Autumn Colours

Don’t you just love the colours of autumn? In Sydney, we don’t really get the classic colours of the leaves as they die, mainly because we don’t get that radical change in temperature, nor do we get proper frosts.

We don’t have to go very far to see those wonderful colours, though. Les and I did a day trip up to Bathurst during the week, and the trees along the way through the Blue Mountains had definitely started to change. And on the road through Lithgow, there are trees in the median strip that are well on the way to losing their leaves, and have some beautiful colour.

The best thing for me was when we got to our house in Bathurst. In our back yard, we have our own autumn colours!

In our new back yard, we have a peach tree (no peaches left, as the previous owners ate them all L) and an apple tree with heaps of apples on it. There are some other deciduous trees, and I’m fairly certain they are fruit trees, but I don’t remember what they are – that can be a pleasant surprise for next summer.

our apple tree

From a distance the apples looked great – a good size, and some good colour (they are Pink Lady, so don’t have a really bright red colour). But up close, they aren’t so good. They have suffered from lots of bugs. I presume this is because they haven’t been looked after properly. I hope I can do better next year, but I will have to do a bit of research to find out what they need.

When next we are there (in a couple of days), I’m going to pick all the apples. I won’t just throw them out, though. I want to cut each one and see if there is anything that can be salvaged. If there is, I’ll do something with them – maybe stewed fruit, or chopped up to put into muffins, or dried – there are so many options.

Yes, I know, I’ve got off the subject again. Autumn colours, wasn’t it?

The Australian bush is really amazing. It doesn’t really matter what time of year it is, there is something in flower. So when you think autumn colours, don’t just think the reds and oranges and browns of dying leaves. Think of yellow (wattle) and orange (banksia) and pink (pink wax flower).


banksia

wattle

 

pink wax flower, with ant

I read somewhere that there is always a wattle in flower somewhere in Australia. I presume there are so many different types of wattles and that they flower at all different times of year. Mostly we just think of them in flower in August, and that is certainly when those people who suffer from hay fever mostly know about it! I remember as a little kid happily bringing flowers to my Mum, and being devastated when she didn’t thank me like I thought she would.

But again, I’ve wandered off the subject.

I love the colours around us. I think I notice them more now I’m not rushing around so much. And I appreciate how the colours change with the seasons. Kind of like me, I suppose.