Blue Mountains Journal

Photo: Bumper of the 3526 Steam Train Words to walk with: Writing of the end of the ride made me think of this old hymn which was recorded by Johnny Cash , Louis Armstrong and others. "There's a land that is fairer than day, And by faith we can see it afar; For the Father waits over the way To prepare us a dwelling place there. In the sweet by and by, We shall meet on that beautiful shore; In the sweet by and by, We shall meet on that beautiful shore. We shall sing on that beautiful shore The melodious songs of the blessed; And our spirits shall sorrow no more, Not a sigh for the blessing of rest."

We got seats in the buffet car -- very comfortable. Words to walk with: The word 'buffet' makes me think of the artist Guy Buffet more than poetry. I've enjoy one of his Hawaiian prints in my home. Check out his work here -- as it happens he is most famous for his culinary paintings, which come to think of it is a really good fit with the word buffet.

At last! But I was surprised because I was expecting the 3801 . This one reminds me of the ones painted by the French impressionist Claude Monet at La Gare Saint-Lazare Photo: 3526 Steam train, arriving at Mount Victoria Station Words to walk with: Yes, I do know the title of today's post comes from Banjo Paterson's poem The Man From Snowy River and has nothing to do with trains or railway stations. "There was movement at the station, for the word had passed around That the colt from old Regret had got away, And had joined the wild bush horses — he was worth a thousand pound, So all the cracks had gathered to the fray. All the tried and noted riders from the stations near and far Had mustered at the homestead overnight, For the bushmen love hard riding where the wild bush horses are, And the stock-horse snuffs the battle with delight."

It's the great train festival in Mount Victoria this weekend so, being unusually relaxed this weekend, we decided to catch the train instead of chasing it for photos. Lucky we were relaxed, it was an hour late getting into Mt Vic. Words to walk with: Waiting by Emily Dickinson "I sing to use the waiting, My bonnet but to tie, And shut the door unto my house; No more to do have I, Till, his best step approaching, We journey to the day, And tell each other how we sang To keep the dark away."

My Mum, who came from the south, always spoke with nostalgia of a childhood home where she crunched through autumn leaves. The leaves took on a romance for her young Queensland brood who rarely saw a deciduous tree resplendent in autumn colour -- so much so I was gripped with the idea of living in a cooler climate from quite early on. It's interesting the ways our mother's influence our life choices-- even when they are gone. Photo: Begonia border with fallen maple leaves, my garden Last seen surrounded by hail. Words to walk with: From A Song For September by Thomas Parsons, 1880 "Sorrow and scarlet leaf, Sad thoughts and sunny weather. Ah me, this glory and this grief Agree not well together!"

Photos: Begonias, my garden (not a native plant) This Autumn I decided to enjoy the begonias in my own garden rather than looking with envy at the camillias over the neighbour's fence . It's interesting that I had decided to do this post today, which I planned a week ago. I notice that my friend at bitingmidge has chosen begonias for his Mother's Day post ... a shot I am sure was taken here. I love that fact that in this climate tuberous begonias can actually grow out in the garden, not just being mollycoddled in pots. I plant the tubers from last years pots out in the garden bed shaded by a tree and hey presto they give me joy again the next year. Words to walk with: From Proverbs 14:29-31 the Holy Bible New International Version. A heart at peace gives life to the body, but envy rots the bones.

The weather is continuing to be rather odd. Last week there was light snow in Katoomba and quite a big dump of it further afield. It's not meant to snow in April! Fortunately it has warmed up since. This flower is called Winter Iris but blooms throughout Autumn in grassy clumps dotted around my garden. Photo: Winter Iris, my garden (Not a native plant)

The visitors are gone at last. Autumn is in full swing. The air is chill. Liquid light pours golden through the leaves. And the tiny birds are on their seasonal migration through my garden. Photo: Silver Eye in maple, my garden Words to walk with: By Emily Dickinson "The morns are meeker than they were, The nuts are getting brown; The berry's cheek is plumper, The rose is out of town. The maple wears a gayer scarf, The field a scarlet gown. Lest I should be old-fashioned, I'll put a trinket on. "