Day 69: I see parrots...

Day 69: ...eating the umbrella trees...

What? you say. More bird pics. Well yes. But this one is different, sort of...

Going back many more years than is polite to share, in one of my senior art classes at high school we were given different titles each week to draw or paint. One week, I was a bit stumped. The topic was 'I see parrots eating the umbrella trees'. The thought of drawing birds 'properly' scared me witless to be honest. Well, a classmate (who was the best artist in the group) dabbed a bit of acrylic on the card, said use your imagination and away I went. I've kept it for some reason, albeit tucked away in the garage, perhaps because it ended up in the senior 'exhibition' at the end of the year. (I also have a recollection of drawing a kookaburra in year 9...now I just photograph them all!)

I see parrots eating the umbrella trees (reprise) 1

So now, for years, whenever 'I see parrots eating the umbrella trees', my mind goes back to that day at high school. Right now, the umbrella tress in the neighbourhood are flowering and guess what, there are loris eating the umbrella trees. Lots of them. 

These pics have only been cropped, no colour adjustment at all. Shooting into the afternoon sun and clouds gives off a bit of a silhouette effect with just a 'hint' of colour. 

I see parrots eating the umbrella trees (reprise) 2

The 'original'

So, dear reader, I beg your indulgence as I travel the nostalgia highway today, but I just couldn't resist. For tomorrow, we live to click ... something else.



[Cameras: (Birds) Canon EOS60D, 75-300mm (cropped), 3.38-3.39pm; (painting) iPhone 4S, 4.50pm]