I’m taking advantage of a lull in our lovely but chaotic week to have a coffee, a bit of coffee cake, and a new episode of Midsomer Murders. It feels so good to sit awhile and catch my breath, think through my errand list for this afternoon and relax knowing dinner is in the crockpot and will be ready by the time I get home.

Although it’s dark, cloudy, and cold today, we’ve had spectacularly gorgeous days of late, clear blue skies, hot gold sunshine, and delectably cool breezes blowing in from the South.

When I’m not working, I’ve spent as much time as I can outside, gardening for hours and heading to our bush for hikes in the late afternoon.

bush in late afternoon

I head out across the fields, wading through nodding grasses that glisten and dance, past prickly pear strung with spider webs.

prickly pear in late afternoon

I love entering the woods, the flickering dance of shadow and light that is both mesmerizing and invigorating.

Luna runs hither and thither sniffing in hollow logs, bounding eagerly after wallabies and kangaroos that pop up from their hidden napping spots in the grass.

bush at sunset

I love how the late sun reveals so many layers of color and texture in the gum trees: papery white, shimmering silver, rust and grey and pale yellow.

gum trees at sunset

We usually have a herd of our neighbors cows roaming our bush, keeping the weeds and grass down as a preventative measure against fire. But they’ve returned to their home in the outback and our bush is quiet again.

shadows in bush

My sacred grove is as beautiful as ever, the trees grown taller, branches stretching out to each other across the circle of grass below until they’re nearly touching.

blue skies through gum trees

It’s such a lovely place to wander, birds overhead, wildflowers underfoot, leaves glowing lime green in the setting sun. With the sun on my face and the wind in my hair, a deliriously happy dog running up to me for cuddles and pats, well, it’s all rather wonderful.

bush sunset

Where do you like to go for a wander on a gorgeous afternoon? xo