Gracias

I've heard about this method before, to lighten the mind. Practising gratitude is not always the easiest thing to do in this very weird place in history. But finding three things every day to be grateful for and actually writing them down is supposed to help rewire our brains into a more positive outlook. I think it works. After a bout of black dog and a relationship break up, I began a daily list a few years ago. I gave up three days later. The science is in that it is good practise but on the first day one of the things I wrote down was:
1. Finding my long lost friend again at Broke Inlet.
Three days later, she died. So, that wasn't a great start to my gratitude program but I'm having another crack at it. The thing is, if you can't immediately find anything to be grateful for, you have to go hunting for them and they can pop into your mind in unexpected and beautiful ways. So here goes my list for today.

1. Bats. I love bats. Bats use echolocation but they are not blind as myths suggest. After a warm day, I sit on the veranda and watch the bats zip around the marri trees hunting summer time insects. Last night (!!!) one landed on me. I felt a soft thud near my collar bone and there was the cutest critter crouching on my jumper. Tinier than a mouse with gossamer wings and bright eyes. I'm so glad I didn't freak out and swat the bat away because I was able to examine it for a full minute before it took off again.

2. Parks and Wildlife ground crew clearing the bushes away from the fire tower steps. 
After last year's controlled burn some of the karri wattles have been getting a bit big for their boots and are growing over the steps. 

Took this photo a year ago so it's not overgrown but until a few days ago, I could not see where I was walking at all. Eek.

 Those concrete steps go all the way up the north facing side of the mountain and thus is where all the venomous snakes in the whole universe go to charge up every morning. They are slow to move during this process and I do like a clear view ahead of me. And. nothing. brushing. against. my. legs. please. So, mucho gracias, guys, for carrying a whipper snipper the whole way to the peak and then clearing the track..

3. Exercise. After a winter spent lying around and then a spring spent lying around with broken ribs, I was getting quite plump and weak. I'm normally lean and strong so it was a shock to realise that I couldn't lift myself onto the back of the ute in one bounce. The horror. After a good five weeks of running up and down the mountain I've lost weight and I'm feeling strong again. I'm happy to report that despite being a peri-menopausal she-wolf, my body is responding in the same way it always has to exercise.

4. Gratuitous entry this one, as only three are required.
Quails. Because native quails. The three chicks I mentioned in a previous post are as big as their mum now and they are becoming quite tame, so long as I make no sudden moves. I've been able to see up close their tawny colours become richer every day. I know when they are coming by their cheepy clucks and the sound of leaves rustling in the understory.

Also, here is Dennis the Doughy Dugite who spent an hour trying to get into the firetower the other day, after mice I suspect. I kept him out with strategic sprays from the metholated spirits bottle. He gave up in disgust eventually. Incidentally, Dennis hangs out a lot where the karri wattles were growing over the steps. He is now a happy surprise, rather than a nasty one.