SUNSET SONG

This post is part of the Skywatch Friday meme.

ANZAC POPPIES

Papaver rhoeas (common names include common poppy, corn poppy, corn rose, field poppy, Flanders poppy or red poppy) is an annual herbaceous species of flowering plant in the poppy family, Papaveraceae. This poppy is notable as an agricultural weed (hence the common names including "corn" and "field") and after World War I as a symbol of dead soldiers. Before the advent of herbicides, P. rhoeas sometimes was so abundant in agricultural fields that it could be mistaken for a crop. However, the only species of Papaveraceae grown as a field crop on a large scale is Papaver somniferum, the opium poppy

Papaver rhoeas is a variable, erect annual, forming a long-lived soil seed bank that can germinate when the soil is disturbed. In the northern hemisphere it generally flowers in late spring, but if the weather is warm enough other flowers frequently appear at the beginning of autumn. It grows up to about 70 cm in height. The flowers are large and showy, 50 to 100mm across, with four petals that are vivid red, most commonly with a black spot at their base. The flower stem is usually covered with coarse hairs that are held at right angles to the surface, helping to distinguish it from Papaver dubium in which the hairs are more usually appressed (i.e. held close to the stem).

The capsules are hairless, obovoid (egg-shaped), less than twice as tall as they are wide, with a stigma at least as wide as the capsule. Like many other species of Papaver, the plant exudes white to yellowish latex when the tissues are broken Its origin is not known for certain. As with many such plants, the area of origin is often ascribed by Americans to Europe, and by northern Europeans to southern Europe. Its native range includes West Asia, North Africa and Europe.

It is known to have been associated with agriculture in the Old World since early times and has had an old symbolism and association with agricultural fertility. It has most of the characteristics of a successful weed of agriculture. These include an annual lifecycle that fits into that of most cereals, a tolerance of simple weed control methods, the ability to flower and seed itself before the crop is harvested, and the ability to form a long-lived seed bank. The leaves and latex have an acrid taste and are mildly poisonous to grazing animals. A sterile hybrid with Papaver dubium is known, P. x hungaricum, that is intermediate in all characters with P. rhoeas.

Due to the extent of ground disturbance in warfare during World War I, corn poppies bloomed in between the trench lines and no man's lands on the Western front. Poppies are a prominent feature of "In Flanders Fields" by Canadian Lieutenant Colonel John McCrae, one of the most frequently quoted English-language poems composed during the First World War. During the 20th century, the wearing of a poppy at and before Remembrance Day each year became an established custom in English-speaking western countries. It is also used at some other dates in some countries, such as at appeals for Anzac Day in Australia and New Zealand.

Lest we Forget...

This post is part of the Floral Friday Fotos meme.

MELBOURNE ELMS

Over 6000 mainly English elms Ulmus procera and Dutch elms U. x hollandica adorn the streets, boulevards and parks in the City of Melbourne, and some 11,200 elms are maintained within a 10-km radius of Melbourne's city centre. The Golden Wych elm U. glabra 'Lutescens', the Weeping Wych elm U. glabra 'Camperdownii' and the Chinese elm U. parvifolia have been widely planted since the 1950s, especially in the gardens of Melbourne's eastern suburbs.

The impact of introduced pests, city growth and the danger of an accidental introduction of Dutch elm disease continue to threaten Melbourne's ageing elm population. As a result of these pressures, groups such as the Friends of the Elms and the Elm Pests and Diseases Task Force have been formed to protect what is considered one of the finest remaining populations of mature elms in the world.

This post is part of the Wordless Wednesday meme,
and also part of the Nature Notes meme

WAITING FOR WINTER

In Gippsland, all the hay is collected and stored for Winter. Autumn days are mellow and swinging between laughter and tears - sun one day, rain the next.

This post is part of the Travel Tuesday meme.

EARTH DAY

For Earth Day today, a mosaic of four acrylic paint pouring canvases I've made, with the photographs that inspired them. I've merged the photos on top with my paintings below.

We live in a wonderful, beautiful, amazing planet and yet we do our utmost to ruin it and destroy it. Earth Day should make us stop think and change our behaviour so we can save this precious planet for the generations to come.

This post is part of the Mosaic Monday meme,
and also part of the Seasons meme

MEET JUNIOR...

Porsche Junior is a tractor manufactured by Porsche-Diesel from 1952 to 1963. It is powered by an air-cooled 14 hp 822 cc, single-cylinder diesel engine. This little beauty is on display in a shop in our neighbourhood. One must stop and look at it!

This post is part of the My Sunday Best meme

WALKIES?

But you promised...

This post is part of the Saturday Critters meme

SUNRISE FLIGHT

This post is part of the Skywatch Friday meme

FLOWER STALL

At the Camberwell Market.

This post is part of the Floral Friday Fotos meme

DAREBIN CREEK

Darebin Creek is a creek that runs through the northern suburbs of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. It is the main watercourse of the Darebin Valley and a major tributary of the Yarra River. For tens of thousands of years it was used as a food and tool source sustainably by the Wurundjeri people, Indigenous Australians of the Kulin nation alliance, who spoke variations of the Woiwurrung language group.

The creek rises on the northern urban fringe of Melbourne north of the suburb of Epping, following a general southerly route and meeting the Yarra at Alphington. The creek forms much of the municipal boundary between the City of Darebin and City of Banyule. Formerly an intermittent stream, increased stormwater runoff with urbanisation of the Darebin Creek catchment has resulted in permanent water flow. 

The creek runs through Darebin Parklands (where this phot was taken), a large nature reserve one or two kilometres northwest of the junction at which the creek meets the Yarra. The Darebin Creek Trail runs along the banks in the lower reaches of the creek.

This post is part of the Wordless Wednesday meme,
and also part of the Nature Notes meme,
and also part of the Roentare’s Water Meme