Roots and Rocks

The Pilbara is a rocky place.

It's a wonder anything survives.

Consider spinfex and its spines - it makes sense that of the plants that survive in this harsh land, spinafex is the most prolific. It's waxy, and spiny, keeping you at bay, screaming 'back off', working hard to grow in the rocky ground.

So when you see trees, massive trees, fig trees, paperbark trees growing, you know there is the sweet promise of water somewhere close.

But you can't always see it.

The mind boggles at how some of these trees grow and thrive. But grown and thrive they do, sending their roots through the rocks and layers.

The opportunities presented by dead trees

Dead trees have character. Have you ever thought about these things - here stands something that once was living, but now its glory has gone, it is a shadow of what it once was, and yet it holds its own beauty and character.

This photo was taken thanks, once again to my husband. He is a good egg who looks out for me and encourages me not to take the easy road out when I'm feeling lazy.

We were driving home from another Pilbara adventure with parents (his parents). The sun was fading. I had warned my husband that if we came across a field of mulla mulla lit up by the dying sun we would be stopping.

We didn't come accross that field (well, we did but it was shadowed by a Pilbara hill) but we did come across a waterway lit up with magical sunset colours - the behind the sunset colours (looking behind yourself at sunset). A magical waterway. My husband asked if I wanted to stop - I hesitated. I actually was not well that day with a massive headache and cold so of course I hesitated. I was hungry and wanted to be home.

But, a conversation ensued - a 'it's not very often we are here, you should take advantage of the opportunity' conversation. So I did. I'd love to paint you a picture of someone who is always happy, always keen and enthusiastic but the truth is sometimes I need a little push. I think we all do. I snapped a couple of Pilbara sunsets. So yes, my husband and I are a team and I am so grateful I have him to encourage me and cajole me into taking photos at times.

Wisdom

A fool gives full vent to his anger, but a wise man keeps himself under control.
Proverbs 29:11

This proverb is about more than anger. It's about self-control. Self-control is one of the fruit of the spirit, and it's one I believe that does not get as much air time as, say, love. But it is so important. Personally, sometimes I wonder if it was listed last in Galations because it sums up all the other eight fruits - love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness - they all relate to self-control in some way. It is self-control that helps us choose to love when we are angry and frustrated, chose joy in the dark times, be patient when we want to surge ahead, be kind when we don't feel like it, choose the right thing because it is good, remain faithful and be gentle with one another. When we struggle with fruit, it is self-control that gets us through - the self-control and discipline to turn to Jesus when the going gets rough and not simply act out on our emotions because that's what feels good. Or alternatively, turn to Jesus when the going goes well, not just act on our emotions because that's what feels good.

This tree reminds me of wisdom. Proverbs is one of the wisest books I know, hence the reference. 

Ozzie Snappy Gums

One of the most interesting features of the arid landscape in much of Australia are the white gums, or snappy gums. Not sure to this day why they are called snappy gums, but they create an amazing contrast in the landscape. I remember taking a photo of the Devil's Marbles in the Northern Territory and thinking that they looked like a permanent form of lightning striking the landscape.

That photo was not blog worthy, in case you were wondering.

There are a lot of them up here though, and they present a rather artistic challenge: how do you take a photo of a twisted tree? Composition is probably one of my weaker points as a photographer (which is kind of an issue) and particularly with trees. I always think they just look so cool, and then I get home to go through my photos and feel let down. Here is just one example.

Betsy, f/7.1, 1/640, 18mm, ISO 500. 

The other cool thing about them is they are home to cute creatures like this little guy.

Betsy, f/7.1, 1/400, ISO 500, 200mm, cropped, Edited in Adobe RAW

Mythical places

A lot of photos these days look as though they belong in a mythical wonderland. You look at them knowing that that's really not how they look in reality - such as photos of star trails, HDR images of sunsets with glorious amounts of colour in the foreground and background and you think, no way. But in a way it's great to have these digital images of mythical places that resemble reality. Yes, I called them digital images rather than photos - while there is heaps you can do with HDR and I'm sure they are photos, a lot of them just have an unreal quality about them. I hope I don't reach that stage where touching up is a touch overdone.

Anyway, there are certain things that take me back to my childhood games of mythical places and one of these are huge tree trunks in green forests, with big roots and screaming calmness and fun all at the same time. I thought you could not get any such places in the Pilbara. Turns out when looking the right way, you can!

I fell in love with these roots over the rocks at our campsite! Canon EOS 50D, f/7.1, 1/250 shutter, ISO 500, 20mm.

This tree is my favourite. Behind my position here is dry riverbed, spinafex hills and red rocks. But here is one slice of oasis, complete with tree tunk and an attractive root system! Enough to inspire some kind of magic. A pity this scene doesn't surround you - you have to be looking one particular way! EOS 50D, f/7.1, 1/250 shutter, ISO 500, 18mm

Flooding tall trees

The Pilbara may be a dry and arid place but don't let that lull you into a false sense of security. The old saying of 'When it rains it pours' is really applicable to this place and it is not uncommon for roads to be cut due to rain and swelling rivers. Rain itself is just uncommon.

Of course, say that to a local and they generally scoff, but I think they forget places down south or over east where it is very irregular to have a month go by with absolutely no rain at all. That's just common, dreary everyday life here. There isn't even a regular, stable wet season like there is up north. There are odd patches of rain (usually a storm) and cyclones, both brought in by a low pressure system from the ocean (that believe it or not can cause nasty headaches as well).

We remember these flooding rains when camping in a riverbed. Dry most of the year, with tiny streams running through it, it is easy to forget you are actually in the bed of a mighty flood prone river. The only clue is really the bridge when you turn off, and trees like these that line the bank.

In the absence of rushing water - Canon EOS 50D f/14, 1/125, ISO 500, 28mm, manual mode polarizing filter