As there is no snow this winter in southern Sweden – but rain there is – mosses seem to grow more than ever in the damp environment. Shining green, they light up all the grey and the darkness. So more than ever we have a green winter this year.
According to Wikipedia, mosses are a botanical division of small, soft plants that are typically 1–10 cm (0.4–4 in) tall, though some species are much larger, like Dawsonia, the tallest moss in the world (found in NZ for example) which can grow to 50 cm in height. They commonly grow close together in clumps or mats in damp or shady locations. They do not have flowers or seeds, and their simple leavescover the thin wiry stems. At certain times mosses produce spore capsules which may appear as beak-like capsules borne aloft on thin stalks.
There are approximately 12,000 species of moss classified in the Bryophyta, a division that formerly included not only mosses, but also liverworts and hornworts. These other two groups of bryophytes are now placed in their own divisions.
Moss covering great parts of the ground under the trees.
They climb the trunks and some trees are totally covered.
Tiny brown spore capsules on their thin stalks.
Every stone is more or less covered in a soft coat of green.
Leya 
I love walking barefoot on moss. It is the most luxurious feeling! Wonderful pictures.
I love to do that too. Unfortunately it’s not that exhilarating winter time…but I haven’t tried really!
Beautiful photos – wish I could change places with you, I’ve already had enough of winter. Suppose to have a high of minus 10 tomorrow here, wind chills near minus 50 degrees Fahrenheit.
Well, I saw something about your having a really tough one with storms and snow – but I don’t know where in your vast country this is. Light a fire and sit under the blanket with a nice warm drink! Or just come over for a walk in the rain with me and my dogs…
Sounds lovely, wish I could come over for that walk – I’m stuck in Chicago, Illinois 🙂
If I’m ever ” over there” – I will give you a call! It would be great to take that walk and just talk.
Lol … indeed I think you are right … and I meant *other-worldly of course 😉
😉
You’ve really captured the brilliance and light in green mossiness Ann-Christine such a gorgeous contrast of colour against the leaves too …
but tell me sshh … who is that little other worldy creature whose green face I see peeping out from under a mossy roof 😉
I’m very pleased you saw him…! I’m convinced he is something like a mini Totti peeping out from his interrupted hibernation…
Lovely photos Leya, I am a big fan of mossy woods and your photos show them beautifully
Thank you, Mike. In my deepest darkness (almost…) I have at least found that this beautiful green helps lightening up my mind and the colour in itself is immensely soothing. I’m a grreat fan of mossy woods too – have always been. I got my top experience in the rainforests of New Zealand!
Love that “ant-view” of the moss – view from grassroots level. Yes, it’s so green down here in the south – even the farmers’ fields are getting green, it’s just like on Ireland this time of year. Lovely shots, but I wouldn’t expect anything else from you. And the moss information … here you teaching skills come through.
Do you know that Norway is the greenest country in the world … with 54 shades of green and Ireland has only 53, I think it’s because it’s a Norwegian that has been counting. *laughing.
Oh, Viveka – now you are You again! Of course it’s because it’s a Norwegian who’s been counting…Teacher? Well, unfortunately you might easily guess…
It was our porcelain supplier in Porsgrund that told me so many years ago – and I told it must have been a drunk Norwegian that has been doing the counting. Only a Norwegian will come up with something like that.
🙂
Very Lord of the Rings!!! Beautiful pictures. So lush. Do you have any deer in the forest as well?
Oh, yes…too many deer! They eat too much from the top of new trees and they carry MILLIONS of ticks…which comfortably jump over to Mille and Totti and all other dogs walking here…and people too for that matter…But – the deer are very beautiful animals!
We have cattle ticks here, but the native animals almost never so, to my knowledge. I never realised the deer could carry these. Do they get infected themselves with the paralysis? Or is it a different type of tick?
They do not get infected themselves, no.
Something different than snow! Do you think it will still snow? I do not know much about winter season there
It usually snows out in April here, so there is still time yet…
Okay, I see! 🙂
🙂
The green colour definitely stands out in otherwise quite grey-ish shades of winter, and brings some liveliness to it. Beautiful captures – especially the last one with so clear reflections!
The last one has got some more elements to it, yes.
These images are absolutely beautiful Leya! I love the contrast between the ”dead” winter colours and the green moss.
I’m glad you liked them!
Wonderful shades of emerald. Beautiful photos. 🙂
Thank you, Sylvia. Fortunately I love green!
Beautiful! I like moss better than snow. 🙂
You do? Well it will last longer anyway…! and I love the colour green too.
That last photo is stunning…wonderful reflections and colours. The stones look like velvet green eggs waiting to hatch 🙂
They really do! I have never seen so much green moss any other year. But, maybe it’s only the natural effect due to the lack of snow
Green winter! Love the green moss 🙂
It’s beautiful, yes. So much of it this winter.
Incredible. Does moss provide food for wildlife?
Well, I do not think so. Though reindeer and others eat lichen – which might look like moss, but I don’t know if they are of the same family.
soft bright luxurious green carpets, I am sure you long to sit or recline there!
I do – but then I have to have a raincoat…
oh of course … I forgot it is wet 🙂