STORMY FLIGHT

Taking off into the stormy skies, it's comforting to know that in Australia the most regulated industry is civil aviation!

This post is part of the Skywatch Friday meme.

CHRYSANTHEMUM SEASON

The chrysanthemums have started to bloom in our garden again this. A sure sign of Autumn coming. Chrysanthemums, often called mums or chrysanths, are perennial flowering plants of the genus Chrysanthemum in the family Asteraceae which are native to Asia and northeastern Europe. About 30 species have been described.

This post is part of the Floral Friday Fotos meme.

AFTER THE RAIN

We are seeing some Autumn weather with a few rains and drop in temperatures in Melbourne. At the weekend, summertime ends and the clocks go back to normal. Summer is well and truly over...

This post is part of the Water World Wednesday meme.

TUBEROUS BEGONIA

Tuberous begonias (Begonia × tuberhybrida Voss) are a group of Begonia cultivars, regarded as some of the most spectacular of the genus. One of the first hybrids produced was B. x sedenii in 1870, a cross between B. boliviensis, collected by botanist Richard Pearce and a species from the Andes. Another species from Peru, B.davisii (named after Walter Davis), was also used in early breeding. The nomenclature of these begonia hybrids is variable and sometimes confusing.

Tuberous begonias grow best in partial shade or filtered sunlight. Excessive exposure to sunlight can result in burnt flowers and leaves. However, too much shade will result in lush foliage and few flowers. They can give rise spectacular displays of large, showy clusters of flowers and they can be very rewarding to grow.

This post is part of the Nature Footsteps Floral Macros meme,
and also part of the Ruby Tuesday meme.

AN ORANGE KAYAK ON THE YARRA

A very quiet Easter Saturday on the banks of the Yarra River, close to the Princess Bridge. An orange kayak shines out. I couldn't resist the temptation to selectively alter the colours and make the scene a more spectacular orange sunset!

This post is part of the Mandarin Orange Monday meme.

HEAVENLY LIGHT

PSALM 97:

1 The Lord reigneth; let the earth rejoice; let the multitude of isles be glad thereof.

² Clouds and darkness are round about him: righteousness and judgment are the habitation of his throne.

³ A fire goeth before him, and burneth up his enemies round about.

⁴ His lightnings enlightened the world: the earth saw, and trembled.

⁵ The hills melted like wax at the presence of the Lord, at the presence of the Lord of the whole earth.

⁶ The heavens declare his righteousness, and all the people see his glory.

⁷ Confounded be all they that serve graven images, that boast themselves of idols: worship him, all ye gods.

⁸ Zion heard, and was glad; and the daughters of Judah rejoiced because of thy judgments, O Lord.

⁹ For thou, Lord, art high above all the earth: thou art exalted far above all gods.

¹⁰ Ye that love the Lord, hate evil: he preserveth the souls of his saints; he delivereth them out of the hand of the wicked.

¹¹ Light is sown for the righteous, and gladness for the upright in heart.

¹² Rejoice in the Lord, ye righteous; and give thanks at the remembrance of his holiness.

This post is part of the Psalm Sunday meme.

Happy Easter if you are celebrating it today!

JAMA MASJID, OLD DELHI

The Masjid-i Jahān-Numā (the 'World-reflecting Mosque'), commonly known as the Jama Masjid of Delhi, is the principal mosque of Old Delhi in India. Commissioned by the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan,built this mosque in the year 1650 AD and completed in the year 1656 AD, it is the largest and best-known mosque in India. It lies at the beginning of the Chawri Bazar Road, a very busy central street of Old Delhi.The later name, Jama Masjid, refers to the weekly Friday noon congregation prayers of Muslims, Jummah, which are usually done in a mosque, the "congregational mosque" or "jāmi' masjid". The courtyard of the mosque can hold up to twenty-five thousand worshippers. The mosque also houses several relics in a closet in the north gate, including an antique copy of the Qur'an written on deer skin.

This post is part of the Weekend in Black & White meme,
and also part of the Weekly TopShot meme.

SYDNEY FROM THE AIR

Sometimes the clouds part just at the right time and sunlight from the rising sun converts the scene below into a golden stage ready for all sorts of magical action!

This post is part of the Skywatch Friday meme.

CONVOLVULUS SABATIUS

Convolvulus sabatius, or blue rock bindweed, is a species of flowering plant in the family Convolvulaceae, native to Italy and North Africa, and often seen in cultivation. It is a woody-stemmed trailing perennial plant, growing to 20 cm in height. It has slightly hairy leaves and light blue to violet flowers, often with a lighter centre, which are 2.5–5 cm in diameter.

This species is often sold under the synonymous name C. mauritanicus. Although a perennial, it is best treated as an annual in colder climates. It is suited to window boxes and containers and prefers a sunny situation with good drainage. Tip pruning encourages new growth and flowering. It has gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit.

This post is part of the Floral Friday Fotos meme.

BEACH IN RHODES

Rhodes is an island in Greece, located in the eastern Aegean Sea. It is the largest of the Dodecanese islands in terms of both land area and population, with a population of 115,490 (2011 census), and also the island group's historical capital. The principal town of the island and seat of the municipality is Rhodes. The city of Rhodes had 50,636 inhabitants in 2011. It is located northeast of Crete, southeast of Athens and southwest of the Anatolian coast in Turkey. Historically, Rhodes was famous worldwide for the Colossus of Rhodes, one of the Seven Wonders of the Ancient World. The medieval Old Town of the City of Rhodes has been declared a World Heritage Site. Today, it is one of the most popular tourist destinations in Europe.

This post is part of the Water World Wednesday meme,
and also part of the Outdoor Wednesday meme.