Kowai Bush

The nor’westers have given me cabin fever. My son took me for a drive to get me out of the house. We went to Kowai Bush, a small reserve of native beech forest in the foothills below Otarama Peak. Although the sun was shining at home up there was dark under the storm clouds tumbling over the mountains. The wind was fierce and turbulent. The trees roared so loud we could hardly hear the birds. The smell of the sweet honeydew was so strong it was almost intoxicating.

We ventured only a little way in on the lee side. The track had newly fallen branches strewn over it, and a lot of trees were down from the gales in the last few days. We could look through the tree trunks to the trees in the teeth of the nor’wester. Canopies thrashed about and tall stems swayed so far out of vertical that it’s a wonder they didn’t crack. Many had.

I didn’t take many photos. It was too dark under the trees, but it was better at the entrance. I love this gate. The hinges are on the high side, and the gate swings in a tight v-shaped structure, that lets one person at a time pass through, but keeps out deer, cattle and sheep. It is covered in the black mould from the beech trees.