AT DAWN

This post is part of the Skywatch Friday meme,

and also part of the Friday Photo Journal meme.

DESKTOP 1856 - MAGNOLIAS

Magnolia liliiflora (variously known by many names, including Mulan magnolia, purple magnolia, red magnolia, lily magnolia, tulip magnolia, Jane magnolia and woody-orchid) is a small tree native to southwest China (in Sichuan and Yunnan), but cultivated for centuries elsewhere in China and also Japan. It was first introduced to English-speaking countries from cultivated Japanese origins, and is thus also sometimes called Japanese magnolia, though it is not native to Japan. It is now also planted as an ornamental in North America and Europe, though rather less often than its popular hybrid (see below).

It is a deciduous shrub, exceptionally a small tree, to 4m tall (smaller than most other magnolias), and blooms profusely in early spring with large pink to purple showy flowers, before the leaf buds open.The cultivar 'Nigra', with flowers much deeper in colour than the species, has gained the Royal Horticultural Society's Award of Garden Merit.  This species is one of the parents of the very popular hybrid Saucer magnolia, M. × soulangeana, the other parent being the Yulan magnolia, M. denudata.

This post is part of the Floral Friday Fotos meme.

DESKTOP 1855 - HOBART, AUSTRALIA

Hobart is the state capital and most populous city of the Australian island state of Tasmania. Founded in 1804 as a penal colony, Hobart is Australia's second oldest capital city after Sydney. In 2009, the city had a greater area population of approximately 212,019. A resident of Hobart is known as a "Hobartian". The city is located in the state's south-east on the estuary of the Derwent River. The skyline is dominated by Mount Wellington at 1,271 metres (4,170 ft) high.

The city is the financial and administrative heart of Tasmania, also serving as the home port for both Australian and French Antarctic operations. Hobart was named Australia's 6th most sustainable city, by the Australian Conservation Foundation in 2010. For economic and social innovation, Hobart was the 11th placed in Australia in 2009, and listed as an innovation influencer city in the Innovation Cities Global Index scoring equal with Reykjavik, Katowice and Casablanca by 2thinknow.

This post is part of the Wordless Wednesday meme,

and also part of the ABC Wednesday meme.

DESKTOP 1854 - IOANNINA GREECE

Ioannina (Greek: Ιωάννινα), often called Yannena (Γιάννενα) within Greece, is the capital and largest city of the Ioannina regional unit and of Epirus, an administrative region in north-western Greece. Its population is 112,486, according to 2011 census. It lies at an elevation of approximately 500 metres (1,640 feet) above sea level, on the western shore of lake Pamvotis (Παμβώτις). Ioannina is located 410 km (255 mi) northwest of Athens, 260 kilometres (162 miles) southwest of Thessaloniki and 80 km (50 miles) east of the port of Igoumenitsa in the Ionian Sea.

Ioannina Island (Greek: Νήσος Ιωαννίνων), shown here, is an island in Lake of Pamvotis. Its area is 0,2 km2, with biggest length 800 meters and biggest width 500 meters. Until the 2011 reform of local government, it was a community within the Ioannina regional unit. Its population in 2001 was 347 and in 2011 was 219. It is reached by boat from the city of Ioannina or by ferry from the nearby shore.

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

DESKTOP 1853 - BERRIES

Nandina, Indian Hawthorn and Mistletoe berries in Winter...

This post is part of the Mosaic Monday 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.

DESKTOP 1852 - DOWN BY THE RIVER

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

DESKTOP 1851 - FLYING DUCKS

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

DESKTOP 1850 - AUGUST SKY

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

DESKTOP 1849 - ROSE GERANIUM

Pelargonium graveolens is an uncommon Pelargonium species native to the Cape Provinces and the Northern Provinces of South Africa, Zimbabwe and Mozambique. It is in the subgenus Pelargonium along with Pelargonium crispum, Pelargonium tomentosum and Pelargonium capitatum.

Pelargonium graveolens is an erect, multi-branched shrub, that grows up to 1.5 m and has a spread of 1 m. The leaves are deeply incised, velvety and soft to the touch (due to glandular hairs). The flowers vary from pale pink to almost white and the plant flowers from August to January. The leaves may be strongly rose-scented, although the leaf shape and scent vary. Some plants are very strongly scented and others have little or no scent. Some leaves are deeply incised and others less so, being slightly lobed like P. capitatum.

This post is part of the Floral Friday Fotos meme.

DEKTOP 1848 - GRANADA

Granada is the capital city of the province of Granada, in the autonomous community of Andalusia, Spain. Granada is located at the foot of the Sierra Nevada mountains, at the confluence of four rivers, the Beiro, the Darro, the Genil and the Monachil. It sits at an average elevation of 738 metres above sea level, yet is only one hour by car from the Mediterranean coast, the Costa Tropical. Nearby is the Sierra Nevada Ski Station, where the FIS Alpine World Ski Championships 1996 were held.

In the 2005 national census, the population of the city of Granada proper was 236,982, and the population of the entire urban area was estimated to be 472,638, ranking as the 13th-largest urban area of Spain. About 3.3% of the population did not hold Spanish citizenship, the largest number of these people (31%; or 1% of the total population) coming from South America. Its nearest airport is Federico García Lorca Granada-Jaén Airport.

This post is part of the Wordless Wednesday meme,

and also part of the ABC Wednesday meme,

and also part of the Nature Notes meme.

DEKTOP 1847 - PERTH

Perth City in Western Australia is situated between the Darling Ranges and the Indian Ocean, and along the banks of the Swan River, 12 km from the ocean. The river is named after the famous black swans which can be found along the river. The city is bound by the river to the east and south. To the west of the city is Kings Park, which has over 400 hectares of natural Australian bush overlooking the city center and the Swan River.

The Swan River weaves its way through the metropolitan area to the Port of Fremantle, which has many beautiful houses, restaurants, and recreational areas along its banks. The river provides an ideal opportunity for the locals to enjoy the beautiful weather and participate in many different water sports such as boating, sailing, water skiing, wind surfing, rowing, fishing, parasailing, swimming, jet skiing, or just cruising the river on one of the many ferries.

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,

and also part of the Blue Monday meme.

DESKTOP 1846 - SEASONS

This post is part of the Mosaic Monday 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.

DESKTOP 1845 - GIRAFFES

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

DESKTOP 1844 - DUCKPOND

This post is part of the Weekend Reflections meme.

DESKTOP 1843 - WATTLE

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

DESKTOP 1842 - PEACH BLOSSOM

The peach (Prunus persica) is a deciduous tree, native to Northwest China, in the region between the Tarim Basin and the north slopes of the Kunlun Shan mountains, where it was first domesticated and cultivated. It bears an edible juicy fruit also called a peach or a nectarine.

 

The specific epithet persica refers to its widespread cultivation in Persia, whence it was transplanted to Europe. It belongs to the genus Prunus which includes the cherry, apricot, almond and plum, in the rose family. The peach is classified with the almond in the subgenus Amygdalus, distinguished from the other subgenera by the corrugated seed shell.

 

Peach and nectarines are the same species, even though they are regarded commercially as different fruits. In contrast to peaches, whose fruits present the characteristic fuzz on the skin, nectarines are characterised by the absence of fruit-skin trichomes (fuzz-less fruit); genetic studies suggest nectarines are produced due to a recessive allele, whereas peaches are produced from a dominant allele for fuzzy skin. China is the world's largest producer of peaches.

 

This post is part of the Floral Friday Fotos meme.

DESKTOP 1841 - FLIGHT

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

DESKTOP 1840 - AEGINA, GREECE

Aegina is one of the Saronic Islands of Greece in the Saronic Gulf, 27 km from Athens. Tradition derives the name from Aegina, the mother of Aeacus, who was born on and ruled the island. During ancient times, Aegina was a rival to Athens, the great sea power of the era. The capital is the town of Aegina (population ≈8,000), situated at the northwestern end of the island. Due to its proximity to Athens, it is a popular quick getaway during the summer months, with quite a few Athenians owning second houses on the island.

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 1839 - RAINY DAY

This post is part of the Mosaic Monday 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.

DESKTOP 1838 - ROW, ROW, ROW...

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

DESKTOP 1837 - MORNING SWIM

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

DESKTOP 1836 - WINDY

We are experiencing several weeks with intermittent strong winds and relatively little rain lately. A great deal of damage has been done through this period with trees uprooted, roofs and fencing damaged, some walls collapsing and so on. Today we had a fatality with a tree falling on a car and killing the driver, a man in his early 30s. Gusts of wind can reach speeds of 100 km/hr...

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

DESKTOP 1835 - BUTTERFY BUSH

Butterfly Bush, or to give it its proper name, Clerodendrum myricoides 'Ugandense', is a spectacular plant, especially when the butterfly-shaped flowers cover it. Native to tropical Africa, Butterfly Bush is a sprawling evergreen shrub with a weak upright habit. It grows to 2m to 3 m tall in its native habitat. From Spring through Autumn the delicate and intricate flowers appear, suggestive of a butterfly in flight. Black, fleshy fruit follow the blooms.

It should be planted in part to full (coastal) sun and irrigated regularly. It is hardy to about -7˚C. It can be pruned back continually to keep the plant more compact. This species from East Africa (originally described in Kenya and not Uganda) will take rather cooler conditions than most tropical clerodendrums. No serious insect or disease problems. Watch for aphids and whitefly.

This post is part of the Floral Friday Fotos meme,

and also part of the Nature Notes meme.

DESKTOP 1834 - ELWOOD

Elwood is a suburb of Melbourne, Victoria, Australia, 8 km south of Melbourne's Central Business District. Its local government area is the City of Port Phillip. At the 2011 Census, Elwood had a population of 14,638. Elwood Beach is a popular bayside beach destination during summer, where the beaches are used recreationally for windsurfing, cycling, cricket and walking. The suburb has experienced ongoing gentrification, known for its mix of Edwardian and Interwar architecture character, its beaches and its leafy streets, many of which are lined by London Plane trees.

We lived in this suburb for quite a few years and this is where I went to High School, so I have some very good memories and it's always nice going back for a wander in its streets (yes, it has changed quite a lot...). Bike and walking paths by the sea are a great idea and do induce people to get out and do some exercise.

This post is part of the Wordless Wednesday meme,

and also part of the ABC Wednesday meme.

DESKTOP 1833 - SINGAPORE

Singapore, officially the Republic of Singapore, is a southeast Asian city-state off the southern tip of the Malay Peninsula, 137 kilometres north of the equator. An island country made up of 63 islands, it is separated from Malaysia by the Straits of Johor to its north and from Indonesia's Riau Islands by the Singapore Strait to its south. The country is highly urbanised with very little primary rainforest remaining, although more land is being created for development through land reclamation.

This post is part of the Travel Tuesday meme,

and also part of the Our World Tuesday meme,

and also part of the Ruby Tuesday meme,

and also part of the Wordless Wednesday meme.

DESKTOP 1832 - TRIO

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.

DESKTOP 1831 - BLOOD MOON

The lunar eclipse at the end of last month was the longest one of this century and visible in much of the world. The so-called "blood moon," when it turns a deep red, was visible at different times in Australia, Africa, Asia, Europe and South America on Saturday when the Sun, Earth and Moon lined up perfectly, casting Earth's shadow on the Moon.

This post is part of the My Sunday Best meme,

and also part of the My Sunday Photo meme,

and also part of the Photo Sunday meme.

DESKTOP 1830 - GEESE & DUCKS

A tranquil scene at the Studley Park Boathouse with some welcome company...

This post is part of the Saturday Critters meme,

and also part of the Camera Critters meme.

 

DESKTOP 1829 - BOLTE BRIDGE

View of the Bolte Bridge in Melbourne, spanning the Yarra River and Victoria Harbour in the Docklands precinct to the west of the Melbourne CBD. Construction took three years from 1996 to 1999 and cost $75 million.

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

DESKTOP 1828 - VIOLETS

"Forgiveness is the fragrance that the violet sheds on the heel that has crushed it." - Mark Twain

This post is part of the Floral Friday Fotos meme.

DESKTOP 1827 - DAWN

"Awake! for Morning in the Bowl of Night Has flung the Stone that puts the Stars to Flight."
Omar Khayyám

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