Up a Gum Tree

Crazy elevated canopy

It was love at first sight when, last year, I first clapped eyes on this particular species of Eucalyptus. I think it’s a Sugar Gum, though not sure; there are many, many species of Gum it seems. It’s that crazy elevated canopy that does it for me.

I have dubbed them Clarice Cliff trees, for obvious reasons if you are familiar with her work, and I love them to bits. As I do her stuff in general and, for that matter, the entire Deco period.

They are all over the place here and I have developed a passion for them. None is safe when I have the camera to hand.

John has been dragged, kicking and screaming, into this (probably unhealthy) obsession of mine. Car journeys are never to be the same again as we vie to spot the best specimen. It is “I-Spy” with knobs on. And, if we spot a good one, we risk life and limb by stopping on the shoulder in order to capture its image, in the hope that this one will be The One.

I have built up quite a file of said photos since my arrival here in November (sad I know) but still I search for that perfect shot. I’ve not achieved it yet though, be assured, I shall keep trying.

Next thing – I want to try is painting them. Can just see a very washy sort of water colour image in my mind’s eye and hope to be able to translate this into a picture/pictures. Would work extremely well as a mural too, I reckon,  if you had the right sort of space in which to create one that is.

As it is, my photography isn’t brilliant but practice makes perfect. At least I will have something to go on when I start on the painting. Of course I will need to acquire some sort of painting kit – I had one of those kids’ tin boxes and a jam-jar in mind to start with. No sense in laying out a fortune if it turns out my artistic talent is imaginary and, in reality, I am useless. It could well be the case- – we shall see.

Clarice Cliff trees

I’m sure there’s plenty of worse things in the world to be fixated on but this is definitely my kind of Christmas tree.

Speaking of which, do have a good one.

Tags: sugar gum, unhealthy obsession