This year has felt like a year of pinecones, mostly due to my son. Everywhere we go on the farm, my toddler and I have been stopping to pick them up, hold them, pile them, and examine the tiny scales. He loves filling his little red wagon with cones, and I love watching him take delight in the simple act of gathering and sorting. What began as a quiet curiosity for him has become a kind of shared ritual for us both, a way to notice the small details of the natural world around our home.
Today, we paused over a scattering of spruce cone scales on the fresh snow. My son called them “crumbs” and frowned, worried that we needed to clean them up. “Yucky,” he added, a little distressed. I laughed inwardly, remembering all the times I’ve wiped up his high chair too quickly. Here he was learning, in his own way, that sometimes messes aren’t urgent, especially when they come from the forest itself. I told him it was okay. We didn’t need to clean them up—it was just a spruce cone.
Looking closer, I could see why the scales were there. Likely a red squirrel had been enjoying a winter snack. Red squirrels are common in Ontario, and they work steadily through the cold, opening cones to eat the seeds or store them for later. Each scale marks a careful bite, a small piece of evidence left behind by a busy little creature. Over the past year, watching my son interact with cones has helped me notice these small rhythms in the forest, and to appreciate the patience and persistence of even the tiniest animals.
This season of pinecones has taught me something else too. I don’t need to have all the answers. I don’t need to know everything about every tree, cone, or creature. What matters is offering my son space to explore, encouraging his curiosity, and learning together along the way. A simple cone in the snow can become a story, a discovery, and a reminder of how much wonder surrounds us every day.
If today allows, see if you can find a pinecone or spruce cone near your home. Notice the scales, the colour, and any little evidence of creatures who have visited. Take a moment to imagine the story behind it, and perhaps share it with someone curious beside you.
