I pissed on a burning log today

Every day since the fire I have walked in the once familiar bush behind my home and in the surrounding area. There has been no time since I began walking here that I have had this feeling of discovering something new every single day. There is so much that I have never seen before and may never see again. Each day, even each moment, the landscape through which I traverse is different.

It surprises me the resilience of this fire. We were evacuated two weeks ago tonight. The fire burnt through, the flames went away, the RFS mopped up, the days have cooled down, a heavy rain storm hit the area... Every day when I walk in the bush, I find many smouldering tree trunks, red hot coals, wafts of smoke through the once solid and impenetrable bush.

I pissed on a burning log today, as I do everyday. I only wish I had more to give.

3 Nights in a Tent

Back home again to the south coast between Sydney and Wollongong. I've written before about distinctly difficult and memorable camping trips. About fears and dangers in the Royal National Park. About that precarious cliff-side drive north from Wollongong. This was the special occasion route on the way to or from the fortnightly visit to my grandmothers home in Wollongong.

Not sure what brought about any of these special occasions, beauty, boredom or belligerence. I've always liked the south coast's rugged and precarious landscape. Coal peeped through the cliff face along which we drove and collected in our swimmers in the surf of many of the beaches. Back to the unscathed small towns I have again started to trek with my girls. This is the simple life.

Three nights in a tent. iPods blazing through the night. Wind blowing non stop. Icy waters and the constant half glimpse of that elusive shark, dolphin or whales fin amongst the white water between sand and horizon. These images collected on the recent visit a fellow image maker alongside, and a sculpture on an early morning walk with the youngster.