Thursday 31 January 2019

CROWEA

Crowea exalata, or Small Crowea, is a flowering plant in the family Rutaceae, which is native to the states of Queensland, New South Wales and Victoria in Australia. It is a small shrub growing to 1 metre tall. It is named after James Crowe, an 18th-19th century surgeon and botanist. The specific name exalata means without wings, referring to the lack of ridges on the stems - this is not a definitive characteristic.

This species flowers during most months of the year, resting only in extremes of heat and cold, and with flushes in autumn and spring. Pointed buds open to five-petalled starry flowers 2 cm across, in clear tints of rose purple. They are of a solid waxy substance, and make a vivid display for the size of the plant. Before falling they close again to look like buds of deeper pink. Propagation by cuttings is easy using tip growth (which is very soft in character), at a half-ripe stage.

Nurseries dealing in native plants usually stock this small shrub and it should be planted in light, lime-free soil. A position with some shade is desirable - otherwise the soil should be shaded in some way from hot sun. This may be done by surrounding the plant with 5-10 cm of leaves, bush litter or compost. Rocks make an attractive setting, and in fact this is a beautiful rockery subject. Pruning should be done to maintain bushy growth, or a straggly plant with bare stems may develop. The end of winter is a good time to do this - or any time when sprigs of cut flowers are wanted, as these are dainty and long-lasting in water.

This post is part of the Floral Friday Fotos meme.

Tuesday 29 January 2019

NEWHAVEN, PHILLIP ISLAND

Newhaven is a town in southern Victoria, in the south Gippsland region, 126 km SE of Melbourne, Australia. Located on Phillip Island, adjacent to the channel known as The Narrows, it is the town on the island side of the concrete 640 m bridge linking Phillip Island to the mainland. At the 2006 census, Newhaven had a population of 428. The Post Office opened on 1 January 1873 and closed in 1975.

The town's economy is primarily based on retirement living and tourism, and has a fine Yacht Club with marina. Atlantis Nereus tidal turbines are installed at Newhaven. In 1980, Newhaven College was established and Newhaven Primary School has been situated in Newhaven for a great number of years.

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.







Sunday 27 January 2019

MY SUNDAY BEST MEME #103 - CHALLENGE: INCONGRUOUS

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 according to the "CHALLENGE" theme, 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!
A road train or land train is a trucking vehicle of a type used in rural and remote areas of Australia and the United States and in Europe to move freight efficiently. It consists of two or more trailers or semi-trailers hauled by a prime mover.

The term road train is used in Australia. In contrast with a more common semi-trailer towing one trailer or semi-trailer, the prime mover of a road train hauls two or more trailers or semi-trailers. Australia has the longest and heaviest road-legal road trains in the world, weighing up to 200 tonnes. They transport freight across some of the harshest environments on Earth.

In the remote areas of the Outback, amongst the desert environment, where one may drive for a couple of hundred of kilometres and see no other traffic, the sound and sight of a Road Train can be quite an amazing experience. Nevertheless, in the middle of nowhere, the sight of such a huge vehicle can seem a little incongruous!

Last week the theme was "CITY" and Jeanna in the USA posted some photos of extreme weather in the city where she lives. The photo below was my favourite this week! Please visit her blog to see the other great photos!

Saturday 26 January 2019

IBIS & BAZA

The Australian white ibis (Threskiornis moluccus) is a wading bird of the ibis family, Threskiornithidae. It is widespread across much of Australia. Read more here.

The Pacific baza (Aviceda subcristata) also known as the crested hawk, is a slender, medium-sized hawk with a distinctive crest. Its upperside is mainly dark brown, with a grey head and yellow eyes. It is conspicuously barred white and dark brown on the breast and on the underside of the tail and flight feathers. Females are slightly larger than males. It is found in coastal and subcoastal areas of northern and eastern Australia, Wallacea, New Guinea and adjacent islands.

The Pacific baza has a distinctive hunting behaviour. When potential food is spotted in the treetops from above, the Pacific baza lifts its wings into a distinctive Vee shape and dives briskly into the canopy to devour its prey. It feeds on stick insects (especially when breeding) as well as other large insects, tree frogs, lizards, small birds and fruit. It nests high in forest and woodland trees, with a clutch size of 2-4.

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





Friday 25 January 2019

EVENING STAR

Venus is a scene stealer in the evening sky. On a moonless night, in a dark place with no light pollution, Venus sheds enough light to cast shadows!

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

Thursday 24 January 2019

MORNING GLORY

Ipomoea is the largest genus in the flowering plant family Convolvulaceae, with over 500 species. Most of these are called morning glories, but this can also refer to related genera. Those formerly separated in Calonyction (Greek καλός, kalos, good and νύκτα, nycta, night) are called moonflowers. The generic name is derived from the Greek words ιπς (ips) or ιπος (ipos), meaning "worm" or "bindweed," and όμοιος (homoios), meaning "resembling". It refers to their twining habit.

The genus occurs throughout the tropical and subtropical regions of the world, and comprises annual and perennial herbaceous plants, lianas, shrubs and small trees; most of the species are twining climbing plants. Ipomoea nil is a species of Ipomoea morning glory known by several common names, including picotee morning glory, ivy morning glory, and Japanese morning glory. It is native to most of the tropical world, and has been introduced widely.

It is cultivated as an attractive ornamental plant in many places, and the descendants of garden escapees now grow wild. This is a climbing annual herb with three-pointed leaves 3 to 8 centimeters long. The flowers are several centimeters wide and appear in various shades of blue, pink or rose, often with white stripes or edges or blends of colours. Common cultivars include 'Scarlet O'Hara', 'Early Call', and 'Rose Silk'.

This post is part of the Floral Friday Fotos meme.

Wednesday 23 January 2019

CAKE

I have fond memories of my grandmother baking Madeira cake, from a recipe she got from an English friend of hers. The cake has a firm yet light texture. It is eaten with tea or (occasionally) for breakfast and is traditionally flavoured with lemon. Dating back to an original recipe in the 18th or 19th century, Madeira cake is similar to a pound cake or yellow cake.

It is sometimes mistakenly thought to originate from the Madeira Islands; however, that is not the case as it was instead named after Madeira wine, a Portuguese wine from the islands, which was popular in England at the time and was often served with the cake.

MADEIRA CAKE
Ingredients, Cake
175 g butter, softened
160 g caster sugar
1 teaspoon lemon zest
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
3 eggs, at room temperature
115g self-raising flour
55g almond meal
60ml lemon juice
Ingredients, Lemon icing
230g icing sugar mixture, sifted
1 tablespoon lemon juice

Method
Preheat oven to 160°C. Grease and line the base and sides of an 8 x 20cm loaf pan.
Use an electric mixer to beat butter, sugar, lemon rind and cinnamon in a bowl until pale and creamy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add flour, almond meal and lemon juice and stir with a wooden spoon until just combined.
Spoon into the prepared pan and smooth the surface. Bake for 45 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean. Cool in pan for 5 minutes before turning onto a wire rack to cool completely.
To make icing, combine icing sugar and juice in a small bowl to form a runny paste. Pour over top of cake, allowing it to drizzle down the sides. Allow icing to set for 1 hour.
Serve with Madeira wine!

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

Tuesday 22 January 2019

WILSONS PROMONTORY

Wilsons Promontory is a peninsula that forms the southernmost part of the Australian mainland and is located in the state of Victoria. South Point at 39°08′06″S 146°22′32″E is the southernmost tip of Wilsons Promontory and hence also the southernmost tip of mainland Australia. Located at nearby South East Point, (39°07′S 146°a25′E) is the Wilsons Promontory Lighthouse. Most of the peninsula is protected by the Wilsons Promontory National Park and the Wilsons Promontory Marine National Park.

The first European to see the promontory was George Bass in January 1798. He initially referred to it as "Furneaux's Land" in his diary, believing it to be what Captain Furneaux had previously seen. But on returning to Port Jackson and consulting Matthew Flinders he was convinced that the location was so different it could not be that land. Bass and Flinders recommended the name Wilsons Promontory to Governor Hunter, honouring Flinders's friend from London Thomas Wilson. Little is known of Wilson except that he was a merchant engaged in trade with Australia.

The promontory has been a national park, to one degree or another, since 1898. Wilsons Promontory National Park, also known locally as "the Prom", contains the largest coastal wilderness area in Victoria. The site was closed to the public during World War II, as it was used as a commando training ground. The only settlement within Wilsons Promontory is Tidal River which lies 30 kilometres south of the park boundary and is the focus for tourism and recreation. This park is managed by Parks Victoria.

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.




Sunday 20 January 2019

MY SUNDAY BEST MEME #102 - CHALLENGE: CITY

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 according to the "CHALLENGE" theme, 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!
Looking towards the southeast in Melbourne, one can see the Yarra River, and the skyscrapers in Southbank dominated by the tallest one there, the Eureka Tower.

Last week the theme was "PUBLIC TRANSPORT" and Taken for Granted in the USA posted a great candid photo of a train interior. The photo below was my favourite this week! Please visit his blog to see the other great photos!

Thursday 17 January 2019

POOR MAN'S ORCHID

Schizanthus also called butterfly flower, fringeflower, poor-man's-orchid, is a genus of plants in the nightshade family, Solanaceae. They are annual or biennial herbaceous plants, with attractive flowers and they belong to the subfamily Schizanthoideae of the Solanaceae. The genus includes species native to Chile and Argentina, many species are adventitious in other parts of the world such as New Zealand and the United States.

Plant the seedlings in rich, well-drained soil where they will get morning sun and afternoon shade. Poor man’s orchid is a relatively rapid grower, and will soon reach its full height of 40 cm, branching out into a fluffy bush. While poor man’s orchids do well in shaded beds, they thrive in planters, hanging pots and indoor windows. Place them where they will receive cool breezes and morning sun, then move the pots to a shaded spot in the afternoon. Wait until the soil is almost dry before watering each time, as the roots are subject to rot if they stay too moist.

This post is part of the Floral Friday Fotos meme.

Tuesday 15 January 2019

MORNINGTON, AUSTRALIA

Mornington is a seaside town on the Mornington Peninsula, Victoria, located 57 km south-east of Melbourne's central business district. It is in the Local Government Area of the Shire of Mornington Peninsula. Mornington is known for its "village" atmosphere and its beautiful beaches. Mornington is a popular tourist destination with Melburnians who often make day trips to visit the area's bay beaches and wineries.

The Post Office opened on 21 May 1856 as Schnapper Point and was renamed Mornington in 1864. The town centre runs into the foreshore area and local beach, which features a yacht club, restaurant and park with playground facilities. Mornington is an attractive destination for shopping and features some excellent restaurants and cafes. The north of Mornington is also home to several horse breeders and stables.

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.






Sunday 13 January 2019

MY SUNDAY BEST MEME #101 - CHALLENGE: PUBLIC TRANSPORT

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 according to the "CHALLENGE" theme, 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!
Southern Cross Station is the most important rail terminal in Victoria and has been redeveloped into a world-class public transport interchange, with fast rail connections to regional Victorian centres and new facilities for rail, taxi and bus passengers. Now more than just a railway station, Southern Cross Station is a combination railway, shopping centre and bus terminal. The shopping centre includes supermarkets, DFO - Direct Factory Outlet and over 100 other shops, bars and restaurants.

On Spencer Street between Collins and La Trobe Streets at the western boundary of the central business district, it is the hub of the state's regional railway network, serving as a terminus for long-distance V/Line trains. It also serves the twice-daily Countrylink XPT service to Sydney, and The Overland to Adelaide three times per week. It has a bus station with 24-hour Skybus service to Melbourne airport.

Southern Cross is one of five stations forming the City Loop, a mostly underground railway that encircles the CBD. Southern Cross and Flinders Street are the only stations in the Loop that are above ground.

Last week the theme was "PEOPLE" and Klara in Poland posted a wonderful set of photos on the celebration of the Epiphany in her homeland. The photo below was my favourite! Please visit her blog to see the other great photos!

BLACK

While visiting Denver many years ago, I snapped this shot of a wistful child on a Free Mall Bus.

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

Saturday 12 January 2019

TAWNY FROGMOUTH

The tawny frogmouth (Podargus strigoides) is a species of frogmouth native to and found throughout the Australian mainland and Tasmania. Tawny frogmouths are big-headed, stocky birds often mistaken for owls due to their nocturnal habits and similar colouring. The tawny frogmouth is sometimes incorrectly referred to as "mopoke", a common name for the southern boobook, whose call is often confused with the tawny frogmouth's.

Tawny frogmouths are large, big-headed birds that can measure from 34 to 53 cm long. Weights have been recorded up to 680 g in the wild (and perhaps even more in captivity), but these are exceptionally high. Tawny frogmouths are stocky and compact with rounded wings and short legs. They have wide, heavy, olive-grey to blackish bills that are hooked at the tip and topped with distinctive tufts of bristles. Their eyes are large, yellow, and frontally placed, a trait shared by owls.

One of the best examples of cryptic plumage and mimicry in Australian birds is seen in the tawny frogmouth which perch low on tree branches during the day camouflaged as part of the tree. Their silvery-grey plumage patterned with white, black, and brown streaks and mottles allows them to freeze into the form of a broken tree branch and become practically invisible in broad daylight. The tawny frogmouth often chooses a broken part of a tree branch and perches upon it with its head thrust upwards at an acute angle using its very large, broad beak to emphasise the resemblance.

This post is part of the Saturday Critters meme.


Friday 11 January 2019

DAY & NIGHT

The Arts Centre precinct in Southbank, Melbourne, by day and by night. The round building is the concert hall and under the spire is the state theatre.

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


Thursday 10 January 2019

CELOSIA

Celosia is a small genus of edible and ornamental plants in the amaranth family, Amaranthaceae. The generic name is derived from the Greek word κηλος (kelos), meaning "burned," and refers to the flame-like flower heads. Species are commonly known as woolflowers, or, if the flower heads are crested by fasciation, cockscombs. The plants are well known in East Africa’s highlands and are used under their Swahili name, mfungu

Celosia 'Intenz' (Celosia caracus) seen here, has a vibrant magenta colour on spiky blooms and sought-after texture to add to mixed containers. Intenz is also versatile, able to be planted in patio pots, landscapes or used as a pot plant indoors. It performs well in full-sun with a long flowering time for home gardeners. It is a low-maintenance plant with high appeal.

This post is part of the Floral Friday Fotos meme.

Wednesday 9 January 2019

ART

The National Gallery of Victoria (NGV) is an art gallery and museum in Melbourne, Australia. Founded in 1861, it is the oldest and the largest public art gallery in Australia. Since December 2003, NGV has operated across two sites. The main gallery, known as NGV International, is located on St Kilda Road, in the heart of the Melbourne Arts Precinct of Southbank, with a branch gallery at Federation Square.

To see more of the works summarised below in the mosaic, see the relevant post in my other blog, or better still, why not go and visit the Gallery yourself?

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

Tuesday 8 January 2019

EATING OUT IN ATHENS

Greeks love their food and furthermore, they love eating out. Whether it's a hasty "koulouri" (bagel with sesame seeds) grabbed from a street vendor in the morning, "souvlaki" (grilled meat pieces with salad wrapped in pita bread) for lunch, or a sit down meal in a taverna with "mezedhes" (hors d'oeuvres), salads, grilled meats, fish and shellfish, the meals are varied, delicious and generally good for you.

As far as the sweets are concerned, Greeks have a sweet tooth and a huge selection of traditional "glyka" (sweets) can be found everywhere, as well as an enormous variety of international favourites: Gateaux, tarts, biscuits, waffles, ice cream cakes, muffins, etc. A variety of fast food outlets, street vendors, cafés, restaurants, tavernas, bars, high class haunts and popular, cheap outlets can be found all over the Greek capital.

Dining outside for most of the year is not only possible but desirable given the equable climate. You can choose traditional or modern, regional or Athenian cuisine, seafood, meat fare or vegetarian, as well as a variety of international restaurants, if so inclined.

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.