SOLO PERFORMANCE

I was on time. After a busy, well-paced morning I had a few moments to pull my car over and check emails. On a quiet, familiar, local South Australian road I did just that. Pulled over in my car, carefully into the gravel.

It was pleasant to be able to stop in the shingle, to have a few minutes to just stop. To realise, as I flicked through messages and so forth, that the view outside my car window was better. That we all do this. Racing the clock. Organising and time-managing to bother to stop and smell the roses. So I took the time to engage with my beautiful neighbourhood. I looked out my car window. I admit I didn’t get out.

The hills, so close. The dry, summer landscape, that to me is so wonderful. I take pleasure in hearing a crow, to hear the sounds of heat. Yes, the sounds. Plump, buzzing flies. Birds that live in hot climates, parrots, crows calling out in response to the day. The grass doesn’t take long to scorch with this Australian sun. Once lush winter-fed grass picturesque green just shelters blade by blade. But I like to look at this. There’s beauty in the rustic, wild landscape.

I know tourists must feel the warmth of Aussie from the advertisements on their side of the world. Yes! There are gorgeous beaches. But off they go walking into the desert. Naive to how Australia really is, at the heart of it. So hot. The land so vast. Miles and miles of dry conditions.

The wind picks up and a swirl of leaves do, too. I realise how lucky I am. To live here. These lovely ranges. There’s an airfield back there too. Often little aircraft fly above. I’ve seen a few swaying landings on windy days. Cringing at the small craft in the wind. But it reminds me, of back home where my grandparents lived. They were near an airfield, too. So the sound of the planes were pleasing for nostalgic reasons, aswell.

The leaves swirled around, in a moment of craziness before settling. Snap snap I went with my phone out the window. Wanting the hills and fields. The blue sky and clouds. The view around here is lovely. I feel blessed here. The ocean is five minutes drive from this road. Look at the hills. Before that is McLaren Vale region. Really nice to tour. The country dwelling is becoming busier. Houses, infrastructure. But roads like this....it’s country. Time to stop and reflect. Stop and enjoy. Of course usually I would take the time to have a walk on the esplanade near the beach or see a friend for coffee. But it was the idea today to pull over and collect my thoughts. Kids at school. On my way to work. But those few minutes in between where I can do something.

I looked at the photos and was surprised to see the leaf. Just the one, aswell. Almost like it was not meant to be there, but there it was. They had all stirred up in a dry sounding mess. I had watched them. There were quite a few.

None of the others made the shot. The leaf was in fact, unexpected. Considering the wind the solitary leaf seems so vivid and posed. Not blurry or fuzzy. Upright, too.

I like this. Because it really captures the leaf like it was the whole purpose of the photo.

But why I also like the photograph is because it’s like all of US. Part of the swirling group. Yet, look at it on its own. Having it’s moment to stand out. Making it on time, into my shot.

And there I was, on my own. Aren’t we all, at the end of the day. On our own hoping for great moments. With great views.