Sunday bush walk.

I love to be in the bush. I love the smell of eucalyptus, the presence of birds, the colour of flowers, the purity of the air ... It's a humbling experience. So, a couple of Sundays ago, I led MLP to a spot I had discovered. The Nepean Gorge.

There had been recent storms and the bush felt fresh and alive. Bell birds abound in this area. The air tinkles incessantly. The views are expansive and the gorge is spectacular.

But, when surrounded by the beauty of the gorge, it's easy to miss the delicacies of nature.

The recent rains and the cooling of the weather with autumn's approach meant grevilleas were flowering. Delicate, yet boldly coloured.

Small native peas bloomed in purple.

Tiny yellow blossoms amidst spiky leaves.

And new growth encouraged by the rains caught our attention.

But it was the fungi which we found most fascinating, pushing their way thought the earth for a short life amongst the leaf litter. 

White and fragile.

Forebodingly red centred.

 Orange.

And some bizarrely ugly.

Above them, delicate stars of flowers, so tiny.

And yellow Banksia cones which punctuated the green.

Sometimes just visible.

Some past their prime awaited fire to spread their seeds.

And the leaves of the bush, in all their variance.

Even the rough edges of the bush had their own artistry. The muted greens of the lichen.

The textures and patterns of the bark.

And of the rock outcrops.

Nature at its best in the Nepean Gorge after rain.

Lines from Frost wandered through my head ...

Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,

And sorry I could not travel both

And be one traveler, long I stood

And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth ...

But, unlike Frost,

I will return one day soon

to travel the other path

past where it bends in the undergrowth

with lunch in my backpack

and time on my side.

Are you a lover of the bush, like me?

Do you have a favourite spot to walk in the bush?

Are you fascinated by fungi and flowers?

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