Bryophyte Art

What are Bryophytes you might ask? Well the easy answer is Moss (and Hornworts and Liverworts)! And it just so happens one of my University courses this semester is all about these tiny little plants!

One of our lab classes we went on a field exercise to collect various species of these guys to get a feel for their diversity! So after the day was done and I had collected over 20 different kinds of moss, I  had an idea!!! Why not make my own moss book plates? So I picked up a bunch of small cheap frames at Ikea and some paper and glue....

 I carefully removed each species of moss from my lab book (I had taped them on LOL) and glued them onto the paper backings I cut to fit the frames. While the glue was drying I carefully wrote the scientific name of each moss on the paper and a few of the species unique  growth/life characteristics! (these are easy to find via google)

Here they all are framed and ready to go up on the wall! You could really do this with so many different things although I really do think mosses are so perfect for this because there are so many different kinds, they are easy to find, and they add the most beautiful touches of green to your home! No matter how dry they get they won't lose their colour! And you can always fake the species genus name lol!!! I mean how often do we have a Bryophyte expert over? hee hee!

I can't wait to hang them up! I'm going to do a full wall of these!

Happy American Thanksgiving Weekend!!!

Lest we Forget

I can't believe it's been a whole year since my soldier left for Afghanistan! Last Rememberance Day Nathaniel had only been gone for 11 days. My sister and I attended a memorial service at Rundle Park here in Edmonton....watching the widows, parents, children, brothers, sisters and friends plant crosses for their lost loves...heartwrenching. I remember just looking at my sister and hoping this wouldn't be us next year on this day. It was a sobering reminder to the reality of what was going on in our lives.

This year, Rememberance Day has a whole new meaning to us. Rememberance Day has always had personal meaning in our family; my Grandma lost her first love Dennis in WWII and my Grandpa fought in the same war and lost two of his brothers. This year we have lost a few more that are close to us. Nathaniel lost five of his good friends in Afghanistan. So this blog post is my small tribute to them. To say thank you. To say we miss you. To say we will always remember. And never forget.

 We Miss you Fitz