There is something delicate about this small thing trying to cling to life in what appears to be frosty weather! Or maybe I'm just reading too much into it? :) Nice photo. Best of luck!
Good choice of subject for this challenge, but it came out a bit dark and the piece of the tree dominates too much for my taste - especially the out of focus bright area in the foreground. The brightness is the problem to me on that not the focus. It just pulls me away from the lichen. I think a tighter crop and an angle that showed more detail in the lichen would have been better.
I'm really diggin the contrast between the rough surface of the tree and the delicate lichen growing on it. You've captured a 10 from me with this beautiful shot.