Skeleton Trees …

I have remarked before on how I am attracted by the relationship of trees to their landscape, and how I marvel at the survival of many seemingly long dead trunks that stand through time against the odds of winds and weather, and those local plundering firewood consumers often seen scavenging far less attractive supplies of fuel to keep the winter cold at bay. Perhaps struck by lightning, or perhaps just the unfortunate victim of a long dry season, many of these skeletal forms are towering eucalyptus or blue gum carcasses. One day they’ll surely fall, but I do know of at least one example in Gauteng that over the seven years I travelled a particular route held on fast to its self-proclaimed territorial rights. Marvellous!

As an abstract composition these two adjacent specimens in the Tweedie area show just the presence I have spoken of. A tempting monochrome study, their simple silvered forms against a blazing blue winter sky is somewhat more dramatic.

Paradise Road …

I have mentioned a couple of times how beautiful the autumn colours are in this part of the world, and at the risk of becoming boring, or repetitive … or both, I have a few more images that simply beg to be shared. Today’s shot is of the main road (imaginatively named Main Road) into Howick from the N3 highway Tweedie offramp. The trees lining the roadsides are the ubiquitous Liquidambar Styraciflua (imaginatively named Liquid Ambers ;-) which along with London Plane trees seem to thrive in the area. Natives of eastern North America these trees grow up to forty metres in height, and are sometimes incorrectly identified as Maples due to their very Maple like leaf shapes. The Latin name comes surprisingly not from their amber autumn colouring, but from the gum resin they yield which is a decidedly amber like substance when solidified; this also gives the tree its common American name of Sweetgum. The location of plants will cause some variation in the seasonal colouring which is partly affected by factors such as light conditions, watering and even wind, but there is also a wide variety of cultivars selectively propagated for their varying hues from burgundy through reds and oranges to pale yellow.

For a second time I was caught ‘parking’ in someone else’s driveway while I searched for just the right angle to shoot. Amazing – two autumn tree studies, two coincidental driveway blockings – my propensity to be in the wrong place at exactly the most inconvenient time is incredible. Hopefully the drive owners would concur – the image was worth the small inconvenience.