The strong winds on Saturday broke branches and cones off the conifer and deciduous trees plus toppled many trees onto roads and homes in the area. We heard the nearby chain saws working in our area as the operators kept busy removing heavy branches and tree trunks off roads and buildings.
The roads in my neighborhood have fir branches all over the them as a result of the strong winds. This morning while on my neighborhood walk I spotted a small section from a larger branch with two fir cones still intact. This last fall the squirrels probably weren’t able to reach these cones or didn’t see them so they remained on the tree and had turned brown through the season. I brought it home to do a sketch of it with watercolor on paper. While sketching from my second floor art work area, I glanced out the window at the tall evergreens in the forest and decided to include them in the sketch.
SKETCHING ON WHIDBEY ISLAND 
They find the small seeds under several tightly fitting flaps on the side of the cone. The little flaps are usually in a pile where they bring the cones to tear off the flaps to reach the seeds. This is usually done in the fall when the cones are green and the squirrels drop the cones from the trees. A few cones get left untouched then dry on the branches. I think by then the seeds lack nutrients.
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I also like finding those who have been nibbled by squirrels. They chew the cone away till they find the seeds, don’t they?
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I agree, it does feel a little squirrelly but it’s fun to gather like a squirrel. The fir cones are covered with pitch so it does get a little sticky on the hands.
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I’m a cone collector too when I walk in the woodlands. By the end of the walk my pockets are bulging with beautiful cones. Then I select a few to bring home and the rest I leave for the squirrels.
There is something squirrel about me 🙂
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