On 2018-10-31 16:03, John B. slocomb wrote:
On Wed, 31 Oct 2018 06:58:47 -0700, Joerg
wrote:

On 2018-10-30 21:18, news18 wrote:
On Tue, 30 Oct 2018 16:28:37 -0700, Joerg wrote:


I've had my cone comeuppance a different way. During a long desert drive
it got late. Aahhh, some trees, lets overnight there so we can sleep in
and won't be pelted by the morning sun. No tent needed, just roll out
the mats and the sleeping bags and the doze off. Shortly thereafter
phsss ... BUMPH. One of these had landed just a foot from my head:

https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/12...er-pine-cones-
large-in-hand_1024x1024.jpg?v=1506527768

Naah, this is a "pine cone"
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:A...illii_cone.jpg

Further info.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Araucaria_bidwillii

The distribution is far wider than they say. I know/knew of one about 60
miles north of Sydney and would hold a ride every year in the hope of
scoreing some of the cones to take to our camp for roasting and boiling.

You'd also see them in moist gullies up the east coast when bushwalking.


Wow, everything seems to be bigger in Australia. Pine cones, snakes,
road trains. I didn't know you can roast and eat pine cones. In our area
only squirrels and a few other animals eat them but mostly only partially.

I suspect that the squirrels are eating the pine seeds contained in
the cone, not the cone itself :-)
cheers,


Ours eat them down to the core. What's left looks like a short stick.
Squirrels aren't very smart and they probably don't think about the
consequences of what they eat. I saw one scarf down a big mushroom the
size of a hand. The next day I saw a dead squirrel less than 10ft from
there. Who knows, maybe it wanted to go over the rainbow bridge with
some major brain fireworks.

--
Regards, Joerg

http://www.analogconsultants.com/