Red Flowering Gum

Where   : Turramurra, New South Wales
When    : 4-00pm, Wednesday 19th December 2007
Weapon : Panasonic Lumix TZ3

This is the "red flowering gum" tree.  It's an Australian native and a eucalypt.  It's biological name is Eucalyptus ficifolia: Latin fici, of figs and folium, leaf, referring to the leaf shape.

It's a native of Western Australia some 4500 kilometres (say 2750 miles) away from here, down towards Esperance, south of Perth.

The tree is very common and popular in horticulture, and widely used throughout the cooler, coastal, southern latitudes of Australia as a street tree.  This beautiful specimen is growing right here in my street, on the nature strip by the side of the road.

As I re-read this, I suddenly got a blast from the past - from Ben E. King and the Drifters .... "It's growing in the street, right up through the concrete, but soft and sweet and dreamin'"  ... but I digress .. we are a far cry from Spanish Harlem here. Incidentally, I think this is one of the very best Album Covers ever designed !  Back to the topic ....

Its massed colourful flowers are highly attractive to lorikeets and honeyeaters - and real estate agents.

Illawarra Flame Tree

Where   : Lindfield, Ku-ring-gai
When    : 5-00pm, 12th November 2007
Weapon : Panasonic Lumix TZ3

This is the Illawarra Flame Tree {Brachychiton Acerifolious}.

This is shot in Ku-ring-gai, outside an old bank building in Lindfield.  I took the picture a few weeks ago, and was reminded of it today, when I saw another tree of the same ilk, right next to a terrific blue Jacaranda Tree. Both trees are at their best in late Spring. We are nearing the longest day of the year, well that will happen this week - it's warming up here as the height of Summer approaches. Fortunately, it's been very wet too so that's cooling the place down, but brings up the humidity.

The Illawarra Flame Tree is one of the most spectacular Australian native trees.  In summer its flowers are brilliant.  It doesn't always flower - it is only semi-deciduous - but when it does it is brilliant.  It always looks stunning next to a Jacaranda Tree.

Wahroonga Village Fair

Where   : Railway Parade, Wahroonga, New South Wales
When    : 3-00 pm, Sunday, 2nd December 2007
Weapon : Panasonic Lumix TZ3, 28mm Leica Lens, Aspect 16:9

The Wahroonga Village Fair is held on the first Sunday in December every year.

It's quite a nice day out - lots to see and some yummy food from all faraway places - Singapore, Thailand, Iraq, India, Turkey, Spain, Peru !

The event features over 200 stalls including beautiful arts and handicrafts, clothing from all over the world, handbags, jewellery, handmade shoes and of course, Christmas cakes, just to name a few. Local retailers will join in the spirit of the day with Christmas specials.

There's always some interesting entertainment too, with the Town Crier, local bands and choirs - of course well represented too are the service clubs like APEX, Rotary and the local community Radio station, 2HHH-FM 101.1 {of which I used to be the Chairman of the Board of Directors}.

Big Night at Tumblong

Where   : Tumblong, New South Wales
When    : 4-00 pm, Friday, 30th November 2007
Weapon : Panasonic Lumix TZ3

Not sure what happened here ... just popped in to the Tumblong boozer for a few jars with a couple of mates ... parked the rig outside, shot the breeze, tried to crack on to a few sheilas, unsuccessfully, had a few more shouts and then we thought it was time we went home. Too shot to walk, so we all piled in the rig.

Quiet place Tumblong - it's about 100kms west of Canberra and 75 kms or so east of Wagga Wagga.  Nothing here apart from a graveyard, a dead church and this top boozer. In fact, we're on top of it right now.

Sure it was a dark night, we'd had a couple and there were some problems getting out of the car park, but streuth, it's a nice view from here with the sun coming up over the bush .. can some kind soul give SWMBO a buzz and let her know we might be a bit late ...

Sunflowers

Where   : Turramurra, Sydney
When    : 11-00 am, Friday, 30th November 2007
Weapon : Panasonic Lumix TZ3

No, not Van Gogh.

These fine fellows {helianthus of the asteraceae family} grew from the seeds that SWMBO put out for the parrots, lorikeets, rozellas and cockatoos.  They just got scattered on the ground underneath the bird feeding dish that is hanging from the cotoneaster tree.

SWMBO is very proud of them - the face of the bigger sunflower is about 10 inches across or 22 centimetres in new money.

They have been suffering in the last 24 hours, as yesterday we had 45 millimetres of rain, about 2 inches - that's bags of pluve in one day, huh ?

We are all grateful, as we are on water restrictions here, but wish it had fallen further to the East, say 200 miles where the drought is still very hard.