earth to sarah, earth to sarah, where are you?

Greetings, from an ever-so-much-older-and-wiser, post-birthday new and improved me. I had a lovely birthday, thank you. It involved some of this:

…which is a not very good shot of a freakin’ awesome flourless chocolate cake. Which I’ve almost nearly eaten by now. I know: I’m slowin’ down as I get older. Was a time I woulda eaten this jobbie in one go. Among my haul of birthday gifts? Three jars of Nutella. I married a keeper.

On Thursday, we refinanced on our house. Deeply exciting, I know. Actually, who am I kidding? It IS awesome, as we got a killer rate. Signing all the paperwork was somewhat tedious, and – imagine if you will – I wound up goofing off and taking pictures of the view from our attorney’s windows.

Yesterday, I slaved over a hot computer in a windowless room for ten straight hours, and by the time I emerged I didn’t even know what planet I live on. We met up with some friends for drinks and then Sweetpea and I went out to dinner to celebrate my birthday. By the time this morning rolled around, I still hadn’t re-oriented to Life in a Body, so after breakfast I dragged myself out of the house and up in the woods.

Ahhhh…much better.

 

Melting snow, leaf litter, a spruce or maybe hemlock twig.

 

Moss on a log, with possibly beech seeds and definitely pine needles. So, identifying mosses apparently takes a hand lens, which I own, but didn’t think to bring with me. All I can tell you is that those stalks are the reproductive bits, and aren’t we lucky to be looking at them, because they’re only out and about under just-so conditions.

You often see lichen hanging out with mosses. Or do you?

Lichen, or dinosaurs?

 

Lichen, or snake monster?

 

Beech leaves, pine needles.

 

Some kinda mushroom.

 

Life insists on going about its business, even while everything appears to be shutting down and/or decaying.

 

Oh for heavens’ sake, get your mind out of the gutter. They’re mushrooms.

 

Moss, this time on a rock.

 

Ah, moss, glorious moss. I should get to know you better.

 

Thank you, Universe.