it for future generations of our fellow humans and animals.

The Cord Woods (click on link or picture to enlarge) 

We rarely look to see this part of God's creation in this kind of detail to appreciate all that has been made for us.  To give some perspective to this photo, the fallen "logs" that stretch across the vista are white pine needles.  Later in the year, these stocks develop spore pods, which will be scattered by the wind to produce more cord moss.

The Cord Woods: An Inner Jungle (click on link or picture to enlarge)
As we walk by a fuzzy patch of moss, we rarely visualize its inner jungle-like appearance that this ants-eye view provides us.  When I see these little details, it makes me appreciate God and His creation even more.  It's as the psalmist wrote (Psalm 9:1-2 NASV):

I will give thanks to the Lord with all my heart
I will tell of all Thy wonders.
I will be glad and exult in Thee;
I will sing praise to Thy name, O Most High.

The Cord Woods: The Spore Pods (click on link or picture to enlarge)
These are some of the maturing spore pods of the cord moss that are at the ends of the slender stocks that rise above their inner jungle.  The total height of the stocks is less than an inch and such creative detail is most often missed as we walk by.  God's magnificence seems to be displayed at every scale we choose to observe it, whether it's the vastness of space as seen through the Hubble telescope, or the many vistas we have upon this earth, or the smaller details we have displayed in these photos, or those things we only can see with a microscope.  And one day, if we are able to see actual atomic particles, we will see God's creative handiwork there, too.

The Sphagnum World  (click on link or picture to enlarge)

This close-up view of the light, the shadows, and the various colors, which all blend together, gives the sphagnum world a different perspective than we would normally see at a casual glance.  It is much more than a patch of green on the ground.  It is a forest in miniature.  It is part of God's creation to remind us of His glory.  It is a reminder of our responsibility to preserve all that God has made.

The Sphagnum World: A Hidden Grotto (click on link or picture to enlarge)

We enjoy walking through the woods and along country roads and looking at the sheltered areas along streams and in rocky places for the "hidden" beauty spots of God's creation.  However, these are usually quite large in comparison to this one that we found in the microcosm of the sphagnum world, where a small dried leaf looks like a giant rock amongst the "trees".  It's a reminder to be protective of all that God has given us.

The Sphagnum World: Another View (click on link or picture to enlarge)

This view of the world of the sphagnum moss is almost like looking down upon the tops of palm trees.  It appears to be a dense impenetrable jungle rather than the soft green carpet we usually visualize as moss.  God's world always has new wonders for us to enjoy, but with our enjoyment comes the responsibility to protect the whole of creation from harm.

The Aulacomnium Grove (click on link or picture to enlarge)

The early spring green patches of moss amongst unthawed sheltered areas of snow upon the otherwise brownish earth caught our attention as we walked through the woods.  A closer look revealed even more detail, like an interwoven network of primordial plants.  God's world always presents us with wonders to behold and something to protect.

The Aulacomnium Grove: A Closer Look (click on link or picture to enlarge)
The very small twig within the aulacomnium grove appears as the trunk of a fallen tree in a forest.  It never ceases to amaze us how even the smallest of God's created things show that the Lord cares about the minutest details.  Let us work together to preserve all of God's creation.

The North Side of the Tree (click on link or picture to enlarge)

On the east side of our home is an cottonwood tree with a bright fresh green coat of moss clinging to the north side of its trunk.  Viewing it from our window, it almost looks like someone painted the bark, but upon closer examination, one marvels at the complexity of God's paint brush.  It's like a whole little jungle growing upon the bark of only one tree.  God's creation is truly a blessing to behold; one that requires our protection.

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If  you would like to contribute a photo and/or comment to these series, please contact;
Frank L. Hoffman flh@all-creatures.org

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