DESKTOP 2669 - AQUARIUM

This post is part of the Saturday Critters meme.

DESKTOP 2668 - SKY PANORAMA

This post is part of the Skywatch Friday meme.

DESKTOP 2667 - SOWTHISTLE

Sonchus oleraceus, with many common names including common sowthistle, sow thistle, smooth sow thistle, annual sow thistle, hare's colwort, hare's thistle, milky tassel, milk thistle, soft thistle, or swinies, is a plant in the dandelion tribe within the daisy family. It is native to Europe and western Asia. Its specific epithet oleraceus means "vegetable/herbal". The common name 'sow thistle' refers to its attractiveness to swine, and the similarity of the leaf to younger thistle plants. The common name 'hare's thistle' refers to its purported beneficial effects on hare and rabbits.

 

Leaves are eaten as salad greens or cooked like spinach. This is one of the species used in Chinese cuisine as kŭcài (苦菜; lit. bitter vegetable). The younger leaves are less bitter and better to eat raw. Steaming can remove the bitterness of older leaves. The younger roots are also edible and can suffice as a coffee substitute.

This post is part of the Floral Friday Fotos meme.

DESKTOP 2666 - LEAF

While we are enjoying Summer weather here in Melbourne, I am sparing a thought for people living in the Northern Hemisphere. Keep warm and safe, take every precaution against the Virus and let's all hope the vaccines being tested will soon be available to fight this pandemic!

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 2665 - TINOS ISLAND, GREECE

Tinos (Greek: Τήνος) is a Greek island situated in the Aegean Sea. It is located in the Cyclades archipelago. In antiquity, Tinos was also known as Ophiussa (from ophis, Greek for snake) and Hydroessa (from hydor, Greek for water). The closest islands are Andros, Delos, and Mykonos. It has a land area of approximately 194 square kilometres and a 2011 census population of 8,636 inhabitants.

 

Tinos is famous amongst Greeks for the Church of Panagia Evangelistria (The Annunciation of the Virgin), its 80 or so windmills, about 1000 artistic dovecotes, 50 active villages and its Venetian fortifications at the mountain, Exomvourgo. On Tinos, both Greek Orthodox and Roman Catholic populations co-exist, and the island is also well known for its famous sculptors and painters, such as Nikolaos Gysis, Yannoulis Chalepas and Nikiforos Lytras.

 

The island is located near the geographical centre of the Cyclades island complex, and because of the Panagia Evangelistria church, with its reputedly miraculous icon of Virgin Mary that it holds, Tinos is also the centre of a yearly pilgrimage that takes place on the date of the Dormition of the Virgin Mary (15 August, "Dekapentavgoustos" in Greek). This is perhaps the most notable and still active yearly pilgrimage in the region of the eastern Mediterranean. Many pilgrims make their way the 800 metres from the ferry wharf to the church on their hands and knees as sign of devotion.

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 2664 - SUMMER

We've had a couple of days of quite warm weather in Melbourne and there are more forecast in the week ahead. Looks like Summer is fast approaching...

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

DESKTOP 2663 - CUT & DRIED

This post is part of the My Sunday Best meme.

DESKTOP 2662 - HAPPY DOG

This post is part of the Saturday Critters meme.

DESKTOP 2661 - SUNSET

This post is part of the Skywatch Friday meme.

DESKTOP 2660 - SHOWY EVERLASTING DAISY

Showy Everlasting Daisy, Schoenia filifolia ssp. subulifolia, (synonym Helichrysum subulifolium) is a native Western Australian daisy now threatened with extinction in the wild. Fortunately, this species responds well to cultivation and is being planted widely in parks, gardens and forested areas throughout Australia. It has many fine, bright green leaves and many upright stems to between 30 and 40 cm high. Each stem carries a large golden-yellow flower that is 2 to 4 cm across. The flowers are good for drying, to use in dried flower arrangements.

This post is part of the Floral Friday Fotos meme.