HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Best wishes for a New Year filled with health and happiness! Let's all hope that this year brings healing and restitution of normality.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

This post is part of the Skywatch Friday meme

EGGPLANT FLOWERS

Many vegetables and fruits have beautiful flowers that many people are not familiar with!

This post is part of the Floral Friday Fotos meme

ON THE YARRA

At the Studley Park Boathouse in Kew, one may rent a rowboat and enjoy a leisurely boat ride on the quiet waters of the Yarra River. A serene spot of scenic beauty in suburban Melbourne. The many square kilometres of areas of conservation along the banks of the Yarra River provide a valuable environmental resource for Melburnians.

This post is part of the Wordless Wednesday meme,
and also part of the My Corner of the World meme,

and also part of the Nature Notes meme.

AUSTRALIA 108

Australia 108 (previously 70 Southbank Boulevard) is a residential supertall skyscraper in the Southbank precinct of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. Having topped out in November 2019, it became the tallest building in Australia by roof height, surpassing the Eureka Tower, and the second-tallest building in Australia by full height, surpassed by Q1 Tower.

The World Class Land development project consists of a 316.7 m (1,039 ft) tall apartment building with 1,105 apartments over 100 floors. Construction of the revised Fender Katsalidis Architects–design by Brookfield Multiplex commenced in 2015, and was completed in 2020. Prior to its current form, plans were initially for a 226 m (741 ft) tall residential building with 72 floors.

In 2012, these plans were revised and resubmitted in favour of a design with a height of 388 m (1,273 ft) and 108 storeys. This proposal was approved by the State Government in March 2013; however, it was shelved four months later after it struggled to meet conditions imposed by government authorities including VicRoads and the Civil Aviation Safety Authority.

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

2021 IN REVIEW

Twelve photos, one from each month of 2021, as published in this blog. This year certainly flew by quickly, COVID and Lockdowns notwithstanding! Best wishes for a health-filled, happy and creative 2022!

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

YARRA VALLEY VIEW

At the Domaine Chandon vineyard where lovely sparkling wine is made by the Méthode Champenoise.

This post is part of the My Sunday Best meme

GECKOS

Geckos are lizards belonging to the infraorder Gekkota, found in warm climates throughout the world. They range from 1.6 to 60 cm. Most geckos cannot blink, but they often lick their eyes to keep them clean and moist. They have a fixed lens within each iris that enlarges in darkness to let in more light.

Geckos are unique among lizards in their vocalisations. They use chirping sounds in social interactions with other geckos. They are the most species-rich group of lizards, with about 1,500 different species worldwide. The New Latin gekko and English "gecko" stem from the Indonesian-Malay gēkoq, which is imitative of the sound the animals make.

Many species are well known for their specialised toe pads that enable them to climb smooth and vertical surfaces, and even cross indoor ceilings with ease. Geckos are well-known to people who live in warm regions of the world, where several species of geckos make their home inside human habitations. These (for example the house gecko) become part of the indoor menagerie and are often welcomed, as they feed on insects, including mosquitoes. Unlike most lizards, geckos are usually nocturnal.

This post is part of the Saturday Critters meme.

SUNSET

This post is part of the Skywatch Friday meme

GYMEA LILIES

The Gymea lily Doryanthes excelsa is indigenous to the Sydney Basin and a truly iconic plant of the Australian bush. The botanic name, 'Doryanthes', derives from two Greek words - 'dory', meaning spear, and 'anthos', meaning flower and this refers to the beacon like flower heads that stand out in the bush.

They have big spectacular flower heads, and also clumps of luxurious green leaves that make a fabulous feature in the landscape. This plant is also known as flame lily, giant lily, giant spear lily, but most commonly it's known as the Gymea lily. It's an incredibly tough plant. It grows from an evergreen bulb which has contractile roots which pull the plant right down into the soil, where it can resist drought and bush fire - which triggers it to flower.

Gymea lilies are pretty tough plants, so they're hardy for dry conditions. They are a gross feeder and need fertilising. Use a slow release or complete soluble fertiliser.  Doryanthes grow well in coastal areas from Brisbane to Perth. They also grow in cooler climates, but be careful because the flower stems and leaves may be damaged by frost. Pests and diseases don't affect them either. They make excellent foliage plants in a large garden or big container, or plant them for the spectacular red flowers that will attract nectar feeding birds.

This post is part of the Floral Friday Fotos meme

CHRISTMAS GREETINGS

This post is part of the Wordless Wednesday meme,
and also part of the My Corner of the World meme,
and also part of the Nature Notes meme.