Project 365 day 243: Conifers

I didn't have a forest to hand for today's Tiny Tuesday theme; I didn't even have time to walk to the nearest wood. However, there are plenty of trees  around, and when I crossed the road for my Tuesday coffee with C, I took the opportunity to look closely at his various conifers. I used to be prejudiced about conifers, probably because I didn't encounter many good examples and experienced a lot of overgrown hedges (like the one we inherited here), but since I started looking more closely I've discovered an amazing variety of cones, flowers, fruits, seeds... I don't (yet) know what all the parts are, but their shapes and textures are fascinating. This specimen was undoubtedly bred in captivity, but I expect its ancestors came from forests. 

I've finished cutting up and stewing the first box of damaged apples today. There will be more to follow, but the next task is to turn sound but small apples into jelly. I'm hoping P is going to pick some blackberries tomorrow, or perhaps some of the elderberries are ready.