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

TRAIN STATION

In inner suburban Melbourne, Fairfield Railway Station is a well-preserved Federation Style station. The station features large timber weatherboard buildings on both platforms, constructed in the early 1910s (specifically 1911). These buildings exhibit Arts and Crafts architectural motifs. A notable feature visible in the background is the wooden pedestrian footbridge, which opened in March 1914.

This post is part of the Travel Tuesday meme

DAISY SULPHATE

A digital collage of gerberas and daisies on copper sulphate (blue vitriol) crystals. I'm starting to see lawn daisies come up even though it's midwinter! Very strange weather we're experiencing...

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

POMEGRANATES

This post is part of the My Sunday Best meme

RED HEELER

This is a Red Heeler, often referred to as an Australian Cattle Dog.The dog is wearing a clear plastic cone, commonly known as an Elizabethan collar, typically used to prevent pets from licking or biting wounds while they heal. These dogs are high-energy, versatile, intelligent working dogs that require significant daily physical activity.

This post is part of the Saturday Critters meme

SUNSET WALK

A poignant photo for me this week. It is a repost, in fact, of a shot I took several years ago of three friends I was walking with at sunset all those years back. I turned to look at them after we parted and took this photo as they were walking away from me. I learned yesterday that one of them had died earlier this week. Vale, AH...

This post is part of the Skywatch Friday meme

TULIP

This post is part of the Floral Friday Fotos meme

WINTER BY THE CREEK

At Darebin Parklands, where the creek flows all through the year. We haven;t had much rain lately so the water level is down. We are expecting a short, mild Winter and a hot dry Summer this year. The results of a strong El Niño system, the meteorologists tell us.

This post is part of the Roentare’s Water Meme

and also part of the Nature Notes meme

AT THE UNIVERSITY OF MELBOURNE

The University of Melbourne’s Old Quad features iconic, sandstone-arched cloisters. Located at the heart of the Parkville campus, these 19th-century cloisters form the perimeter of the university's oldest courtyard. The picturesque, Tudor-style spaces are a central hub for student life, cultural exhibitions, and campus ceremonies.

This post is part of the Travel Tuesday meme

WINTER SOLSTICE

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

HOTHOUSE ROSES

Just the thing for a Melbourne Winter!

This post is part of the My Sunday Best meme,

and also part of the Floral Friday Fotos meme.

BRONZEWING

The common bronzewing (Phaps chalcoptera) is a species of medium-sized, heavily built pigeon. Native to Australia and one of the country's most common pigeons, the common bronzewing is able to live in almost any habitat, with the possible exception of very barren areas and dense rainforests.

Males of the species have pale-yellow to yellow-white foreheads, and pink breasts. Both males and females have an easily discernible white line around and proximate to their eyes. Common bronzewings also have patches of red, blue and green on their wings, a feature which is characteristic of all bronzewing pigeons. Young birds are usually duller in colour and browner than the mature common bronzewing.

This post is part of the Saturday Critters meme

WEATHER

This post is part of the Skywatch Friday meme

CHAMOMILE

Chamomile (or camomile) is the common name for several daisy-like plants of the family Asteraceae that are often used to make herbal infusions to serve various medicinal purposes. Popular uses of chamomile preparations include treating hay fever, inflammation, muscle spasms, menstrual disorders, insomnia, ulcers, gastrointestinal disorders, and haemorrhoids. Chamomile tea is also used to treat skin conditions such as eczema, chickenpox and psoriasis.

The word ‘chamomile’ derives, via French and Latin, from Greek χαμαίμηλον (khamaimēlon), i.e. ‘earth apple’, from χαμαί (khamai) ‘on the ground’ and μῆλον (mēlon) ‘apple’. The more common British spelling ‘camomile’, is the older one in English, while the spelling ‘chamomile’ corresponds to the Latin and Greek source.  

This post is part of the Floral Friday Fotos meme.

SEA VIEW

Looking out towards Port Phillip Bay from Southbank. The building of more and more high rise apartment buildings is increasing density, crime, noise, pollution, demand on infrastructure and services. Loss of open space and sense of community, not to mention the views...

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

GARFIELD

Garfield is a town in Victoria, Australia, 79 km south-east of Melbourne's Central Business District, located within the Shire of Cardinia local government area. Garfield recorded a population of 2,114 at the 2021 census. The area was originally called Cannibal Creek, but was renamed to Garfield in memory of the U.S. President James A. Garfield, who was murdered in July, 1881.

Garfield is also home to the Garfield Picture Theatre, Cardinia Shire’s first cinema in the region and one of the few remaining picture theatres in the Shire. The theatre was built in 1924, and was the town’s first source of electricity.

The Garfield Picture Theatre located in the heart of Garfield is where live music, tribute shows and community spirit meet in a lovingly restored 1920s picture house. Since first opening its doors in 1924, the theatre has been a place for people to come together, laugh, sing along and make memories.

It is located at 47-51 Nar Nar Goon-Longwarry Rd, Garfield VIC 3814. Comfortable one and two bedroom cabin style accommodation is available right on the Main Street of Garfield and can be booked via the Garfield Theatre's site.

This post is part of the Travel Tuesday meme

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