Forest Within

Moss is everywhere in the Pacific Northwest, but this particular patch clinging to the bark of a weathered giant stopped me in my tracks. Delicate, chartreuse fronds, impossibly soft like fur, reached out from the trunk, glistening with pearlescent dewdrops in the dappled light. Getting close, I inhaled the earthy musk, mingled with a hint of refreshing coolness radiating from the damp embrace of the tiny fronds. The surrounding forest, a symphony of emerald ferns and towering evergreens, framed this miniature masterpiece, the sunlight filtering through the branches like spotlights illuminating a hidden kingdom.