Cottonwood. Wolf Lichen. Leather and Lime.

Brittle and bright. Opposite offset. Ground and glow. Muddy water, endless life. Cottonwood trees live at the water’s edge. They love water, emotion. But when a storm comes, their limbs break apart easily, which provides medicine on the ground, buds full of soothing, sweet smelling, gold resin, along with a carpet of deep brown, heart shaped, spear shaped, decomposing leaves throughout the dead of winter. Medicine mixed with mess in the dark season. Some people are allergic to the resin and break out in hives.

Lichen can dry out for years, still be alive and rehydrate. Ooo and aww at the saturated color. Especially attached to the contrast of a dark brown sturdy tree. Wolf lichen got its name bc some say it is toxic to animals and was used to poison wolves when hunting. Nature heals, nature sustains, nature kills. Humans are nature, too. How easy to see the beauty, there is toxic, too, always two, as opposite as leather and lime.