Green and Gold

Here we are surrounded by green and gold. Much of the native vegetation is displaying these colours at the moment with the acacias or wattles in flower. I didn't realise that there were so many species, 1300 world wide, with 960 native to Australia. In fact it isn't until you get up close and look that the differences are obvious. Here in Medlow Bath I have spotted at least two different species and I am now wondering what was the one we had at home on the farm when I was growing up. It always put on a spectacular show of yellow or gold flowers. And so it is here at the present time.

 

 

 

Another green and gold object we have been seeing a lot of is the 'log splitter'. What a wonderful invention this piece of machinery is. In mere seconds it can split even the largest of rings of pine into pieces just the right size for Stanley or the log fire. As I am standing there helping Stephen with it I think how much it would have saved all those pioneers from such hard labours with only the use of an axe or saw to achieve the same ends.

Tomorrow night we will be seeing another field of green and gold, this time on the screen coming from the Sydney rugby grounds. This green and gold team will be matching their skill against our famous Allblacks. We are going to be watching it with mixed company in the home of one our local community. We will be joined by Dan and his Mum, Judy both NZers and avid Allblack supporters,while the remainder of the crowd will be supporting the local team. It should be a good night.

Green and gold. The traditional Australian colours which, according to my sister, and a fact I wasn't aware of, were chosen because of the green and gold of the golden wattle, Acacia pycnantha, Australia's florall emblem. A check in Wikipedia confirms this but also goes on to say that "Gold is a reflection of Australia’s beaches, mineral affluence, arid shrub/scrublands and desert areas of the island-continent nation. Green represents the flora of its forests, eucalyptus leaves and meadowlands of the Australian countryside." It also states that "Green and gold are the traditional team colours of Australian national sporting teams, and nearly every current Australian national sports team wears them (although the hues and proportions of the colours may vary between teams and across eras)."

 

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