But of all the magnolia trees spreading arms over my past, I never noticed what the cones did in the fall. They turn pink, and the pods open one by one, unfolding red berries connected to the pods by thin, white, sticky threads.
Brian pinched one of the berries in half and said it smelled good. They do smell good, like the lemony scent of the flowers, but different. They are not poisonous and attract woodpeckers, especially the pilated woodpecker.
We skipped our nature co-op today and stayed home and worked in our nature journals. We love our co-op, love our friends, and the happy noise and curiosity of the children. But I do prefer our home for working in our journals. The kids really focus, spending time, looking.