WINTER

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

MUSHROOMS

This post is part of the My Sunday Best meme

AUSTRALIAN MAGPIE

This post is part of the Saturday Critters meme

Australian Magpies (Gymnorhina tibicen), are native black and white passerine birds. They are known for their intricate song and high intelligence, and are a common sight in Australian parks and backyards. During breeding season, which typically peaks around September, they can be territorial and may swoop to defend their nests.

DAWN FLIGHT

This post is part of the Skywatch Friday meme

JACOB'S LADDER

Attractive, dense ferny foliage makes Polemonium pulcherrimum 'Blue Dove' (also known as Jacob's ladder) a valuable plant for all year round interest in the garden. As an added bonus loose sprays of open bell shaped flowers in a soft shade of blue can appear from spring right through to and including autumn. Its 'lacy' appearance makes it a useful plant for softening hard lines and edges created by rocks, garden edging or paving.

Polemonium is a genus comprising of around 30 species of mostly perennial herbs which are native to regions of North and Central America, Europe and Asia. An excellent plant for general garden use and suitable for most colour schemes. 'Blue Dove' looks particularly at home in woodland type settings or in the cottage garden.

It may be grown in semi shade although this may decrease flower production. This, however, is not necessarily a reason to avoid planting it in such locations as the attractive foliage alone will lend a visual appeal to these often difficult landscaping zones. To accent the foliage further create a foil of foliage behind it using larger, broader leafed plants or those with tall slender foliage such as that of Irises.

This post is part of the Floral Friday Fotos meme

DAREBIN CREEK

This post is part of the Roentare’s Water Meme

and also part of the Nature Notes meme

After some rain, the Darebin Creek in the Darebin Parklands swells and the little footbridge goes underwater. Quite a lot of debris carries by the swollen creek lodges across the bridge, as the large tree branches that you can see behind the bridge.

SOUTHBANK SKYLINE

This post is part of the Travel Tuesday meme

Looking towards the South from the City, with Queen St Bridge on the left. Sunny Winter morning.

This post is part of the Travel Tuesday meme

RONDELS

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

A BOY AND HIS DOG

Playing in the parklands, away from care, far from the madding crowd, unthinking of the uncertain future... Enjoying that present moment, experiencing the simple joys of childhood. That's what life should be about.

This post is part of the My Sunday Best meme

WALK THE DOGS

This post is part of the Saturday Critters meme.

WINTER SUNSET

This post is part of the Skywatch Friday meme

WINTER ROSES...

Our very mild Autumn has meant that we've had some varieties of rose continuing to bloom luxuriantly till the end of May, as you see here (our last month of Autumn here in the Antipodes). The first few days of June have been very wintry, so the garden is now beginning to assume its cold weather guise. Roses are now definitely beginning to go downhill...

This post is part of the Floral Friday Fotos meme

RAIN

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

Winter is here after a relatively mild Autumn. It is good to see some rain.

TRAVELLERS

This sculpture is part of the Travellers series of public art located on the Southbank in Melbourne, Australia.Titled "Gayip," it was designed by artist Nadim Karam in collaboration with indigenous artist Mandy Nicholson.The artwork is intended to represent the Aboriginal community and their ceremonial meeting traditions.

This post is part of the Travel Tuesday meme

CITY LIFE

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

How many people live a solitary life in a city of 5.5 million?

QUEEN BEE

A colony of giant, golden bees designed by sculptor Richard Stringer and commissioned by the building's architect, Nonda Katsalidis. The main hive and large bees are found at the base (ground level) of the Eureka Tower in the Southbank precinct, with additional bees located at the nearby 2 Riverside Quay.

The bees are constructed from anodized aluminum and riveted together using 110,000 anodized rivets. Their gleaming golden colour is designed to match the building's iconic gold-plated glass apex. The installation serves as a gleaming metaphor for a harmonious, high-density city environment and a busy "hive" of frenetic activity inside the skyscraper.

This post is part of the My Sunday Best meme

LEARNER DRIVER

"What do you mean I don't drive well?"
(NB: In Australia we drive on the left side of the road and the steering wheel is on the right side)

This post is part of the Saturday Critters meme

SUNRISE

This post is part of the Skywatch Friday meme

DELPHINIUM & JAPANESE ANEMONES

This post is part of the Floral Friday Fotos meme

POND

One of the ponds in the Darebin Parklands, on an Autumn morning.

This post is part of the Roentare’s Water Meme

and also part of the Nature Notes meme

WURLY

A "wurly" (also spelled wurlie or wurley) is a small, temporary shelter traditionally used by Indigenous Australians. Also known as a "humpy" or "gunyah", these dome-shaped or lean-to structures were constructed from branches, bark, and leaves. They were easily assembled to suit a nomadic, semi-permanent lifestyle.

Built using local, readily available natural resources like eucalyptus branches, Melaleuca (paperbark), and grass. Generally featured a curved, windbreak design that relied on a standing tree for support, keeping inhabitants protected from harsh weather. Positioned to take advantage of natural shade and warmth, often serving as temporary camps before groups moved to the next food and water source.

Here it is seen in the Darebin Parklands, in suburban Melbourne. Indigenous Australians often use these natural reserve areas in order to teach the younger generations bushcraft and indigenous culture.

This post is part of the Travel Tuesday meme

AUTUMN FRUIT

This post is part of the Mosaic Monday meme

and also part of the Seasons meme.

BY TRAIN

This post is part of the My Sunday Best meme

DUCKS ALL IN A ROW

The Australian wood duck, maned duck or maned "goose" (Chenonetta jubata) is a dabbling duck found throughout much of Australia. It is the only living species in the genus Chenonetta. Traditionally placed in the subfamily Anatinae (dabbling ducks), it might belong to the subfamily Tadorninae (shelducks); the ringed teal may be its closest living relative.

This 45–51 cm duck looks like a small goose, and mostly feeds by grazing in flocks. The male is grey with a dark brown head and mottled breast. The female has white stripes above and below the eye and mottled underparts. Both sexes have grey wings with black primaries and a white speculum. Juveniles are similar to adult females, but lighter and with a more streaky breast.

This post is part of the Saturday Critters meme

SOUTHBANK SKIES

This post is part of the Skywatch Friday meme.

AUTUMN HYACINTHS

Our weather is all topsy-turvy this year, with many late Summer flowers lingering in the garden (I picked some lovely roses on Mother's Day, and also some chrysanthemums!). And now well before Autumn is over, bulbs are sprouting with the first jonquils blooming already, together with violets. And here some hyacinths (these are from the florist, so no doubt, they have been forced to bloom...).

This post is part of the Floral Friday Fotos meme

FOR THE BIRDS

Seen here is the City of Whittlesea Civic Centre and Plenty Ranges Arts and Convention Centre (PRACC). The complex is located at 25 Ferres Boulevard in South Morang, Victoria. The site was developed in the early 1990s and includes council offices, a convention centre, and landscaped grounds. Floating wetlands are utilized within the surrounding water-feature as a refuge for local bird life.

This post is part of the Roentare’s Water Meme

and also part of the Nature Notes meme

SOUTHBANK

Southbank is a vibrant, high-density inner-city suburb of Melbourne located directly along the southern bank of the Yarra River. Known as the cultural and entertainment heart of the city, it sits just opposite the central business district (CBD). It seamlessly blends skyscrapers, thriving arts venues, and bustling waterfront dining precincts.

This post is part of the Travel Tuesday meme

ANOTHER WEEK

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

MOE LIBRARY

This post is part of the Weekend in Black and White,
and also part of the My Sunday Best meme

REGENT BOWERBIRD

This is a male Regent bowerbird (Sericulus chrysocephalus), a medium-sized species endemic to the rainforests of eastern Australia. Male birds are sexually dimorphic, featuring striking black plumage contrasted with a golden-yellow to orange crown, mantle, and wing patches.  They are famous for building and decorating "avenue-type" bowers constructed from vertical sticks to attract mates, sometimes even using a "saliva paint" to decorate the structures. The species is primarily found in the coastal forests and rainforests of south-eastern Queensland and north-eastern New South Wales.

This post is part of the Saturday Critters meme

SOARING

This post is part of the Skywatch Friday meme

KALANCHOE

Kalanchoe, is a genus of about 125 species of tropical, succulent plants in the stonecrop family Crassulaceae, mainly native to Madagascar and tropical Africa. A Kalanchoe species was one of the first plants to be sent into space, sent on a resupply to the Soviet Salyut 6 space station in 1979. Many hybrids, such as these, exist and are used as popular indoor plants.

This post is part of the Floral Friday Fotos meme

DUCK AND CREEK

A Pacific Black Duck (Anas superciliosa), a common and adaptable dabbling duck found throughout Australia, New Zealand, and surrounding islands.They are identified by their mottled dark brown plumage and a characteristic head pattern featuring a dark brown line through the eye, bordered by cream stripes above and below.Their diet is largely vegetarian, consisting of seeds from aquatic plants, but they also consume aquatic insects, crustaceans, and mollusks.

These ducks are widespread in Melbourne's creek and river habitats, in this particular instance, at the Darebin Parklands, through which flows the Darebin Creek. A quite clean and unpolluted waterway, home to many native species of flora and fauna.

This post is part of the Roentare’s Water Meme

and also part of the Nature Notes meme

RAINY NIGHT

If you travel to Melbourne, pack an umbrella - you never know when you might need it!

This post is part of the Travel Tuesday meme

RAINY

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

ROCOCO

This post is part of the My Sunday Best meme
And also part of the Weekend in Black and White.

SWALLOWTAIL

Papilio anactus, the dainty swallowtail, or small citrus butterfly is a medium-sized butterfly from the family Papilionidae, that is endemic to Australia. For protection against predators, this non-poisonous butterfly mimics the poisonous male Cressida cressida, another swallowtail butterfly that obtains its toxic properties through its host plant, the Dutchman's pipe.

Papilio anactus is endemic to Australia. It was originally only present in New South Wales, Victoria and Queensland, but due to the growing of citrus, a larval food plant of this species, in orchards, the species spread to South Australia in the late 1920s. Papilio anactus is not present on Kangaroo Island or elsewhere in Australia, as there are currently too few citrus trees. It also occurs on New Caledonia. There, it may be an introduced species or a vagrant.

This post is part of the Saturday Critters meme.

FOGGY MORNING

This post is part of the Skywatch Friday meme

AT THE FLORIST

This post is part of the Floral Friday Fotos meme

TRANQUIL

A short train ride away from metropolitan Melbourne, towards the East are the green farmlands of Gippsland, forest reserves, rolling hills and natural bushland.

This post is part of the Nature Notes meme

and also part of the Travel Tuesday meme

INNER SUBURBIA

Johnston St looking east in Abbotsford. One of the older Melbourne suburbs, typical working class in the 19th century. Abbotsford now has a mix of industrial architecture and green spaces, and is popular with both families and creative types. Converted factories, hip cafes and cool bars line Johnston Street, while Abbotsford Convent hosts artsy workshops and is home to markets, cafes and artists’ studios.

This post is part of the Travel Tuesday meme

MORE AUTUMN THOUGHTS

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

MUSHROOM SEASON

Macrolepiota procera, the parasol mushroom, is a basidiomycete fungus with a large, prominent fruiting body resembling a parasol. It is a fairly common species on well-drained soils. It is found solitary or in groups and fairy rings in pastures and occasionally in woodland. It is widespread in temperate regions of Eurasia and possibly North America. It is a well-regarded edible mushroom.

This was found on our lawn here in Melbourne, so obviously it has also been introduced to Australia. Take care as it resembles some toxic species! Notably, Chlorophyllum molybdites, which causes the largest number of annual mushroom poisonings in North America due to its close similarity to Macrolepiota. Never eat any mushrooms found in the wild that you are unsure of their edibility!

This post is part of the My Sunday Best meme

CLOUDY SUNSET

This post is part of the Skywatch Friday meme

NATIVE GERANIUM

The Austral Stork's Bill (Pelargonium australe) is an Australian native flower, similar to stork's bills in other parts of the world. The plants produce clusters of asymmetrical, light pink to white flowers, often with darker reddish-purple markings on the upper petals.  The leaves are generally soft, velvety, and rounded with toothed edges. It is popular in gardens for its hardiness, salt tolerance, and long flowering periods.

This post is part of the Floral Friday Fotos meme

DAREBIN CREEK

Darebin Creek is a waterway 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, 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 is the creek at the Darebin Parklands in Fairfield.

This post is part of the Travel Tuesday meme,
and also part of the Roentare’s Water Meme,
and also part of the Nature Notes meme.

MELLOW

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

DROUGHT

This post is part of the My Sunday Best meme

I'M NOT A SHEEP!

A Labradoodle, which is a popular hybrid breed known for their friendly temperament. These dogs are often sociable and highly intelligent, making them popular family pets.

This post is part of the Saturday Critters meme