We took a wonderful drive in the country yesterday, avoiding the main highway and taking dirt roads around the hills and finally into Canberra, then out again to Yass, soaking up the wonderful sunshine, admiring the beautiful greenery of the hills – and even catching glimpses of some wildlife.

We saw a fat echidna (a spiny burrowing mammal, usually nocturnal) waddling across the road, and later a very healthy looking black snake (yes, poisonous), both of them making it safely to the other side of their perspective stretches of road.

Out on the highway again, a large kangaroo jumped out into traffic, fortunately picking gaps between the cars and making it safely across also. Being a bright day and low foliage by the roadside, he was easy to spot, and the drivers in the line of traffic had grins on their faces, even when the unpredictable roo turned around and hopped right back again. After that, he raced along the fence line, keeping pace with us for a bit, eventually hopping over the fence and away into a paddock.

It was a glorious day.

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