After a cold wet week, it was a pleasure to get out in the bush on Sunday! The weather was warm and sunny and the flowering shrubs were coming out everywhere. The path, chosen by H, was a challenge: lots of up and down and stony ascents and descents. It was only 7.5 kms but our knees felt it. I was very stiff next day. We criss crossed the first stage of the Bibbulmun Track (Kalamunda is the northern terminus). The worst thing, for me, was another attack by minute black midges, which bit all the exposed part of my skin: arms, ankles and back of my neck. They were the same variety as those at Wooleen, now migrating south, I deduced from the type of itchy bites I was left with. The flowers were lovely, though!
Piesse Brook
Rocky Pool picnic spot
Granite boulders are a feature of this walk.
Swan River myrtle
Blue Leschenaultia and yellow "buttercup".
Postscript: JL (not up to walking) set up his camping chair and had a picnic in the bush in a sunny spot. He noticed a couple of kangaroo ticks on his shirt sleeve and flicked them off. More of the little blighters must have found their way inside. Every day since, he has discovered another one on his arm. They have little pincers that dig into the skin and have to be carefully removed with tweezers. They can also be burnt out with a cigarette! My preferred treatment is to run a very hot bath for myself. Any tick will let go and float to the surface.
