AUTUMN EVENING

An evening walk had to be shortened as the weather turned drizzly, windy and cool... Autumn is here.

This post is part of the Skywatch Friday meme,
and also part of the Friday Photo Journal.

FEVERFEW IN OUR GARDEN

Tanacetum parthenium, feverfew, is a traditional medicinal herb in the Asteraceae family which is commonly used to prevent migraine headaches, and is also occasionally grown for ornament. It is also commonly seen in the literature by its synonyms, Chrysanthemum parthenium and Pyrethrum parthenium. It is also sometimes referred to as bachelor's buttons or featherfew.

The plant is covered by flowers reminiscent of daisies and grows into a small bush up to around 46 cm high with citrus-scented leaves. It spreads rapidly, and will cover a wide area after a few years. The species grows to up to 60 cm high. The leaves are variously pinnatifid with conspicuous flowers up to 20 mm across. The outer florets are all ligulate and white. The inner florets are yellow and tubular in lax corymbs.

Feverfew has been used as a herbal treatment to reduce fever and to treat headaches, arthritis and digestive problems. The active ingredients in feverfew include parthenolide. There has been some scientific interest in parthenolide, which has been shown to induce apoptosis in some cancer cell lines in vitro and potentially to target cancer stem cells.

This post is part of the Floral Friday Fotos meme.

DAREBIN PARKLANDS LAKES

Darebin Parklands is one of Darebin Council’s premier conservation parks sited along the Darebin Creek. The park is managed by the Darebin Creek Management Committee which the Cities of Darebin and Banyule are members. Darebin Parklands is a wonderful setting for walks and escaping into the natural environment, and is located only 5 km from Melbourne's CBD. The park has a full time Ranger coordinating the Education Centre which details the parks rich history and commitment to conservation and environmental sustainability. The Darebin Creek Trail runs through the centre of the park and provides shared trail access through to Bundoora Park 10km to the north.

This post is part of the Wednesday Waters meme,
and also part of the Outdoor Wednesday meme,
and also part of the Wordless Wednesday meme,
and also part of the ABC Wednesday meme.

GEELONG JAUNT

Geelong is a port city located on Corio Bay and the Barwon River, in the state of Victoria, Australia, 75 kilometres south-west of the state capital, Melbourne. It is the second largest Victorian city, with an estimated urban population of 187,417 as at June 2015, having grown 1.8 percent since June 2014.

Geelong runs from the plains of Lara in the north to the rolling hills of Waurn Ponds to the south, with Corio Bay to the east and hills to the west. Geelong is the administrative centre for the City of Greater Geelong municipality, which covers urban, rural and coastal areas surrounding the city, including the Bellarine Peninsula.

Geelong City is also known as the 'Gateway City' due to its central location to surrounding Victorian regional centres like Ballarat in the north west, Torquay, Great Ocean Road and Warrnambool in the southwest, Hamilton, Colac and Winchelsea to the west, and the state capital of Melbourne in the north east.

This post is part of the Our World Tuesday meme,
and also part of the Ruby Tuesday meme,
and also part of the Travel Tuesday meme,
and also part of the Wordless Wednesday meme.

MARVELLOUS MELBOURNE

Melbourne is the capital and most populous city in the Australian state of Victoria, and the second most populous city in Australia. The name "Melbourne" refers to the area of urban agglomeration (as well as a census statistical division) spanning 9,900 km2, which comprises the broader metropolitan area, as well as being the common name for its city centre.

The metropolis is located on the large natural bay of Port Phillip and expands into the hinterlands towards the Dandenong and Macedon mountain ranges, Mornington Peninsula and Yarra Valley. Melbourne consists of 31 municipalities. It has a population of 4,529,500 as of 2015, and its inhabitants are called Melburnians.

Founded by free settlers from the British Crown colony of Van Diemen's Land on 30 August 1835, in what was then the colony of New South Wales, it was incorporated as a Crown settlement in 1837. It was named "Melbourne" by the Governor of New South Wales, Sir Richard Bourke, in honour of the British Prime Minister of the day, William Lamb, 2nd Viscount Melbourne. It was officially declared a city by Queen Victoria in 1847, after which it became the capital of the newly founded colony of Victoria in 1851.

During the Victorian gold rush of the 1850s, it was transformed into one of the world's largest and wealthiest cities. After the federation of Australia in 1901, it served as the nation's interim seat of government until 1927. Melbourne rates highly in education, entertainment, health care, research and development, tourism and sport, making it the world's most liveable city—for the fifth year in a row in 2015, according to the Economist Intelligence Unit. It is a leading financial centre in the Asia-Pacific region, and ranks among the top 30 cities in the world in the Global Financial Centres Index.

Referred to as Australia's "cultural capital", it is the birthplace of Australian impressionism, Australian rules football, the Australian film and television industries, and Australian contemporary dance. It is recognised as a UNESCO City of Literature and a major centre for street art, music and theatre. It is home to many of Australia's largest and oldest cultural institutions such as the Melbourne Cricket Ground, the National Gallery of Victoria, the State Library of Victoria and the UNESCO World Heritage-listed Royal Exhibition Building. It was the host city of the 1956 Summer Olympics.

The main passenger airport serving the metropolis and the state is Melbourne Airport (also called Tullamarine Airport), which is the second busiest in Australia, and the Port of Melbourne is Australia's busiest seaport for containerised and general cargo. Melbourne has an extensive transport network. The main metropolitan train terminus is Flinders Street Station, and the main regional train and coach terminus is Southern Cross Station. Melbourne is also home to Australia's most extensive freeway network and has the world's largest urban tram network.

This post is part of the Mosaic Monday meme,
and also part of the Monday Mellow Yellows meme,
and also part of the Through my Lens meme,
and also part of the Seasons meme,
and also part of the Travel Tuesday meme.

RIPPON LEA PORCH

Located only 20 minutes from Melbourne’s CBD, Rippon Lea Estate is one of the last of Australia’s grand suburban estates. It is a grand property that is National Heritage listed and a visit there is like peeking through a window that allows you to travel back in time and offers a unique glimpse into the lifestyles of the wealthiest Australians of the Victorian era.

Rippon Lea Estate consists of a lavish urban mansion, a large garden, orchard and associated outbuildings (including the stable complex, the lodge, the conservatory and glasshouses, the fernery, the porte-cochere, the 1930s swimming pool, and the 1930s ballroom). The property has integrity as an uncommonly large and intact suburban estate, which survived subdivision and encroachment by suburbia.

In 1868, Marian and Frederick Sargood bought 11.3 hectares (23 acres) of scrub land at Elsternwick, naming it after Frederick’s mother Emma Rippon (Lea is an old English word for meadow). Frederick had arrived in the colony as a 15 year old, first working for the Public Works Department and then joining his father’s expanding clothing and drapery importing firm which supplied soft goods to the diggers. Like many of the merchants active during the gold rush, Sargood made his fortune and Rippon Lea was the result of his newfound prosperity.

This post is part of the My Sunday Best meme,
and also part of the My Sunday Photo meme,
and also part of the Photo Sunday meme.

PARKLANDS BIRDS

At the Darebin Parklands where one may meet many feathered friends...

This post is part of the Weekend Reflections meme,
and also part of the Scenic Weekends meme,
and also part of the Saturday Critters meme,
and also part of the My Sunday Best meme,
and also part of the Camera Critters meme.

Large pond

Common moorhen

Grass parrot

Small pond

Australian mallard

Galah

Black cockatoo

BACK HOME

Although it's nice to travel, coming back home is so good!

This post is part of the Skywatch Friday meme.

AUTUMN FLOWERS

In Melbourne around this time we begin to enjoy some mellow Autumn weather with warm temperatures and sunshine during the day, occasional rain and cool nights comfortable for sleeping. The gardens are beginning to show autumn hues in the deciduous shrubs and trees while a large variety of flowers are blooming.

Below you can see in descending order: Plumbago ('blue jasmine'); Aster; Correa; Eremophila ('native fuchsia'); Amaryllis ('naked ladies'); and the ever-lovely 'Just Joey' rose.

This post is part of the Floral Friday Fotos meme.

KAYAKS IN THE YARRA

In Yarra Bend Park, suburban Melbourne.

This post is part of the Wednesday Waters meme,
and also part of the Outdoor Wednesday meme,
and also part of the Wordless Wednesday meme,
and also part of the ABC Wednesday meme.

MELBOURNE EVENING

View of the City from the banks of the Yarra in the Southeast.

This post is part of the Our World Tuesday meme,
and also part of the Ruby Tuesday meme,
and also part of the Travel Tuesday meme,
and also part of the Wordless Wednesday meme.

TRAVELLING

I am away from Melbourne for a few days this week, travelling for work. It's been a while since I travelled and on the one hand it is good as I am remembering past trips and amusing stories, and it is bad as the tiring and hectic part of business travel hits home. For the next few days you'll be getting archival photos, so not exactly farm-fresh, but freshly frozen photos...

This post is part of the Mosaic Monday meme,

and also part of the Monday Mellow Yellows meme,

and also part of the Through my Lens meme,

and also part of the Seasons meme.

AT THE JUICE BAR

This post is part of the My Sunday Best meme,

and also part of the My Sunday Photo meme.

AUSTRALIAN PIED CORMORANT

The Australian pied cormorant, Phalacrocorax varius, also known as the pied cormorant or pied shag, is a medium-sized member of the cormorant family. It is found around the coasts of Australasia. In New Zealand it is usually known either as the pied shag or by its Māori name of Karuhiruhi. Older sources may refer to it as the "yellow-faced cormorant".

Although typically found in marine habitat (sometimes solitary, sometimes in pairs, sometimes in vast flocks of hundreds or thousands) it is also attracted to inland waters, including lakes, deep and open swamps, and rivers. The pied cormorant appears to feed largely on benthic fish. It will dive both in shallow, still water and in rapidly moving currents. Typical dive times are around 40 seconds, with a recovery period of 10–15 seconds between dives.

Here it is seen in the Yarra Bend Park in Metropolitan Melbourne, living quite happily on the waters of the Yarra River.

This post is part of the Saturday Critters meme,
and also part of the part of the My Sunday Best meme,
and also part of the part of the Camera Critters meme.

SUMMER SUNRISE

This post is part of the Skywatch Friday meme,
and also part of the Photo Friday meme,
and also part of the Weekend Green meme.

'PURPLE KING' BEANS IN OUR GARDEN

Phaseolus vulgaris 'Purple King' beans produce bumper crops of straight, flat beans that are bright purple in colour, contrasting with the green leaves, making them easy to pick. They also have lovely pink flowers, This bean variety crops over an extended period and is a prolific producer of the best tasting beans. Cook lightly, otherwise the pods will turn the normal green in colour, hence its other name, "Magic Bean".

Direct sow the seeds 15cm apart in rows that are 45cm apart. Gently push the seed into the soil, cover lightly and water. Poor germination generally reflects over watering and rotting of seed. Beans are a nitrogen fixing crop. Sow in Spring to Summer in a well drained, full sun position. Make sure the soil is not too acidic by the addition of woodash, lime or dolomite. The beans are vigorous climbers so ensure that you give them adequate support. You will be rewarded accordingly!

This post is part of the Floral Friday Fotos meme.