British Soldiers and Pink Earth

British Soldiers, Pink Earth, Pixie Cups; all rather fanciful and whimisical names that I find fascinating. As equally fascinating are the small, diminutive lichens that these nomenclature represent. Looking down, rather than up to the sky or high in the treetops, had some pretty spectacular surprises in store for me yesterday. In fact more that just looking down, a hands and knees view can be very rewarding.

British Soldiers: These handsome, red clad lichens reminded early Americans of the uniforms of British soldiers during times of their presense in North American ; and thus their name.

The source of the name of the pastel pink lichen to the left, Pink Earth, appeared to be visually self explanatory when viewed spread over the earth below my feet. Pixie Cups; now that is a naming word of enchant -ment and I am taken back to the imaginary realms of childhood when I look at these very, tiny cup like lichens. Why not get down close to the earth and look for them too.