Sunday, February 8, 2009

Spanish Moss


A closeup picture of some Spanish moss hanging low from a tree next to the fence around St. John's Episcopal Cemetery. When I was a child, my grandmother used to warn me not to play with moss because she said it contained red bugs, which is another name for chiggers, nasty little bugs that burrow under your skin and bite, causing unbearable itching. We took our chances and played with it anyway, and yes, she was right! Click on the picture to see it up close. It's really quite pretty.

8 comments:

Hilda said...

Ooh, she did take a close up of the moss! So I guess you like it as much as I do :)

But Eeeeew! about the bugs! Sounds absolutely nasty!! I'm just going to admire moss from afar. Well, I've always had anyway, not just moss but all plants in general — I hate bugs because they like me too much.

Tanya Breese said...

Oh I love Spanish moss, it's so beautiful draped over the oaks...and goes like peanut butter and jelly with my Savannah photos!

Hope said...

When we visited Florida in December for a trip to Walt Disney World, our family was fascinated by the Spanish Moss hanging in trees in south Georgia and throughout Florida. We didn't touch it though, even though we were tempted at a rest stop once. I seemed to remember that we shouldn't from something I learned years ago. I'm glad I had that warning in my head even though I couldn't remember the entire reason. Thanks for reminding me!

Lisa Wilson said...

I didn't know that! Oh I just hate chiggers. I don't think we have them here, but I have gotten into them in Oklahoma.

Arctic Dakini said...

It IS pretty! When we were in Florida many many years ago my brother-in-law strung some on his rear-view mirror as a memento.

~Cheryl said...

It looks very delicate. Must be soft if you want to touch it! I was introduced to chiggers in an Oklahoma cemetery one summer. Terrible!

Janet said...

This stuff just spreads everywhere! Thanks for the warning about the red bugs. I didn't know that.

magiceye said...

indeed pretty!