Playing Catch-up With Myself: November ... Spring Comes in Late (thank you, La Nina)

Nothing in the world says "spring" like ducklings! It was so good to see squadrons of them at Belair, Byards, Brodie Road, Laratinga, Perry Bend -- everywhere, this year, whereas last year I don't think I spotted even one. This family, here had managed to raise ten, which is exceptionally good going in an environment where cats and foxes wreak havoc. They were right there on the bank as we finished out a walk at the Brodie Road wetlands. Nice!

By November I was feeling more like my old self. The only thing still lingering from the virus was fatigue, and when I saw Dr Tim for my annual bloodwork, I mentioned this ... he wasn't in the slightest surprised. Without going anywhere near "long covid," which is a very different animal indeed, the so-called "post covid syndrome" hits a lot of people and is a bear to get rid of. Fatigue, foggy thinking, shortage of breath, listlessness ... yep, this was me.

But by the time by birthday rolled around I was even boring myself! It was time to throw this thing off somehow, anyhow, and -- well, Dave knows me. I'm terminally stubborn. Just too stubborn to know when to quit or how to say no. I think I'll be dead for three days before to occurs to me to lie down.

November was pretty good, in fact. We walked a lot, and got up to Clare Valley and, I think Laratinga when the weather was good enough to permit. Got the chance to revisit Seven Hill, which has a timeless charm all its own, and the Gleeson Wetlands, which have become a favourite place of mine.

Late in the month, we went orchid hunting at Belair NP -- but that's another story, which I'll tell in the next post. From a purely personal perspective, it was great to be starting to feel like a normal person again after a few rough months. Do not let anyone tell you that Covid is just flu and you'll throw it off in a week ... not even vaguely true! But spring was bursting out everywhere by November -- it came in late and wet, but when it arrived ... well, I'll close this post out with those ducklings at Brodie road, which say it all. And in the next Catch-up post, we'll go orchid hunting!