Taking a Walk on the Bushy Side

Years ago, when I use to live in a small rural village, I use to go walking nearly every day. There was a lot of open spaces and  treed paddocks to walk thru. I don’t believe that in the ten years I lived there that I ever went three days without going for a walk. Somedays I could hardly wait to get going, or somedays I’d go a couple of times a day. Somedays I was so frustrated I’d march my tension out, other days I was peaceful and just marveled in the joy of going on my walk.

Then I moved to the city. I knew my walk would be something that I’d miss the most, but I thought I’d just readjust to walking around my suburb. Alas I never did get into a habit. It was just not the same. I later moved to a small country town, but it is still essentially a suburban type area, just with a lot less traffic, so I still didn’t walk.

I was telling my friend about how I really missed my bush walks and how I’d like to get back to doing it again. He said I was welcome to walk on his property and his daughter would show me some of the walks. I did not have to be asked twice!!!

I walk with my little guide (she’s 10 years old) up to the top of the hill. Sometimes we go off the cattle tracks and just shimmy up the side of the hill. This photo shows just one such off-the-track route we took.  I was on all fours on this leg coz it was so steep. LOL. There’s a lovely little clearing  up ahead and my guide and I stop, rest, have a chocolate and find a tree to climb!!! I get up the highest, but I do have an advantage of having long legs.

After we get to the top and admire the views of the valleys on both sides of the hill it’s time to come down. Coming down of course requires good balancing skills. And good judgement about where to put your feet. I only made one error when I stepped onto a stone that rolled out from under me.

On the return journey we stopped for a little photo opportunity. Three dogs came up for the walk with us. One of the dogs races around madly thru the scrub, the other one is always off doing his own thing, but this brute lumbers along beside me the whole way. When I first encountered this fellow I was quite intimidated by the sheer size of him, but since then he’s never given me reason to worry.

I’m totally loving my new bush walks. I plan on going once a week. I’d go more often but that might be stretching the friendship. Also the dogs might not be so friendly if I turned up while the owners were at work. Woof!!! Well I hope you liked my little story about a-day-in-the-life-of -Theresa. I might get to share another story some day.

Thanks for dropping by. Theresa