Interesting pine cones and the roaring motorcycles

Just coming out of my house and walking in any direction, within less than fifteen minutes, I can always enter the northern coniferous forests. Pine trees are the most abundant plants near my home and have been a species native to this region since ancient times. Two hundred meters south of the township government, there is an ancient cypress that is six hundred years old and still stands tall. Green Feng Park, which evolved from the Dougezhuang Forest Farm, is a suburban park filled with pine trees. It's interesting to see the pine cones covered with snow in winter. Every time I pass by the pine forest, I always like to look at the pine cones of different sizes, including those that have fallen to the ground. If they are in great shape, I'll pocket them and take them home to place in my study. They match well with wooden furniture and books, just like wood flowers carved by skilled craftsmen. Smelling them close to the nose, the faint scent of pine is always refreshing. These days, the snow in Beijing is melting, but there are still large patches of white snow on the ground in the shaded areas of the pine forests. If you look closely, you'll find that the scales of the pine cones that have fallen in the snow are mostly closed, while those that have fallen on other grounds are open. Interesting, isn't it? Pine cones, which look very much like fish scales on the outside, are not smooth at all and can prick your hand when touched. Some pine cones are still small and tender, showing a light green color. They need to stay on the tree for several years before they mature and turn into brown pine cones. When the pine cones mature, the pine seeds inside, tiny and fine, will fly away with the wind. The small pine cones are also a weather vane. When the sun shines, the scales open up to absorb energy, and when it rains, they contract to protect the seeds. The pine cones I picked up, when soaked in water, will close their scales after a while. Don't believe me? Try it. This explains why the scales of the pine cones that have fallen in the snow are in a closed state, because of the presence of water. I have several pine cones from different countries and regions at home, varying in size and color, from Shanxi, Hebei, New Zealand, Australia, Chicago, San Francisco, New York, but since I didn't mark them, I can no longer distinguish them now. In addition to interesting pine cones, Green Light Park is also a place where young people (actually, not necessarily young, they all wear helmets, maybe they are older) practice riding motorcycles. The bursts of engine roaring startle the Gray-tailed Magpies that are focused on hunting in the pine forest, chirping and flying towards the distance.