Australia Day (Observed)

Lavender clouds over towering hilltops. Kangaroos, cockatoos and deer. There was just enough time after sunrise to walk down the hill and back up it before the heat kicked in. A lazy morning followed: weet bix, coffee, board games, lunch, a nap.

To break the afternoon heat, we drove back down the hill and waded up the creek to a shady spot in the currents of alpine stream, camp chairs and coolers in hand.

In the dappled sun, blackberries strangled the foliage along the banks. I was wary at first, of the wading in thongs across the rocks in the throng, and of the berries themselves. The idea was to collect enough for a compote, and we slowly filled a tub, and I gave into temptation. Reach up for a berry, pluck it from between the thorns. One for the tub, one for the niece, one for me. The juicy ones in the direct sun tasted the sweetest.

The tub was filled, the creek farewelled, we returned to sit inside and eat dinner. The sun set and flashes of lightning heralded a cooler breeze. When I closed my tired eyes it seemed that the drupelets of the ripe, black fruit filled my vision top to bottom, left to right. Something instinctual had been awakened in me, but now it was time to sleep.