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I have been a frequent visitor to book fairs over the years. There is something simultaneously challenging and comforting about browsing the assorted collection of books on a vast range of topics. Even though I often walk in with low expectations, or a determination not to get carried away, there are usually at least a couple of books that need to accompany me home. Among the piles of books that are of interest but not worth buying, and the familiar friendly spines of books already owned and treasured, are a few that catch the eye and insist on joining the current collection.

Sunshine wattle
splashing me
yellow

Diana Levy, from Tomorrow We Go To Megalong Valley: A Collection of Short Stories

A collected book of short stories by local writers, and people with long associations with the Megalong Valley, is the most recent addition. Its appeal lay in providing different viewpoints about a special part of the Blue Mountains. The above quote, written in the “haibun” style of the haiku master Basho, immediately brought to mind the uplifting beauty of wattle blossoms, especially in the midst of winter. It was one of several haikus which were scattered throughout a story called “Seeking … Finding Nellies Glen”. It was written about a series of walks into the valley, searching for remnants of a shale mining village that sprung up in the late 1800s.

This haiku reminded me of the joy of seeing wattle in bloom. It is the middle of winter here in the mountains, with most exotic trees pared back to bare limbs and native trees providing a khaki-toned backdrop. On dull days in particular, the bonny bright blooms of wattles are enough to lift one’s spirits, drawing the eye, and there are many varieties to be spotted in gardens and nearby bushland.

Seeing wattle blossoms dancing in the breeze brings forth memories of my Mum singing ‘dancing, swaying wattle’. I’ve written about Wattle Day before, which had been celebrated in different parts of the country for decades before the wattle was declared to be Australia’s national emblem in 1988. There is a lovely post here which shares some recollections of Wattle Day.

Perhaps it is the association of yellow with bright things: warmth, sunshine, energy, and happiness. On overcast days, wattle flowers seem particularly luminous, and there are echoes of cheery yellow in the crest of the sulphur-crested cockatoo, the belly of the red wattlebird, and the chest of the eastern yellow robin. It’s these little moments which can bring a sense of joy and wonder.

Have you spotted any wattle lately?

Photo: flurry of wattle blooms