Snake orchid day on Sphinx Trail : November 1 2023

Slow start after a better sleep - chest is still quite congested and motivation is low. There is so much to do ahead of the move - always a challenge when health is not 100%. Somehow the day drifted away - finished a blog post - will post tomorrow. Caught up last week investments - was a quiet week. Completed a 45 and over survey while I waited for software to update prices. I do not buy into these surveys but I figured my stage of life is a whole lot better than those that do. Like not going to doctor since 2013 apart from bike accidents

Did some garden tidy up - heaps of leaves after the wind while we were away. Brazilian walking lily popped a flower out - one day only. This one has a cycling connection. I took it from Yarraman Caravan Park when I cycled Rockhampton to Gold Coast in 2019. It came along in a zip lock bag and propagated happily enough

45 and up survey had a challenge. Survey would not fit in reply paid envelope even after I trimmed it with paper guillotine. Added a note for the organisers - will post this on their Facebook page

Rode down to Sphinx Memorial. Have parked against this tree a lot of times. Noticed as I came down the path an orchid up above

Snake orchid - cymbidium suave

Zoom in to see the flower - becomes orchid of the day - new location counts heaps

Lots of patersonia iris open

Purple fan flower. Looks like a critter on left hand petal end

Walked off the track onto rock cliffs to check a known spot for cymbidiums - 3 locations in one tree but none flowering

Also a known spot for hyacinth orchids higher up - found one bud only

Fire ant was protecting its turf - happy with the photo as they are pretty mobile

Surprised to find a banksia flowering so late - fully open

Really was a day for flannel flowers - took quite a few photos

They always attract insects of some type OR just easier to see as flower is so white - weevil on this one

Black splodge on this - looks like a spider - so it was as it popped off on its web when I shook the flower

There is a sort of a path up here which is not that well used. Now we know why - the orienteering people come this way

Was looking for ways back down to the fire trail below - a bit steep for an old man

Second orchid of the day - flying duck orchid. As I have never walked up here this is also a new location - caleana major

Did find a way down

More banksia serratum flowering on the way down

Walk below was about budding orchids - the cryptostylis are shaping up

Purple back to the leaf says cryptostylis erecta - bonnet orchid

Found one more cymbidium flowering on the way. Sadly the tree it is in has been termite ravaged - will see how long the orchid hangs in. Too high to do a relocation move

Next cryptostylis budding is subulata - green back to leaves

Good to force the ride - a few kms done and a few new orchid spots made

Dinner: Bolognese pasta - the wine was dug out of the cellar - my wife bought it from at the time the only organic vineyard in Mudgee - Botolobar. At 28 years I was not expecting an Aussie Pinot to hold its age - was surprised - not cooking wine

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