If you go into the woods today...

If you go into the woods today, you're in for a bit surprise...

(Did those lines creep anyone else out when they were kids??)

We took a shortcut to avoid some of the long weekend traffic in the Blue Mountains, and this is what we found:

A combination of heavy overnight winds, notoriously shallow roots and possibly the September 2013 bushfires, all brought this tree down. 

The people to the right of the photo had been stopped on the other side of the tree. They're also a helpful indicator of scale. 

Not that much of a shortcut after all...

Seedy Arvo Sun

It's amazing what you can see if you really look around you. 

Every branch is dotted with dozens and dozens of seeds. All glowing warmly in the afternoon sun. 

Bridging the Symmetry

It was surprisingly difficult to get this bit of bridge into the dead centre of the photo. 

But I still think it looks remarkably symmetrical. 

And, of course, when I'm taking the photo, I can't see very much. I'm mostly squinting into the sky, holding my phone aloft - as though in an offering of appeasement to the sky-gods. And in that moment, I can't see anything on the little screen in my hand. 

Standing in the middle of the road (albeit a relatively quiet one) throws in a novelty factor to the photo-taking experience. It requires the fine line of maintaining one's aplomb, and yet being ready to scamper stroll to the side of the road as soon as a vehicle comes thundering up.

The Tree Stretches

From this angle, it looks as though the tree is having a lovely, deep s-t-r-e-t-c-h to the sky. 

Shaking off any tiredness with a cheerfully loud yawn. 

(Yes. I anthropomorphise everything!)

Bush Lemons/Oranges

These bush lemons can look and even taste almost orangey. 

They pop up every autumn. 

"Gnarled" is a good descriptor of the look and feel of the lemons. 

Verticals in the Contre-Jour

This wasn't so much spotted, as it was squinted into...

But there is quite a Gestalt thing going in with the repeated theme of multiple lines going into horizon. Actually, the whole image is made up of lines - mainly vertical, but some horizontal too, and mostly right angle intersections. Even the sun is throwing out straight lined-rays!

(Side note, I'm not sure if it's visible, but that is a train on the right).

Oleander in the Setting Sun

I like this pic! It looks like the stuff summer memories are made of.

Sweet, wistful, romantic - and drenched in unreal colours - the way all good memories should become...

Old-Fashioned Street Lamps

Delightful, old-fashioned street lamps at Mt Victoria train station in the Blue Mountains. 

Early in the morning on a crisp autumn day. 

Doughnut in the Sky

I guess you could call this functional topiary. 

Or, a doughnut by design. 

I Spy with my Squinting Eye

This is not just a photo of pretty autumn leaves! 

Look carefully.

And there are actually two of them! Yes, really. Squint carefully.

*patting self on back and preening lightly* I think this is very well spotted! Yes, even if I do say do meself.

Crazy, Out- of-Season Rhodo

The Rhodo tree produced flowers in spring, like it was meant to. It sailed quietly through summer and then suddenly pushed out some blooms now, in autumn!

Field of Feathers

Feathery fronds waving and glistening in the autumn sun. 

Lilac Loner

A single, solitary little lilac flower, in a big wide field. 

I Tort I Taw a Wabbit

I did! I did taw a Wabbit!

Two wabbits, in fact!

Parent and bub, nibbling away. 

Jiminy Cricket!

Spotted on the side of a building. 

It was turning its head to watch me as I paparazzi-ed it. You can see its lovely emerald eyes, looking right at me. 

Seeds for Autumn

Once again, I have no idea what kind of tree this is, but it's currently flush with its thousands of berries (on the ground as well as in the tree)! 

Raindrops the morning after

It's all about the tiny things in the world. 

Raindrops are perilously perched on a single blade of grass, ready to slide to the earth or rise back to the sky. 

Beautifully Tyre-some

Spotted at Katoomba train station. 

Water Spotted

You see a mere dried blotch of water on the sink?

And I see:

A Knock at the Window

This little guy was knocking curiously at my office window today!

Sorry for the super- photoshopped pic. I couldn't get too close without frightening it away, and I couldn't do anything about the contrasting light between inside and out. 

Blink and you'll miss

Another tiny flower of perfection. 

Open only in the morning to catch the sun, it withdraws very early in the day. 

Blink and you'll miss it. 

Shroom-Ville

So much rain, these guys have popped up everywhere. 

Tiny Perfection

Tiny, tiny flowers. 

If you don't really look, you'd never notice them. 

Something Seedy

These seeds are spiky and they're being dropped by all the parrots visiting our garden - King parrots, rosellas and now the cockatoos (see previous post). 

The seeds are from the Liquid Amber and the birds are coming to feast. We're all watching where we walk!

Cockatoo Screech Central

They communicate by screeches. 

Picture people screeching throatily, wordlessly at each other, and you'll get an approximation. 

Chomping the reddening leaves of the Liquid Amber, they're part of the reason a lot more leaves appeared on the ground overnight b

Autumn Spots

Doing a nice transition between last month's autumn theme to this month's 'Spotted' one, my first official April-theme photo is:

One of the first leaves to fall from the Liquid Amber.

Spotted on the ground and spotted with red :-)

This is the same leaf, but in the sun and with a warming photoshop filter: 

April Theme: Spotted

This month's theme is: "Spotted". 

Any and every meaning of Spotted applies. Something with spots and something interesting that I spot. 

Between these two interpretations, I'm hoping I should be able to get back into the routine of a daily post (a routine which has proven to be a wee bit hard to follow at times). 

Allons-y!

Autumn at its most Radiant

The kind of day we always imagine when we dream of the perfect autumn day.

It does exist!

 Dream on...

... into spring.

Autumn Symphony

If these colours could sing...

There's Gold in the Grey

 

You just have to look for the gold carefully.

And maybe run it through photoshop a few times to bring out the golden highlights. But they're there! Honey-warm on a grey day.

Quintessential Autumn Tree

Kerbside Colour

Look down. Look carefully. 

Tiny perfection. 

Peridot against Pearl in the Sun

Luscious, lemon-lime peridot...

On the Ground

Fallen leaves scattered on the wet ground, like snow. 

Rustic Fuschia

'Rustic' as a descriptor makes everything seem more appealing. 

Rose Silhouette

A few roses are still cheerfully hanging in there 

Wading through Wisteria

Like the photinia, the wisteria is recklessly shooting out new tendrils, even as other wisteria leaves turn an unmistakable butter-yellow. 

Ruby Shoots of Photinias

The photinias look as though they're joining in the autumnal reddening. But it's actually their last flush of growth before winter takes over the world. 

Liquid Amber: Close-Up

You can see the slow creeping edges of change even in the Liquid Amber, which is usually slower to react to the autumn shift. 

Storm-Grey in the Sun

The sun got eaten up by the clouds soon enough. 

Jewels on Blue

The sort of autumn day that exists in book - beautifully-jewelled and sunny and warm!