Metropolis

An old rotten stump from a distance. Nothing special really. Just one of many in the woods. Years of rain, sun and wind and they look like it is their last year on this earth.

And then you get closer and you see all those little things growing on it. Their whole world. With peaks and valleys. With neighbors and dangerous sunny spots that will dry them to a crisp.

I believe this lichen is called Cladonia pyxidata and it is probably my favourite one. Because of the cup shape. They mostly grow close to the ground on old wood, pine cones, between mosses.

Hundreds and hundreds of little cups.

And a new generation of trees, to replace the old and long time gone one.