The two green objects, a little below the center, are 2006 female pine cones. (There are a couple more of them) If all goes well, they will be pollinated, grow larger in 2007, and, in 2008, expand, dry, and open, so that the seeds can escape.More detail visible with larger sizes.We're traveling, so probably won't be able to upload much, or look at your photos as much as they deserve, for a week or so.A commenter pointed out that the plant is scrub pine (Pinus virginiana).Isn't God a great artist?
This female scrub pine (Pinus virginiana) cone has most likely been pollinated, and , if all goes well, will mature into the dark, hard structure that most of us know as a pine cone, and open up so that the seeds can fall out, in 2007.See this photo: www.flickr.com/photos/martinlabar/148105096/ for a photo of male cones, taken in the same location. There's also a mature female cone in this photo. See the previous photo in our photostream for 2006 cones, which are even smaller. This cone is 3 -5 cm/an inch - inch and a half in length.Boggs' rock is an area where you can see the living community in the process of taking over a bare rock.See the larger sizes for more detail.