Gathering Moss

[Bindlestiff]

We've probably all heard the old adage, "a rolling stone gathers no moss." I've wondered for decaded whether gathering moss was good or bad. Should one strive to be a rolling stone (lower case) or resist it.

I've asked a lot of people and had a lot of conversation but never gotten an answer I can accept as final. But, up till now, I didn't have the teeming millions to help me out. How about it, Dopers, should we endeavor to gather moss?

[AskNott]

As a practical matter, moss is useless stuff. I've never heard of anyone eating it or intentionally cultivating it. It makes a fair filler in a brick patio, but if it gets out of hand it's slick.

Philosophically, it's a sign on permanence. It says, "I have been here awhile. I belong here. I have roots."

Bony supermodel Kate Moss has many fans, of course, and many of them would love to gather Kate.

[chukhung]

Moss gathering, when done to excess, can be destructive. There was a moratorium placed on moss gathering in the Monongahela National Forest last year. According to the story at http://www.dailymail.com/news/News/2001103046/:Jan Garrett, a botanist and ecologist for the U.S. Forest Service, said mature log moss has grown so rare in the forest that commercial harvesters have switched to rock moss.

[peasea]

My mother used to gather Spanish moss to send to a cousin of mine who managed a flower shop. My cousin seemed to think it was a good thing, though she had to dry it and shoo the bugs out of it.

[Bindlestiff]

This is a hoot! I'm intrigued that moss is useless but so much of it is being gathered that a moritorium had to be declared. Is Spanish Moss actually moss?

Still, I don't know what the adage means.

[peasea]

Originally posted by Bindlestiff
Is Spanish Moss actually moss?No. It's actually more closely related to...the pineapple. Here's (http://www.co.beaufort.sc.us/bftlib/spanish.htm) a good page about it.

[postcards]

Well, if you're a 'rolling stone' you're active, moving about achieving things.

If you're gathering moss you're lethargic, depressed, not advancing yourself.

Better to be a rolling stone. Better still to be a Rolling Stone.