Extra Kev

Kevin M7

Newcastle Overnight

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(with apologies to Don Mclean)

Not so starry night

Assembled on the round hill lawn

Lights, reflectors, smiles all worn

Countdown to the start.

Filing over bridge.

Through the city lights and sounds.

Successfully avoiding cars,

And d*ck-heads on the prowl

Pressing to the north

Brief rainstorm to rattle nerves

Headwind bringing darkness forth

And questioning resolve

Capes on then off, calling bluff of stormy clouds

Will we get soaked now?

Windy windy night

Turns up at the front we take

Climbing up Mt White to cake

Tea and lammingtons.

Time to roll along

Sliding down a blackened tube

Chatting up the second climb

Central Coast to come

Descending to the north

Senses piqued for revelry

Not tonight, so silently

We slip though empty streets

Capes still off, but nervous of suspicious skies

Surely no rain now?

Mild and cloudy night

Budgewoi for cakes and possums

Watermelon, snakes and lollies

Prepare for final push

Not so fast our troupe

A wheel locks up with broken-spoke

Side-of-road repairs and jokes

Not counting chickens yet

Lightness in the sky

Bird song lets us know its true

Fernleigh Track and tunnel too

Destination soon.

The baths atop the sea

Swim and coffee, chill then warm

Adventure is its own reward

Tiredness brought forth

Newcastle overnight.  Iron horse will take us home

Rain away if you like.  Dreamers all aboard

Twitching the Blue Puya

The weekend SMH had a photo spread of an oddball Chilean Bromeliad in full bloom at the Mt Tomah Botanic Gardens – 8 years in the making.  No mean feat, the Mt Tomah BG even beat the Kew BG in the race to entice this species to flower.  Competition knows no bounds!

With a Sunday to kill, and tendonitis of the right elbow to nurse, Anita and I made a day of it and joined Iain, Neil, Tony and Cathy (and Matt!) in the Bluies, for coffee (if nothing else).  Whilst the climbing troupe went to the crag we went on a hunt for Red-browed Treecreepers and Beautiful Firetails.  As with virtually every species we’ve set out to twitch, we completely dipped on the birds. 

Fortunately we had the Blue Puya to fall back on, which was going to have a significantly harder time running away, and which, at the very least, might be adorned by New Holland Honeyeaters, if the pic in the SMH was anything to go by.  I’ve never been to Mt Tomah BG before, despite having driven past it countless times, and countless times pondered dropping in.  No time like the present.

We found the Blue Puya positioned near the bottom of a beautiful Japanese-style arrangement of cascades, ponds and Protea beds.  Numerous impressive flower spikes projected skyward, decorated by squabbling squadrons of NH Honeyeaters and the larger Wattlebirds (Red and Little), all eagerly supping on nectar which will be on tap for the next month or so.  Well worth the trip, and entry is free!

And whilst on the subject of plants, my late afternoon commute through the LCNP currently features beds of Flannel flowers, and the odd monotreme ambling about.