Sunday, December 26, 2010

Sri Lankan 'Paradise Fly-catcher' on a 'Jambu' tree.

The Sri Lankan 'Paradise fly-catcher' is a beautiful bird. The male has a long tail and is a beauty to watch flitting from branch to branch. It is a very shy bird. I took this photo in my garden a few days back.

Friday, December 24, 2010

Two versions of the song 'White Christmas'



Click on each link separately to see two versions of the enchanting song 'White Christmas'. Switch your speakers on.

1.White Christmas -Sing along

2.White Christmas – Celtic Woman

Wednesday, December 22, 2010

A farmer working, Salawa, Sri Lanka.

Old ways of using a 'mammoty' to turn up the soil and build earthen bunds in paddy fields are a common sight in Sri Lanka. I took this picture at Salawa in Sri Lanka.

Friday, December 17, 2010

'Thirukkaley' - Sinhalese; 'Thirukkal' - Tamil, A bullock drawn cart for the family.

This was the equivalent of the family car in Sri Lanka, in common use about 100 years ago. Entrance was by a door at the rear. The seats were arranged facing each other and the driver of the cart sat in front. The wheels were wooden with an iron rim. The accelerator was a gentle tap on the bull's testicles by the driver. In extreme cases a bite on the bulls tail created a rapid response. It was usually a leisurely journey with time to enjoy the scenery.

Thursday, December 16, 2010

Cactus plants, Hambanthota beech, Sri Lanka.

A beech with thorny cactus plants among the casuarina plants at the Hambanthota beech in sight of the newly built harbour, Sri Lanka.