Tuesday 18 December 2018

Entertainment

Cyclone Owen is playing games in North Queensland and dumping inches of rain in a very short space of time, for some. Thankfully there hasn't been any major damage, just relief for the parched land. Even though we are a 1000 km away, Owen's system has also brought rainfall to our area. 2 inches over 3 days. I'm not sure whether it has been the change in the weather, but over the past week, the golf course has been visited by hundreds of Corella Parrots. They have mosty stayed on the far side of the golf course.

 On Sunday morning, our neighbours and very good friends were having a coffee with us under our back pergola. The entertainment began as the corellas  soared as one white cloud towards our house, screeching and calling to one another, before descending in a haze of white to graze on the newly mown grass around the 6th green.  Several played tricks on the green flag, while others found the tastiest grass in the middle of the green. The green keeper wasn't going to be happy. They were rarely still. If one flew to a new spot the others would noisily follow.
  

 

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It was incredible that these two were apparently sleeping amidst all the ruckus.

The previous day, Mr and Mrs Duck and family came to visit at our back gate. Unfortunately by the time I returned with my camera their visit was over and they were quickly waddling back to the ponds.

Today they added to the entertainment. A neighbour's son was sent to scare the corellas that were making a mess of the green. Mrs Duck and ducklings were disturbed by this event and rushed out of the longer grass, dashing across the green, their little webbed feet going at ninty miles an hour. Just so funny to watch. We are concerned that Mr Duck was not present.

I belong to two choirs attached to our theatre. Songbyrds is a female choir and A-chord a mixed community choir. Between the two choirs I have been and will help to entertain at 15 performances leading up to Christmas Eve. I might add that, 'I love to sing, but am not a singer.' These choirs give me so much enjoyment. It is wonderful to be surrounded by rich confident voices.

Songbyrds at the Jedda Gardens Retirement Home, Christmas lunch.
  

Lunch time recital at the theatre, performing before the junior theatre members presented '65 Cinderellas'.

A-chord performed at a fundraising concert for the Indonesian earthquake victims.

Here we are singing our Christmas Carol reportoire at Regal Waters Retirement Village.

In a neighbouring suburb, almost every resident of Kaiser Drive displays Christmas lights. It has become the custom for A-chord and friends to sing carols on the verandah of this home 5 or 6 nights prior to Christmas Day. On Christmas Eve the street is closed off and anywhere from 5 to 8000 people walk the street enjoying the displays. It is such a wonderfully happy atmosphere. Sadly storms are forecst for the 3 evenings prior to Christmas day, so this year it may not go ahead.

Can you spot us on the verandah?

Here we are.


Last Friday night a fierce storm warning had been issued, so Kaiser Carols was cancelled. Alas, Liz and I didn't get the message. The storm actually by passed Kaiser Drive and there were only a few moments of drizzle. Liz and I, and  Kevin who was passing, sang some of the carols acapella. Apparently the photo below is appearing on the front page of our local paper, tomorrow. 



And how gorgeous is this pic taken from the 'This is Australia', Facebook page, today.



My apologies for not commenting on your blogs. I have had computer issues and an upgrade. The result is that any comments written seem to go off into cyberspace. Hopefully it will be sorted soon.

We don't get our local paper until late in the afternoon, but a friend has just sent me a pic of today's front page!

I would love to read your comment.

5 comments:

  1. I still find it strange to realise that parrots flock in large numbers much like many birds. I remember seeing huge flocks of cockatoos in Eungella and the noise they made and being amazed having only ever seen them as pets

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  2. Hi Andy. I understand what you mean. In August 1974, I flew out to the Red Centre, visiting Uluru and the Kata Tjuta. [Olgas] The latter was surrounded by numerous leafy sapling trees. As we approached however, the leaves burst into the air
    en masse, a cloud of green budgerigars. I couldn't believe my eyes. There was not a 'leaf' left on the trees.

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  3. You are busy with Christmas cheer. Reminds me of when I was a Salvo. We did lots and lots of Christmas carolling. Those Corellas would be kicking up quite a carol of their own.

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  4. Wow--- that Koala is surrounded! I sang in choirs in high school and college-- and loved doing it. I think it probably helped get my voice ready for 50 years of radio. Merry Christmas, Helen!

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  5. So cool to see all those parrots! I'm sure it is great fun to sing with those groups.

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