Tuesday, July 12, 2011

Flaming Flamingos, Batman!

que' onda

pronounced keh ondah

(South American for 'what's up')

Caribbean flamingo or American flamingo

It's a plane, no....
It's a balloon, no....
It's a ....
bird?

Today we are having FLAMINGO FUN!

Why?

Because they look so silly!
Because they come in pretty colors!
Because they adore shrimp - like me!


Besides, everyone needs at least one pink flamingo in their life,
even if it is a plastic one!



"Is there anything more beautiful than a beautiful,
beautiful flamingo,
flying across in front of a beautiful sunset?
And he's carrying a beautiful rose in his beak,
and also he's carrying a very beautiful painting with his feet.
And also, you're drunk."

- Jack Handy, writer, cast member of Saturday Night Live


Now let me do some 'splainin'.
This was one of only TWO quotes or poems I could find
about flamingos.

Not a lot of choices you might say.
So, while I NEVER condone being drunk,
take the quote in a light spirit
and enjoy the imagery!


Fun Flamingo Fact:

A flock of flamingos is called a pat.


A what? ....A pat.

Well, I guess it's time to learn about

the anatomy of a flamingo:


I think it's the same for a plastic flamingo?

These lovely pink flamingos prove that even apartment dwellers
can have Flaming Flamingo Fun!

plastic flamingos in planter

Flamingos live to be about 50 years old.

a pat of flamingos in Kenya


I picked up some fun flamingo facts,
flamingo charts
and flamingo activities
It's a great website.


flamingo fondant from http://www.cakecentral.com/


"Flamingo" Resort and Casino in Las Vegas, NV

These amazing marbles are hand painted:

GlassGemsbyChristine.etsy.com

She has many many different glass marbles to choose from.



Of course, we have to include one of my favorite Barbies:

She is much prettier than this photo shows.

Fun Flamingo Fact:

When a flamingo flies, its long neck and long legs make
a nearly straight line.


Great web site for funnies like the one above!
Many have cats...
I bet flamingos don't like cats...

Chilean flamingo with eggs in nest

Chilean flamingo in the Amazon

Plastic Flamingos, found mostly in the USA

flamingo crossing rubber stamp, vivalasvegastamps.com

Let's learn how to fold an origami flamingo!



Cool!

Side note:
it's hard to find any decent vintage illustrations of flamingos!


c.1911

Beautiful page of flamingo items for sale at
the Celestial Seasonings Store:


Lesser Flamingos, smaller than the others


lesser flamingos, San Francisco

More fun flamingo facts:
The flamingo eats insects, crustaceans (shrimp and other shrimp-like animals), and tiny plants, like algae.

The flamingo's bright pinkish color is due to its diet.
The carotene from the shrimp in its turns its fleathers pink.


If a flamingo's diet is low in carotene, the feathers become white.





The flamingo eats by putting its head upside-down
into the water looking backwards!
(kids, don't try this a home) 
It takes in water that is rich in tiny organisms and filters nutrients from the water with a comb-like organ on its tongue.

Hmmmm, maybe too much information....

GOOD NEWS!

Plastic Pink FLamingos eat very little, if at all!


And this next one is very easy to maintain,
once you have mortgaged your house and your car and your kids!

Flamingo, by Cartier's

I don't think they got the colors just right however...
but I'm willing to overlook that slight discrepancy!

Here is another beautiful collage from

"lady with flamingo"

If you'd like to do a little, fast scherensnitte cutting
this one is for you:
Try pasting the cut out over a vacation photo -
perhaps a beautiful sunset.


a pat of Greater Flamingos

Well, that's all she wrote, folks.


inkspired



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