While I’m pretty sure the classic Valentine’s heart shape is nothing more than a human construct, it also happens to be a shape that shows up fairly frequently in the natural world. The photo below shows a heart-shaped rock surrounded by both lichens and moss that I stumbled upon last year in the Ojito Wilderness.1
Here’s a heart-shaped prickly pear paddle from the Sandia foothills in 2019. I’m guessing I took this photo more because of the raindrops than because of its shape.2
Last but not least, lichen in the shape of a heart. I saw this in the Sandia foothills in the fall of 2020, but have never come across it again. Good thing I got the shot.3
Truthfully, I’ve been in love with lichens for several years now4 — so it’s not all that surprising that they show up in two of these photos.
Wishing you all a happy Valentine’s Day with whoever/whatever you love.
Maybe it’s just that I’ve lived in New Mexico too long … but I’m always excited to see moss and lichen growing together.
Raindrops! So novel!
If there’s one thing I’ve learned from photography, it’s that any given scene will never again look exactly as it does right now.
Or maybe it’s an obsession. It can sometimes be hard to tell the difference.
Happy Valentine's day dear Friend!