Patches of moss and other delicate plants are some of my favorite scenes when hiking.  My friends are aware of this, as I’m always directing their attention to moss-covered rocks, branches, and moist soil.  Sometimes I stop and look closely inside the patches, to observe the diverse life, the tiniest of plants that harbor within the green felt.  I often find several types of mosses and lichens growing together, combining their unique shapes and textures to form an assorted landscape.  The pictures below also remind me of scenes I saw when scuba diving coral reefs, leaving me the impression that some of the images were taken underwater.

These pictures were taken this week near John’s Creek Mountain Trail, a side trail that connects to the Appalachian Trail near Kelly Knob.