Lichen is everywhere around here. I can collect it off the ground in my backyard.  But I’d rather use collecting as an excuse to get to the swamp.

Cypress Swamp

There wasn’t as much lying on the ground as I remember from past visits. But with more time spent scouring the ground for fallen bits and encrusted dead branches, two loosely filled 1 gallon bags were eventually collected.

On returning home, all the fresh lichen was dumped into a large pot of water and simmered for a few hours then strained. 

Handfuls of wetted locks are added over time to get some color variation.

Simmering Lichen

Not only does the lichen dye the fiber a lovely color, it also imparts a very pleasant scent, sweet and earthy and it doesn’t dissipate.