Bark mosaic

One of the best things about this time of the year is that, without the distraction of leaves and flowers, bees and butterflies, you can pay more attention to the things that often get overlooked.

As I walked through mixed woodland, copse and scrub, my eyes were drawn to the patterns and textures of the tree bark, in this case oak, birch and hazel.

Some have the additional decor of  fungus (top left) or moss (centre) and many have lichen co-existing on the surface.
Some bark naturally peels into little garlands (top right) and many trees reveal the lenticels, through which they breathe, as  horizontal slits or grooves on the bark's surface. 
Or scars, healed but still visible (centre, bottom).

Next time you're near a tree have a look!