Saturday, February 28, 2009

1972 ~ Frizzy Locks

*
1972 ~ Frizzy Locks ~

~or, as in my beloved's case~

Hair today and Gone tomorrow...




Hair


She asks me why
I'm just a hairy guy
I'm hairy noon and night
Hair that's a fright
I'm hairy high and low
Don't ask me why
Don't know
It's not for lack of break
Like the Grateful Dead
Darling










Gimme head with hair
Long beautiful hair
Shining, gleaming,
Streaming, flaxen, waxen

Give me down to there hair
Shoulder length or longer
Here baby, there mama
Everywhere daddy daddy

Hair, hair, hair, hair, hair, hair, hair
Flow it, show it
Long as God can grow it
My hair










Let it fly in the breeze
And get caught in the trees
Give a home to the fleas in my hair
A home for fleas
A hive for bees
A nest for birds
There ain't no words
For the beauty, the splendor, the wonder
Of my...

Hair, hair, hair, hair, hair, hair, hair
Flow it, show it
Long as God can grow it
My hair











I want it long, straight, curly, fuzzy
Snaggy, shaggy, ratty, matty
Oily, greasy, fleecy
Shining, gleaming, streaming
Flaxen, waxen
Knotted, polka-dotted
Twisted, beaded, braided
Powdered, flowered, and confettied
Bangled, tangled, spangled, and spaghettied!










Oh say can you see
My eyes if you can
Then my hair's too short

Down to here
Down to there
Down to where
It stops by itself

They'll be ga ga at the go go
When they see me in my toga
My toga made of blond
Brilliantined
Biblical hair











My hair like Jesus wore it
Hallelujah I adore it
Hallelujah Mary loved her son
Why don't my mother love me?

Hair, hair, hair, hair, hair, hair, hair
Flow it, show it
Long as God can grow it
My hair, hair, hair, hair, hair, hair, hair
Flow it, show it
Long as God can grow it
My hair









Lyrics of Hair by James Rado and Gerome Ragni, music by Galt MacDermot

*

Friday, February 27, 2009

Gondwanaland

*




The Protea was named after the Greek sea God Proteus who could change his form at will.

Proteas are ancient.

They belong to that time in the ancient history of our world called Gondwana - some 300 million years ago. Gondwanaland is the name given to the the great Southern super-continent that broke off from the northern land mass- Laurasia.
It includes the all the continents of the Southern hemisphere plus Arabia and the Indian continent.






Proteas can be found in hundreds of different forms throughout these regions. The Australian family of protea is named Grevilleoideae and is the same family as the banksia, grevillia and warratahs.






But I just call mine Farmers' Market Proteas.

*

Thursday, February 26, 2009

Blue Tongue Baby

~

Many years ago we realized that we had a resident Blue Tongue lizard. We would see him at various spots on our small residential block seeking out a corner to sun himself in or looking for a morsel to eat.


Look alike for Bluey



We named our new resident Bluey. One day my daughter walked from the hall into the adjoining garage and stepped onto Bluey - 'very soft and squishy' was how she described the sensation.

A while later one of the kids came in from playing outside to report that there was a very flattened Blue Tongue on the road out in front of our place so we sadly farewelled Bluey and forgot about him.


Then one day we noticed another Blue Tongue had moved in and taken up residence and so we called this one Son of Bluey. He has been luckier. Son of Bluey treks across our block under the safety of the verandah which runs around three sides of our house. Our dog can detect his every movement by sound and by smell and has become rather neurotic. We can always tell when Son of Bluey is on the move.








Grandson of Bluey


But on the weekend this little fellow came visiting. - We were so excited. Who could it be but - Grandson of Bluey.



He hissed and spat out his little baby blue tongue as I bent close to take his picture. Later in the day the dog tracked down Grandson of Bluey and made such a ruckus that the fearful baby Bluey managed to squeeze between the sliding glass door and the screen and find sanctuary in my bedroom. It took three of us (excluding the dog) and some gentle coaxing to get him back outside.




What a tongue


Tammy from gatorgamez.com has kindly said that I can show you her amazing photo of a blue tongue's tongue in action. (www.flickr.com/photos/7664403@N03/2295750646)



February is the month when baby Blue Tongues are out and about. There are a number of different Blue Tongue lizards In Australia. Ours is the Eastern or common variety. They can grow to 60cm in length.



Western Blue Tongue



When threatened they react by sticking out their blue tongue which contrasts vividly with the pink of their mouth. They might also hiss and flatten their bodies to give the illusion of greater size.




Northern Blue Tongue



The lizards are actually from the skink family, Scincidae. They can travel through fifteen backyards and across a number of roads within a day. They smell through their nostrils and through the tongue. In addition to eating snails, slugs, flowers and fruit they can be partial to dog food. My dog is not silly. He knew that.



Shingle back Blue Tongue


I have read that blue Tongues can live for thirty years. All going well Grandson of Bluey and I should live to a ripe old age together.



Eastern Blue Tongue


The photos on this post, other than the Flikr Blue Tongue and the ones of mine of Grandson of Bluey, come from the ABC website: abc.net.au/science/scribbleygum/February

Wednesday, February 25, 2009

Frangipani

Today is a very special day.

Thirty seven years ago today, in the dreamtime of my life, good fortune shined down upon me.






I have no idea which wedding anniversary that is and as I have no interest in precious stones or in jewellery I have decided that from this year on I will name our wedding anniversaries myself.

Consequently, this year, the 37th anniversary of my marriage to my beloved, will be our Frangipani Anniversary.





~

Tuesday, February 24, 2009

Famous Faces

~
Seven of these famous face postcards subject(s) should be instantly recognizable. The eighth gave birth to one of the others.
























~

Monday, February 23, 2009

Paddling at Sunset

~
Almost every night, in the hour before sunset, my beloved and I cruise the river-ways on our stand-up paddle boards. A couple of evenings ago it was particularly calm, there was no breeze at all, the river was glass and the air balmy. Our paddle takes about an hour and we time it to arrive back home just after sun down.

So come with me now- we are going to stand on Laird, - let me turn him around first and make sure the fin is clear of the sand before we hop on. I have my waterproof camera around my neck, some insect repellent on my bare skin, and of course a paddle.

I don't want to spoil the peaceful quiet for you...so I'm not going to give you a running commentary ... all you need to do is watch and just listen to the plop and drag of my paddle as we ripple along .. .and enjoy the ride.

You can ask me any questions at the end that might come to mind.




This is what it looks like as we start to move off out across the river from home...

























































































As we make our last turn under the bridge and back into our river the bats are beginning to stream across the sky to their feeding grounds. All of the specks in the sky of this photo are bats on the move. That pelican is sitting on top of the street light on the bridge. I wonder how long he stays once the lights have been turned on for the night.

Now we take our final turn up into the Weyba River and glide, in the fast fading light, under the gums housing the cormorants and the twiggy nests of the Brahminy kites... to home.



~