Lichens

My wife and I have been hunting for lichens on our walks the last few days. She discovered what she called a miniature garden of them and we've since been taking more notice of them. There are at least four different kinds on this branch though I've made no effort to identify them. We've also noticed that in spite of the cold weather we've had many of them turn a brighter green and start producing their fruiting bodies, here the darker patches on the frilled leaf-like lichens. Perhaps this is a sign of spring, but if so it is the only sign we've seen.