Is that a Coolibah tree beside the abandoned house? Every Australian knows about Coolibah trees because the bush ballad Waltzing Matilda is nigh on our unoffical national anthem but most of us live nowhere near the inland where they grow. Once a jolly swagman camped by a billabong, Under the shade of a Coolibah tree, And he sang as he watched and waited till his billy boiled, You'll come a Waltzing Matilda with me. Waltzing Matilda, Waltzing Matilda, You'll come a Waltzing Matilda with me, And he sang as he watched and waited till his billy boiled You'll come a Waltzing Matilda with me.
"To muse, to creep, to halt at will, to gaze ... such sweet wayfaring"
William Wordsworth
They are beautiful, aren't they? A underneath, such gossamer wings ...
ReplyDeleteChristmas Day ... when you were shooting this I was being told exciting news.
ReplyDeleteThis coming Tuesday she finds out whether 'tis boy or girl. When speaking with me, my daughter now calls her child "Grand-foetus". What a hoot!
Beautiful. I'll have to show my kids when they get home. Their last name is also Christmas. They will be pleased.
ReplyDeleteIt is a beautiful beetle, yes. What's its size?
ReplyDeleteHere in Oklahoma we call the same beetle "June" bugs. I bet you can guess why.
ReplyDeleteIridiscents beetles are gorgeous! And there are so many species!
ReplyDeleteMartina, about 2 centimetres.
ReplyDeleteBill, June bugs ... of course they would have to have a different name.
Julie, next Christmas will be so different.
Kristen ... what an interesting last name you have
JM. I wish I could find more. They are so lovely.
I miss Christmas beetles - we don't seem to have many of them down here.
ReplyDeleteAs a child, I used to love them at Christmas time in Qld.
I agree, many many more Christmas beetles up north. Mostly the plain brown ones. After a bit of rain they would come out of the ground and bombard us at night in the hundreds ... because of course the windows and doors were open and no flyscreens.
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