SFAKIÁ, GREECE

Sfakiá (Greek: Σφακιά) is a mountainous area in the southwestern part of the island of Crete, in the Chania regional unit. It is considered to be one of the few places in Greece that have never been fully occupied by foreign powers. With a 2011 census population of 1,889 inhabitants living on a land area of 467.589 km2, Sfakia is one of the largest and least densely populated municipalities on the island of Crete.

The etymology of its name is disputed. According to the prevailing theory, it relates to its rugged terrain, deriving from the ancient Greek word σφαξ, meaning land chasm or gorge. The crystal clear sea and warm climate, as well as the hospitable population, the traditional food and crafts, make it a wonderful tourist destination.

This post is part of the My Sunday Best meme,

and also part of the Photo Sunday meme.

WATERY

This post is part of the My Sunday Best meme.

GERANIUM

Wild geranium (probably Geranium sanguineum) growing in the Darebin Parklands.

This post is part of the My Sunday Best meme.

DAWN ON THE WATER

This post is part of the Weekend Reflections meme.

FRINGED WATER-LILY

Nymphoides peltata (syn. Villarsia nymphaeoides, Fringed Water-lily, Yellow Floating-heart, Water Fringe) is an aquatic plant of the family Menyanthaceae native to Eurasia. It has cordate floating leaves that support a lax inflorescence of yellow flowers with fringed petal margins. The fruit is a capsule bearing many flattened seeds with stiff marginal hairs.The plants are commonly sold for use in ornamental water gardens. Outside their native range, however, they can escape cultivation and become nuisance noxious weeds.

Fringed Water-lily is an aquatic plant that grows well in shallow fresh-water like canals and ponds or slow moving streams. It differs from true water-lilies in that the flowers are smaller and that they are projecting above water level on short 8 cm stalks. Also in that it has five petals which are frayed or fringed around the periphery. The leaves float on water, from which long stems dangle. The leaves are normally oval in appearance with a shiny appearance from above, sometimes with purple spots, and purple below.

This post is part of the Floral Friday Fotos meme.

REFLECTIONS

This post is part of the Weekend Reflections meme.