Subtle Discoveries: Country Park

Hi everyone, I am back and better than ever after spending a relaxing afternoon at Country Park. Typically in my blog posts, I tend to focus on the more significant discoveries and species I notice during my nature walks. However, on this day I took the time to notice all the subtle, unique ones that you do not get to see on a day-to-day basis. I hope you enjoy it!

If you read my last blog post, you probably know I have a slight obsession for all things colorful and any flowers. Well, with spring comes the blooming of different species of flowers, so on my journey, I noticed some more. Specifically, was this pair of beautiful, red tulips. There were no surrounding tulips nearby, just those two which made me think: “Why are they standing alone?” This idea still fascinates me. If you have any ideas or thoughts, please feel free to let me know! Since I was young, tulips have always been my favorite flower. It all started with my grandmother. She would give me fresh tulips from her garden every single time I would visit her in India, and this became a fond memory and tradition between us. Sadly, two years ago she passed away. Now, whenever I see tulips, I think of her and seeing them in Country Park made my day.

I approached a short tree during my walk. As I looked closer, there were small spiky balls that were broken up into singular lines in the tree. I tried researching to see what these are but had no luck. However, I do believe the tree was a pine tree, so my assumption is some type of budding or blooming pine cone. Maybe, conifers?Nonetheless, the species was unique and abstract. The shape it made was different from any I had seen in nature. From afar, it blended in with the scenery of the tree and the surrounding nature, but up close you can see them hidden within the tree. I had not expected to encounter many subtle aspects in the natural pieces of Country Park, so I was excited to have discovered this.

Last, but not least, of course, was a pine cone. Pine cones are something you can typically notice anywhere where there is nature. However, I usually do not take the time to sit down and observe the patterns or texture on the pine cone, so I quickly changed that when I encountered this little guy. There is always room for error, but based on research and analyzation, I believe this pine cone is from a Loblolly pine (Pinus taeda). It was intriguing to the see how the little “doors” of the pine cone at the top were open, but as you move down they gradually close until the bottom is completely shut. I believe these doors are called the apophysis of a pine cone. From previous research, pine cones open and close based off temperature and humidity. Generally, a pine cone opens during hot, humid weather for the seeds to be released and close when it is the opposite climate. So, it was interesting to see half of it opened, and half of it closed.

Overall, I learned a lot through this trip and got the opportunity to discover small, subtle aspects of nature. Moreover, this allowed me to do more research, which was quite interesting. I recommend taking a day to look for small things because it can lead to wonders. Until next time. Thank you!