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January Ramble.

© Allyso

Hello! Isn't it great that we're finally getting a bit of proper weather? The old year ended in rain (seriously inconveniencing several outdoor parties) but today has been warm and sunny. I'm taking advantage of the summerishness to take the little dog, Bic, for a walk. Would you like to come too?

No need of a jacket. Just your shorts and a shirt will do, but you'd better have a hat to shade your face. My hat, as you see, is flattish and almost orange. Don't you dare say I look like a lesser spotted mushroom! The watermarks, by the way, are left over from the time when my hat blew in the creek. Ssh. We don't talk about that.

Ready? Then let's put Bic on her lead and we'll be off. Oh, no need to call her. Just rattle the lead and she'll be here in five seconds. There. What did I tell you?

You know where we're walking today? Down along the old mill race, and then down to the river. The water race used to serve the mill, but it was blocked off from the river after the big flood of 1970. Now it's empty most of the time, though there can be quite a bit of water in the spring. It's an interesting place though, don't you think? Bic loves it. She's always hunting imaginary rabbits and not-so-imaginary possums.

Here we are already. With Bic pulling on the lead it doesn't take long to get here! If you look down you can see the bed of the old race is made of stone, well-covered with a bed of leafmould. The willow trees that grow in the race and along the banks are very old, and some of them have fallen and turned into mossy sculptures, softened by time. I love willows. How many other trees go on shooting out green leavs even after they've fallen? Of course a lot of people want them taken away from the rivers, but I'm used to them and I think the river would look very bald without them.

See those funny-looking plants growing along the mossy old log? Let's climb down into the race and look more closely. You can walk along quite safely if you watch where you put your feet. That's kangaroo fern. It's shiny green on one side, and on the other it has brown spores in spots. There are man ferns growing on the earthy banks as well. On the mainland these are often called "tree ferns". They're wonderfully lush and green, even in summer, and if you look carefully, you can see the curls of new fronds.