DESKTOP 2829 - KOOKABURRA

A silhouette of a kookaburra on a gum tree at sunset in the outback. How more Australian can you get?

This post is part of the Skywatch Friday meme.

DESKTOP 2828 - BRACHYSCOME

Brachyscome is a genus of flowering plants in the aster family, Asteraceae. Most are endemic to Australia, and a few occur in New Zealand and New Guinea. These are annual and perennial herbs and small shrubs. Species have a basal rosette of leaves and/or leaves alternately arranged on the stem. The blades are entire or divided. The flower heads are solitary or borne in small corymbs. The head has a row of ray florets in shades of white, blue, pink, or mauve, and yellow disc florets.

This post is part of the Floral Friday Fotos meme.

DESKTOP 2827 - TINY TOADSTOOLS

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.

DESKTOP 2826 - 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.

DESKTOP 2825 - COLD NIGHT

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

DESKTOP 2824 - OFFERING

It's Anzac Day here in Australia today and it's a day of memories and memorials, peace-making and commemoration of all who died in conflicts. While walking I saw this offering on a garden wall - a thoughtful gesture, a mark of respect, a simple memorial to the fallen. Lest we forget...

This post is part of the My Sunday Best meme.

DESKTOP 28223 - DUCKS

BY the Saturday Critters meme.

DESKTOP 2822 - TROPICAL

This post is part of the Skywatch Friday meme.

DESKTOP 2821 - SUNRISE SILHOUETTES

This post is part of the Skywatch Friday meme.

DESKTOP 2820 - LUSH GRASS

Autumn and Winter in Southeastern Australia brings a greening touch to the landscape as the rains come. Grasslands and pastures are filled with lush grass and the evergreen gum trees are rejuvenated. Wattles bloom and quite a large rang of flowers bloom in both bush and gardens.

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.

DESKTOP 2819 - POROS, GREECE

The island of Poros is situated off the East coast of the Peloponnesus, a stone’s throw away from the little coastal town of Galatas.  Less than an hour’s journey from Athens' port, Piraeus, on the Flying Dolphin hovercraft, it is a magical place to visit, exemplifying in many ways the picture of a Greek island most people have in their imagination. 

 

It is a small place, in reality two islands that are joined together by a short isthmus. The smaller of the two is Sphaeria, and the larger one Calavria. Ancient settlements on both islands are known from references in ancient authors, but little now remains in the form of ruins. A few slabs of marble from a temple of Poseidon on a wind-blown hill surrounded by pine trees, schinum bushes and yellow stubbly summer-dried grass is enough to evoke ancient mysteries while one gazes at the deepest azure of the sea stretching out to the horizon.

Swimming in the sea while the heat is at its most intense is easily accomplished at any of a hundred or more suitable places all around the coast. A little to the North of the Neorion bay about 100 meters from the main road joining the two islands is an enchanting little cove, “Love Bay”. The water is an aqueous greenish blue, crystal clear, reflecting the overhanging pine boughs from the trees that grow almost to the water’s edge.

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.

DESKTOP 2818 - AUTUMN

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

DESKTOP 2817 - AUTUMN LEAVES

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

DESKTOP 2816 - CORMORANT

This post is part of the Saturday Critters meme.

DESKTOP 2815 - SKY & BIRD

This post is part of the Skywatch Friday meme.

DESKTOP 2814 - BUTTERCUP

A lone, unseasonable buttercup blooming in mid-Autumn!

This post is part of the Floral Friday Fotos meme

DESKTOP 2813 - ROCK, WATER, LEAF

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.

DESKTOP 2812 - PUERTO VALLARTA, MEXICO

Puerto Vallarta is a Mexican beach resort city situated on the Pacific Ocean’s Bahía de Banderas. The 2010 census reported Puerto Vallarta’s population as 255,725 making it the fifth largest city in the state of Jalisco, and the second largest urban agglomeration in the state after the Guadalajara Metropolitan Area. The City of Puerto Vallarta is the government seat of the Municipality of Puerto Vallarta, which comprises the city as well as population centres outside of the city extending from Boca de Tomatlán to the Nayarit border (the Ameca River). The city is located at 20°40′N 105°16′W.

 

Puerto Vallarta is named after Ignacio Vallarta, a former governor of Jalisco. In Spanish, Puerto Vallarta is frequently shortened to “Vallarta”, while English speakers call the city P.V. for short.Puerto Vallarta was once named as La ciudad más amigable del mundo (The Friendliest City in the World), as the sign reads when entering from Nayarit. Today, the presence of numerous sidewalk touts selling time-shares and tequila render the city’s atmosphere more akin to tourist-heavy resorts like Cancun and Acapulco, but overall the city’s reputation remains relatively undiminished.

 

Tourism in Puerto Vallarta has increased steadily over the years and makes up for 50% of the city's economic activity. The high season for international tourism in Puerto Vallarta extends from late November through March (or later depending on the timing of the college Spring Break period in the USA.) The city is especially popular with US residents from the western U.S. because of the sheer number of direct flights between Puerto Vallarta and Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle, Denver and Phoenix. The city is also popular with tourists from western Canada with a number of direct scheduled and charter flights from western Canadian cities.

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.

DESKTOP 2811 - CREEK

The Darebin Creek flowing through the Darebin Parklands in suburban Melbourne.

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

DESKTOP 2810 - GREY

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

DESKTOP 2809 - BIRDS

Starlings on electricity wires.
Like notes on music manuscript paper!

This post is part of the Saturday Critters meme.

DESKTOP 2808 - WATTLE

Wattle blossoming in the sunshine. Guess we'd better make hay...

This post is part of the Skywatch Friday meme.

DEESKTOP 2807 - WILLOW-LEAF WATTLE

Acacia iteaphylla (F.Muell. ex Benth.) occurs naturally in South Australia extending from the Flinders Ranges across to the Gawler Ranges and the Eyre Peninsula. Commonly called Willow-leaf Wattle, this shapely decorative shrub is hardy and fast growing and flowers intermittently throughout the year with a peak flowering period in spring. It is versatile in its habit growing to a height of 2-4 m with some forms becoming upright, whilst others are pendulous and bushy.

 

The slender phyllodes of A. iteaphylla are from 50 -100 mm long and are broadly linear with a small gland at the base. They are blue-green in colour and arranged alternately, almost at right angles to the stems. The perfumed flower heads are produced in clusters of pale yellow balls which contrast pleasingly with the foliage. The buds are attractively enclosed by conspicuous pale, brown-tipped bracts. The flowers are followed by masses of flattened blue-green seed pods which become brown when mature.

 

A low growing form of A. iteaphylla has been recognised. It differs from other known forms in having low arching, slightly pendulous branches and grows to 0.5 m high by 4 m across. This plant, which originated as a variant in a batch of seedlings, has been registered as the cultivar Acacia 'Parsons Cascade'. To retain its low spreading growth habit the cultivar should be propagated only from cuttings as it will not necessarily breed true from seed.

 

Acacia iteaphylla grows best in a well drained sunny position. It is moderately frost tolerant and moderately salt tolerant. It can be propagated from cuttings taken between February and April. Seed germinates readily but should be scarified or treated with boiling water before sowing. Light pruning throughout the development of the plant will keep it vigorous and encourage bushiness. An application of a complete fertiliser in spring and a slow release fertiliser in autumn is also recommended.

 

Pests noted on A. iteaphylla are the acacia bug, which rasps the leaf tissue causing brown lesions to appear on leaves and stems, and scale insects. Chemical control of acacia bug is difficult as the insect is usually no longer present when the damage is noticed. Affected parts of the plant should be pruned out. Scale insects may be controlled by chemical means but low toxicity products should be selected. Consult a local horticultural specialist for advice.

This post is part of the Floral Friday Fotos meme.

DESKTOP 2806 - DANDELION

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.

DESKTOP 2805 - VALLADOLID, SPAIN

Valladolid is a city in Spain and the de facto capital of the autonomous community of Castile and León. It has a population of 309,714 people (2013 est.), making it Spain's 13th most populous municipality and northwestern Spain’s biggest city. Its metropolitan area ranks 20th in Spain with a population of 414,244 people in 23 municipalities. The city is situated at the confluence of the Pisuerga and Esgueva rivers 15 km before they join the Duero, and located within five winegrowing regions: Ribera del Duero, Rueda, Toro, Tierra de León, and Cigales.

 

Valladolid was originally settled in pre-Roman times by the Celtic Vaccaei people, and later the Romans themselves. It remained a small settlement until being re-established by King Alfonso VI of Castile as a Lordship for the Count Pedro Ansúrez in 1072. It grew to prominence in the Middle Ages as the seat of the Court of Castile and being endowed with fairs and different institutions as a collegiate church, University (1241), Royal Court and Chancery and the Royal Mint.

 

The Catholic Monarchs, Isabel I of Castile and Ferdinand II of Aragon, married in Valladolid in 1469 and established it as the capital of the Kingdom of Castile and later of united Spain. Christopher Columbus died in Valladolid in 1506, while authors Francisco de Quevedo and Miguel de Cervantes lived and worked in the city. The city was briefly the capital of Habsburg Spain under Phillip III between 1601 and 1606, before returning indefinitely to Madrid. The city then declined until the arrival of the railway in the 19th century, and with its industrialisation into the 20th century.

 

The Old Town is made up of a variety of historic houses, palaces, churches, plazas, avenues and parks, and includes the National Museum of Sculpture, the Museum of Contemporary Art Patio Herreriano or the Oriental Museum, as well as the houses of José Zorrilla and Cervantes which are open as museums. Among the events that are held each year in the city there is Holy Week, Valladolid International Film Week (Seminci), and the Theatre Festival and street arts (TAC).

 

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

DESKTOP 2804 - NUMEROLOGY

A collection of numbers, signs and numerals from my neighbourhood.

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

DESKTOP 2803 - STRAWFLOWERS

HAPPY EASTER TO ALL WHO CELEBRATE IT!

This post is part of the My Sunday Best meme.

DESKTOP 2802 - COOTS

This post is part of the Saturday Critters meme.

DESKTOP 2801 - SUNSET

This post is part of the Skywatch Friday meme.

DESKTOP 2800 - EASTER DAISIES

Easter (or Michaelmas) daisies (Aster novi-belgii) were once popular in gardens, but are less frequently seen now. They are herbaceous perennials with upright, much-branched stems on which masses of small daisies are produced in late summer and autumn. The flowers range in colour from white through pale lilac blue, mauve, purple and pink to deep reddish plum. They can be planted in mixed borders and can also be used effectively in beds on their own. The taller varieties often need staking, and are best planted at the back of garden beds.

 

A. novi-belgii was introduced from North America into Britain in 1710. In America they were called New York daisies, however, in England these plants bloomed at the same time as St Michael's Day is celebrated (September 29th), and so they became associated with the festival of Michaelmas and were given its name. In the Southern hemisphere where Easter is an Autumnal feast, the daisies bloom at about this time and hence the term "Easter Daisies".

 

These daisies are easy to grow. Plant them in full sun in a rich, moisture-retentive soil. When they die down in winter cut the dead stems back to ground level. When the new shoots appear in spring, apply a mulch of well-rotted manure or compost to which fertiliser has been added. Lift and divide the clumps every second or third year in winter.

 

This post is part of the Floral Friday Fotos meme.