Graham Earnshaw, Do Not Let Your Spirit Wane (PLACES WILDERNESS 2023)

When I climbed Pualaar Miial (aka “Bluff Knoll”) last year for sunset, I got to about the three-quarter mark, just before the path turns back up the mountain, and some low clouds came gushing through from the south, wonderfully diffusing the setting sun’s golden glow. As I trekked onward, my attention was grabbed by a tiny tree on the adjacent ridge, looking so frail. So I stopped and took some close up‘s of it and then I noticed the ridge outline closely resembled an old man’s face, with the small tree being a bouquet. And then I noticed her - a small hawk sitting on "the old man's head". It sat there so still, seemingly just taking in all the stunning’ness that was happening in front of us - the light and cloud show must have been just as special for her as it was for me. I would have loved to have seen it from her eyes and to know what she was thinking. And then after a few minutes she flew off into the glowing sunset. You couldn’t wipe the smile from my face, such an incredible moment in time with Mother Nature and one of her family. On Mineng and Koreng Noongar people’s land.

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