SUNRISE

Sunrise over the Yarra River in the City.

This post is part of the Skywatch Friday meme

LONG-LEAF WAXFLOWER

Philotheca myoporoides, commonly known as a waxflower is an Australian shrub. This is the 'Winter Rouge' cultivar, characterised by deep pink buds that open into soft pink or white star-shaped flowers.The plant is an evergreen Australian native that typically blooms from winter through spring.

This post is part of the Floral Friday Fotos meme

AT YERING STATION

Yering Station, recognized as Victoria’s first vineyard, was established in 1838. The estate is located in the Yarra Valley, approximately 50 minutes from Melbourne, and is known for its cool-climate wines. The winery grounds feature a modern restaurant with floor-to-ceiling glass windows overlooking the vineyards. The property also serves as a contemporary art gallery, showcasing works from established and emerging artists.

The artwork floating in the reflection pool is an abstract figurative bronze sculpture by the acclaimed Tasmanian artist Hugh McLachlan. The "Mother and Child" sculpture is in cast bronze with a deep patina, and is designed to withstand outdoor conditions. It stands as a permanent highlight of the estate's Yering Station Art Gallery collection.

This post is part of the Roentare’s Water Meme

and also part of the Nature Notes meme

FLINDERS ST STATION

In Elizabeth St, City, looking South towards the side entrance and clock tower of the Flinders St Train Station. A wintry Sunday morning.

This post is part of the Travel Tuesday meme

SHORT DAY

This post is part of the Mosaic Monday meme

DYMOCKS

One of my favourite shops in the City: Dymocks in Colin St. I could spend hours in there and buy more books than I could carry away. Sigh!

This is part of the My Sunday Best meme.

POSSUM

The common brushtail possum (Trichosurus vulpecula, from the Greek for "furry tailed" and the Latin for "little fox", previously in the genus Phalangista) is a nocturnal, semi-arboreal marsupial of the family Phalangeridae. It is native to Australia, and the second largest of the possums.  Like most possums, the common brushtail possum is nocturnal. It is mainly a folivore, but has been known to eat small mammals such as rats.

In most Australian habitats, leaves of eucalyptus are a significant part of the diet but rarely the sole item eaten. The tail is prehensile and naked on its lower underside. There are four colour variations: Silver-grey, brown, black, and gold.  It is the Australian marsupial most often seen by city-dwellers, as it is one of few that thrives in cities, as well as a wide range of natural and human-modified environments.

Around human habitations, common brushtails are inventive and determined foragers with a liking for fruit trees, vegetable gardens, and kitchen raids. This is Fred and he raids our garden every night, having a liking for oranges and grapefruit.

This post is part of the Saturday Critters meme

WINTER SUNSET

This post is part of the Skywatch Friday meme

EARLY BUTTERCUP

We are already seeing signs of Spring in our mid-Winter month of July.

This post is part of the Floral Friday Fotos meme

MOON OVER THE DAM

This post is part of the Roentare’s Water Meme

and also part of the Nature Notes meme

BUCOLIC

A classic rural vista in Diamond Creek, Victoria, characterized by its rolling green hills, paddock fences, and rustic hobby farm homesteads. This is an outer-northeastern suburb of Melbourne located within the picturesque Nillumbik Shire Council region. 

The outer suburb blends suburban convenience with expansive acreage, horse properties, and semi-rural bushland. It is highly popular among hobby farmers, equestrian enthusiasts, and families seeking open space away from the city centre. 

It is home to scenic shared pathways like the Diamond Creek Trail, local reserves, and nearby gateways into the Yarra Valley.

This post is part of the Travel Tuesday meme

A MAZE

This post is part of the Mosaic Monday meme;

and also part of the Seasons meme

FOG

This post is part of the "My Sunday Best meme"

LADYBIRD

The ladybird is a small beetle with a domed back, typically red or yellow with black spots. Both the adults and larvae are important predators of aphids. The North American term for the insect is ladybug. The common European seven-spotted ladybird is seen as symbolising the seven joys and seven sorrows of the Virgin Mary.

Ladybird, ladybird, fly away home!
Your house is on fire, your children all gone.

All but one, and her name is Ann,
And she crept under the pudding pan

This post is part of the Saturday Critters meme

MOON AND VENUS

This post is part of the Skywatch Friday meme

BANKSIA SPINULOSA

Banksia spinulosa, the compact 'Birthday Candles' hybrid, which is widely available in Australia in 14cm to 175mm pots.The plant is a dwarf shrub recognised by its dense, needle-like foliage and vibrant flower spikes with golden-yellow styles and contrasting purple/red tips.

It is a hardy Australian native that thrives in well-drained soil, is frost-tolerant, and grows to approximately 0.5m in height.This species is excellent for attracting wildlife, particularly birds, and is well-suited for rockeries, small gardens, or container gardening.

This post is part of the Floral Friday Fotos meme

MERRI CREEK

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.

This is Merri Creek at Clifton HIll, along the Merri Creek Trail, in Winter. There 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 Nature Notes meme

MELBOURNE TRAMS

Melbourne trams in Acland Street,St Kilda. St Kilda is a vibrant, palm-lined beachside suburb located just 6 kilometres southeast of Melbourne's CBD. Famous for its cosmopolitan atmosphere, it serves as the city's seaside playground, offering a mix of iconic entertainment, historic architecture, diverse dining, and natural attractions.

This posts is part of the Travel Tuesday meme

TRIPTYCH

This is a digital composite image from three different photos, each taken from the same spot, but each photo three months apart from the previous one. Each photo section comprises a vertical third of the image. it was all put together digitally in Photoshop, by carefully stitching the images together and melding each third on top of the previous one, by adjusting the transparency of the layer.

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

TEST DRIVE

At the Sunday market...

This post is part of the My Sunday Best meme

KOI POND

This post is part of the Saturday Critters meme

SUNSET SYMPHONY

The birds liked the view.

This post is part of the Skywatch Friday meme

"I'M FIRST"

Our crazy weather continues. In midwinter, a Callery pear blossom appears...

This post is part of the Floral Friday Fotos meme

WINTER IN THE PARKLANDS 2

This post is part of the Roentare’s Water Meme

and also part of the Nature Notes meme

WINTER IN THE PARKLANDS

This post is part of the Travel Tuesday meme

MIDWINTER

This post is part of the Mosaic Monday meme

and also part of the Seasons meme

OPHELIA

The colorful "Ophelia" mosaic sculpture on the Southbank Promenade in Melbourne provides a lively encounter even on the greyest winter's day. The artist who created this is Deborah Halpern.

This post is part of the My Sunday Best meme

WINTERWEAR

As the temperature drops in Winter, we mustn't forget our canine friends who also need some winterwear!

This post is part of the Saturday Critters meme

RAINBOW

This post is part of the Skywatch Friday meme

SPANISH LAVENDER

This post is part of the Floral Friday Fotos meme

FALLEN LEAVES

Leaving fallen leaves on your garden beds is highly recommended because they act as a free natural mulch, suppress weed growth, insulate plant roots, and decompose to enrich the soil with vital organic matter and nutrients. They also provide vital shelter for beneficial wildlife.

This post is part of the Nature Notes meme