The Mysteries of Hummingbird Falls: Murder in the Mountains*

In the taxi on the way to the Barmitzvah, we pass the Centre For Rowing and Nautical Studies.

“Look, it’s the Centre For Rowing and Nautical Studies,” I say to my brother.  “What a nice area to study.  I’m going to do a PhD there in ‘Rum, Sodomy and the Lash’.

He laughs.

We’re half an hour early, of course.  Dad and brother walk off in one direction and I walk off with Mum in the other direction.  There are some beautiful trees: bottlebrush trees with spiky red loo brushes hanging amongst their leaves.  There are huge palm trees and some purple flowers that am not sure what they are:

   

     

“Look, Mum, can you see that metallic blue bird flying between those palm trees?” I say, grabbing Mum’s arm and pointing.

Mum looks up.  “Where?”

“Between those two trees,” I say, as a flash of metallic blue zooms past.  “That’s a Palestine Sunbird, the local hummingbird-type-person.”

Have attached a photo of him.

The Barmitzvah is excellent.  My little cousin acquits himself very well.

Lunch is fantastic but make the usual mistake of gorging self on too much food.  So does brother.  So we’ve been sleeping it off.  Need to lift some weights.

Happy Tuesday everyone!

*2010.  By Joanne Clarey.  Murder mystery.