HIGH ST LUNCH

A perfect Summer's day lends itself to an al fresco lunch in High St, Northcote

This post is part of the My Sunday Best meme.

BEE AND FLOWERS

The image shows a Western honey bee, on the flowers of a Water Gum plant. Tristaniopsis laurina, the Water Gum or Kanooka is a tree native to Australia, where it usually grows near the eastern coastline and along the banks of streams, where the trunks and branches tend to be shaped in the direction of the current and give an indication of the flood height.

Tristaniopsis laurina has a slow rate of growth, and usually reaches a height of 4–9m. The tree is multi-branched, and may be pruned to maintain a compact shape. It can grow to be 39 m tall in native habitats. The flowers are bright yellow and have a distinctive (and to some, an unpleasant odour).

They attract honeybees as well as small native species of bee. They usually come out in the late spring or early summer. The Water Gum is cultivated as an ornamental tree by plant nurseries, for use in gardens and civic landscaping. It is popular, being easy to grow and forming a good shade tree. Many are planted as street trees, especially in Sydney and Melbourne.

This post is part of the Saturday Critters meme

SUNSET SILHOUETTES

This post is part of the Skywatch Friday meme

CACTUS

The Orchid cactus, specifically identified as Disocactus ackermannii or a similar Epiphyllum hybrid, is known and sought after for its vibrant red flowers. These plants are a species of epiphytic cactus, meaning they grow on other plants or objects in their natural tropical Central and South American habitats, sustaining themselves by absorbing nutrients from the air rather than being parasitic.

They are popular for their large, showy blooms that can measure over 10cm wide. The plant features long, flat, or three-angled stems and does not have typical sharp thorns or spikes. Epiphyllum hybrids are often grown in hanging baskets due to their cascading growth habit and are relatively easy to propagate from stem cuttings.

This post is part of the Floral Friday Fotos meme

MERRI CREEK

The Merri Creek is a waterway in southern parts of Victoria, Australia which flows through the northern suburbs of Melbourne. It begins in Wallan north of Melbourne and flows south for 70 km until it joins the Yarra River at Dights Falls. The area where the creek meets the river was traditionally the location for large gatherings of the Wurundjeri people and is suspected to have been the location for one of the earliest land treaties in Australia between Indigenous Australians and European settlers.

The photo is Merri Creek at Clifton HIll, along the Merri Creek Trail. This trail is a 21 km shared use path for cyclists and pedestrians that follows the Merri Creek through the northern suburbs of Melbourne. It makes for a pleasant walk along the creek and one can pretend that one is walking in the wilderness, while still in the heart of the City!

This post is part of the Roentare’s Water Meme

and also part of the Wordless Wednesday meme

and also part of the Nature Notes meme

SUMMER LANDSCAPE

A typical landscape in the countryside, in Gippsland, about 100 km east of Melbourne.

This post is part of the Travel Tuesday meme

RAILWAY X-ING

A train trip works well in Summer, especially if the cars are air-conditioned!

This post is part of the Mosaic Monday meme

and also part of the Seasons meme

URBAN FARM

10 km northeast of the CBD in Bellfield, an area of land is set aside for urban farming. Several enterprising and community-minded groups are working there to farm organic seasonal produce that are available for sale in the farm shop. A great initiative and a pleasant place to visit and meet interesting people.

This post is part of the My Sunday Best meme

MR CAT

Neighbour's cat keeping cool on a hot Summer's day.

This post is part of the Saturday Critters meme

AT SUNSET

This post is part of the Skywatch Friday meme