First visit to Lane Cove NP orchids since the move : January 7 2024

Spent the morning watering and reporting most of my orchids - found a really good Facebook group where people share photos of their sick orchids - see the photos, diagnose the similarities and follow the tips. Shall see what works

Orchids are in a display frame under cover on the porch. At the moment it is warm enough and not cold overnight. Might not be enough sunlight - plenty of light. Problem will come as winter comes as overnight temperatures may get too low for the phalaeonpsis orchids. Finding a spot inside is a problem for March solution.

Went out to hardware to buy a few things. As I was out in the car, drove down to Lane Cove NP to look for orchids. Walked a known route in opposite direction to normal - this flower may be an escapee from the gardens above. Track runs along the protection zone before dropping down toward the river in the National Park

Banksia serratum right on the protection zone edge

First orchid of the day - bonnet orchid - cryptostylis erecta - largest flower I have ever seen. There were a few others - photos out of focus though

Intersected the main cross track that runs along the river. Went left to check a known hyacinth orchid site - one plant seeded

Headed back the other way - a few twining glycine flowering still

Next flower was well down in the National Park well below the houses - an import from South Africa that has invaded. Ochna serulata

Very pretty in the garden as flower starts out yellow, then changes to red when the petals drops and the seed goes from green to black

Hibbertia is a native - this one with pollinator

Two photos as the centre bit is helpful for ID. The ant was in the way - a different flower as the ant was not moving

Saw the distinctive leaves of the bonnet orchid with their burgundy backs growing in undergrowth - plant had pushed up nearly 3 foot to reach the light - photo from behind

Golden mushroom on track edge

Bet the birds like these good looking fruits - no idea what the plant is

Giant lace monitor lizard - almost a metre long. It was not intimidated by me at all

View from on high back the way I came across one of the gullies. Trees are a good 50 metres tall. Sad part of the picture is the Gully is filled with invasive lantana bush plus other invaders

Lane Cove River. Got to say it is not my favourite walk - orchids are few and far between and the track along the protection zone has little interest and there us too kuch invasive species damage

Dinner: Beef with black bean sauce. In stages - sliced onion, chopped garlic and capsicum, ground black pepper - stir fry in a little oil

Add the black bean sauce diluted with a little water and chopped green beans - ignore all recipes that say to add salt - black beans are salty

Add in the pre-browned beef cubes - eye fillet I used

Serve with steamed rice - yum

Recipe is from Ken Hom who was the first chef to do well on BBC all those years ago. His recipe has asparagus instead of green beans - key for timing is to leaves the beans (asparagus) with a little crunch.

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