Sunday Scribblings "Progress"

G'Day,
The Sunday Scribblings prompt this week is Progress.
Progress Hmmmm. Yesterday I went for a walk. Up a big hill puff, pant, hard work. It was a big hill.

She put me on. The business side of her, and softened my insides with short blue socks and we went. In the car at first, with me cradling her as she pressed the pedals in and out and moved the little car a few miles down the road and across the pathway to the shade of a gum. Then we left the car behind.
Mount Taylor is one of the nice size hills that are markers in this city, part of land designated to stay undeveloped. There was no height stated on the board but maybe it is a similar height to some of the surrounding hills in the vicinity which are in the upper portion of 800 meters above sea level. Not big by the standards of other places around the world but that is what we have here. A nice challenge to conquer. The lower reaches of the big hill where we were, is covered by the suburb of Torrens and as we walked up the lower reaches of the track we found it interesting to sticky beak into back yards and gardens that were proudly nurtured by their owners.
The day before was a down day and I didn't get to move off the shelf near the front door. I waited because I know she always comes back for me, sooner or later. I cradle her, I hold her firm and protect her from the cold and the heat and pain and I can feel her moods when we are together. As we have been for many years. She put me away once, for a long time, and used a newer friend but that friend wasn't as strong as me and soon wore out, then she came back to me. I was waiting, now I am in pride of place as a useful friend where I should be.
I carried her up that big hill and we saw wonders together. Wonders and wildlife that we don't get to see in the lower reaches of my world. We saw many pods of Roos and wildflowers. Oh..........wildflowers that I love as much as she does. The top third of the big hill was covered in them. I brushed through them and reveled in their softness and subtle perfumes and colors. There were minuscule pink and mauve flowers and tiny yellow ones everywhere. Tiny tiny yellow ones on fine spindly stems just a centimeter across with pale yellow petals around the outside and even tinier petals in a circle inside those around the black center. We haven't seen those kind before. Scattered amongst the undergrowth and high up on the rocky hillside were lots of bright purple fringe lilies and a stand of pale shrubby wattle in flower. And other spindly bushes that had clusters of tiny tiny white flowers at the end of their branches. As we climbed higher we were happy to find that the same bushes with the tiny white flowers hadn't began to flower yet on the shaded side of the hill. Analogous of so many other things. We didn't know their names but it was lovely that the landcare people had been able to keep most of the introduced weeds away from here and the bush was mostly in its natural state. Well except for those pesky yellow dandelions that I am sure could gain a foothold happily anywhere, even in the middle of the driest desert rock. I loved the way the rocks were stacked in the steep parts of the hill, no stone mason could have arranged them as perfectly. Though it was much nicer to have the man made pathways to travel over.
It was a pleasant late morn we walked through. Not too hot and the sky was soft and gray with gentle clouds that stopped her getting burned by the sun. The path was steep though and we were soon wet with perspiration, it was quite hard work in the steep parts. Half way up the hill I thought she would give up, she was so winded and melting from the effort. We rested for a while and went a bit further,then just a bit further, and the trig marker was visible at the summit. Well we had come this far and were encouraged by the sight of the marker and her sense of adventure kicked in for the last little climb. She had to see the top and the view from there and it was raining so it became a little cooler and she washed her face in the raindrops. The view was so so worth the hard climb. Though I know that it wasn't so hard for the fitter and younger walkers we saw along the way.
The little dog that came with us for the walk enjoyed his adventure. There were wonderful scents for him to investigate along the way and other people and their doggie companions to be met. Then there was the excitement of seeing those kangaroos, which looked so much fun to chase, if only he wasn't held back on the leash. The big Roos wouldn't have thought much of it if he had been able to chase them and I am sure he would have been a very unhappy little doggie if he had been able to do so as the big roos would have soon put him in his place.
Anyway..... Now I am back in pride of place on the shelf by the doorway, ready to be called upon to cradle her as needed on our next outing.
That's all Folks.
Enjoy your new year and rise to the challenges it is sure to present to you and you will come out on top.
Love Linda and her old blue runners.