RUBAIYAT AT SUNRISE

"Come, fill the cup, and in the fire of Spring
The Winter garment of repentance fling:
The bird of time has but a little way
To fly - and lo! The bird is on the wing..."

No VII from the Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam

This post is part of the Skywatch Friday meme,
and also part of the Friday Photo Journal meme,
and also part of the Orange you Glad It's Friday meme.

PURPLE BOTTLEBRUSH

Callistemon is a genus of shrubs in the family Myrtaceae, first described as a genus in 1814. The entire genus is endemic to Australia but widely cultivated in many other regions and naturalised in scattered locations. Their status as a separate taxon is in doubt, some authorities accepting that the difference between Callistemon and Melaleuca is not sufficient for them to be grouped in a separate genera.

Callistemon species have commonly been referred to as bottlebrushes because of their cylindrical, brush like flowers resembling a traditional bottle brush. They are mostly found in the more temperate regions of Australia, especially along the east coast and typically favour moist conditions so when planted in gardens thrive on regular watering. However, two species are found in Tasmania and several others in the south-west of Western Australia. At least some species are drought-resistant and some are used in ornamental landscaping elsewhere in the world.

Although one of the older Callistemon cultivars, Callistemon 'Violaceus' shown here is typical of some of the excellent, colourful bottlebrush cultivars and hybrids that have become available in recent years. Similar cultivars include 'Purple Splendour', 'Purple Cloud' and 'Mauve Mist'. All of these form dense, bushy shrubs 2-3 metres tall by a similar spread, producing yellow-tipped purple brushes in mid to late spring (October to November).

They are hardy shrubs which will withstand at least moderate frost and which flower best in a sunny position. Like most Callistemon cultivars, C.'Violaceus' produces viable seed which germinates easily. However, because of seedling variation, any plants produced from this seed will not be identical to the parent plant and cannot be called 'Violaceus'. Plants produced from cuttings (which usually strike readily) will produce genetically identical plants to the parent.

Many callistemons can tolerate less than perfect drainage but usually perform best in gardens with reasonable drainage and regular availability of water. Callistemons respond well to annual fertilising after flowering and are not as sensitive as some other Australian plants to phosphorus.

This post is part of the Floral Friday Fotos meme.

YELLOW CHRYSANTHEMUMS

Golden yellow chrysanthemums are a symbol of Autumn and we still have them blooming here in Melbourne in the first month of Winter.

This post is part of the ABC Wednesday meme,
and also part of the Outdoor Wednesday meme,
and also part of the Wordless Wednesday meme.

ROTORUA MUSEUM, NEW ZEALAND

The Rotorua Museum (Te Whare Taonga o Te Arawa) is a local museum and art gallery located in Rotorua, Bay of Plenty, North Island, New Zealand. The museum is housed in the old Bath House building at the spa town of Rotorua, located in the Government Gardens. Rotorua Museum opened in the south wing of the Bath House in 1969; Rotorua Art Gallery opened in the north wing in 1977. In 1988, the museum and gallery combined to form the Rotorua Museum of Art and History. The museum is run by the Rotorua District Council. It has collections covering fine arts, photography, social history, and Taonga objects from the Māori culture.

Unfortunately, the earthquake on 14 November 2016 caused significant damage to the central part of the Bath House building in which Rotorua Museum is housed. The Museum is currently closed to the public while a detailed earthquake assessment is completed. Exhibitions, Events and Education programmes scheduled during this time have moved to alternative locations.

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

WINTER'S REDS

It's Winter here in Melbourne and red seems to be a colour that typifies the season for me this year. I hope you're enjoying the season wherever you may be.

This post is part of the Mosaic Monday meme,
and also part of the Through my Lens meme,
and also part of the Seasons meme,
and also part of the Ruby Tuesday meme.

MY SUNDAY BEST MEME #20 - BUDDHA'S SMILE

Welcome to the meme, "My Sunday Best", which is a photographic and creative meme that allows you to showcase your talents in imaging. Every Sunday, you can post here showing an image you have created using your camera, (and/or) image processing software, and/or painting and drawing in the conventional way and have scanned in.

The rules are simple:
1) Create your image and post it up on your blog;
2) Put the "My Sunday Best" logo image link somewhere on your post so people can click and come by here;
3) Leave a comment here once you have posted;
4) Visit other posters' blogs and be amazed with their creativity!

Please do not use this meme to advertise your goods or services. This is a creative meme and any inappropriate links or comments shall be removed immediately!

This post is part of the My Sunday Photo meme,
and also part of the Photo Sunday meme.

Please leave your link below using the Mr Linky tool:

PIGEONS

The domestic pigeon (Columba livia domestica) is a pigeon that was derived from the rock pigeon. The rock pigeon is the world's oldest domesticated bird. Mesopotamian cuneiform tablets mention the domestication of pigeons more than 5,000 years ago, as do Egyptian hieroglyphics. Research suggests that domestication of pigeons occurred as early as 10,000 years ago.

Pigeons have made contributions of considerable importance to humanity, especially in times of war. In war the homing ability of pigeons has been put to use by making them messengers. So-called war pigeons have carried many vital messages and some have been decorated for their services. Medals such as the Croix de guerre, awarded to Cher Ami, and the Dickin Medal awarded to the pigeons G.I. Joe and Paddy, amongst 32 others, have been awarded to pigeons for their services in saving human lives.

This post is part of the Skywatch Friday meme,
and also part of the Saturday Critters meme,
and also part of the Camera Critters meme.

GUM TREES

Gum tree is a common name for smooth-barked trees and shrubs in three closely related genera of Eucalypt: Eucalyptus, which includes the majority of species of gum trees. Corymbia, which includes the Ghost gums and Spotted gums. Angophora, which includes the Sydney red gum. These evergreen trees are characteristic of Australia and give our winter landscapes their green colour.

This post is part of the Weekend Green meme,
and also part of the Friday Photo Journal meme,
and also part of the My Town Shootout meme.

HAKEA

Hakea laurina is a plant of Southwest Australia that is widely cultivated and admired. The species is often referred to as Kodjet, Pincushion Hakea, and Emu Bush. The specific epithet, derived from the Latin laurus, is given for the resemblance to the leaves of laurel. The habit of this plant is an upright shrub or tree, reaching a height between 2.5 and 6 metres. It does not possess a lignotuber. The habitat is often sandplains, sometimes occurring on sandy-clay, most recorded specimens are in the southern districts of its botanical province.

Flowers are initially pale or cream, perhaps hidden by the leaves in the early stages, and are contained by scale-like bracts before opening. These are deep pink to red on the globular centre, a clustered flowerhead at the leaf axils, pale styles emerge from these. This resembles a pin cushion. Nectar and a slight fragrance is produced from the flowerheads. In the language of flowers, Hakea laurina symbolises nobility and longevity.

The flowering period occurs between April and August. Leaves are simtline, coming to a sharp point at the tip. The leaves vary in size on the plant, they may be 6–29 mm wide and reach 180 mm in length. Foliage is dense and in alternate arrangement on the upright branchlets; in some forms this may be pendulous and reach the ground. Bark is grey and smooth. Fruit is retained on the plant, is ovoid, slightly beaked at the end, and a smooth surface on the valve.

The species occurs in the sandplains of the coastal Southwest of Australia, the northernmost range being Narrogin and extending east to Esperance. The plant, which is propagated from seeds, is used in cultivation in the Eastern states of Australia, and as a hedging or street plant in America and Italy. Adaptable to a number of soil types, the plant is also tolerant of frost. The uses of this spple and slightly blue green, they are flat, glabrous, have entire margins, and are obovate or lanceolate in ouecies include ornament and shading in public streets, wildlife habitat, windbreaks, and control of soil erosion.

This post is part of the Floral Friday Fotos meme.

XEROCAMPOS, CRETE, GREECE

Xerocampos in Crete is an unspoilt, remote and beautiful location in Eastern Crete, about 48 km from Sitia, 29 km from Palaikastro and 9 km from Zakros. The beaches at Xerocampos areideal for those people who wish to spend a quiet time in serene, beautiful surroundings, relaxing in the quietude and having a vacation away from all care and worry. The shallow, azure, clean waters of Xerocampos make it ideal for family holidays.

Xerocampos means "arid field" in Greece, and sure enough the landscape is scrubby and not by any means lush, yet has a wild beauty and one can find pockets of vegetation, orchards and olive groves.

This post is part of the ABC Wednesday meme,
and also part of the Outdoor Wednesday meme,
and also part of the Wordless Wednesday meme.

ARCHES NATIONAL PARK, USA

Arches National Park is a US National Park in eastern Utah. The park is adjacent to the Colorado River, 6 km north of Moab, Utah. It is home to over 2,000 natural sandstone arches, including the world-famous Delicate Arch (shown here), in addition to a variety of unique geological resources and formations. It contains the highest density of natural arches in the world.

The park consists of 310.31 km2 of high desert located in the Colorado Plateau. Its highest elevation is 1,723 m at Elephant Butte, and its lowest elevation is 1,245 m at the visitor centre. Forty-three arches are known to have collapsed since 1977. The park receives on average 250 mm of rain a year. Administered by the National Park Service, the area was originally named a National Monument on April 12, 1929. It was redesignated as a National Park on November 12, 1971.

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

LIFECYCLE

"For we are like seeds that are sown: We sprout and put down roots, reach up to the sun, and we grow. Our stems may be mown down many times, and yet we keep on growing and we flourish, and become stronger. We thrive on neglect and overcome floods and droughts, greening again and again so that we may be trampled. And when the time comes for us to set seed, we do so joyfully and we ripen it with hope. We then can die content for we have made the world a better place with our passing..." - NJV

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

MY SUNDAY BEST MEME #19 - GPO

Welcome to the meme, "My Sunday Best", which is a photographic and creative meme that allows you to showcase your talents in imaging. Every Sunday, you can post here showing an image you have created using your camera, (and/or) image processing software, and/or painting and drawing in the conventional way and have scanned in.

The rules are simple:
1) Create your image and post it up on your blog;
2) Put the "My Sunday Best" logo image link somewhere on your post so people can click and come by here;
3) Leave a comment here once you have posted;
4) Visit other posters' blogs and be amazed with their creativity!

Please do not use this meme to advertise your goods or services. This is a creative meme and any inappropriate links or comments shall be removed immediately!

This post is part of the My Sunday Photo meme,
and also part of the Photo Sunday meme,
and also part of the Weekend in Black and White meme.

Please leave your link below using the Mr Linky tool:

NEIGHBOURHOOD CAT

A neighbour's cat seems to like the fragrance of a blooming loquat tree...

This post is part of the Saturday Critters meme,
and also part of the Camera Critters meme,
and also part of the Floral Friday Fotos meme.

SUNRISE

From my window, one wintry morning...

This post is part of the Skywatch Friday meme,
and also part of the Friday Photo Journal meme,
and also part of the Orange you Glad It's Friday meme.

HELLEBORE

Helleborus niger, commonly called Christmas rose or black hellebore, is an evergreen perennial flowering plant in the buttercup family, Ranunculaceae. It is poisonous. Although the flowers resemble wild roses (and despite its common name), Christmas rose does not belong to the rose family (Rosaceae).

The plant is a traditional cottage garden favourite because it flowers in the depths of winter. Large-flowered cultivars are available, as are pink-flowered and double-flowered selections. It has been awarded an Award of Garden Merit (AGM).

It can be difficult to grow well; acid soil is unsuitable, as are poor, dry conditions and full sun. Moist, humus-rich, alkaline soil in dappled shade is preferable. Leaf-mould can be dug in to improve heavy clay or light sandy soils; lime can be added to 'sweeten' acid soils.

This post is part of the Floral Friday Fotos meme.

WEB

This post is part of the Outdoor Wednesday meme,
and also part of the Wordless Wednesday meme,
and also part of the ABC Wednesday meme.

HANNOVER & NEW CITY HALL

Hannover on the River Leine, is the capital and largest city of the German state of Lower Saxony (Niedersachsen), and was once by personal union the family seat of the Hanoverian Kings of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland, under their title as the dukes of Brunswick-Lüneburg (later described as the Elector of Hannover). At the end of the Napoleonic Wars, the Electorate was enlarged to become a Kingdom with Hannover as its capital.

From 1868 to 1946 Hannover was the capital of the Prussian Province of Hannover and afterwards of the Hannover administrative region until that was abolished in 2005. It is now the capital of the Land of Lower Saxony. Since 2001 it has been part of the Hannover district (Region Hannover), which is a municipal body made up of the former district (Landkreis Hannover) and city of Hannover.

With a population of 518,000, Hannover is a major centre of Northern Germany and the country's thirteenth largest city. Hannover hosts annual commercial trade fairs such as the Hanover Fair and the CeBIT. Every year Hannover hosts the Schützenfest Hannover, the world's largest marksmen's festival, and the Oktoberfest Hannover, the second largest festival of its kind in Germany. In 2000, Hannover hosted the world fair Expo 2000. The Hannover fairground, due to numerous extensions, especially for the Expo 2000, is the largest in the world.

Hannover is of national importance because of its universities and medical school, its international airport and its large zoo. The city is also a major crossing point of railway lines and highways (Autobahnen), connecting European main lines in both the east-west (Berlin–Ruhr area) and north-south (Hamburg–Munich, etc.) directions.

The New Town Hall (German: Neues Rathaus) or New City Hall in Hannover, is a city hall and was opened on July 20, 1913, after having been under construction for 12 years. It is a magnificent, castle-like building of the era of Wilhelm II in eclectic style at the southern edge of the inner city (outside of the historic city centre of Hannover). The building is embedded in the 10 hectare Maschpark. The Old Town Hall is no longer used as the main seat of administration, but houses businesses and the registry office.

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

WINTER FLOWERS

We are fortunate in Melbourne as our Winter is quite mild. Hence, many flowers are still blooming in our gardens and in the fields. The mosaic below shows some common flowers that are blossoming right now. Beginning in the upper left and progressing clockwise:
Nemesia; Bacopa; Oxalis; Blue Hibiscus; Japonica; Jonquils; Lobelia. In the background you can see some marigolds.

This post is part of the Mosaic Monday meme,
and also part of the Monday Mellow Yellows meme,
and also part of the Macro Monday meme,
and also part of the Through my Lens meme,
and also part of the Seasons meme.

MY SUNDAY BEST MEME #18 - FOG

Welcome to the meme, "My Sunday Best", which is a photographic and creative meme that allows you to showcase your talents in imaging. Every Sunday, you can post here showing an image you have created using your camera, (and/or) image processing software, and/or painting and drawing in the conventional way and have scanned in.

The rules are simple:
1) Create your image and post it up on your blog;
2) Put the "My Sunday Best" logo image link somewhere on your post so people can click and come by here;
3) Leave a comment here once you have posted;
4) Visit other posters' blogs and be amazed with their creativity!

Please do not use this meme to advertise your goods or services. This is a creative meme and any inappropriate links or comments shall be removed immediately!

This post is part of the My Sunday Photo meme,

and also part of the Scenic Weekends meme.

Please leave your link below using the Mr Linky tool:

MORDIALLOC CREEK

Mordialloc, also known simply as Mordi, is a suburb in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 24 km south-east of Melbourne's central business district. Its local government area is the City of Kingston. At the 2011 census, Mordialloc had a population of 7,537.

The name is derived from the term moordy yallock which originated from the Aboriginal language Boonwurrung, which is listed in some sources as meaning 'muddy creek', and in others as 'little sea'.

Mordialloc Post Office opened on 17 October 1863. In 1995 it was renamed Braeside Business Centre, and a new Mordialloc office opened near the railway station. Mordialloc Creek is arguably the most significant feature of the suburb. Home to Pompei's boat works, Mordialloc Creek has a rich history of traditional wooden boat building. Many classic boats line the banks of the creek.

This post is part of the Weekend Reflections meme,

and also part of the Scenic Weekends meme.

LICHEN

A lichen is a composite organism that arises from algae or cyanobacteria living among filaments of multiple fungi in a symbiotic relationship. The combined lichen has properties different from those of its component organisms and confer upon both partners benefits that aid their survival.

Lichens come in many colours, sizes, and forms. The properties are sometimes plant-like, but lichens are not plants. Lichens may have tiny, leafless branches (fruticose), flat leaf-like structures (foliose), flakes that lie on the surface like peeling paint (crustose), or other growth forms.

This post is part of the Weekend Green meme,
and also part of the Friday Photo Journal meme.

ONCIDIUM ORCHID

Oncidium, abbreviated as Onc. in the horticultural trade, is a genus that contains about 330 species of orchids from the subtribe Oncidiinae of the orchid family (Orchidaceae).It is distributed across much of South America, Central America, Mexico and the West Indies, with one species (O. ensatum) extending into Florida. Common names for plants in this genus include dancing-lady orchid and golden shower orchid.

The cultivar illustrated here is Oncidium Gower Ramsey "Lemon Heart". There is the pure yellow mass effect, justifying the common name "golden shower", but when one looks closer one can see greenish stripes on the petals and dorsal sepals.

This post is part of the Floral Friday Fotos meme.

VOLGA RIVER

The Volga (Russian: Во́лга) is the longest river in Europe. It is also Europe's largest river in terms of discharge and watershed, with a length of 3,692 km. The river flows through central Russia and into the Caspian Sea, and is widely regarded as the national river of Russia. Eleven of the twenty largest cities of Russia, including the capital, Moscow, are located in the Volga's watershed. Some of the largest reservoirs in the world can be found along the Volga. The river has a symbolic meaning in Russian culture and is often referred to as Волга-матушка Volga-Matushka (Mother Volga) in Russian literature and folklore.

The Russian hydronym Volga (Волга) derives from Proto-Slavic *vòlga "wetness, moisture", which is preserved in many Slavic languages, including Ukrainian volóha (воло́га) "moisture", Russian vlaga (влага) "moisture", Bulgarian vlaga (влага) "moisture", Czech vláha "dampness", Serbian vlȁga "moisture", and Slovene vlaga "moisture" among others.

The Volga has many tributaries, most importantly the rivers Kama, the Oka, the Vetluga, and the Sura. The Volga and its tributaries form the Volga river system, which flows through an area of about 1,350,000 square kilometres in the most heavily populated part of Russia. The Volga Delta has a length of about 160 kilometres and includes as many as 500 channels and smaller rivers. The largest estuary in Europe, it is the only place in Russia where pelicans, flamingos, and lotuses may be found. The Volga freezes for most of its length for three months each year.

The Volga drains most of Western Russia. Its many large reservoirs provide irrigation and hydroelectric power. The Moscow Canal, the Volga–Don Canal, and the Volga–Baltic Waterway form navigable waterways connecting Moscow to the White Sea, the Baltic Sea, the Caspian Sea, the Sea of Azov and the Black Sea. High levels of chemical pollution have adversely affected the river and its habitats.

This post is part of the Travel Tuesday meme,
and also part of the Wednesday Waters meme,
and also part of the Outdoor Wednesday meme,
and also part of the Wordless Wednesday meme,
and also part of the ABC Wednesday meme.

Mother Volga statue facing the Rybinsk reservoir on the Volga River.

Tver on the Volga

River views between Moscow and Uglich: The flooded city of Kalyazin bell tower

Ilia Efimovich Repin (1844-1930) - Volga Boatmen (1870-1873). A burlak (Russian: бурла́к) was a person who hauled barges and other vessels upstream from the 17th to 20th centuries in the Russian Empire. Burlaks appeared in Russia at the end of 16th century and beginning of the 17th century. With the expansion of freight-hauling, the number of burlaks increased.

Song of the Volga Boatmen sung by the Red Army Chorus:

BRIGHTON UK, ROYAL PAVILION

Brighton is a seaside resort on the south coast of England. It is part of the ceremonial county of East Sussex, within the historic county of Sussex. Archaeological evidence of settlement in the area dates back to the Bronze Age, Roman and Anglo-Saxon periods.The town's importance grew in the Middle Ages as the Old Town developed, but it languished in the early modern period, affected by foreign attacks, storms, a suffering economy and a declining population.

Brighton began to attract more visitors following improved road transport to London and becoming a boarding point for boats travelling to France. The town also developed in popularity as a health resort for sea bathing as a purported cure for illnesses. In the Georgian era, Brighton developed as a fashionable seaside resort, encouraged by the patronage of the Prince Regent, later King George IV, who spent much time in the town and constructed the Royal Pavilion in the Regency era. Brighton continued to grow as a major centre of tourism following the arrival of the railways in 1841, becoming a popular destination for day-trippers from London.

The Royal Pavilion, also known as the Brighton Pavilion, is a former royal residence located in Brighton, England. Beginning in 1787, it was built in three stages as a seaside retreat for George, Prince of Wales, who became the Prince Regent in 1811. It is built in the Indo-Saracenic style prevalent in India for most of the 19th century. The current appearance of the Pavilion, with its domes and minarets, is the work of architect John Nash, who extended the building starting in 1815.

Between 1815 and 1822 the designer John Nash redesigned and greatly extended the Pavilion, and it is his work that is still visible today. The palace is striking in the middle of Brighton, for its Indo-Islamic exterior is unique. The fanciful interior design, primarily by Frederick Crace and the little-known decorative painter Robert Jones, was heavily influenced by both Chinese and Indian fashion (with Mughal and Islamic architectural elements). It is a prime example of the exoticism that was an alternative to more classicising mainstream taste in the Regency style.

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