So about 9 hours ago I was freshly showered, newly caffeinated and about 3 sentences into this post. And then it started to rain quite heavily and I shut my computer, went and climbed back into my pyjamas and instead pulled out a book. I find it stupidly difficult to relax and as a result I have so many books on the go but none recently finished and even though I had plans to rake up the piles of leaves accumulating around the yard and clean out the bedroom cupboard and get out to do a little exploration, the weather made the decision for me and not a moment too soon. Man, got to say, my day of next to nothing, filled with snoozing and baking competition watching and words was bloody lovely!!!
Now yesterday was different, gorgeous and sunny and I headed into the botanic gardens once again, taking the camera but needing the break from life more than anything. I felt all Miranda from Picnic at Hanging Rock, ethereally reaching out and letting my fingers trail across the trunks of the trees in a dream-like trance, except instead of the flowing white linen I was more jeans and boots and I'm pretty sure I burped at one point 😂 Still, it was GOOOD and between yesterday and today I'm feeling all fresh and shiny and new!
Okay. Musk Lorikeets. I am totally late to the party. They're totally common where I hang out, the south east of Australia, and feast on flowering gums which pretty much dot the landscape I spend the most time in, but for some reason, myself and those birds just have never crossed paths (or I just haven't looked up at the right time). Anyway, that finally ended yesterday while I was still going full Picnic and leant down, in slow motion, to pick up a sprig of fallen pink gum blossom, standing up to inspect it, turning it over and over with one hand while slowly running the fingers of my other hand through my hair. In the breeze. Yes, it was a total moment 😂
And then I looked up, realised I had finally spotted not one but two of the birds I had been hoping to tick off since forever, and all hell broke loose. I dropped the Picnic vibe and instead went full Rambo, throwing my backpack onto the ground, kicking it over so I could get to the right compartment and dragged my camera out. And they didn't suddenly take flight. Instead I got to spend maybe 15, 20 minutes with these two really stunning parrots as they clambered over branches, chattering away, occasionally hanging upside down to get to the best blossoms. New birds are the best. New birds as pretty as these are even better.
Musk Lorikeet
Wollongong Botanic Garden
