CONE VARIATIONS
When at Ravenna, look on the ground and see what you can spot. Most likely within 5-10ft of space, you will be able to find at least two different variations of cones. I find it so interesting how things can be classified as one thing yet have hundreds of different variations within it, cones is a perfect example of this. Each has its own characteristics that make it unique!
This is a Douglas Fir cone. It is known as the "Mouse Cone" because it looks like the back legs and tails of mice are coming out of the cone. I was actually interested in the story itself so I looked it up. The story is below.
THE LEGEND OF THE DOUGLAS FIR CONE
A long time ago, when the animals and plants could speak to each other, there was a great forest fire
burning through the forest. Little Mouse ran as fast as he could away from the hot fire but he knew he could
not outrace the fast moving flames. He began to run from tree to tree asking them if they could save him.
First he ran to the bigleaf maple tree. “Help, help!” he cried. “Can you help me escape this fire?”
Bigleaf maple tree replied, “No, I’m sorry little mouse, I am afraid that I will not be able to survive this for-
est fire”. The mouse then ran to the red cedar tree. “Help, help! Can you help me escape the fire?” “No, I’m
sorry little mouse, but I do not think that I can survive this great forest fire, either” said Red Cedar. Mouse
ran from tree to tree asking the same question, and getting the same answer.
Finally he came to a great old Douglas fir tree, with its thick furrowed bark. “Help, help, Douglas fir!
Can you help me escape this fire?” And Douglas fir replied, “Yes, I think that my thick bark will protect me
from the heat of these flames. I may be able to survive this great fire. Climb to the top of my branches, and
climb under the scales of my cone for extra protection.” So, little mouse did as he was told, and climbed way
up into Douglas fir tree and hid under the scales of the Douglas fir cones. Many other little mice followed
him and did the same. And the Douglas fir tree was right, its thick bark protected them from the flames of
the fire, and the fire passed them by.
To this day, if you look under the scales of the Douglas fir cone you can still see little mice hiding
under the scales of the cones. Can you see them too?
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