I returned to Perth to a garden full of roses. It rained while I was away.
A minor storm has lasted all night. I woke to find the flowers decimated and rose petals scattered everywhere. As I write, thunder rolls above me like a marble. Evenly. From one end of the horizon to the other. The rumble, the ominous warning, is a stark contrast to where I have spent the last three days.
The weather in Esperance can be unpredictable. During this trip the cloud formations were unusual. A bright orange cloud, as far as the eye could see, hung low. It resembled the inside of a Violet Crumble. At lunch time, a solar halo, was spectacular. Maybe they appear frequently here, just like double rainbows do, as I seemed to be the only person looking at it.
I woke to the sounds of the waves. The Bay is across the road. It glistens in the dark. Within a half hour period, I cover a radius of 10 kms with urgency. Lake Warden, Woody Lake and the Bay being the first ports of call. I also go up to the Rotary Hill Lookout to get a picture of town and the iconic jetty. Unfortunately, Tanker Jetty, some 80 years old, is due to be demolished. It is unsafe and restoration costs are prohibitive. Regular maintenance may have helped preserve history. Since learning this I view the Jetty with great sadness. It is still beautiful and serene so I enjoy its presence in my life for whatever time left.
Lake Warden delights with puddles of pink just before dawn. I spend only a few minutes here and then to Woody Lake. The birdlife here is a treat. Usually there is a flotilla of several hundred black swans and huge pelicans on the Lake. This trip I am surprised by the appearance of an Australian white ibis. It is magnificent as it steps into a pool of shimmering gold. A white faced heron flies in and perches on a tree. With an air of aloofness, it deliberately ignores everyone. The kestrel was nowhere to be seen but has looked at me with curiosity previously. The seagulls are always cheeky. They are like gate crashers at a party. Hell bent on fun where they should not be! I can’t help but enjoy their antics.
I’m glad I made time for me in Esperance. I have brought home some of those memories to enjoy while I am in a twilight zone. I have a lot of work in the coming two months and then will have to ride out the vagaries of bean counting for the coming year. Past experience tells me, all is well. But, there are times the stress of uncertainty is unsettling. Then, I remind myself, I am human.
I’m off to the Mid-west today. I’m looking forward to watching the sun set over the ocean, as we fly low for an hour.
Until my return … as always,
a dawn bird
A Shared Space 
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