SOUTHBANK

Although Southbank is overdeveloped already, there are some small pockets of green in amongst the skyscrapers where one may sit and reflect on the benefits (or otherwise...) of living in a megalopolis.

This post is part of the Wordless Wednesday meme,

and also part of the Nature Notes meme.

HIGH ST, NORTHCOTE

In the recent past, High Street in Northcote took a backseat to Melbourne’s other trendy northside strip shopping streets: Smith Street, Brunswick Street, Lygon Street and Sydney Road. But as rising property prices pushed the artists, musicians and bohemian latte-drinkers out of Collingwood and Fitzroy, many of them began settling here, along the old 86 tram route.

Today, High Street is a star. Running from Westgarth in the south all the way up to Thornbury and Preston, High Street is basically jam-packed with goodness: Bars, cafes, boutique cinemas, interesting one-of-a-kind shops,food truck parks, even lasagne delivery services. And it’s all a short ride from the CBD.

This post is part of the Travel Tuesday meme

CORNER STORE

Sunday brunch at the corner store in Preston. Lovely weather and a very relaxed atmosphere.

This post is part of the My Sunday Best meme

MAGPIE-LARK

The magpie-lark (Grallina cyanoleuca), also known as wee magpie, peewee, peewit, mudlark or Murray magpie, is a passerine bird native to Australia, Timor and southern New Guinea.

The male and female both have black and white plumage, though with different patterns. John Latham described the species in 1801. Long thought to be a member of the mudnest builder family Corcoracidae, it has been reclassified in the family Monarchidae (the monarch flycatchers). Two subspecies are recognised.

This post is part of the Saturday Critters meme.

Please visit Eileen at her Saturday Critters blog, which is always filled with wonderful photos of the animal world. (Eileen, please excuse me not leaving a comment on your blog, I've tried and cannot!)

FLYING

An extremely fortuitous shot that came about as I was capturing a passing plane close to the sun with my iPhone. By chance a bird was flying by there at the same time!

This post is part of the Skywatch Friday meme

ZUCCHINI FLOWER

A male zucchini flower. Zucchini plants produce male and female flowers on the same plant and for the plants to produce fruit, insects must visit both flowers, taking the pollen from male flowers and transferring it to the female flower. The absence of ideal conditions for pollination and for setting fruits may cause the flowers to fall off before the zucchini develops. Male flowers are the first to appear on zucchini plants, opening before female flowers.

The anatomy of male and female flowers differs. The pollen-producing parts of the male flower are the anthers and filaments located on the stamen. These are often fused together. Male flowers often open, release the pollen and then fall off. Female flowers must remain on the plant until the zucchini starts to grow, and this can only happen when pollination is successful. Without pollination, female flowers fall off and plants won't produce any fruit. Female blossoms are connected to the fruit. Male blossoms have a long, thin stem. Zucchini flowers are edible and very tasty when prepared as fritters.

This post is part of the Floral Friday Fotos meme

EDWARDIAN

In Richmond, beautifully restored, this wonderful old home still exudes the grandeur and grace of a long-gone era.

This post is part of the Wordless Wednesday meme.

FITZROY

Fitzroy is a lively suburb with a bohemian reputation. Its eclectic bars and restaurants are popular with students, weekenders and young professionals. Street art covers the narrow backstreets, where small galleries sit alongside corner pubs and terrace houses. Brunswick Street is a trendy retail and nightlife strip, while Gertrude Street is known for its design and art-supply stores, wine bars and buzzy eateries. Here is St George's Rd looking towards the South.

This post is part of the Travel Tuesday meme

IN SUMMER

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

It seems that I cannot comment on some blogs. I have alerted Blogspot at Google about it, as the instructions they give aren't helping. Please accept my thanks for hosting and for commenting on my blog (if you too aren't having a similar issue!)

AT THE MARKET

At the Camberwell Sunday Market. Always interesting to visit and one never knows what one may find to buy!

This post is part of the My Sunday Best meme