Where's The Wattle? - September has already come and gone.

It's the start of October, and spring has almost sprung, but not quite. The onion weed is abundant, and so to the tiny flying insects that gather in tight clouds along the ruddy river walks, causing pedestrians to enter respiratory chaos when inhaled by accident. Grasses that sprout seeded make all of us itch and sneeze, and amongst the gums that host the banks, little tiny buds appear on the acacia trees; BUT - where is the Wattle? Apart from the Black Wattle Bush, there is no Golden Wattle anywhere in bloom. Cast back a year, and the whole planet, my world along the bushland close to home, was a confetti bomb of yellow blossoms, so intense I 'kinda' wished it were toned down a notch. But here we are, September no more, and blossoms not abundant. My usual go-to for pale pink eucalypt flowers on the opposite side of the river bank shows a few blooms but nothing stunning. And sure, the council has removed the bridge that takes you to the better side to grovel and forage for native flowers and bush foods. But looking about each side of the river shore - the infamous Golden Wattle - the crest of our parliament, sorry, none so far I have seen. So what is going on? Where is the Wattle? ... https://youtu.be/0LmFONY7xeo

One Week Later .

One week later, I am scanning the soggy banks of the Yarra River. In the drizzling rain, I see fists of yellow buds popping out amongst the grey-green acacia leaves. The yellow parade is on the way, but the difference between last year's season and this is noticeable. I am relieved that the Wattle, Peppermint Gums blossoms and Mana eucalyptus are finally coming. Still, the gnawing feeling that trouble is about won't go away, nor will the constant rains. There has been ongoing confusion as to which day is National Wattle Day. Originally - National Wattle Day was first celebrated in Sydney, NSW, on September 1st 1910. In 1913 the Golden Wattle became officially recognised as our national flower and incorporated into our Coat of Arms. In 1916 NSW changed their annual Wattle Day to August 1st, and amidst much confusion between the States, we all decided to declare September 1st the day of the Green and Gold. Guest Contributor: Emily Rack Business Name: Horatio’s Jar Publisher: Digital Schools Emily Rack is a  freelance creative writer and researcher, visual content creator, and designer. She is the head of the content production, publication - and editing for Upschool+ Guest Contributors -, and Horatio's Jar is her content production agency and wellbeing school.   Emily has dedicated her life to researching and understanding matters of the mind, body-, and the human experience. Her discoveries and research are focused on cultivating tools and dialogue that encourage us to live in peace and harmony here on earth. Her current focus is the environment and human connectivity, conservation, environmentalism, botany, biology-, and the practice of 'Nature Bathing'.  Emily is a writer, digital content creator, seasoned photographer-, and visual artist. ——- PUBLISHER’S DISCLAIMER: The publisher of this blog post (Digital Schools PTY LTD) works in partnership with the school as a 3rd party provider to help build and maintain the school website. Digital Schools sources a range of experts who provide products and/or services to educational institutions and we work with them to produce and publish topical information in the form of blog posts that we think  may be relevant, interesting or topical to families within the community. The views, opinions and content listed in this blog post are that of the guest contributor and/or publisher (Digital Schools). It should be noted that whilst the publisher and guest contributors are acting with the best intentions and in the best interests of the school and their community to provide helpful or interesting information, sometimes the content may not necessarily reflect the views of the school. The information in this blog post is not meant to be used, nor should it be used, to diagnose or treat any medical condition. For diagnosis or treatment of any medical problem, consult your own physician.  The school and the publisher of this blog post  are not responsible for any person reading or following the information in this article who may experience adverse effects. Any references to external websites or sources are provided for informational purposes only and do not constitute an endorsement by the school or publisher in any way and the publisher and/or school cannot guarantee the accuracy of the information listed. If you have feedback on any content on this platform, you can submit it to the publisher using the feedback link provided at the bottom of this page.