A borer’s art

This very small, three quarter inch tall pile of wood dust on top of a wooden bench seat caught my attention today.

Forget that it is caused by a tiny wood borer eating up through the belly of an aboriginal goanna sculpture carved in the central Australian desert.

Forget that I have been attempting to get rid of these little buggers for the past five months.

Forget that too many more of these diggings and the goanna will simply collapse when it can no longer hold itself together because of the thousands of pin holes riddling it.

Instead, just look at the beautiful symmetry between the dusts conical shadow within the light cone and how the grain of the wood radiates out from the dust pile as though it was intentionally placed there for maximum aesthetics.

Notice also, the warming golden colors. Doesn’t it all just take your breath away?

This is one of those fleeting moments that bring respite to the day. When a whimsical, delicate piece of nature’s art is created for the enjoyment of those aware and lucky enough to see it.

Within two minutes, the sun moved the shadow along and the effective stage lighting was lost. Within three minutes, a heavy foot step caused the towering pile to collapse into just another not-so-good-looking pile. Within three and a half minutes, I was thinking again how to rid the goanna of its borers.

But, for those few special minutes, the beauty behind the borer’s destruction took center stage. And, for this, I can only smile.