Welcome to Autumn, Wednesday readers

Welcome to the first day of autumn! I'm not yet feeling that autumnal vibe, with the air still hot and sticky with summer. For some reason I've been in full spring cleaning mode, oiling the deck, passing on items we don't much use, cleaning out wardrobes. You can't blame my body clock for being all out of whack with the weather we've had the last few months. And the animals are still acting like it's peak summer. The water dragons continue to lounge about on our outdoor furniture, with a couple even going inside my neighbour's house to say hello.

Have you noticed any street libraries on your wanders? There are two big ones in the grounds of the Wollongong Botanic Garden but there's also heaps hidden around local streets. We have a look at the movement and provide some plans on how to build your own.

I also chat to Melissa Mylchreest about what it means to 'rewind' your life. She is the author and illustrator behind the amazing Rewilding Kids book you may have spotted in your local book or gift shop.

In the plant world, Emma introduces us to one of the area's many rainforest species, Coast Canthium, and points out how lucky we are with the amount of rainforest we have in the Illawarra, while Merilyn shows us what we can plant instead of the invasive Arum Lily.

Until next week,

Amanda

The Wednesday Editor

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