Morning Fog, Unfurling Fern Fronds and Flowering Grasses

Since it has become difficult to get to Christmas Pines over the previous months with Covid restrictions, I have decided to do a bit of a nature blog over the next 12 months. Just to share a few observations each time I get here. Please feel encouraged to add your own thoughts and observations.

It is Petyan (the season of wildflowers) in the Grampians and Poorneet (tadpole season in Melbourne. I am not sure what the local Gippsland Aboriginals call this season (I am still looking into that), so in my ignorance I shall call it the season of morning fog, unfurling fern fronds and flowering grasses.

It is a beautiful foggy morning as the low clouds drifted by. Trees on distant hills were only faint dark shadows in a sea of white.

The ground under foot is still moist (as it is for most of the year) and scattered with gravel, sticks, leaves, moss and small plants. Among the plants are the pairs of leaves of young Clematis sp. with their central silver stripe looking for somewhere to climb. Their older relatives form small flowering blankets in the forest above.

There is lots in flower this time of year. The bright yellow flowers of the smooth parrot pea (Dillwynia glaberrima), the snow daisy bush (Olearia stellullata) and the yellow flowering, shade loving hop goodenia (Goodenia ovata). Even the small, less obvious native white and purple violets can be found on the road to the lake.

The bidgee-widgee (Acaena novae-zelandiae) is starting to form tight balls of flowers. Thankfully it has not yet gone to seed and is not a danger to my socks and the dogs fur. The handsome flat pea (Platylobium formoosum) with its tough glossy paired leaves has finished flowering and pods hang from its stems. All through the paddocks and along the road to the lake the grasses are flowering in abundance. In the orchard small fruits are starting to develop on many of the trees. One of the newer trees, an apricot, appears to have fallen prey to deer attack. Most of its leaves are missing and many of its branches are broken. One small fruit remains on one of the taller branches just out of reach. I replaced some wire and will keep my fingers crossed that it might survive. The waratahs have just finished flowering and the rhododendrons, azaleas and purple columbines are in full flower. One plant I love on the property are the beautiful tree ferns. At this time of year their enormous fronds are starting to unfurl.

Near the cabins and towards snake creek (at the front of the property) there are numerous superb fairy-wrens drawing attention to themselves in their search for a mate. For some of the younger males their full blue coat is not yet on display, but their bright blue heads are hard to miss. Walking to the lake I do not see any lyre birds, but I am aware of their presence by the constantly changing calls all around me. Three yellow-tailed black cockatoos fly low between the trees. There is a mechanical groan in the distance. (A truck on the road using a low gear?).

Specimen creek is in full flow. I can hear it rather than see it - I know the lake will be full. One by one four swamp wallabies cross my path as they bound for the cover and safety of the ferns. This is unusual as I rarely see wallabies at this time of the day. That mechanical noise is becoming even louder as I am almost at the lake. And there at the end of the road I can see it. They are logging already. I can still see the pink tape on one of the trees marking our boundary and beyond that such a different landscape as two yellow mechanical monsters eat their way through the green.

I feel thankful that we can protect our little bit of nature and hope the wildlife has found safety. Back at the cabin I could no longer hear the sounds of the destruction. And below the cabin I can still find green hooded orchids and these that are more chocolate in colour -bird orchids.

Mother nature always finds a way to thrive...