Fingers Orchids in Werakata SCA : September 17 2022

Sun was out and going to be a nice spring day. First task for the clear out today was sorting papers and old packing boxes to go to the tip. Simple enough process - strip out all the plastic and paper clips and bulldog clips. Decide the few pages to keep. Did find the wine strategy report I did all those years back - and a few brokers notes reporting the change of fortune in the dot.com crash. Went to the tip - simple enough process. Weigh the car. Off load the stuff. Free stuff is weighed. Get charged for the difference in weight on the way out

Went to walk a slice of Werakata SCA in Pelton. Walked down the road and into the bushes lower down than I have previously walked - lots of white fingers orchids. Caladenia catenata

Pink tinge to petals and sepals is quite common - side on view

Close up - the Latin name refers to the chain of calli on the labellum

Found a bearded orchid - new spot as I have not walked this for down into the bush - just opening

This is a little more open with the distinctive tape showing - can just ID from the two eyes looking out and the frilly beard - calochilus robertsonii

One fully open

Next caladenia shows the challenge of ID. This one has carmine bands on the column but not on the labellum. Probably a hybrid between catenata and carnea.

The fly caught my attention

And was happy to pose - this is pure catenata

Double header - two flowers on one spike

Next variant has pink colouring on the lobes - others were pure white

Closer up

More pink in this version - note the pink vertical stripe in the column

A lot more pink in the fingers and the column is red and not green. Looks more like caladenia picta but they only flower May-June

Close up. I looked into a lot to see the differences

This one has a lot more pink and a white column

Love these little blue flowers - so delicate.

Purple daisies every where

Double header seeded on the road way

Another one with the carmine bands. Nice to find two, maybe 3 orchid types in new slices of the bush

Back home - cleared weeds out of the back lawn. Also disposed of some weed killer in the driveway. Kept going to after 5pm. We have a bit of a farewell party on. Some guests will arrive around 7 and the others closer to 8 when the football match they are watching ends.

My planning was to do tapas style meal with two main tranches of food. Got into planning mode - tapas is all about prep and timing.

I brought up some special wine from my cellar to celebrate 20 years in the Hunter Valley. In picture Lakes Folly chardonnay from the amazing 2003 vintage and a single vineyard from the oldest winery - Tyrells. Was magic. And for red our very own Shiraz also from that 2003 vintage.

First round spread. 2nd guests arrived with 2 new owners in tow. 2nd rouhdnof food emerged after that. We had an amazing party - new friends getting to know each other - was a great send off. And chef did not enough - was a busy full hands night.

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Daily Activity, Gardening, House Chores, Photowalking