Me too. It is always delightful to see isn't it? I also associate Christmas Beetles with Christmas (of course) but it is years since I have seen them. Maybe this year...
EC, I love the colours in the bark, even better when it's wet. As a kid I used to flick bits of bark off the tree, it made a satisfying little pop. I found a Christmas beetle in my sink last week so there must be some around.
I shall look forward to this series. I've just had an Australian friend [originally from the UK] say that she doesn't do Christmas anymore due to the heat - so it will be interesting to see your take on it. The gum tree looks papery and pretty - nice to get away from the traditional UK Christmas colours, and the tinsel! Sx
I never noticed that peeling bark was something that happened around Christmas. It seemed to peel all year! As a child in Adelaide, it was the jacarandas beginning to flower that heralded Christmas for me. They are common suburban street trees and when I saw those purple blooms, I knew that Santa time was near.
Cathy, they say we are programmed to see faces in everything. It's subtly beautiful, isn't it?
Nick, They get tall really quickly but it takes decades to develop into the majestic specimens they can be.
Scarlet, Even for Australians, Christmas can be too hot and I think the fires of 2019 really reinforced the reality of climate change so it all becomes a tangle of heat and hopelessness if we're not careful. This Christmas is forecast to be wet and cooler.
Marie, I have never thought of Jacarandas as heralds of Christmas, more as a spring bloom, but they are still flowering so it's really just a question of mindset :)
WWW, Thank you.
Anne, I don't really know anything about birches but I can say that a Christmas beetle by any other name would still herald Christmas.
Graham, Gum trees come in so many varieties, not all of them are so colourful.
Me too. It is always delightful to see isn't it?
ReplyDeleteI also associate Christmas Beetles with Christmas (of course) but it is years since I have seen them. Maybe this year...
EC,
ReplyDeleteI love the colours in the bark, even better when it's wet. As a kid I used to flick bits of bark off the tree, it made a satisfying little pop.
I found a Christmas beetle in my sink last week so there must be some around.
I thought that was a face when I first saw your photo- it's like looking at a pinky grey cloud
ReplyDeleteLike it a lot!
We have a gum tree in our back garden. It peels but not as dramatically as yours. It's 12 years old and already enormous!
ReplyDeleteI shall look forward to this series. I've just had an Australian friend [originally from the UK] say that she doesn't do Christmas anymore due to the heat - so it will be interesting to see your take on it.
ReplyDeleteThe gum tree looks papery and pretty - nice to get away from the traditional UK Christmas colours, and the tinsel!
Sx
I never noticed that peeling bark was something that happened around Christmas. It seemed to peel all year! As a child in Adelaide, it was the jacarandas beginning to flower that heralded Christmas for me. They are common suburban street trees and when I saw those purple blooms, I knew that Santa time was near.
ReplyDeleteWhat a beautiful capture of renewal. I love it!
ReplyDeleteXO
WWW
What a pretty photo. We have no gum trees here but we do have some pretty peeling birch trees.
ReplyDeleteNow I am curious about Christmas beetles!
We had a stand of gums on the lifestyle block but it was quite dark and I never took in the beauty of the bark. Silly me.
ReplyDeleteCathy, they say we are programmed to see faces in everything. It's subtly beautiful, isn't it?
ReplyDeleteNick, They get tall really quickly but it takes decades to develop into the majestic specimens they can be.
Scarlet, Even for Australians, Christmas can be too hot and I think the fires of 2019 really reinforced the reality of climate change so it all becomes a tangle of heat and hopelessness if we're not careful. This Christmas is forecast to be wet and cooler.
Marie, I have never thought of Jacarandas as heralds of Christmas, more as a spring bloom, but they are still flowering so it's really just a question of mindset :)
WWW, Thank you.
Anne, I don't really know anything about birches but I can say that a Christmas beetle by any other name would still herald Christmas.
Graham, Gum trees come in so many varieties, not all of them are so colourful.
One takes these for granted. When you see a closeup like this, you realise how beautiful it is.
ReplyDeleteRamana,
ReplyDeleteIt's very subtle, isn't it?