Jemby Rinjah

Last weekend John and I spent a very pleasant few days in the Blue Mountains. We asked about the meaning of the the name of the Eco Lodge we stayed at and apparently it means "Beautiful Big Colourful Bird". We didn't see any big colourful birds but plenty of smaller birds and this magnificent creature.

The Blue Mountains have a very special place in my heart. In my younger / fitter days I used to lead bushwalking groups. Twice weekly I would lead a dozen or so trusting souls into the bush. We climbed mountains, descended into beautiful valleys communed with nature and explored every corner of the the Bush in the Sydney area.

Visiting the mountains brought a lot of my treasured memories back with great clarity. A very dear lady who has recently passed away, wrote this poem for me when she left the group to move to her central coast retirement dream home and I know this was written from the heart.

Just a few words of thank you
for all the work you've done.

The places you have taken us
through wind and rain and sun.

You've had us climbing mountains
we never thought we could.

You've guided us down tracks
we didn't think we should.

You have taken us through forests
and across the mountain streams.

You have shown us such splendour
and where the Waratahs grow.

Wild flowers in abundance
with names we didn't know.

You have shown us the wild life,
nature at its best
.
The panoramic vistas,
north, south east and west.

You have given us strong bonding,
stay back and help your mate.

Care and understanding,
adventures to relate.

You have brought us home exhausted,
aching from head to toe.

We survived the snakes and leeches,
how? We'll never know!

And so our fearless leader,
I say thank you my dear friend.

You always keep us moving with
"It's just around the bend"

Pat Brookes.