Moreton Bay Fig Trees

If you have visited Florida you may have seen Banyan trees.  These trees grow numerous roots and spread their canopies over a large area.  The Brisbane equivalent – and don’t forget Brisbane enjoys a sub-tropical climate just like many areas of Florida – is the Moreton Bay Fig Tree.  The tree derives its name from the island just off the coast near Brisbane where the trees grow abundantly.  If you visit Brisbane make sure to visit the old Botanical Gardens on the river to see these spectacular trees.  A bit of trivia!  These trees were imported to southern California where they are thriving.  I saw several in and around Santa Barbara.

Paul in front of a Moreton Bay Fig Tree which has overtaken the surrounding fence

Three Dog Night

I was driving to work the other day and heard a radio announcer talking about a three dog night which is a colloquial saying for a very cold night.  But do you know where this saying originates?  It comes for Australia’s aboriginal people.  Aborigines (native Australians) sleep under the stars in a lean-to which is simply a sheet or sheets of plywood or tin roof leaned against a tree.  This lean-to provides a rudimentary cover from the elements and from the cold of the austral Winter night which can be quite cold in certain areas.  So where do the dogs come into all this?  The aborigines also raise numerous dogs even dingoes in their settlements and often sleep with them for warmth in their lean-tos.  A three dog night is such a cold night that an aborigine needs three dogs in his lean-to to keep him warm.