Mother Natures Curses

A lovely summers day with my family on a Sunday, could not be any more perfect than for us to get away, so we packed a picnic hamper and threw in a fishing rod and drove towards a paradise, that was very close to God. Around about mid journey, a question exposed the plot; ‘Who brought along the aeroguard? - And guess what we forgot. At the time a minor indiscretion, while we’re in the car, where life could not be better, and any problem quite bazaar. A day out in the countryside and breathing in fresh air, is something families need when spending time to share bonding time and can avoid, blackberries, snakes and mud, but a million mouths move closer for a taste of blood. Parking in the picnic ground, I see a river flowing by close to a table and some benches beneath a clear blue sky where majestic weeping willows offered us good ample shade; and so this paradise for picnickers, thought they had it made. But as quick as we alighted and as I opened up the boot, we were quickly forced to give, a constant great Aussie salute - blasted uninvited bush flies, made a B-line to us all, and the pop-up mesh food cover, leans against our kitchen wall. It’s a losing battle keeping bush flies off our picnic lunch and in a moment of madness, I gave two a rabbit punch, but instead of being driven off; to flies that’s a mistake. They call in a hundred thousand more, to join them at the wake. With finally our picnic lunch, we did eat but hardly won, but that was just the beginning for what damage could be done when dressed in shorts and singlet, bits of flesh are left exposed, then we become a target, as any savvy bush lover knows. Lurking in among the willows, like a silent living drone; the March Flies pick their targets and to them they quietly hone, and in their quest to drain some blood, they sting and bloody hurt, so kids are crying; Mother squeals; and I reach for a shirt. ‘Let’s go home!’ is a suggestion, but I will not be beat, so I picked up the fishing rod to avoid the glare and heat of a woman who had enough, and found solace in the car, while the kids and I went fishing - to keep out of her radar. That’s when the battle started raging; along the river bank, where the undergrowth was thick and dense, and it was damp and dank, with leeches clinging to our skin; mosquitoes buzzing in our ears; the fish were having a day off, and kids eyes were full of tears. There’s lumps and bumps and drops of blood that start around the neck; the picnic that was full of hope, has left us all a mental wreck, for we became a bush cafe for every parasite around, where Mother Nature built their home close to a picnic ground. A day out in the countryside and breathing in fresh air, is something families need when spending time to share bonding time and can avoid, blackberries, snakes and mud, but a million mouths move closer for a taste of blood.