RINGWOOD LAKE PARK

Ringwood Lake Park is a significant asset, well valued by the Maroondah City community. The 8.5 hectare park has been enjoyed by many locals and visitors since its creation in the 1920’s. The significance of the park has been highlighted through the preservation of the local history, pleasant and naturally significant surroundings and by hosting various annual festivals.Community groups and individuals have contributed both time and funding towards the Park’s preservation, including recent works to enhance the cultural value of the park. 

Ringwood Lake Park is located at the corner of Maroondah Highway and Mt Dandenong Road next to the Belgrave railway line. The lake is about 1 hectare in size with a shoreline of 1 kilometre and a maximum depth of 4.3 metres. In 1926 the lake was created, with community co-operation, by damming the Sandy Creek which flowed north-westerly to the Mullum Mullum Creek. It was an area of mud, fallen logs and grasses which now provides alternative habitat for wildlife as well as passive recreational opportunities.

This post is part of the Skywatch Friday meme

BORAGE

Borage (Borago officinalis), also known as a starflower, is an annual herb. It is native to the Mediterranean region and has naturalised in many other locales. It grows satisfactorily in gardens in the UK climate, remaining in the garden from year to year by self-seeding. The leaves are edible and have a cucumber-like flavour. The plant is grown in kitchen-gardens for that purpose in some parts of Europe. The plant is also commercially cultivated for borage seed oil extracted from its seeds.

Borage is used in companion planting. It is said to protect or nurse legumes, spinach, brassicas, and even strawberries. It is also said to be a good companion plant to tomatoes because it confuses the search image of the mother moths of tomato hornworms or manduca looking for a place to lay their eggs.

Traditionally Borago officinalis is used in various disorders, such as gastrointestinal (colic, cramps, diarrhoea), airways (asthma, bronchitis), cardiovascular, (cardiotonic, antihypertensive and blood purifier), urinary (diuretic and kidney/bladder disorders). In Iran people make a tea for relieve colds, flu, bronchitis, rheumatoid arthritis, and kidney inflammation. It is said to be warm in nature and alleviates symptoms that are caused by using food that is cold in nature such as cucumber and fish. People with heart problems can benefit using the borage tea, since it promotes reaching more oxygen to the heart, that’s why one should use this herb in moderate amounts.

This post is part of the Floral Friday Fotos meme. 

WEB

Autumn is the season when we see quite a lot of spiders spinning their webs out and about. Even the arachnophobe in me loves the beauty of the spun webs.

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.

CITY VIEW

View to Port Phillip Bay towards the Southwest from Southbank. Most of the high rise buildings you can see are residential apartment blocks.

This post is part of the Travel Tuesday meme

AUTUMN MOSAIC

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

BACKYARD GECKO

Christinus marmoratus, also known as marbled gecko or southern marbled gecko, is a species of Gekkonidae (gecko) native to southern mainland of Australia, from Victoria to Western Australia. The species is well adapted to a variety of habitats, including city dwellings. This one was making the most of Autumn sunshine in our backyard.

This post is part of the Saturday Critters meme,

and also part of the My Sunday Best meme.

FETCH!

This post is part of the Saturday Critters meme.

AUTUMN SUNSET

This post is part of the Skywatch Friday meme

DAISIES

This post is part of the Floral Friday Fotos meme

EQUINOX SUN

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.