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And now for something completely different. 

My grass tree, Xanthorrhoea Somthingorotherus (there are 13 spp in NSW and way-too-difficult for this non-botanist to key out its identity), flowers once in a blue moon. Less in fact as this is only the second or 3rd time it’s flowered in about 30 years.

So for the next 10 posts, we are going to see aspects of the bloom over 23 days as it goes from full spike with florets just opening to full, bee-encrusted blooms. 

If I then get around to it, I’ll post a few of the now-spent spike as seed heads form, about a month later

To start us off, here is the whole plant, from above, as the first florets start to open.

Sunset looking East on the banks of the Mighty Darling at Menindee Lakes. Love the reflections, pity they did not catch the golden light.

The entrance to Edfu Temple. If you go back to “Monumental” about 25 posts ago, you’ll see the entire facade. But here, we are looking a colour. And what this shows brilliantly is how a little shelter from teh elements has helped preserve quite significant residues of colour, even in such an exposed place as this.

Things through grass.  The pass-less-travelled-but-more-scenic between Queenstown and Wanaka, South Is, new Zealand.

hahaha.  Central Australia, 1974. Big floods.  Not sure why we were crossing on foot here.  Obviously in our Sunday best!

A wide view of all the best bits of the warrumbungles.  Not sure where this is taken from, possible the ascent to Siding Spring given the strength of the haze and the height.

A “Dancing Tree” on the road-less-travelled between Wilcannia and Menindee.  I had to lie in the prickles to get this shot.

You’ve seen detail and detritus, but here are the Mt Kaputar “organ pipes” in all their basaltic faulting glory.  If you remember the 10 tonne wreckage of a few weeks ago; he used to be up there!