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5. Bark


Bark is a fascinating photographic subject -- fibrous textures, insect paths on scribbly gum, colours brought out when the trees are slick with rain, the amazing red of angaphoras when they shed their bark -- to name just a few.

Because it is evergreen the Australian bush seems seasonless until you tune into its rhythms. The way many of the trees shed their bark leaving a fresh smooth trunk is one of those rhythms.

Comments

  1. I really think the real Australian seasons with all its events should be widely taught and the European seasons forgotten about as they make no sense.

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    Replies
    1. The problem is how many seasons are there? The aboriginals have a varying number of seasons depending on the location.

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  2. I agree with everything you say about bark, Joan. Great pic.

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    1. A photo of a grand old scribbly bark beside a water pool was a hot contender for selection. I take lots of photo of bark but not that many show up in the blogs ... they don't seem interesting enough for commentary but I have enjoyed them anyway.

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  3. Yes, the European sesons make no sense, well, just a little bit of sense. Love your text here Joan, and the photo is superb.

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    Replies
    1. Yes I agree they do make some sense particularly in a location like the mountains. I have decided we have six seasons in the Blue Mountains
      1. Dry Summer - December/January (though of course right now that title is defying me. The only time we have fairly reliable hot weather)
      2. Wet Summer - February/March (we usually get lots of heavy rain in those months)
      3 Autumn - April/May (the first colour begins almost spot on 1 April and ends with the crescendo at the end of May)
      4. Winter - June/July (the cold dreary months)
      5. Spring - August/September (a rolling display starting with daffodils in August to a huge blossom display end September)
      6. Transition - October/November (the wierd season lurching madly from snowfalls to searing hot days and back again until it eventually settles into the rhythm of summer)

      And yes I now I have just described our seasons using European plants! I must take a much closer look at the actually timing of things in the local bushland this coming year.

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