F if for...

Ferdinand.

Whoops!  Where did that come from?  Sadly my topic is not that of King Ferdinand circa 1492, but rather Ferdinand the Eucalyptus circa 2011.  Ferdinand is a tree.  A eucalyptus tree that my roommate and I made last October for the Homecoming Parade on campus.  The theme of Homecoming was Bright Lights, Big City, so Animal Science Society chose Sydney as their city.  We then had to make a float with the Sydney theme for the parade.  I was given the task of creating a tree.  Keep in mind I'm a poor college student.  Soooo the backbone was made of cardboard from cereal boxes and such, and then it was wrapped and stuffed with newspaper, painted brown, and had green 'leaves' stapled on it.

He looks more like a willow tree after a hardy wind storm blew all the leaves off, but he certainly did the job.  After the parade he was also included in Halloween Haunting, our station being Lion King themed.  Since returning from there in October, Ferdinand has lived in our room.  He's looking pretty ill these days, so it's probably a good thing that there's no way neither myself nor my roomie can bring him home for the summer.  Instead he will be sent to the dumpster.  His will not go without one final hurrah, however.  We have volunteered his use for the upcoming fair in campus, A-Day.  There will be club sponsored classrooms for education purposes and Ferdinand will be there.  He's going to need some patchwork and we hope to give him some more leaves, but he will certainly make an appearance.  Until then, check out some of the pictures he's in...

Keep tuned in the near future, about mid May.  There may be a tribute to him at the end of the semester.

Update 4/25/12- Ferdinand has been given new life!  Along with the Spring, he has grown a plethora of new leaves AND he has caterpillars living on him!  Oh, and he's blossoming!  How cute is this mixed up tree now?